Treasures of Fortune: The Beginning

Hey guys! First, I want to say thank you so much for even visiting my website! This is really a dream come true, and I am so grateful that you are here with me. So sit back, relax, and I will tell you a bit about myself and how we got here today.

My name is Jazmyn Jones, and I hail from the wonderful metropolis that is Baltimore, Maryland. I went to college in Frostburg, Maryland where I studied English Literature and Teaching; that is also where I met my AMAZING fiancé. After graduating, we packed up and moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts where we have been living for the past three years. I am a high school English Language Learner teacher by day and a budding resin artist by night.

For me, like everyone in the world, 2020 has been one hell of a year. As a teacher, I was lucky enough to keep my job through everything, but teaching through a global pandemic is no joke. Quite frankly it's draining because on top of all of the usual “aches and pains”, you are second guessing yourself at every turn wondering if you are doing enough, or doing too much, or some incomprehensible combination of the two. I often remind myself and my colleagues that we are all navigating circumstances that no one has ever experienced; our best effort is more than enough.

Personally, 2020 has changed me forever. I lost my mother and grandmother in April; the two most influential women in my life. My mother’s name is Twana Fortune - Jones. My mother took great pride in her maiden name, and as a Fortune she definitely lived up to its implications. She had an amazing eye for finding hidden treasures; she wouldn’t spend a fortune however, she was wonderful at finding quality for a bargain. She loved to frequent thrift stores and antique shops to find timeless and one of a kind pieces to put in our home or give to a loved one. She was excellent at turning nothing into something. This trait was something she definitely inherited from my grandmother, whom she affectionately called “Wood”, and one that continues to be passed down to each generation in turn.

My mother’s death was extremely unexpected and for myself and anyone who knew her it's still so inconceivable that she is no longer here. We had just started making wedding plans, and it's safe to say that other than me, no one was more excited that I am getting married than my mom. As her baby girl, I know that this was something that she had always looked forward to, and she absolutely adored my fiancé. My mom vowed to help me DIY as much as we could and helped us decide on a location and theme before she passed. Wedding planning honestly became very painful for a while after that because it was a reminder that one of the most important people won’t be there. It was a few months before I started again, and this is where the story of Treasures of Fortunes begins.

I was thinking about the favors that we would hand out to our guests. I knew I wanted it to be something practical that they could use after our wedding. I knew I wanted it to be something that I could make myself, as a more personal thank you to our friends and family. I got the idea that I would make bookmarks for our guests out of resin - Not to spill the beans but my fiancé and I are going for a literary themed wedding so bookmarks are quite on brand. I had watched so many videos of people making things with resin and always said, “it would be so cool to try that out one day.” So, I decided to try it and start off by making some coasters; if they came out nicely I would give them to my best friend as a wedding gift, if not no harm done. Needless to say, not only did I try it, I LOVED IT! It was about time I found a new hobby - that’s how everyone is spending their time during the pandemic, right?

How did making coasters turn into a business? Well, I was inspired. Honestly, creating resin art was never something that I saw myself falling in love with, but here I am. Starting a business was never something that I saw happening, but here I am. Writing a blog is never something I saw myself doing, but here I am. Grief is something that manifests itself differently for everyone. For me, grief inspired me to create something as beautiful as the legacy that my mother left behind. I want to combine all of the things that I love to create pretty things to make the world more beautiful. I want to share my love with others the way my mom always shared hers.

So that’s it! That is how Treasures of Fortune got started and how you found yourself listening to my story and browsing my creations. Thanks for being here and stay tuned! I’m working on several beautiful brain children I plan to unleash into the world early next year.

I hope you enjoy my products as much as I enjoy making them

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