Cinnamon Fern Preserves N.B.’s Natural Beauty in Unique Jewelry
SAINT JOHN — Tammy Bigney found inspiration for her jewelry business Cinnamon Fern literally in her own backyard, in the splendor of nature with her family.
“Me and the girls, we love plants and finding out different things about plants and flowers,” she says of herself and her three daughters who help her make resin jewelry featuring local flora.
“We picked the name Cinnamon Fern because that is the actual name of a fern. We have lots of them here on our property and we have pictures of the kids playing in them when they were smaller. [The ferns] can grow quite large.”
She says that, as homeschoolers, learning more about the world around them was always an important aspect of their lives, one that has developed even more so since starting the business in 2021. Now every walk outside provides new inspiration for her pieces: the teardrop, heart and triangle pendants and rings featuring pressed flowers and fern shoots.
“I always stop for ferns,” she says. “When we’re going on our family hikes [around her property in Titusville] I look for things that I can press.”
The eye-catching pieces have grown into a successful cottage business for Bigney who with the help of her daughters, runs the small-batch resin jewelry business.
Since starting in 2021, the pieces have grown in popularity and can be found in local stores throughout the province including at Lashes and Lavender, Chavah Lindsay and Together Designs in Area 506 and Galbraith Flowers in Saint John, Biddington’s Hideaways in Shediac just to name a few. That’s in addition to her Etsy shop or just getting in touch via social media or email.
Bigney’s also started growing some of her own flowers to use, such as colourful petaled cosmos with their bright yellow centres. And in a pinch, she has a few trusted local florists and flower farms she collaborates with.
But her own backyard has always provided the most inspiration for her work.
“I have tried pressing the flowers from strawberry plants [from the garden]. Those are pretty too,” she says. “Something exciting that I like to do is finding more ways to use our property for our business.”
In true DIY spirit, Bigney says she finds the best place to do her work is in the heart of the home – the kitchen.
“Our island is the brightest spot in the house for me to work. So when I’m getting ready for a market, or getting ready for an order … it’s often taken over my kitchen,” she laughs.
“But I do like working there because it’s the centre of our house… you can be with people and still do your work.”
The example she’s providing is rubbing off on her daughters.
“I encourage the girls to grow in their strengths as well,” Bigney says of her teenage daughters who also have a knack for artistry.
“Lauren, she’s our watercolour artist,” Bigney says of her middle daughter.
“She also has a YouTube Channel. It’s called ‘Exploring the Friendly Forest’… it’s mainly focused towards kids, to teach them about different animals and ecosystems.”
Eldest daughter Rebekah works with acrylic and is also stepping up to more of the challenges of running the business.
“She works with a one millimeter hook,” says Bigney of Rebekah’s delicate, lacy crochet earrings featured on Cinnamon Fern’s facebook page.
The youngest daughter, Autumn makes jewelry out of polymer clay but is also taking an interest in her older siblings’ work as well, helping her mom make social media videos about the making of the resin jewelry featured on Instagram.
It’s been a journey, and one that’s continuing in terms of learning more about the craft and what’s possible with the tools at hand.
“I’d never made resin before so it was a lot of trial and error,” Bigney says. “But I really love where it’s gotten to today. I’m learning more all the time.”
Her latest foray is into bridal bouquet preservation.
“To do that you have to preserve the flowers in a different way, not just pressing,” she says, noting that for the full flower preservation effect she may need to use tools like silica gel.
“That’s just a new thing that we’re starting to learn more about.”
She’s also looking at doing some workshops at Station 33 in Hampton with her daughters, focusing on watercolour, acrylic and flower pressing.
But for now, enjoying the treasures that the spring has to offer after the winter slumber is keeping her busy.
“We love being outside, being there all together, in God’s creation.”
Alex Graham is a Huddle reporter in Saint John. Send her your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].