From August 20–23, I brought Salt & Water Co. to the 32nd annual Made in Hawaiʻi Festival at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center. It was only my second event, but by far my biggest yet. I was at the booth all four days, running most of it on my own.
Months in the making
Made by hand, piece by piece
Much of the year leading up to Made in Hawaiʻi was spent at my workbench at Sunset Beach on the North Shore, sorting through shells collected on previous dives, drilling pearls, and making more jewelry at once than I ever had before.
I even set up my entire booth at home first, arranging and rearranging everything until it felt right.
The finishing touches
Every little detail
Preparing for the festival went beyond making jewelry. I ordered new displays, business cards, and packaging inserts, and cut polishing cloths into small squares for each jewelry purchase. I also hand-stamped the new jewelry pouches and cards myself, wanting everything to feel like a natural extension of Salt & Water Co.
The booth
Bringing it all together
I wanted the booth to reflect the same connection to place and Hawaiʻi that inspires my jewelry. I used wood displays, locally sourced kiawe wood, lauhala textures, ti leaf, and fresh tropical bird of paradise blooms gathered from my own backyard.
Each necklace, bracelet, ring, anklet, and pair of earrings had its own place, arranged so people could appreciate the beauty and intricate details of every shell and pearl up close.
Meeting you
Familiar and new faces
My favorite part of the festival was meeting so many of you in person. Some were discovering Salt & Water Co. for the first time, while others stopped by to share that they’d been following along for a while. Getting to connect beyond a screen, share the stories behind my jewelry, and meet the people who support my work made those four days especially meaningful.
“After months spent creating each piece, seeing them find their way to the people who connected with them was one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.”
The Made in Hawaiʻi Edit
Launched at the festival
Debuting there, the collection included one-of-a-kind and small-batch designs featuring handpicked Hawaiian shells, Tahitian pearls, and natural materials. It meant a lot to share these pieces at the booth before bringing the remaining designs online.
With gratitude
A Hui Hou
Mahalo to everyone who stopped by, whether it was to find a new piece, stay for a conversation, or simply say hello. And to the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival team for bringing together so many talented local makers and creating a space to share our work.
As one of the few in-person events I participate in each year, this festival was one I’ll always remember. I’m looking forward to returning next year and hopefully seeing some familiar faces again.
