Rising Stars: Meet Kiona Elliott of Raleigh

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiona Elliott.

Hi Kiona, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve wanted to be creative for as long as I can remember. When I was young, born in the Netherlands, I was always happiest in art and creative classes, which thanks to the fact that I went to a Waldorf school there was plenty of. At home I spent much time trying to find my personal creative outlet, but I had trouble finding my “thing”

Jewelry finally became my medium after I moved to Raleigh. I worked for over a decade for a Jewelry artist friend of mine, and around the time I became a mom for the first time, I broke out and started my own jewelry line, I had finally found my outlet! And it created a way for me to be able to work out of my home while starting my new journey in motherhood too.

Today, I run Rising Jewelry out of my downtown Raleigh studio, where I make each piece by hand using a mix of traditional metalwork, enameling, and repurposed materials like formika, vintage ceramic decals, old coins from around the world, and copper pennies. One of my main motivating factors in my jewelry designs is reusing materials, and a respect and honoring of the beauty of Nature.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’ve been a full time jewelry/small business owner on and off for over 20 years now, so it has certainly been challenging and difficult at times. Whether it’s economic hard times to push through, or kid school schedules, breaks , and needs (limiting work time) to manage while also trying to run a profitable business, I have to say I have always enjoyed to the need to be creative and willing to try new or different things when running into walls. I get bored if I end up doing the same thing over and over again, and I LOVE problem solving, so every road block not only offers an opportunity for more creativity and for me to flex my problem solving muscle.
I have also found that more often than not, it’s actually created me finding solutions or different approaches that improved the old ways of doing things! For instance, when a material I used, became no longer available or too costly, and I had to either find a worthy replacement or find a different way of making that particular design, I almost always come across a new material or solution that I liked better than the original item! I would have never found it, if I didn’t have to search for a replacement in the first place.
One specific road block was when my second child was born. I was able to start my business after my first was born, because my oldest was incredibly self-entertaining. He was perfectly happy to play on his own for extended amounts of time, providing me with great chunks of time to build and grow a business. 11 years later, with my second child, the opposite was true. By the time he was born, I had moved into a studio, and had planned to bring him along to the studio for a chunk of time, creating a little area for him to play, nap and hang out in, while I got some work done. He decided, even in his infancy- we was decidedly NOT a studio baby. He wanted and needed attention, interaction at all times, to my time in the studio quickly became extremely limited. We soon after bought a house with enough space for me to move my studio into an extra bedroom, so for a few years, I was able to mostly be a mom, with my business on the back burner, still active, but very limited. While at first I was sad at less creative time, and sales- soon I really loved how it made me able to really sink into being a mom, focus on our family, and watch my guys grow. Along with, when it was time for my youngest to go to school, and I was able to go back to full time, and move back into a studio space, I did not only experience quite how incredibly grateful I was to have my creative business, to be so flexible with, but I also I experienced VIVIDLY how much being creative for a bug chunk of my day, made me a happier and better person. It showed me the value of creativity that I would have never seen if I didn’t have to cut back for a chunk of years. In addition it finally allowed me to rebrand my business, which I had been wanting to do for a really long time, but it never felt like the right time. Going back to full time was a great “clean slate” for a rebrand.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I make handcrafted jewelry that helps people connect to, own, and tell their stories.

Over the years, I’ve developed a deep love for working with repurposed and sustainable materials—like vintage coins, enameled pennies, and architectural samples—because there’s something powerful about giving forgotten or everyday objects a second life. My designs are often simple in form but layered with some sort of connection. Some pieces honor family milestones. Others celebrate nature, place, or personal growth.

I specialize in mostly small-batch and one-of-a-kind pieces, made intentionally in my downtown Raleigh studio. I’m probably best known for my Peas in a Pod collection, which customers often customize to represent loved ones, and my colorful enameled penny designs, which feel playful but carry a sense of quiet nostalgia.

What I’m most proud of is the connection people feel when they wear my work. I hear stories all the time about gifts that marked a birth, a goodbye, a big life shift. It’s not just about what the jewelry looks like. It’s about what it means to the person wearing it. That’s the part that keeps me coming back to the bench.

I think what sets me apart is my mix of materials and storytelling—combining enamel, metal, and vintage elements in a way that’s deeply personal but not overly polished. I’m not trying to follow trends. I’m trying to make something that feels honest. Something that lasts. Something that helps someone feel more like themselves.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Over the two decades that I have been handmadmaking my work, I have seen a massive shift from: Small businesses trying to sound professional and responsible like large businesses, to large businesses trying to sound local, thoughtful and personable.

I’ve also seen customers gone from being hesitant to buying small and handmade, to flocking to local and handmade over buying from big box.

I imagine in the next 5-10 years, this shift will continue, which will probably look like more big opportunities for small businesses and makers in bigger markets and companies.

Pricing:

• Earrings $30-76
• Necklaces $30-$62
• Bracelets $28-$38
• Rings $30

Contact Info:

• Website: http://risingjewelryshop.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risingjewelrync/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/risingjewelryshop/