One of my favorite parts of the work we do here at Stonington Designs is that every element of our brand—from the designs we create to the processes we follow—reflects a very real part of our story.

If we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, you know I love sharing this story. For me, jewelry has always meant more when there’s meaning behind it: when I know where it came from, what inspired it, and the hands that brought it to life. 

As you read on, I hope you’ll feel why this story means so much to us, and how every chapter embodies our core values, our connection, and the care we pour into everything we create.

The Craftsman and the Artist

It’s a tale as old as time…an analytical mind meets a creative spirit, and well, the rest is history!

My husband, Rich, has always been a craftsman at heart. With a background in process engineering, he’s spent years shaping wood and metal, building everything from fine furniture to classic cars. He has a deep respect for materials and an eye for precision.

I, Michelle, am an artist who has long expressed myself through painting. My work has been featured in prominent homes, churches, and public spaces across the East Coast. I’m guided by intuition, storytelling, and creativity.

For most of our four decades together, our work lives remained separate—aside from our home being a living gallery of Rich’s woodworking and my art. But eventually, one special project made it clear how perfectly our strengths complemented each other.

How a Simple Gift Started Everything

Our roots can be traced back to one thoughtful family Christmas gift. 

Our son Kevin was trying to buy a hitch cover of Block Island for his new truck, but he was having a hard time finding something that he liked. 

So for Christmas, my husband, Rich, decided to make one himself—crafted from mahogany with a maple inlay. Our son absolutely loved it.

Shortly after, his girlfriend (now his wife) asked for a mermaid hitch cover for her birthday, and Rich knew he needed an artist’s touch to pull this kind of design off. That’s where I came in. I designed the mermaid, Rich brought it to life, and just like that, our woodworking collaboration truly began. 

Before long, friends and even strangers were asking where they could buy one of these hitch covers for themselves in other designs. What started as a simple gift had sparked something much bigger than we imagined.

A Natural Evolution of Craft

As Rich completed woodworking projects over the years, we accumulated a collection of end cuts: beautiful pieces of exotic wood that were too special to discard. We knew we wanted to honor those materials, but we hadn’t yet found the right form.

After I took a Nantucket basket weaving class in 2022, all the puzzle pieces suddenly fell into place. I came home that day knowing exactly what I wanted to do with all that incredible wood—I wanted to make it into jewelry. 

In January 2023, we launched Drift by Stonington Designs, a collection rooted in coastal heritage and timeless artisan values.

Our work is defined by:

• Quality craftsmanship – Our pieces are proudly handcrafted in the USA using native woods. Because we operate a local workshop here in Connecticut, we manufacture our componentry in-house—allowing for customization, precision, and consistent quality. A dedication to American artistry marks each piece, balancing beauty and heart with enduring resilience. 

• Thoughtful design – Materials are chosen carefully, details are shaped slowly, and nothing moves forward until every element feels right. We shape, sand, weave, and refine every piece of reclaimed wood to highlight its unique grain, tone, and texture. That patience shows up in the final result. You can feel it when you hold it. You can see it in the details. 

• Sustainability – Many of the pieces we make begin as remnants. End cuts. Offcuts. Pieces other shops discard. Instead of letting this premium wood go to waste, we repurpose it. When a bend breaks, we don’t throw it away, and when a piece is too small for cabinetry, we save it. Those fragments become something new—and we let the wood tell us what it wants to be. Broken bends, slivers, and imperfections become design features. Every piece we craft is a way of honoring the material. Sometimes, clients even bring us wood from old mantels or furniture that’s been in their family for years. It’s always an honor to craft a personalized piece from a material that already carries so much meaning.

Our commitment to these qualities means our jewelry is designed to be worn daily, passed down, and treasured for generations.

A Personal Story

Stonington Designs didn’t start as a business plan. It began as a season of life. 

Before we started our company, I had been working as the Executive Director of an assisted living facility. But when my mother’s health declined, I knew I needed to step away and focus my energy on caring for her. I couldn’t pour everything into caring for everyone else’s families while my own family needed me.

“I couldn’t pour everything into caring for everyone else’s families while my own family needed me.”

I can’t stress enough how much of a blessing it was to start Stonington Designs during this season. It gave me a new way to provide for my family financially and an outlet to express myself creatively—but most importantly, it made it possible for me to be fully present for the people who matter most in my life. 

That’s why it means so much that I’ve been able to extend this opportunity to other women who also need flexibility, purpose, and meaningful work.

The Military Spouse Weaving Program

As our handwoven jewelry gained popularity, our business continued to grow. We expanded into online retail and wholesale, and I found myself weaving nearly around the clock. It became clear that my two hands could only do so much. I was going to need help.

As with so many moments in our story, the answer arrived in a moment of serendipity.

I was having dinner with my son Michael, who is an Air Force pilot, and his wife, Donna. As we shared the meal, Donna shared about her experience living at a far away military base. And as I took in her words, I had a lightbulb moment.

Military families sacrifice so much for our freedom. Spouses of service members are often left managing the household on their own—far from home and without their usual support systems—while their loved ones serve our country. Finding work that fits into a life of frequent relocations and shifting responsibilities isn’t easy. They need opportunities that can adapt to their real lives.

That’s why we created the Military Spouse Weaving Program. What began as a small initiative has grown into a core part of our business. 

The program offers military spouses free training, earning potential, and the opportunity for a flexible at-home work schedule. It gives them an opportunity to learn a new skill while contributing to their family’s financial stability. 

This program is one of the things I’m proudest of. It supports military families—and it’s also been key to our ability to grow sustainably.

The values that shape Stonington Designs are deeply interwoven throughout our story. Everything from our materials, to our designs, to the people we hire reflects the core of our mission:

Jewelry designed with intention: to honor the earth that provides it, the hands that make it, and the individuals who wear it.

We started with one simple product and leaned into what felt right, allowing the business to grow organically over time. Every step has been intentional. Never rushed. Never forced. Always rooted in care, craftsmanship, and connection.

That’s how Stonington began, and it’s how we still build today. Thank you for being part of our journey and for supporting small batch, handmade, sustainable jewelry that’s created with meaning and built to last.