It all started with a dream...

Hello! My name is Danielle and Past the Birch Tree is my dream turned reality. I have always had a strong desire to create; after years of working in different jobs I decided to follow my heart and start Past the Birch Tree. All of the jewelry and wall hangings are handcrafted by my two hands and I select all of the natural gemstones myself from various sources; choosing each one for it’s unique beauty.

I see jewelry as an expression of one’s soul, personality and mood. I understand the importance of what one wears on their body and how that provides so much self-expression. I make each of my pieces with that in mind. I strive to be able to provide my customers with beautiful and unique items.

A little bit more information about Past the Birch Tree. You can’t have a business without a business name, the name Past the Birch Tree holds a special place in my heart. Growing up in rural Minnesota much of my daylight hours were spent playing outdoors.  One of the only rules that structured this time was to not go past the birch tree at the end of our very long driveway. When it came time to name my business, I couldn’t think of any better way to express what I wanted my business to encompass. To me Past the Birch Tree is about embracing all of the wonder and beauty that the world has to offer.  I strive to have the jewelry and home décor pieces I create show some of that beauty.

The inspiration for my pieces comes from many different places, but a main source is from Mother Nature. I love working with natural gemstones, each is so unique in its own way. One of my favorite ways to create a piece is to start with one element such as a pendant and build the rest of the piece around that component. I am often surprised by the different gemstones that I am able to use together, each gemstone has such natural beauty and versatility. I also enjoy using circulated currency in my pieces. I love the different imagery printed on foreign currency as well as the unknown history behind each coin. There is no way of tell who has held that coin and how many different places that it has been. I love the unique pieces that I am able to create using natural gemstones and coins. There is no way of telling when inspiration will strike, I am frequently taking pictures or scribbling notes about future products for the shop. New creations are always brewing in my mind.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know a little more about Past the Birch Tree and my creative process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. You can also stay up to date with the shop by following on Facebook or Instagram.