Check Out Erika LaFore’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika LaFore.

Hi Erika, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I wasn’t able to breastfeed my firstborn for more than a couple of days, which was rather disheartening to me. This led me to feel a lot of guilt and secretly mourn the breastfeeding journey that I felt I had missed out on. By the time I gave birth to my second child, almost exactly four years later, I was wholeheartedly determined to provide him with as much breast milk as I possibly could. While I had hoped to be able to exclusively breastfeed him, I was once again met with low supply and dissapointment in my body. He ended up getting a little bit of it all -feeding directly from the breast, feeding from the bottle with my own expressed milk, donor milk, and even formula!

Around the time that he turned 8-months-old, I discovered the art of breast milk jewelry and fell in love with the idea. It seemed like the perfect way to commemorate all of my own trials, tribulations, and celebrations with breastfeeding. I am artistic and eager to learn by nature, so I decided to attempt myself a breast milk ring first. After lots of research, and trial & error, with breast milk preservation methods, I found something that worked well for me and decided to take a chance on opening up my own keepsake business.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
While I am lucky enough to say that I genuinely get to do what I love every day, it hasn’t been easy by any means. Two-and-a-half years ago I built my business from the ground up; there have been, and continue to be, many struggles. Running a business solo is no joke -and it’s really difficult to not get burnt out. Making meaningful art is the biggest and most obvious part of my job, but behind the scenes there are also taxes to be filed, a stack of unread emails, making content on social media to stay relevant and promote growth, bookkeeping, ordering inventory, trying not to let unkind people bring me down, and so on. Despite some of these challenges being quite difficult to overcome, I will never let them stop me for too long. There is always more to learn and room to improve. I am excited to keep growing this little dream of mine.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in the creation of breast milk and memorial keepsakes. If it holds sentimental value to someone, then it’s my job to preserve it in a beautiful, meaningful way. Some examples of elements that I often work with are breast milk, cremation ashes (human and animal), hair/fur, encapsulated placenta, umbilical stump, dried flowers, and fabric. The pieces that I get commissioned to make most often include jewelry, especially rings, but I also make other keepsake items, such as tumbler cups, keychains, decorative trays, paperweights, and stuffed animals.

The product that I am probably the proudest of is my memory bear collection. Like most other memory bears, these are crafted from the clothing of a loved one (t-shirts, pants, newborn outfits, swaddle blankets, etc.). What really sets my bears apart from the rest is that I offer handmade eyes that can include elements such as breast milk and cremation ashes. As far as I know, I am the first person in this industry to offer such!

Another aspect of my business that I am extremely proud of is the “Skip to my Lou” program. It has recently been renamed (formerly known as the “Mourning Mothers Program”) to honor my late stepfather, Louie (“Lou”) Casados, so needless to say, it now holds an even more special place in my heart. Through this program, I am able to offer one complimentary keepsake a month to someone who has experienced loss.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I highly encourage anyone that is interested in collaborating with me to reach out through email. I truly love any opportunity to work with other artists and influencers. The best ways to support me are to tell your friends and family about my business, follow my social media accounts, like/comment/share my social media posts, and of course, make a purchase if that’s something that you’re able to do. Every little bit truly helps so much!

Pricing:

• Femenine Rings – starting at $115
• Masculine Rings – starting at $110
• Pendants & Necklaces – starting at $75
• Tumblers – starting at $40
• Memory Bears – starting at $45

Contact Info:

• Website: tentinytoesjewelry.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tentinytoesjewelryco
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tentinytoesjewelry
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tentinytoesjewelryco