The days are long, but the years are short.
Another year has gone by in a flash, and I find myself reflecting on the wisdom in that old saying. 2025 was a year of long days, marked by intense work in the studio, numerous jewelry shows, and many commissions. On the other hand, it seems like just yesterday that my team was declaring it “officially 2025” and opening up a new spreadsheet for our social media plan. Overall, this was a year in which I refocused on what is most important to me both personally and professionally.
Here are some 2025 highlights!
January
We rang in the new year with snow in Savannah! While it may be a common occurrence elsewhere in the country, this was one for the history books around here. My boys revelled in building their first Savannah snowman and having their first southern snowball fight. We ran out all the pent up energy and even made “snowcream” which was a winner!
On the KBJ side, I was very proud to kick off the year with a donation to Tharros Place. Thanks to our holiday giving campaign, we were able to donate over $1000 in beauty products, accessories, and crafts to the brave young ladies who call Tharros Place home. This was a great way to start setting my intention for the year: to focus more on community and connection, rather than chasing sales. These are the things that make Kristen Baird® Jewelry special, and I had a feeling that focusing on that would strengthen the business side even more.
January also kicked off a massive change for one of my team members. Jeana and her family moved from California to Virginia! For over a week, Jeana worked from the road as her family drove coast-to-coast, their entire life in tow.
February
February was a month of anniversaries. Gallery 209 celebrated 50 years of operation. This co-op gallery is my unofficial storefront here in Savannah. I’m so proud to be one of 30 local artists who call Gallery 209 home. At the same time, Kristen Baird Jewelry celebrated 10 years! It’s hard to believe I’ve been doing this for over a decade. For Valentine’s Day, I wrote about what this milestone meant to me.
The final day of February was an extra-special type of anniversary… a birthday. Our content writer, Emily's son Sebastian was born! He came into the world at 2:55pm on February 28th in Brooklyn, NY. He weighed 6lbs 11oz. I’ve loved watching Emily grow in her first year of motherhood.
March
St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah kicks off the busy spring tourism season. Our family celebrated by attending the annual parade, then taking some much-needed relaxation at home before the spring rush.
March was a very creative period in the studio. I completed one of my most technically complex commission projects to date, the Majestic Mountaintop Commission. I also started rolling out a whole new line of cabochon ring designs. Finally, I released my first Tidal Trio ring, which has become my most popular stacking ring style ever. The idea is simple: combine any three stacking rings by soldering them in the back for a perfectly styled ring stack that never twists out of place.
April
My goal of focusing on community meant placing a stronger emphasis on personal shopping, in-person events, and private pop-ups. This kicked off in earnest in April with a restructuring of our website. Rather than offering every possible variation and option (an impossible task), the site now operates more like a store window, prompting viewers to get in touch and work with me directly… just the way I like it!
After seven long months (post-hurricane Helene), the Grand Bohemian Gallery in Asheville reopened, and I sent a full collection of jewelry to the new and improved space. Please go check it out if you’re in Asheville! I also added a line of two-toned designs to my Pearl Collection, so Abby and I were working overtime in the studio.
Finally, KBJ made an appearance at the Honey Horn Art Market and won an award of merit! (You can learn about How I Prepare for a Jewelry Show on my blog.) I absolutely loved doing this market and met so many incredible people, including one of my first private pop-up clients. The dream was becoming a reality!
May
May meant two more shows: The Grand Bohemian Greenville Trunk Show and the Hilton Head Art Festival. We celebrated Mother’s Day as a company, with three members of the KBJ team reflecting on their motherhood journeys on our blog.
Finally, Paxton graduated from preschool. So proud! (And genuinely can’t believe how grown-up he is. Please slow down!)
June
Happy birthday to me! I celebrated my birthday this year with my family by my side - exactly how I like it!
With spring finally coming to a close, I recapped the busy season on my blog. I also continued working toward my business goals in two big ways. First, I brought my independent contractors in-house. This gives us a ton more flexibility and freedom, which is essential for working moms who are all juggling many hats. I also had my first private pop-up with a brand-new client!
Finally, I had the massive honor of being invited to judge the 2025 Halstead Grant. Winning the Halstead Grant way back in 2017 transformed my business, and I’m so grateful to pass this opportunity along to the next generation. It’s all come full circle.
July
July’s family highlight was seeing the Savannah Bananas! The boys loved the humor, the silly dances, and the feats of athleticism...almost as much as Drew and I did! Tickets are hard to come by, but I can’t recommend it enough if you get the chance.
Business-wise, I continued my emphasis on in-person events with a trip to Mooresville for a trunk show at Juelerye. The owners, Jacque and Nelson, have become like family to us over the years, so visiting them is always a special treat. Back in Savannah, I was honored to have more and more customers traveling in just to work with me. Destination Jewelry Design is my favorite new trend!
Finally, Abby and I finally got ourselves organized to shoot some summer video content. Better late than never!
August
In August, I released another line of one-of-a-kind designs, the Nova Necklace, Duel Moon Necklace, and Perennial Band. I also spent a ton of time on gold work, highlighting never-before-seen lab-grown gem varieties.
I did most of this work solo, because Abby was out of the studio… for a very good reason! I was proud to send Abby to the New Approach School for Jewelers. It was so rewarding to see her benefit from the same experiences and post-graduate training that I had. Abby was already such a talented jeweler, but she’s leveled up since her time at New Approach. I’m so proud of her!
Finally, August was a huge month for Paxton. He turned 6 and started Kindergarten. I can’t believe how much my baby has grown!
September
The big news for September was…. NO HURRICANES! Needless to say, this was a massive improvement over 2024. Barring natural disasters, September is usually a season of transitions, and this year was no different. Preston returned to preschool, so both boys were officially back to school. It’s strange not having them in the same place.
I also started prep work with the team from Paprika Southern for our upcoming photoshoot. While we’ve had tons of fun creating content in-house, there’s no substitute for great professional photos, and we were long overdue for a refresh. Finally, I wrapped a very special commission project I’d been working on for a long time, Rewrite the Story.
October
After the relative calm of September, October was CHAOS! I once again had two back-to-back shows, The Isle of Hope Art and Music Festival, followed immediately by a private studio pop-up.
I also had two back-to-back photoshoots! First, the Baird-Rabun family photoshoot. Even though it rained through the whole session (of course), the photos turned out adorably, and I know we will cherish them forever. Next, it was time for the Paprika Southern photo shoot. I had a lot of very specific goals for this shoot, and after months of planning, I’m thrilled to say we met all of them. I’m in love with the way these photos came out: dreamy, elegant, and timeless. I can’t wait to share them everywhere in 2026!
As if that wasn’t enough, I wrapped another special commission, The Believe Bracelet, where I accomplished something I’d never done before: hand-fabricating my own chain in a truly KBJ style. Oh, and we celebrated Preston’s birthday as well!
November
November marks the official beginning of the holiday season in the KBJ studio. My earliest Christmas orders started to roll in right away (props to all those clients who are on the ball early!) It’s no surprise that virtually all of my galleries want restocks around this time of year, in preparation for the holiday shopping season. So, Abby and I were churning out designs as quickly as possible to make sure everyone was stocked up. I also started getting serious about those holiday commissions, including wrapping up (no pun intended) a very special Christmas engagement ring!
November was also the month that I was approached with an opportunity to create an extra-special commission piece. I’m not able to share details on this project just yet, but I can’t wait to tell you all about it in 2026!
Finally, I did yet another private pop-up, just in time for the holidays. I can’t wait to do even more of these in 2026. (Reach out if you’re interested in hosting!)
December
The first half of December means… ACTUAL MASS CHAOS! Think October, but even crazier. Jewelry pieces are flying out the door faster than we can make them. This was the busiest Christmas season KBJ has ever had, and I credit that to my team. I was so tired! But also so, so happy and grateful. Thank you to everyone who reached out, ordered via my website, shopped the galleries, or collaborated on a commission. You made this season unbelievable.
It started to really feel like Christmas when Preston starred in his school play (so proud)! Finally, the studio shut its doors for the holidays, and the KBJ team went on Christmas break. Thanks to our new structure, we were able to take an actual, real break this year… no working over the holidays whatsoever. What a dream
2025 was one for the record books. It was full of change and hard work, but also laughter, creativity, and memories that will last a lifetime. I can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store!
