Today we’d like to introduce you to Kacey White.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kacey. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My love for turquoise began with a goal – to get Mom through her chemotherapy treatment for triple negative breast cancer. As we settled into that infusion room for another long day, her exact words were “I just need a little something to look forward to”.
We planned a trip to a place we’d never been, but one that would be easy to cancel in case she wasn’t up to it – and found ourselves in the tiny town of Truth or Consequences, NM (T or C to the locals).
Long story short, 2019 marked our 13th annual trip, and we still go on the same weekend every year; though we’ve expanded our crew to include my best friend from childhood and her Mom, too! If you stopped to Google, you already know there’s not a heck of a lot to do in T or C, which is why we love it so, but we did manage to find ourselves head over heels in lust with turquoise!
When the amount became too obscene to claim as merely souvenirs, I started selling it! Every piece is an authentic, handmade, Native American work-of-art. and I’m so proud to introduce the uninitiated to my passion and to shop for new treasures for those that have already started their collection.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course, there are roadblocks. Every. Day. I am still working full time as a marketing consultant, the turquoise business is my creative outlet and passion, but isn’t yet able to pay the bills. It’s difficult to juggle so many hats, schedules and deadlines.
Please tell us about Mine Jewelry Collection.
My business isn’t just jewelry – it’s a unique craft from indigenous people that is threatened by the depletion of the turquoise mines. There are currently no commercially producing turquoise mines open any longer, so it’s a once we run out, it’s gone kind of thing. I am constantly amazed that my pieces are 100% hand made – so much history, hard work and love is represented in each piece! I love vintage, and I know that many of my followers love it too, and that is a big reason that they buy from me. I’m most proud that I took something that I loved and had the courage to try to turn it into a business. You always hear that it’s not work if you love it, and that couldn’t be more true!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Campfire Girls summer camp! I enthusiastically attended Camp Winiwaca in Rosebud, TX from 2nd grade until they closed the doors the summer before I started college. Every cabin had an Indian name, and we learned how follow animal tracks, fish, sing and respect the land. It wasn’t until this year that it suddenly hit me the connection between these summers of my youth and my decision to start my turquoise business!
Contact Info:
- Address: The Hive
2020 West Gray
Houston, TX 77019 - Website: www.minejewelrycollection.com
- Phone: 713-516-6614
- Email: kacey@minejewelrycollection.com
- Instagram: @minejewelrycollection
- Facebook: @MINEJewelry
Image Credit:
Kacey White, Kristin Contreras, Myke Toman, Toman Imagery
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