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Meet Our Artisans
Thank you for visiting our website. My name is Kim Nelson, and I am the founder of Your Island Treasure. As natives of coastal NC and residents of Topsail Island, my husband (Richard) and I have a deep love of all things “beach” including boating, fishing, and beach-combing. Our love of the beach became a business in 2012 when Richard found a rare shard of red sea glass. This unique treasure became the first piece of jewelry I ever made, and the start of Your Island Treasure.
In 2017 my focus shifted from sea glass to jewelry created with sand and shells. The customer response was incredible! In 2019 I made the decision to leave my career as a Social Worker and become a full-time business owner. In 2022 Richard retired as well, and we became full-time business partners. He is the designer of our most recent line of jewelry created with quahog clam shells. I love making jewelry with my best friend!
Today, Your Island Treasure offers unique, handcrafted sterling silver and 14k gold- filled jewelry using natural elements, including sand, shells, and most recently turquoise. Most of our sand and shells have been foraged from North Carolina beaches.
We will also design custom jewelry using found treasures that clients bring to us. We specialize in transforming memories into wearable art, allowing customers to remember keep a reminder of their favorite beach to treasure forever.
We are mainstays along the NC juried festival route. (Visit our calendar to view upcoming events!) During our travels, we collect sand and shells from all coastal regions of North Carolina including: The Outer Banks, The Crystal Coast, Swansboro area beaches, Topsail Island Beaches, Wilmington area beaches, and Brunswick Island beaches. Our clam shell jewelry is made with locally sourced Quahog clam shells. While North Carolina is our home, custom pieces are available using sand from other worldwide locations. Contact us for more information.