In the spring of this year, I saw a portrait of a dog draped in pearls on Facebook, and that sight inspired me to debut the infrequently run blog franchise “Jewelers & Pets.”
Since April, I’ve run four Jewelers & Pets posts, all highlighting a beloved fur child or two and their jewelry-industry parents; the following is a peek at where the profile subjects are now.
Jane Jackson, owner, A Passion for Pearls in Sydney, Australia, “Jewelers & Pets: Pets in Pearls Down Under (and Destined for a Calendar)”; ran on May 14.
Jane sent me this note earlier this this month:
Hi Jennifer! Finally, my long-awaited pearly pets calendar has arrived and net profits go to the Animal Welfare Leagues NSW. Would love to know what you think of my yearlong project of pets in pearls!
Tiffany Peay, owner, Tiffany Peay in Falls River, Mass., “Jewelers & Pets: Tiffany Peay’s Golden Retriever Pup Inspires Pearl Dog Collar Line”; ran on July 2.
Kashie turned one in November and continues to be spoiled with love and attention by Tiffany and Hannah her “bonus mom,” according to the designer.
Kashie and Hannah, an employee at Tiffany Peay’s store in Falls River, Mass.
Silvia Leech, creator and innovation manager for Casa del Jade in Guatemala, “Jewelers & Pets: A Guatemalan Jeweler Helps Stray Animals Through Jadeite Sales”; ran on September 6.
Silvia emailed me on December 23:
Hi Jennifer,
I hope you are doing great and have a wonderful holiday season and a blessed year ahead.
Just to keep you up to date, things are going well here in Guatemala. Cesar Millan was visiting and we almost had him come visit for the possibility of selling the jade bone pendants on his website, but apparently his schedule was crazy during his time in Guatemala. Still, the jade bone pendants are selling and the Animal Association won an award provided by Ford Motor Company, apparently with a U.S. $10,000 check, so that’s great!
As for me, I now have 10 dogs at my house!! I rescued a one-month-old puppy with severe malnutrition and no fur from skin disease, fleas, etc., and also rescued a run-over pregnant dog one month ago! She just had six puppies last week via caesarian section, and she can’t walk as she’s quite old, so we’ll see how it goes after she’s done nursing; apparently she’ll need a very expensive surgery if she can be saved. We’ll keep her but need to find a house for her puppies. It’s a lot of work but it is so rewarding at the end of the day.
I also got great news last week: I have won a GIA scholarship to study jewelry design in Thailand! I’m very excited for the opportunity and to be able to go back to Asia.
So that’s that with me; hope everything is great at your end. I was just looking at the pictures about the jewelry displays in NYC and I wish I was there!
Hugs from Guatemala!
Silvia
Silvia Leech’s most recent Guatemalan street-dog rescue, Lucy, and her pups
Heath Slane, Maki Metzger, and Mandy Schoch; Heath is the co-owner of Slane Jewelry in Los Angeles, Maki works at Slane, and Mandy is a mutual friend and pet photographer in Los Angeles, “Jewelers & Pets: Meet Gigi the Great Dane, Dog Muse & Model for Slane Jewelry”; ran on April 9.
Sadly, Gigi died just before Christmas. Great Danes, because of their size, have notoriously shorter lives than many other breeds, and it was time for this gorgeous girl to cross the rainbow bridge. Hugs and love to her owner Maki Metzger—you gave her a glorious life.
Gigi, Slane model and muse, and beloved pet
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