A Penny For Your Thoughts–Your first impression of the name may have you confused and unsure of what sort of company this is, and maybe you’re considering if they are willing to pay you to know what you are thinking.  Well, think again.“Wear us around your pretty little neck” . With a name like A Penny For Your Thoughts, this local Vancouver-based jewelry company definitely lives up to its unique profile.  Founded just a little over a year ago by two friends Erin and Janine, A Penny For Your Thoughts, or APFYT is not your average jewelry company, and their one of a kind necklaces each hold their own story as to how they were created.  I had the chance to sit down with the two talented young ladies who are the masterminds behind this jewelry company.  They shared with me the experiences they’ve had so far on this fairly new journey which has proven to have lots of potential, not to mention demand.

We have all heard about hand crafted jewelry designs, but APFYT takes authenticity to an entire different level.  One of the main reasons this jewelry company is called a Penny For Your Thoughts, is because of the special process that each necklace undergoes to reach the final product. Theirs is truly a type of necklace to recognize and not one to forget.  To make each necklace, Erin and Janine actually place pennies on railway tracks and wait for trains to pass over them so that they are flattened into the unique and distinctive shapes that become the centre pieces of each necklace.  For the rest of the necklace design and the finishing touches, Erin and Janine add ornaments and parts from dissembled vintage and antique jewelry, and voila, an APFYT necklace is created!  Talk about dedication and commitment to each product!

The girls told me that they draw inspiration from various things around them—from things that catch their eye while shopping, to right at home where they listen to indie artists such as Feist.  Either way, each necklace has its own story and theme attached to it, and so much thought and originality is poured into its delicate creation.  The necklaces range from $50-$175, depending on what details the girls have included on the necklace.  Some of the necklaces have pure gold pieces attached to them, but it is plain to see that each and every one is priceless because it is not everyday that you can say you are wearing a penny that has been flattened on a railway track and has been transformed into a beautiful piece of jewelry you are able to wear around your pretty little neck!

At the moment, you can find APFYT necklaces at Adhesif on Main Street, and very appropriately, at One of a Few, a small boutique located in Gastown.  The girls would ideally love to see their pieces being sold at Vancouver-based Artizia, or even high end department stores.  But for now, they are taking their achievements one step at a time, and are looking into expanding their necklace line into designing and creating earrings as well.  At the rate that things are going, the sky is the limit for these two down to earth girls!The response to A Penny For Your Thoughts has been so overwhelming in Vancouver and was reaffirmed earlier this year at their very first and very successful APFYT jewelry party.  Erin and Janine intend on hosting another two more before Christmas, so be sure to check out their updates on the APFYT Facebook page and website, which is slated to be up soon.  In the meantime, get your pretty little penny necklace to wear around your pretty little neck!WRITTEN BY: EUDORA KOH