Bulwer bling in American Music Awards gift bags
Local jewelry maker Sonia Zalesack received quite the surprise three days ago when she was contacted by a representative from the American Music Awards (AMA), offering to include her work in the celebrity gift bags at this year’s ceremony, scheduled for Nov.20.
“It was a shock and an unexpected surprise,” Zalesack said, adding that she had not made any attempts to contact the AMAS, the offer came out of the blue.
“I guess there’s a lot of luck involved,” Zalesack, explaining that the AMA rep had seen her work through her online store. “There are millions of people on ETSY,” She said.
Celebrity gift bags at high profile events are known to include the hottest,
trendiest items currently on the market, from tech gadgets to clothing and accessories.
Zalesack’s jewelry will be one of 40 different items in this year’s AMA gift bag, she said.
“I guess I had lots more questions, but I was in shock,” Zalesack said, while on the phone with the AMA rep. “Basically, she said she loved the work and what I was doing.”
While her work caught the keen eye of a celebrity trend hunter, Zalesack has only been making jewelry for the past two years, moving full-time into the business last year.
“I was always creative as a child,” she said, but kept that aside and focused on a more conventional career path.
“Basically, I worked in health care almost all my life,” she said, but added that in the last few years she felt unsatisfied.
“It wasn’t my thing anymore,” Zalesack said. She started making jewelry for fun, and based on the positive feedback, she decided to transition to creating her pieces full-time, creating her company Mousseline-nature inspired jewelry.
Zalesack uses organic materials, collected from around the Townships and the Lower St-lawrence area, which she encases in glass or resin to make bracelets, rings, pendants and other accessories.
She often uses flowers, moss, ferns, picked throughout the summer.
“I use such small quantities,” she said, to ensure what she takes will have a minimal impact on the environment.
“Everything is made by hand,” she added.
The AMA contract means she will have to provide around 100 pieces of jewelry for the gift bags. With two other local craft shows coming up, Zalesack said she will be very busy for the next few weeks finishing new pieces.
When asked how Zalesack felt about putting Bulwer, Qc on the map, she laughed. “We kind of want to keep quiet,” she said.
There’s no telling how the AMA opportunity will affect Zalesack’s business.
“Everything is global now. Twenty years ago, this wouldn’t have happened,” Zalesack said, crediting her online presence for getting noticed.
“Whatever happens will happen,” she said, pointing out that even if no celebrities are spotted wearing her jewelry after the awards, just getting Mousseline’s products into the bag has been great for exposure.
“I feel very lucky, and very surprised,” Zalesack said.