LOVESAKE
The Full Story
Hi all! I am Crystal Dagner, the owner and founder of Lovesake Preservation Jewelry. I am a stay at home mom to two rowdy boys and wife to an even rowdier man. We live in a quiet little town in the middle of southern Illinois where we were all born and raised.
Before becoming a stay at home mom, I worked as nurse and before that I worked in television wearing several different hats. I've traveled. I've served the homeless. I've met dignitaries. I've seen people born and I've held them as they passed. Through it all I learned that it is love that makes it all worthwhile.
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When my heart was broken after the loss of my adopted father, I began learning the science behind flower preservation and infusion into resin so that I could create pieces for myself and my family to keep of his funeral flowers. After many tears, failures, and a couple of fires, I created my first piece. I can't express how much that inanimate object, which contained something he never owned or loved, comforted me on the hard days.
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It wasn't long before I began receiving requests to make pieces for others from baby quilts to breastmilk and I once again I began learning all the nuances of preserving each type of item. There were more tears and months of trials (no more fires!) and eventually I found the secrets to each one. Quickly, and without a plan, I decided everyone should have the option to bring their treasured items out of the dark drawer or off the dusty shelf and have them made into beautiful jewelry to be loved and enjoyed.
And Lovesake was born.
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As I did my first year of local vendor shows, I learned that Lovesake was a service that my community was excited to learn about. I watched their faces as they realized what Lovesake offered. I heard their stories of love and laughter and pain. I helped some design perfect gifts and I prayed with some for comfort and strength.
The ironic thing about Lovesake is that people think I am helping them, when in reality, it has blessed me abundantly more. Each piece is designed, created, and given in love and is a constant reminder to me of the love I shared with my father.
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"May the Lord make your love increase
and overflow for each other
and for everyone else,
just as ours does for you."
1 Thessalonians 3:12
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