About Us
When Adam and I started dating, I was working for a large retail chain and raising my three children. As our relationship blossomed, my career advanced and I took on a management role. Soon, I was working most of the hours my kids were awake and at home, and Adam became the full-time parent. He was the school chauffeur, chef, dance dad, repairman, etc. in our home. Over time it became clear that despite the pay and benefits of my title, we all – the kids included – felt something was missing. Namely, me.
Once after a day of working on a project together on a rare weekend when I wasn’t working, Adam had asked me “Can’t we just do this? You quit your job and us just work side-by-side?” We spent the afternoon fantasizing about it, imagining it just a pipe dream.
The pandemic hit, and the company I was working for prioritized profits over people. My physical and mental health deteriorated. I was unhappy and hurt and trying to keep family life and work life afloat. Then our family came down with a really bad stomach virus. After months of working 60-70 hour weeks, I took my dangerously dehydrated youngest daughter to the ER late at night. We weren’t released until 6 am the next morning, and shortly after, my boss messaged to see if we had been sent home. Though my boss knew both my children were still very sick and I had not slept in over 24 hours, I was told I needed to go and open the store. It was in that moment that I knew I was done with that corporation for good. I sent in my immediate resignation to my district manager, my regional manager, and my division vice president later that day – after getting some sleep.
Adam and I had some savings and some small secondary income sources. After a lot of discussion and number crunching, we opened our Etsy shop “to help make ends meet.” Adam’s Lego Dot earrings were the beginning. With more spare time than I’d had in years, and a lifetime love of arts and crafts that I had been missing for almost as long, I was a bit more… all over the place, exploring numerous projects I has wanted to try for ages. Fairly quickly, though, I settled into a niche creating beautiful resin jewelry and keychains.
We launched Poet & Sparrow to sell our creations, and in just a few short months, we made sales to 13 US states. Our little Etsy shop to make ends meet had transformed into a successful small business. Best of all, we were working together every day, and we were able to make family, quality time, health, and mental wellness priorities in our lives again.
I remember going to work with my mom at the craft store she managed when I was about the age my two Tiny Dancers are now. She would teach me how to make things – booboo bunnies, beaded spiders to nestle into a Christmas tree, lace angels – with the supplies her store sold. Then she would display my work next to hers for all of the store’s guests to see as they browsed the lace, ribbon, and beads and got ideas for what they wanted to create next. Now, I’ve watched that come full circle. The Tiny Dancers sit with Adam and me as we create pieces for our brand. They learn about creating beautiful things for the enjoyment of others, and they learn about hard work and making dreams come true. We put some of their creations on the sales table next to ours when we do craft fairs.
As parents of girls, Adam and I know how frustrating it can be to find jewelry our children love, only for it to irritate their ears or skin, or turn it colors. As a jewelry lover myself, I also know how disappointing it is to reach for that perfect piece from your collection that you haven’t worn in a while and realize it needs to be cleaned and polished, and you don’t have the time to do so right then. This is why Poet & Sparrow chooses to use stainless steel earring backs, chains, and findings in our jewelry, with very few exceptions. We strive to bring our guests unique pieces that they can reach for in their fast-paced day to day lives for years to come, without having to worry about upkeep or skin irritation.
We hope that as we grow our business and create one-of-a-kind homemade jewelry and gifts, that we will also be creating new friendships that will last the years. Please, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, or suggestions.
With Love,
Adam and Angela, Poet and Sparrow
