Our Story

Payton Jewelry began with a wood stove…

After Sean and I purchased our first home we were constantly looking for ways to make ends meet. A wood stove seemed like a smart way to heat our home inexpensively. Shortly after our new heating investment, we began to notice that some of the pieces of wood that had been split were much too beautiful to burn and so we set them aside for no particular purpose at first. From that growing stockpile of salvaged wood, rustic wine bottle holders began to make their way from Sean’s workshop. The hustle and bustle of life went on with our wonderful daughter Blue who was in the midst of changing schools and our new daughter Sheah, who was keeping everyone busy. It was from these complexities and demands of a burgeoning family that our current passion was soon realized.

Sean was spending more and more time at work and in his shop refining his woodworking skills. Though it was a necessity, he regretted this time away from his family and every couple of months a little wood necklace would show up as an apology for the amount of time spent with tools instead of us. Those Celtic knot and wood heart necklaces received enough compliments to inspire me to enlist Sean in a venture to make enough of them to be able to offer them to a few friends. And then a few more… I expanded on the growing line by adding leather bracelets, metals and stones and our jewelry business was born.

Our goal was to make sure that each piece that we created was simple yet elegant, easy to care for, and jewelry that can seamlessly transition from the garden, to a meeting and from your favorite jeans to your favorite dress. As our venture grew, I was determined that each design should reflect inner beauty and love of nature through the many combinations of wood, stone, leather, metal and silver that make Payton Jewelry Design what it is today. And, yes, we are still splitting wood, which means many of the pieces offered here originated in our woodpile that is comprised of reclaimed pieces and naturally felled trees and branches. It is, in a sense, reborn.

We are elated each time we hear that one of our creations has become one of your favorite pieces of jewelry and hear that our story is being passed on. Thank you for loving our jewelry as much as we do!

~Kristi Payton