"Happiness is handmade." - unknown

For as long as I can remember I have loved wearing and creating jewelry. I have fond childhood memories of creating woven plastic and beaded bracelets that I would gift to my closest friends. Over the years, I have continued learning new jewelry-making techniques that enable me to create jewelry that I love.

In 2006, I started Swept From The Sea Designs. I created jewelry part-time while attending school. I paired locally found seaglass with premade sterling silver jewelry components to create unique beach themed jewelry. In 2012, beach combing was no longer an option for me. For years, I have struggled with health issues and, in 2012, my long-term illness progressed to the point where I was housebound and at times bedridden. It was a rough time in my life and it soon became apparent that I needed something. Something that would distract me from my illness. Something to dream about in my bad hours. Something that would fill my good hours. Something that would make me happy. That something was jewelry and a new business: Cheri Bourque Designs.

Cheri Bourque Designs is a one-woman jewelry design business. Each piece of fine silver jewelry in my collection is handcrafted by me in my home studio in beautiful Victoria, BC Canada. Fine silver (.999 FS) is 99.9% pure silver. It contains less than .1% of copper and nickel which makes it less likely to cause skin irritation. It is softer and tarnishes slower than sterling silver (.925 SS) which contains only 92.5% silver. Fine silver is higher quality and more expensive than sterling silver.

I love modern, minimalist styles and create everyday wear jewelry that is made up of easy-to-wear designs. My designs are inspired by my past, present and future journey, my life experiences, my daydreams and my surroundings. I am roused by world outside my door; the earth under my feet, the sun on my face, the wind in my hair and by the stars above. I create jewelry with meaning that I want to wear.

For me, happiness really is handmade. The hours I spend dreaming up new designs and bringing my ideas into reality are happy ones. My hope is that you will find as much joy in wearing my designs on your journey as I have found in my journey creating them.

Cheri