about Iris Elm Jewelry
 

Iris Elm Jewelry is a one-woman shop run by me, Erin McIlroy, here in the Twin Cities, Minnesota.

Everything in my shop is handmade with much thought, care, and time going into every piece. For my beadwork jewelry, each bead is individually woven to form the design, a process that for some pieces can take hours. I also handcraft the metalwork and wire-wrapped pieces. For my resin flower jewelry, I found all of the flowers at one of the many beautiful parks here in the Twin Cities of Minnesota as well as in my very own garden, then pressed, dried and encased in resin which is a multi-stage process.

I have been interested in jewelry making my entire life. My mom made square wire jewelry and some of my earliest memories are watching her create and attending craft fairs with her. I started making jewelry for myself not long after I got my ears pierced at the age of ten, enjoying even as a kid that I was wearing one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry.

I eventually turned my love of crafting jewelry into a business and started selling online in 2013.

The design inspiration for my jewelry comes from nature, geometric patterns, as well as the beads themselves. Usually when I am starting a project I spread the beads out before me, not sure what I am going to make, but then am inspired by the beautiful materials. I truly love creating unique and special jewelry!

My work has appeared in Bead Style Magazine.

In addition to jewelry-making, I am also a soap-maker and I am excited to also offer on my website my artisan handmade soap, made by me from scratch using the cold process soap-making method. A while back I started making soap for myself and became addicted.

I am also an avid reader, knitter, artist, and animal-lover.