MiVT: Beeyoutiful Gems

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - South Burlington resident Cheri Gagnon is a retired physician assistant with a serious love for bees.

At the end of her 20-year career, she traded her scrubs for a swarm.

“One day I got to talking with a beekeeper, a really wonderful guy, and he said, ‘Listen, let’s just give it a try.’ And I did and I was hooked,” she recalled.

Gagnon now keeps a number of hives in her backyard.

But bees are not Gagnon’s only passion; she’s also been making jewelry since she was a teen.

“I’ve kind of come to a place where it’s a synthesis between the two,” she explained.

Introducing Beeyoutiful Gems, a young jewelry business with the intent to educate.

“Bees are beautiful and jewelry is beautiful. But it’s also an opportunity to kind of raise awareness,” said Gagnon.

Each handmade order comes with facts about native bees chosen by Gagnon herself. The actual jewelry sometimes has bees and sometimes doesn’t.

She uses bees to draw inspiration for shape, color and other aspects of design.

“Well, I’ve been looking at this particular picture for a couple of weeks now, because I think this is just one of the most adorable bees I think I’ve ever seen,” she laughed.

She says her granddaughter is currently getting her website up and running, but she has a Facebook page for the time being.

She loves custom orders and works with wire, fiber and semiprecious stones.

But above all else, the message behind her creations is clear.

“Just be kind! Bee kind, and be kind,” she said.

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