What started as a humble jewelry hobby in her 黑马磁力 home is now becoming popular among local fashionistas and celebrities alike.
Just four years ago Marjolein Poppema was being taught how to make handmade necklaces, and now her Sweetpiece Jewelry pieces have made their way into many local retail stores and all the way to the Oscars.
Keeping up with the growing demand for her handmade bracelets, necklaces and earrings is a new, exciting avenue for the stay-at-home mom turned jewelry guru, and it is all thanks to some lessons from a friend in Holland.
鈥淚t is interesting how it all happened because my mom came over to visit with a friend from Holland, and she was wearing a very interesting necklace. I just kept looking at it wondering 鈥榳here did she get it? How is this made? Who made it?鈥� explained Poppema, who immigrated to 黑马磁力 from Holland just two weeks after she was married in 1983.
鈥淪he told me it was someone in Holland who made it for her, and it turned out it was actually someone who I knew of when I lived there. I thought 鈥榦h cool I should connect with her so I can learn more about this.鈥�
鈥淪o on my next trip over, which was a few months later, I set up an appointment with this girl and she showed me in an hour what she had done and where I can buy some beads in Holland and I never looked back.鈥�
Using sterling silver, Swarovski crystal, freshwater pearls and beads imported from Holland, Poppema has since created thousands of decorative jewelry items for her clients and her online store.
But it was one of her most unique pieces, the Hope 1 bracelet, that caught the Hollywood buzz back in February. 
Designed for Fashion Hope, a non-profit organization raising awareness of human trafficking, Poppema was asked to create 25 of the sophisticated bracelets for the Oscar swag bags.
Made of freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystal and a silver charm stamped with the word 鈥榟ope,鈥� Poppema found that creating the bracelets was 鈥渜uite a process.鈥� She had to teach herself how to stamp and solder into sterling silver for the design, and then do it perfectly 25 times over.
鈥淵ou should have seen my living room. There were parts here, they were there, they were over there,鈥� she joked. 鈥淏ut I had to get it done and it didn鈥檛 matter if I had to get up at three in the morning. It was getting it done and it was getting done right. My biggest goal is that my customers are satisfied with their piece and love their piece.鈥�
Although she doesn鈥檛 know which Oscar celebrities her jewelry was given to, Poppema says the entire process has been exciting.
鈥淲ith the swag bags you can have a celebrity wearing your bracelet two months from now because they finally got to your bag. You just don鈥檛 know,鈥� she said.
鈥淚t was just a really cool thing for me to be involved in and I鈥檓 just so grateful that I have chosen this cause (Fashion Hope) as part of raising awareness.鈥�
Poppema is now working on the Hope 2 bracelet for Fashion Hope. Similar to the Hope 1, its sequel has larger charms and is made of sterling silver rather than plated silver.
Perhaps the most enjoyable part of making her jewelry is the creativity involved, Poppema said.
鈥淏eing creative is really important to me. I use it even when putting a flowerpot outside or creating a nice dinner or making a new desert I haven鈥檛 made before. It鈥檚 just part of me 鈥� it makes me tick and it makes me happy.鈥�
鈥淪o making jewelry is awesome because I get to meet customers and brides and they even put me outside of my box. They help me create things that I haven鈥檛 thought of before. I love that part. I love people鈥檚 reactions. And people are starting now to recognize my stuff, too, which is really cool. That鈥檚 when you know you鈥檙e on the right track.鈥�
Poppema鈥檚 Sweetpiece Jewelry is currently being featured in six different retail stores: Ivory Bridal in Walnut Grove, The Passionate Home in downtown 黑马磁力, Crush Clothing at Grandview Corners in South Surrey, Melange Distinctive Fashions and Gifts in Ocean Park South Surrey, Malary鈥檚 Fashion Network in Cloverdale, Anca鈥檚 Bridal in Cloverdale and Inspired Arts and Gifts in Yarrow.
Visit Poppema鈥檚 website, www.sweetpiece.com, to see more products and to contact her for private appointments.
