Milk Velvet Pearls - Healing Through Creating

Part of what I love about my job is connecting with artisans. I love hearing tales about how and why they create what they do. I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Faulkner, owner and creator of Milk Velvet Pearls. At some point early on in our call, it stopped being an interview and became a deeply touching conversation about life’s journey and healing hearts.

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Upon connecting on the phone, we jumped right into the heart of Sarah’s business. And when I use the word heart, I use it metaphorically and literally. You see, Sarah’s business grew from her heart and from a need to heal. She endured a very difficult and life changing event. It rattled her to the core and as she describes it, made her feel that her “whole world was crumbling around her.” But, being the wise and introspective woman that she is, she knew she needed to grow and heal from her experience. In a matter of 9 months, she turned her life around. Sarah attributes finding faith to this life change, and she was totally surprised by this discovery. You see, Sarah did not grow up religious and didn’t feel particularly strong about her beliefs, so that’s why she felt it woke her when she discovered it.

Soon after, Milk Velvet Pearls was born, and it has an equally touching role in Sarah’s journey. One day, Sarah and her 9-year-old daughter were admiring her great-grandmother’s pearls. Sarah was thinking to herself about how pearls are so precious and beautiful. As they were looking at the necklace, her daughter says, “Mama, pearls are like people. Bad things can make them pretty on the inside.” At this moment, the idea for Milk Velvet Pearls came to her in a flash. She thought,”Why to hide these precious pearls away?” They can be easy and casual to wear. They also represent hope and serve as a reminder of where we have been.

For Sarah, her jewelry reminds how much she has grown and what she has overcome. Her pieces are symbolic, each taking a different meaning depending on the owner and their story. Sarah hopes that her customers find comfort and beauty in wearing each piece she creates.

Over the few years, Sarah has also learned to trust her instincts and follow her heart when it comes to her business. In the past, she has been advised to keep her beliefs and her story to herself. However, she has found that the more she trusts her instincts, faith, and heart the more she is able to connect with others and grow her business.

I asked Sarah, what advice she would give to her younger self or someone just starting a business and she said don’t be afraid to ask. Ask God, the universe, or whatever it is you believe in. She said, often she gets a new idea and feels jazzed about it only to hit a roadblock that makes her feel defeated. When she takes the time to step back and ask, the answers come to her. She quoted the movie Cars by saying, “If you’re going hard enough right, you’ll find yourself turning left.” Isn’t this so true of not only business but about life, too? it really isn’t about the destination; it is about the journey. It also is a reminder of how intertwined our business and life are. If we create from a true and heartfelt place, success will follow.

So ask, take a step back and be open to receive. Don’t force things. Don’t try to rush things. Just breath and know that the universe has your back. Thank you, Sarah. Thank you for sharing your tale with me. Thank you for opening up your heart. You are touching more people than you even know and I am so honored that I was able to talk with you!