Our Story

~ Growing a Family Business ~

Cloud Cap Jewelry was started by Laura (me) as a business for my daughter, Catie, to run. This was in 1997, when Catie was a teenager. I had previously started making jewelry for myself and had had so many requests for jewelry and compliments from friends and family that I had already begun thinking about selling it, so Cate and I started out at the Hood River Saturday Market in Oregon.

We did Saturday markets in chilling cold, sideways rain, gale force winds and breathless heat. We set up our booth on grass, sidewalks, pavement, and parking lots, wherever an event was happening. Neither snow, nor rain, nor dark of night stopped us. I've got to hand it to Catie, she stayed there beside me and toughed it all out right along with me. We sold when we were happy, we sold when we were sad, we sold when we loved each other, and we sold when we hated each other because we'd had an argument just before the sale about how to set up the booth. (:

Eventually CCJ grew and gained popularity. We got into galleries and gift shops, Catie took college courses, and we learned and our skill level grew. We were invited to join the local artist's co-op, and were members there for ten years. We got into a wonderful chain of stores called Made in Oregon, and we learned and grew even more.

Catie now has 3 children and another business of her own, so for a while I did most of the jewelry work, but she is still very much a part of Cloud Cap Jewelry.

Almost five years ago I realized that I was not getting any younger and needed to think about the future of Cloud Cap Jewelry. At that same time, my son, Curtis, needed work that was less stressful on his body. I asked him if he'd like to work for CCJ for a while and see what would happen. Well, he is still here working with us, and is a real asset to our little business. He has the family eye for detail and is even more picky about putting out top quality jewelry than I am, and that's saying something.

About 3 years ago, we had one of Curt's friends, Joel, offer to help us put stickers on boxes and bags, prep things, and do all around behind the scenes work. Whenever you open your order and see neatly stickered boxes and bags, you see Joel's quality handiwork. What a great addition to the team he has been!

Gavin has joined us this past year. He is a quality driven producer and helps Curt with the hammering and other hands-on tasks around the business. He is in college and is headed for bigger things, but we are so glad to have his positive energy here while we can!

Thank you so much from the five of us at CCJ for supporting our mini-biz! Where would we be without customers like you?