Essence & Elegance

01/24/2026

In closing my 2025 books, I just want to say … what an incredible November it was!

In the previous 3 years, E&E had raised a total $550 for the Veteran’s Poppy Fund with our handmade Remembrance Pins. In a moment of hope last October, I made a goal to beat that donation total (for THREE years) in ONE year … and I’m SO happy to announce that WE did it!!

Thank you so very much to everyone who purchased a Remembrance Pin in 2025. A total of 184 Remembrance Pins were sold and the donation cheque to the Royal Canadian Legion’s Veteran Fund for 2025 is $560!! The Remembrance Pins are still available for purchase on my website – www.essenceandelegance.com – all donations for future pin sales will be included in the 2026 campaign.

Speaking about this year … 2026 will mark the Royal Canadian Legion’s 100th anniversary!

Incorporated in 1926, the Legion is Canada’s largest Veteran support and community service organization. Founded by Veterans and for Veterans, The Royal Canadian Legion is devoted to supporting all those who served our country and put their lives on the line for our freedoms and way of life.

The annual Poppy Campaign is the Royal Canadian Legion's most significant fundraising event of the year and the major source of funds used for its primary mission of supporting Veterans and their families.

I would like to thank the following stores and their owners for waiving their commission on each Remembrance Pin sold in 2025. This allowed me to donate $3 from each pin, anywhere it was sold, to the Veteran’s Fund!

Kristy, owner of The Next Time Around (NTA), 211 Queen St. W., Cambridge (Hespeler)
Tina, owner of Phoenix Emporium, 133 James St. N., Hamilton
Jennifer, owner of Canvas & Clay, 106 Simpson Street, Thunder Bay

As well as a special thank you to my family and friends who sold pins through their work, their sports teams, their hobby clubs and elsewhere!

10/29/2025

The answer to my last post is ... Remembrance Pins!
Our winner is Cindy Lynch Congrats, Cindy! ❤️

I do not call my Remembrance Pins "Poppies", since those are the pins you purchase from a Legion Box during the Poppy Campaign. That campaign is very important to our veterans, and I still purchase one every year in memory of those who fought for our freedom.

What I noticed, though, was a need for an easily available pin that is sustainable. 3 years ago, I created my own design of a Remembrance Pin. I have given a portion of the proceeds of the pins to the Hespeler Legion Poppy Fund every year. The total donation to date is $550.

This year, I have expanded the reach and my hope is to double that amount in ONE year! The Remembrance Pins are available on my website and in 3 stores (the owners of each store have graciously agreed to waive their commission on the pins, so I can increase my donation $3 per pin!!)

Available at:
Next Time Around 211 Queen St. W., Cambridge (Hespeler)
Canvas & Clay 106 Simpson St., Thunder Bay
Phoenix Emporium 133 James St. N., Hamilton
As well as on my website:
www.essenceandelegance.com

10/27/2025

It’s that time of year for me again! Making hundreds of the same polymer clay item. Can you guess what it is??? 👀

Comment your ONE guess below! Every guess (even if it’s not the right answer) will be entered to win an Essence & Elegance gift card to use on my website! 🥳

Check back on Wednesday to see the answer and our winner! 🎉

10/17/2025

NEW product release and ... a funny personal story included in this post!! 👀

In the 10 years that I’ve worked with polymer clay, I’ve never made a “ghost”. I could never figure out how to make a ghost look unique. It’s just a white piece of clay with black eyes and a black mouth, right? 🤔

NOT THIS YEAR!! Introducing the “B***y Ghost”! She is slightly pink faced that her b***y is showing! 😮

A funny backstory (or TMI) … as I aged and my daughter grew into a teen, then a woman, I often joked that she “stole my nice butt” and she’d slap hers and say “yup, I got it from my Mama”!

Not that this is a clay image of how she looks in a ghost costume, BUTT (pun intended!) it may – or may not – be dedicated to her!! 😂

The B***y Ghost earrings are now available tax-free on my website essenceandelegance.com

They are also available at Next Time Around in Hespeler.

Phoenix Emporium in Hamilton and Canvas & Clay in Thunder Bay will receive them early next week.

You got it from yer mama xoxo

10/14/2025

The Nightmare before Christmas Collection is here!!

Now available on my website ... essenceandelegance.com
(the pick-up option is encouraged until Canada Post is back in full swing)

Also available at:
Next Time Around in Hespeler
Phoenix Emporium in Hamilton
Canvas & Clay in Thunder Bay

09/25/2025

2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the final report and calls to action for Truth and Reconciliation. A time to reflect that Every Child Matters and to treat others with Respect and Kindness.

September 30th is known as Orange Shirt Day in Canada and my handmade Orange Shirt earrings are now available on my secure website www.essenceandelegance.com and at Next Time Around
211 Queen St. W. Cambridge (Hespeler).

09/06/2025

I arrived home today after spending 9 days in Thunder Bay. It’s the hometown I grew up in and I still have many family members there. The trip was a wonderful whirlwind of visiting, but I did manage to fit in a little “business” in between. 😍

I now have my handmade jewelry in an amazing artisan shop in Thunder Bay called Canvas & Clay!!! 🎉

It is located at 106 Simpson Street (corner of Victoria & Simpson) and the store is definitely something to see! The front of the store is filled with a wonderful array of unique pieces handmade by artisans. There is something for everyone! ❤️

There is also a classroom where they hold SO many awesome classes. I actually went to a Jewelry Wire Wrapping Class at while I was in town. It was a 3 hour class with all supplies included for $30 and I was so excited to find out how to work with wire. Sam was amazing in her teachings and I learned so much from her. 🥰

Check out their eventbrite link for the list of classes offered in September … https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/canvas-clay-77215731853

You must drop into the store if you’re in the area!
Check out their website … https://www.canvasandclay.ca

08/22/2025

We have fun, unique earrings for the amazing Teachers returning for the new school year!

Now available at:
* Next Time Around (211 Queen St. W., Hespeler)
* Phoenix Emporium (133 James St. N., Hamilton)
* essenceandelegance.com (our new website)

Handcrafted designs for every occasion, hypoallergenic materials

08/09/2025

What would a new website be without a few technical hiccups (both with software and user 😉), but my Teacher’s Earrings Collection is ready to Launch! ✏️🍎🎓

I have so much respect for teachers! I know I could never have home schooled my kids and their teachers were amazing.

Being a teacher is a challenging job, but so many add fun to the school day and show that they really care. ❤️ I personally know teachers who love to add fun accessories to their wardrobe and it lead me to making a few pairs of “fun teacher earrings”.

The Pencil Heart Earrings, Apple with Glasses Earrings and Mortarboard Studs have been added to the Features for Teachers section on my website - essenceandelegance.com

The Mortarboard Studs can be customized to represent school colours and the earring findings that I use are hypoallergenic stainless steel.

Oh … and check out the last picture for a little sneak peek of the next collection I’m working on! “Well, well, well, what have we here”? Is it a Halloween movie 🎃 or a Christmas movie🎅??

08/06/2025

I’ve been wanting to create my own website for some time. A place where my customers can pay the same price as they do when I attend vendor shows.

Tax-free orders that can include my jewelry from ALL seasons, brand new designs and retired sale pieces.

Whew, it's been a lot of work 😅, but it's all set up and now I can concentrate on adding all my jewelry pieces.

I was planning to wait to make it live until I have them ALL added, but it's an ongoing process. 🙃

I have a few new pieces to launch on Friday and I'm excited to launch them first on my new website!

Check it out at essenceandelegance.com 👀

08/03/2025

Have you been to Next Time Around in Cambridge (Hespeler) yet?? 👀

I've been a vendor in the Market section of the store since it opened 2 years ago and it is one of the BEST shops in Hespeler!! It is owned and operated by a fabulous group of talented ladies and they are always thinking of new ways to have fun in the store.

They are open every day of the week AND they are OPEN TOMORROW! 👏

🤩 I’m so excited to be part of the Next Time Around Market Passport Challenge happening August 11–17!

For just $2, you can grab a passport at the front counter and explore the whole store through fun tasks and stamp stops — including my booth! 🥰

Complete your passport and you’ll be entered to win a prize bundle filled with goodies from NTA vendors 🎉 (yes, including me).

✨ A fun way to shop local, discover hidden gems, and maybe win something awesome!

📍 Grab your passport in-store (211 Queen St. W.) starting Monday, August 4!

07/21/2025

Go from Healing to Thriving!!
TONIGHT @ 7:30 pm EST on Zoom

My daughter, Victoria, also known as The Balanced Betch has room in her FREE online Masterclass this evening at 7:30 pm EST.

Check out her link https://bio.site/thebalancedbetch and sign up for this free class to learn how to stop circling the same wounds, and start living as the version of you that your healing was always preparing you for!

This masterclass is for you if:
— You’ve done the healing, but still feel like something’s missing
— You’re craving integration, clarity, and momentum
— You’re ready to live from your power, not your pain

And yes—there will be a replay, but come live if you can.

This conversation could shift everything.

The healing era is over.
Let’s THRIVE.