Danelle Rees started a jewelry business to stay home with the kids 鈥� and loves to create for customers
After her second child, Baylan, was born, Danelle Rees struggled with the cost of sending both kids to daycare.
She had been a mortgage advisor in the city for six years and loved her job but felt like something needed to change. One day her husband said, 鈥淲hy don鈥檛 you do something you love and make it work so that you can stay home with the kids?鈥�
鈥淗aving done mortgages for so long, you kind of forget about the creative side of your brain. I was just so used to pushing numbers and sitting at a desk,鈥� she says. But the opportunity to make jewelry fell into her lap, she explains, when a friend passed on information about suppliers. 鈥淪he said, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 you try it?鈥� So I did, and all of a sudden it felt so amazing! I just loved it.鈥�
She started at the Squamish Farmers鈥� Market just a few weekends, but it soon turned into a whole season. On reflection, she says, 鈥淚t鈥檚 been hard work鈥� but I just love the local feel. It鈥檚 also a great way to meet my customers and to meet other people.鈥�
Occasionally, though, she still questions her decision. 鈥淚t was scary to quit a full-time, secure, amazing job to do something you鈥檙e unsure about 鈥� not knowing if it will work or not. There was actually a moment not long ago when I thought, 鈥楧id I make the right decision?鈥� You have good days and bad days but you have to look at the big picture. This is what鈥檚 good for my family right now, and this is what makes me happy.鈥�
Balancing everything, though, is always a challenge, she says. 鈥淵ou struggle between being a mom, being a wife, and being a business owner鈥� If you spend all day with your kids then you鈥檙e up a couple of extra hours extra doing jewelry at night,鈥� she says.
But spending time with her two children is her first priority. 鈥淚鈥檒l be up till 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. making bracelets because I feel I need to spend the time with them first鈥� 鈥� even if it leaves her feeling a little grumpy the next morning, she admits. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a struggle but it鈥檚 totally worth it because, for me, it means I get to stay home with my kids as well as do something I love.鈥�
Rees also loves to see her customers鈥� reactions. 鈥淚t sounds so cheesy, but to see people buy things they love and to see how it makes their day just makes me so happy. I remember one of the first ladies who bought a bracelet. She said, 鈥榊ou just made my day, I feel so beautiful. I feel so great!鈥� It just made me feel so good,鈥� she laughs.
Rees describes her bracelets and necklaces as simple but classic, with a modern twist, and primarily uses leather and sterling silver. Though she鈥檚 recently started working with cork which, she says, is lightweight and great for the summer. She鈥檚 also going to be introducing some colourful leather pieces for spring, using turquoise, corals, pinks and lilacs.
You can find Rees鈥檚 jewelry stand, Halabay, at the final Winter Farmers鈥� Market on April 18 at Squamish Elementary School from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
