Featured Mom - Joanne Sim-Long from Jars of Heaven

Joanne is a new mom whose son was born in January of this year. She's found a love for jewelery made with vintage components. A love for things old and new has spawned some beautiful art.

H: How long have you been doing what you do?

J: I believe the creative process is a life-long learning journey so I’d have to thank my Mom for forcing me to go for Art classes and for my art teachers for making art lessons fun. I started making jewelery in early 2006 when my sister brought back a bunch of pretty beads and pliers, we were hooked!

H: What do you love to make the most?

J: Earrings, Necklaces, Bracelets and brooches! All with vintage parts, precious and semiprecious stones, and charms. I know tons of people do it, but for me, it is not only therapeutic but it is a passion as well. It is also a challenge to improve my craft, and come up with better and prettier one of a kind pieces. Next up, learning how to silversmith and bezel set and make rings.

H: Were you creative before you had your baby?

J: I had my bundle of joy just this year on Jan 26, 2008, and prior to that, I’d been in the creative field for quite some time. I’ve studied piano since I was 4 and finally graduated with a Bachelor of Music in 2002. Before learning to make jewelery, I loved to write poems, draw and paint wooden boxes for birthday presents and then in 2006, my greatest passion- making pretty jewelery pieces!

H: Have you changed your methods since having a baby?

J: Hmm… not really, but I think my style has evolved. Inspiration comes from everything in this world, and I like to look around for great colour combinations, as well as for unique ways of putting them together. Sometimes though, simplicity is classic, and I think I maybe going back to that.

H: How do you find time to stay creative?

J: When my son sleeps! Unfortunately he hardly sleeps for long nowadays, but for the first few weeks of his life, I managed to create from midnight to 2am!

H: Do you see creative signs in your baby?

J: Oh yes! He is a very inquisitive little boy, and loves to look around and is very alert. He loves listening to a Capella music and if a temperamental character is the mark of a creative person, he will certainly be a creative little boy!

H: What have you learned about your art and yourself since becoming a mother?

J: That I love to craft more than I realised! I laid in bed some nights and had ideas about what to make but was just too exhausted to get my butt to the work table. I also learned that I love my son more than anything in the world (apart from my husband, of course!) and that I would like to instill life into every piece I handcraft from here on... I want to make things that improve the quality of someone’s life, not just add to their jewelry drawer. I also would like to make pieces for women to wear so they’ll feel pretty, even though they have kids and maybe not as much time for themselves.

H: Anything else to ad?

J: Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to be featured on your blog! Since becoming a mom, it’s just opened my eyes to the many sacrifices my mom made for me and I am eternally thankful to her.

H: You're very welcome, thanks for joining us at Maternal Spark. Joanne's work can be found at www.jarsofheaven.etsy.com and you are welcome to email her at joannesimms@gmail.com.

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