We wanted to give you the skinny on Maslo Jewelry. So here it is!

And here’s an homage to my parents who are a big part of where I came from.

Growing up with a mother and father who exuded creativity was an inspiration to little Maslo. It fostered creativity and taught me how to take something ordinary and basic and turn it into something classic, timeless and beautiful.

Watching my dad build and remodel and seeing his ideas come to life motivated me to design and create things. It put me on the path to being who and what I am today. My dad didn’t do anything ordinary or basic. Example: I didn’t just get a playroom or a playhouse, my dad built the mac daddy of all forts. The door to the fort was a useable bookcase with secret latches and was home to my set of red encyclopedias. It was a secret and magical place where I traded stickers with my besties, played realtor, and pretended to have a hello kitty store. I was always sure if someone broke into the house that I had the hiding spot to be envious of. The back fort was reserved for scary events like bloody mary, the Ouija board and light as a feather stiff as a board. You had to army crawl from the smaller front fort under the dormer to get to this larger back fort, so being scared out of your mind without a quick escape was all more part of the appeal. The night before we moved out of that house that I grew up in, I slept in that fort. I said goodbye to it the next day and thanked it for all the awesome memories.

So Dad, thanks number one, for building things, number two, for building ME things and number three, for not doing anything half ass. My dad’s technical skill, perfection and knowledge of doing anything put me in awe as a child. I also secretly hated that perfection as I felt like it slowed him down. Always trying to explain things to me and make sure I knew how to do it on my own. Now it’s something I’ve come to love and appreciate as I’ve gotten older.

My dad also taught me some things, well a lot of things on the side as his little helper. Little Maslo's early tasks with Dad included holding the screws and not dropping them and running to get the tools he needed even if it was ten trips to that garage workshop and back. It also made me look at building and construction materials as possible design elements in what would later become Maslo. Thank you Dad for asking me to help you, teaching me things and for that annoying “let me show you how to do it right” way of yours. Oh also thanks for that perfectionist trait you handed down to me. Also I almost forgot to mention that building was just a fun side gig for him. Go figure. He’s a man of many, many talents.

Then there’s Momma Maslo, where to begin. She’s something like an angel on earth mixed with Bob Villa, Martha Stewart and Mother Theresa. And anyone who knows her will tell you that. She should be cloned over and over again until the world is a better place. She’s the most driven, giving, hardworking woman I know.

A side gig of hers is habitat for humanity and my dad was even impressed one day when she came home and told us she cut stringers. (A side of a staircase, which supports the treads and risers). Throw in some roofing and sheetrocking, baking cookies for the habitat crew, sewing soft blankets for the dogs at the animal shelters, and still hemming my pants when I go home for a visit-that’s my mom in a nutshell. She doesn’t sit still, she’s always trying to help someone and she’s always got your back. She somehow manages to do 23 peoples jobs all at once and damn she’s good at it.

Growing up with a mom like that was amazing. She would craft with me on the weekends and take me to the craft store. Some of our crafting sessions in the sewing room included making puffy paint sweatshirts and scrunchies. She sewed her own clothes and everyone elses, and yelled at me for cutting wire with her sewing scissors. (That’s literally the only thing she’s ever gotten mad at me for). Her compassion, nurturing nature and sticking by my side to push me to follow my dreams meant and still means the world to me. Also mom, scrunchies are back in style, we may need a crafting sesh soon.

I thank my parents for my talent and drive. Without them Maslo would not be, hence the name and the recognition. Maslo isn’t only me it’s who I came from. It’s for everyone who believes in classic, minimal, sustainable and well thought out design. And most of all it's made with love.  

Take a peek at this bookcase fort below and my awesome Hello Kitty collection.