Dog nose print jewellery
Erika's story below, told by herself!
My name is Erika and I graduated from Vilnius Jewellery School in 2021. After I received the diploma, me and my husband packed our suitcases and moved to Klaipėda. For me, jewellery is not only about a beautiful piece of art, but also about memories and sentiments. I really like to create something personal for each person, with history, meaning, and put a lot of mine’s and client’s heart into it. It's no secret that in September 2022, when we adopted a dog from the shelter, similar thoughts began to swirl in my head. When I saw Maya's photo on the shelter's facebook page, I knew in my heart that this was our puppy and I was right. The wet nose that changed my life and changes me every day. At some point, the thought began to swirl in my mind that I should somehow immortalize this presence of hers in our lives and find a way to imprint it into a jewellery piece… and that's how pendants with nose stamps were born.
Our pets' noseprints are as unique as human fingerprints. One of a kind in the whole world. I searched for a long time for a technique and a way to do it so that it would work and not be painful for the pet. And I discovered it! When I pressed Maya's nose into a piece of sterling silver for the first time and hung it under my neck, I remembered my childhood dog, whose stamp I would have liked to have as well. Since the day I told the world about my product, I have met the stories of countless people and their four-legged friends: from the youngest to the most senior, from smiles to tears in the corners of their eyes. My heart is full of gratitude that I can bring my ideas and thoughts to life and create something that has so much emotional weight and have something that reminds us of our pets for the rest of our lives even when they’re no longer by our side.
However, as soon as I started thinking about the pendants, I felt that the idea was not fully finished. Soon enough I realised that in my heart I have a desire to thank the shelter that sheltered Maya and to thank them for the best friend who appeared in my life. I donate 10% of every order to the VŠĮ "Būk mano draugas” shelter in Klaipėda and thank them every day for rescuing someone's future best friend.
Jewelry making is an interesting craft and often makes you rack your brain for solutions. Often, when clients receive the wax plates that are used to make noseprints, they don't know what to do with them, so I give a short briefing. The main goal is to prepare the dog or a cat, familiarize and create a good association with the actions that await, and for that we often need a lot of patience and.. treats! I warn the owners that with the pendant comes a short session with the puppy and, in most cases, another person around.
Is it painful for the animal because the wax is warm? Not really. Often, clients are afraid that they will burn their pet’s nose, but the wax is really not that hot and if there are doubts, I always suggest you try it on yourself :)
What to do if the puppy refuses to let me touch its nose? It happens quite often. I have sometimes very stubborn four-legged clients:) Pets are usually afraid of what they don't understand. That's why you should desensitize them. At the beginning put unheated wax to their nose, give them a sniff, light a lighter next to them and give something tasty every now and then. If the pet doesn’t have a lot of patience and is still afraid - try the next day. Of course, it happens that the puppy still don’t want their nose touched, so you can always press the paw into the wax.
What do we do with the wax plates when we get the nose prints on them? Put them in the same box you received them in and ship them back to me, then I'll have them ready to cast, do the metal work, set stones (if needed) and finish with assay office. It will take around 1-1.5 months and your neck will be decorated with the most beloved pendant you've ever owned.
Contact Erika directly:
on Instagram: instagram.com/livingwatersjewellery
on Facebook: facebook.com/livingwatersjewellery/
