The Town Jewel

Michelle McCarty is a first-grade teacher with an eye for great design and a passion for giving back. Her jewelry company, Auntie M Jewelry, was inspired by God’s love.

ARTICLE BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABIGAIL BERRY, LIGHT+FREE FOLK

Michelle McCarty is a product of faith. Her belief in God’s will for her life has led her on journeys unimagined, yet fitting for her talent. Michelle has never considered herself an artist, yet she has been expressing her creativity for years. A Ouachita Parish Public School teacher for the last 20 years, Michelle loves watching her first-grade children learn and grow under her leadership. Her passion is giving back, using her abilities for the greater good and ultimately for God’s will. She began refurbishing old furniture, finding another creative outlet to supplement her income. Looking for something easier to handle, God placed jewelry on her heart, and Auntie M Jewelry was born. Admittedly, Michelle wasn’t even a big jewelry collector, but as most of God’s messages, the vision was clear. She began looking online, determining her style and aesthetic. She didn’t want to make anything she wouldn’t wear. Her goal was to create quality, statement pieces others would recognize.

It all started with the prism. Michelle wanted a symbol that shines, a centerpiece to encourage others to find their gifts, spreading their own sparkle. God gives us all gifts, and Michelle encourages others to find and invest those talents for fulfillment and purpose. She uses other mediums in her pieces including: leather, chains, natural gemstones, medallions and elemental coins. Her jewelry is not dainty; she wants the pieces to stand out, and her customers appreciate her artistry and attention to detail. She began naming each piece after women in the Bible, but soon included close friends and family names as her business expanded. Michelle describes her aesthetic as “rustic elegance,” classy additions to any outfit. The timeless, one-of-a-kind pieces caught the eyes of locals at a jewelry show held by Michelle’s brother and sister-in-law. The response cemented Michelle’s belief in her talent and her product. One friend bought a piece for her daughter, saying she knew it was made with love by Michelle’s own hands. Another recognized an Auntie M statement piece on someone’s neck at a party. Michelle knew she had a gift to give and had to make the most of her talent. She created display boards and pitched to a few local boutiques, and then her name was out there. Having only been in business a year, Michelle is amazed and humbled by the positive feedback and God’s blessings.

In hindsight, Michelle’s connection to jewelry is not entirely surprising. Michelle credits her family’s support with her success. She calls her maternal grandmother, Grace, her guardian angel. She instilled in Michelle a love of poetry, both women being able to express themselves through written words. Grace told Michelle she had the gift of poetry, and Michelle has written since she was 13. She reads at funerals, describing loved ones with the words God places on her heart. She reads at celebrations, like her brother Mickey McCarty’s new house or his Neville Tigers winning the football state championship. Michelle likes making people feel good, and her poems provide enjoyment and comfort for those she cares most about. Her grandmother loved jewelry and had pieces for every outfit. She made her own and sold them at shows and flea markets. Her grandfather Bernard made Native American jewelry, ornate headbands, necklaces and earrings. The gift of creativity goes back through the generations, and Michelle is honoring her grandparent’s legacy with each piece she crafts.

Michelle’s parents always encouraged her to follow her dreams, staying supportive throughout Michelle’s life. Her dad exemplified a strong work ethic. Michelle calls her mother, Carol, her best friend. Carol dove into the jewelry-making with her daughter, helping her string pieces, organize inventory and keep up with the demand of her growing business. The mother/daughter time is an opportunity they’re both grateful for. Michelle’s friend, Pam Garner Moore, has followed her on social media and is helping Michelle get into other venues, like a Mary Kay benefit in Ruston this October. Pam also put Michelle in contact with a boutique owner in Mississippi, who now showcases Auntie M Jewelry in her gift shop, the company’s first venture out of state. Michelle would like to expand into other markets, but all in due time. She knows, “God never gives me more than I can handle.” He puts the right people in her life at the right time: her father’s example, her brother and sister-in-law hosting her first showing, her mother helping her keep up the legwork, Pam helping her market Auntie M, and Grace planting the seed of creativity and encouraging Michelle to use her God-given gifts.

Michelle is a positive person. She believes in herself, “because God believes in me.” She doesn’t let fear stop her. Through hardships in life, she has learned that when one door closes, God opens another one. She relies on this truth to navigate the twists and turns, insisting “I’m a survivor. I might get down, but I get right back up.” When she attempted to change her style to suit vendors, she learned to stay true to her own vision. The right customers will come to her. They will be drawn to her originality. And while she does recognize the reality of staying on trend, she trusts God to put the creativity in her mind. She’s learned to listen. She doesn’t look at other styles online anymore; her inspiration comes from within. One Instagram post that stood out to Michelle, from another spiritual pioneer, simply said, “Know your worth.” The right people will know the quality of Michelle’s work and appreciate it. When she entered an upscale boutique in Florida, she was amazed to see pieces that looked like hers selling for much more. Made with the same quality products, Michelle realized she wasn’t giving herself enough credit. If God provided the vision and the talent, why wouldn’t he provide the market? She took the number of the boutique and has it on her refrigerator as a goal and a reminder to not cut herself short. Michelle and her jewelry are worth it.
When Grace passed five years ago, she handed down a trunk of all her jewelry pieces to Michelle, the initial inspiration for the business long before its creation. Michelle’s nephew always called her Auntie M, first as joke, but then it stuck. The pseudonym was perfect for her business, retaining her name and a connection to family in the title. Michelle basks in the support and sacrifice of her loved ones, and feels the presence of Grace often. She is frequently visited by red cardinals on her porch, and knows it is her grandmother watching over her, saying “She’s a part of me. I can feel her presence.” God’s presence is also constant; she hears his voice often. Michelle is finally feels she is living in high favor, with a teaching job at a new school and a granddaughter on the way, all in God’s time. Growing more comfortable in her own skin and aware of his promises, Michelle knows the opportunities are endless. Auntie M Jewelry has taken off and provided for Michelle both financially and emotionally. It will be what it is meant to be as God’s will is imminent. She knows God is always there and will see her through it all. Michelle has the faith; she has the talent, and she has the purpose.