Friends create handmade jewelry from the heart

Many people who may not self-describe as artists should consider adding that descriptor when they talk about what they do. For two Daniel Island neighbors, Lynda Campbell and Vickie Bernie, this is particularly true. 

 

One a journalist and one a fashion executive, Campbell shares that the two “always had a dream separately that we wanted to do design.”

 

Having an abundance of beads and time on their hands, Campbell and Bernie started 2020 designing and hand fitting together combinations as bracelet gifts. Using past professions to guide them, they formed a mission: “to lovingly design and create unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry.” This month, they launched a website, BBcoup.com, and will put the crown on 2021 as jewelry makers, business owners and creators of all things that sparkle with Bijoux Beaucoup. Each and every accessory is high quality and handmade with love.

 

Their friendship was taken to a new level when they began collaborating with an artist in Bali. Bernie said, “Lynda and I love the sterling silver Bali beads. We discovered Desak, an artist in Bali who hand makes beads, every one of them is gorgeous! It takes a while for us to get them because they come from Bali. When we discovered this beautiful female artist in Bali we thought, ‘we can do this!’ ”  

 

The result of this collaboration is a collection of gorgeous, long-lasting art as jewelry. They learned of other fabulous vendors, such as Kris at Beads and Brushstrokes in Mount Pleasant, and have since created wonderful, wearable art. As artists go, the jewel palette is wide: pave diamonds, genuine ruby red, gorgeous green jade and malachite, royal blue chalcedony, purple lace agate, snowy white queen conch shell, tiger’s eye — an almost endless collection of stackable color bracelets. Their art includes a variety of heirloom beads as well. “That’s how I really got started. I had a chest full of beads from my mom that she wore of gold and crowns,” Campbell said. 

 

Bernie also had beads from collecting over the years, noting, “We just sat and played around with beads and people kept saying we needed to sell our pieces. Lynda has an amazing business background as well as marketing and teaching.”

 

Campbell added, “Vickie does all the writing; we have a great fit!”

 

Shoppers will find their website full of cleverly-named wonderful creations such as “Basket Case,” which describes a Thai sterling silver, basket-weaved bead bracelet with three paved diamond and sterling rondelles.  “Tortoise Wins” boasts dalmatian beads with gold spacer beads, lava beads and a sterling silver turtle charm.

 

Every piece they create is to make the wearer feel and look their best. 

 

“We want our customers to feel just as special wearing their pieces in a T-shirt and jeans as they do cocktail attire,” exclaimed Bernie. “We hope that your exquisite pieces from Bijoux Beaucoup will become your preferred way to add just the right bit of sparkles to everything you wear – becoming ‘la cerise sur le gâteau’ aka ‘the cherry on top of the cake’ – we love the way everything sounds in French!”

 

Island residents can meet the designers-in-charge of BBcoup in person at the Holiday Market to be held at the new Daniel Island Recreation Center on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for an event which will include more than a dozen local artists and vendors. 

 

Heather MacQueen Jones is a Daniel Island artist journaling life’s journey through oil painting. Follow her stories on Instagram @heARTpalette, on Facebook or MacQueenJones.com.