I have admired Liz Cater’s jewelry for quite awhile now. I posted about her fabulous idea for wedding dress necklaces back in 2013. What a wonderful way to remind you of your special day. Liz will encase a piece of your wedding dress lace in a clear waterproof resin and sterling silver backed pendant to wear as a necklace. But this idea expands beyond just wedding dress lace. Any special material will work… a hospital baby cap, a piece of your past loved ones favorite shirt or tie, military uniform or any piece of cloth that means something special. I love it Liz! A necklace that reminds me of a moment in time, my very own time capsule. It’s something that I can look down at and feel all warm and fuzzy when I remember that day. Thank you!

I caught up with Liz a few weeks ago for a meet-the-artist interview! She is so nice and offered to send a GIVEAWAY kit to one lucky Bit of Bees Knees reader! And a shoutout to all you guys out there…Valentine’s day is just around the corner and I think this would be the perfect gift for your lovely lady.

-GIVEAWAY RULES-

The contest will be held on my INSTAGRAM at the time of this post and runs until January 23rd.
1. Like this picture and tag 1 friend in a comment below.
2. Check out @the_lace_studio on Instagram and like one of Liz’s pictures.

That’s it! Contest runs until January 23rd! I will notify the winner via private Instagram message the night of the 23rd for your shipping info. 

The kit is for the 20mm sterling silver necklace, so a little bigger than the one I’m wearing (mine is 15mm, or dime sized, and the 20mm is nickel sized) and retails for $85.  I will mail the lucky winner a necklace kit from The Lace Studio. It comes with complete instructions on how to send in your material, pick a background color and mail it back to Liz (stamps included). Any material can be sent in!

Meet the Artist

L I Z Z   C A R T E R

What inspired you to make jewelry?  

I was inspired to make lace jewelry from my own wedding.  I asked my seamstress to save any lace she cut off during alterations with no real plan on how to use it, I just knew I didn’t want it to go to waste!  After searching for gifts to give to my family for helping me plan the wedding I fell short, the typical robes and monogrammed cups were great, but didn’t seem personal enough.  I started with the idea of putting the lace in a locket, but really wanted it to last a lifetime, and that’s when I started experimenting with resin.  It took many different processes and resins before finding what worked best, but now that I have the basic process down, the ideas are limitless, and I really enjoy encasing all types of materials in resin now, it no longer has to only be lace.   

What do you enjoy doing in your off time?  

In my time off I enjoy hiking and yoga, and spending time with family.  My son is 11 now and it’s a really fun age.  

Where can you be found online (websites, social media etc)?

I can be found at thelacestudio.com, on Facebook (facebook.com/thelacestudio), and Instagram (@the_lace_studio), I’m also still on Etsy where I started in 2011 at lacestudio.etsy.com.  

What is the most rewarding aspects of starting a handmade business? Do you have any tips?  

I love that I am able to be creative and work with my hands. My favorite thing is hearing the stories behind the material that I work with. I am honored that my clients let me be a small part of that story, and that I can help keep that story alive by creating something they can wear everyday.  I am so grateful that I am able to work from home with flexible hours, it allows me to put my son on the bus every morning and be here when he gets home from school.   My tip to anyone who enjoys creating is to go for it!  Even if it starts as  a hobby and not your full time job, you never know where it will take you unless you try.