Jewelry has been part of my family for generations. My grandfather owned The Jewel Box in Montreal, and my grandmother nurtured my early love for adornment. In the 1960s, my father ran a small handmade jewelry line, Big Ben’s Beads, selling wooden-bead earrings to major department stores to help pay his way through university.

My own journey began at nine, when a visit to a bead wholesaler inspired my mother to launch her own jewelry business. Our home buzzed with women beading orders, and I created a kids’ line that I sold at markets and trade shows. When my mother later moved on to painting, her leftover beads were carefully saved by colour in boxes we could never part with.

Over the years, I would revisit those beads, but in July 2019 something shifted. I began creating again, wore my pieces out, and people immediately wanted them. That same year, I launched my own jewelry brand, STRAND, rediscovering the joy of designing handmade pieces. When alphabet beads became popular, I tracked down the same vintage glass letters I used as a child. The same wholesaler hadn’t sold them in over 20 years, but they found the last forgotten stock and I bought every letter.

Today, my designs feature those vintage glass beads along with beads/charms from my mother’s original collection. We’ve also expanded to include a curated collection of jewelry sourced from quality suppliers around the world, combining our own designs with pieces from international makers. Sustainability is central to our brand: we never use plastic beads, packaging is minimal, linen bags are reusable, and mailers are 100% recycled.

Each piece comes with a Hope Pin, a modern nod to the classic friendship pin, meant to be clipped, shared, or gifted as a small reminder of connection and creativity.

Rooted in family history, passion, and meaningful craftsmanship, STRAND celebrates creativity and connection while continuing a legacy, one bead at a time.