02/29/2024
Sooo very excited that Teardrop Creations has gain some recognition from local newspaper! The piece reads like a little biography more then about my my business though.😁
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Local woman creates memorial pieces for all occasions
CAREY - A former corrections officer is helping the community navigate both sad and happy events through the creation of memorial items and jewelry.
Lacey Laudenslager, who has spent most of her life in Carey after moving from Florida at the age of 2, has had her own small business since 2015. Lacey’s Craftations, where all natural handmade products are sold, was her first business endeavor before starting a second one, Teardrop Creations, in 2023.
Following a period of hardship where Laudenslager had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer after having survived cervical cancer 10 years before, she knew she needed to do something fulfilling with her time.
Laudenslager said she graduated high school in Vanlue and while earning her bachelor’s degree in homeland security and terrorism, she worked for the justice department Interpol in Washington D.C. as part of an internship. She was set to start working with the FBI upon graduation, but the offer was rescinded due to government shut downs. From there, Laudenslager knew she belonged back in Carey.
“I said ‘I’m gonna take the sign,” she said. “I’m going to go home.”
Once she was home, Laudenslager said she briefly worked for Blanchard Valley Residential Services before working as a correctional officer for the Hancock County Jail. Her husband, Bradley Fuller, was formerly a police officer in Upper Sandusky before accepting a position as an officer in Findlay. Laudenslager said she and her husband were foster parents while working in law enforcement and eventually adopted their daughter, Avaya, through the system.
When Laudenslager was diagnosed with cancer a second time and heard the news that she and her husband would not be able to formally adopt a pair of fostered twin boys, her world was turned upside down. She left her job in law enforcement and focused on healing.
“Law enforcement was my life and so was foster care,” she said. “I needed something fulfilling.”
Laudenslager said it was a big step starting her own memorial item and jewelry business but she had begun asking herself what her purpose was. From there, Teardrop Creations was born. She said she was familiar with making jewelry and crafting items because of her other small business and breast milk jewelry was becoming popular. She now makes items ranging from epoxy resin gemstone jewelry that holds cremains, breastmilk, funeral or celebratory flowers, hair and more; night lights, baby teeth and other memorial keepsakes.
Laudenslager said she had kept ashes from her dog and did not feel comfortable sending them via mail to be made into jewelry because it can be hard to know what exactly happens to them. She said she wanted to have a business where people could feel comfortable knowing where the remains are and knowing that if an issue arises, she can be reached.
“Most people don’t want to send off cremains,” she said.
With most cremains being handled by funeral homes, Laudenslager said people often use their services when getting jewelry and containers, but she made the point that not everyone has ashes.
“What if you only have hair, or flowers or the last shirt they wore?” Laudenslager said. “This opens up options for people to create something out of whatever they have left of their person, pet or event.”
Laudenslager said she recently got a laser engraver, which opens up the possibility of creating keepsakes such a recipe on a cookie platter, or a picture puzzle.
“The possibilities are endless,” she said.
She said overall the community has been pretty supportive of her services and while there are some who don’t like the idea of wearing ashes, there are many people who value her creations.
Laudenslager gave examples of people in the community who have benefited from her services and showed why they can be important. Laudenslager said she had a client who lost both of her brothers a few year apart, and the client had a blue gemstone with ashes from one brother, and the hair and ashes from another placed inside a blue resin gemstone necklace. Laudenslager said the client was then able to wear the necklace as her “something blue” on her wedding day and have her brothers walk her down the aisle.
Laudenslager reiterated that while cremains are usually what individuals want to work with, she has had clients who do not have ashes to use. She told the story of a mother who lost her unborn child in a car accident, and only had her breastmilk to use for jewelry. Laudenslager said she also had a client who combined her wedding dress, all of their pets’ hair and kids’ hair into one ring.
“You can have a little bit of your whole life wrapped up into one ring,” Laudenslager said.
As to why she creates the pieces she does, Laudenslager said she does it because of the stories and the ability to help individuals feel whole again.
“The stories are the best part for me and sometimes people are hanging on to their own trauma,” Laudenslager said. “To have a beautiful gemstone put into a necklace, and now that person is next to their heart, it gives them that complete feeling again; that everything is OK and that makes me feel really good.”
Laudenslager currently has stands for both of her businesses at Gray Mare Co. in Carey and has pages for each as well. She said she can use resin, dyes, colored powders, flowers, glitter and more to create custom pieces. Laudenslager said she uses stainless or sterling silver, gold, titanium and tungsten to create her memorial jewelry. Laudenslager encourages people to bring in other items as well to see what memorial piece they can create. She said in the future she hopes to have more space at Gray Mare Co. and potentially a consultation room. Laudenslager is open to commissions and plans to continue helping people memorialize their special people, pets and events.
“Its more of a custom, artistic business rather than a commercial processing business,” Laudenslager said. “If you can think it, I can probably make it and I just want you to feel whole again.”
Laudenslager can be reached by going to the Teardrop Creations page or by calling 419-721-4363.
Woman creates memorial pieces for all occasions Posted on February 28, 2024 0 Login Login Password Signup Here Lost Password Subscribe to the Daily Chief to read the full story... Get your Wyandot County news in print AND online! Subscribe! OR Try a 1-Day Access Pass for Only 99¢! 1-Day Access Are...
