About Jayne Cairns Designs

Jayne’s love of nature and nature’s beauty began at an early age. She spent every summer with her family at their cabin in the high Sierra Mountains. “I remember spending the days hiking, swimming, fishing, reading and hanging out with friends. At night, because our cabin did not have electricity, we’d sing, play cards and games, talk with friends and watch the stars.” Jayne recalls her dad provided craft projects and everyone got involved. “We’d draw, paint, create mosaics, and build things out of wood, using whatever we found in the forest. What I remember the most was being given the freedom to create!”

As she looks back, she realizes her mother was also very influential, as she gave Jayne the love of blending colors, shapes, and textures. Both Jayne’s mother and grandmother were amazing seamstresses. “They sewed like there was no tomorrow, making their own dresses and matching dresses for my sisters and myself. I used to sit and watch as they turned pieces of fabric into gorgeous outfits. I, too, learned to sew, and was making some of my own clothes by 12 years old. From a very early age, I loved turning “nothing” into something beautiful and extraordinary.”

As Jayne grew older, she took many art classes: sewing, weaving, drawing, painting, photography, and ceramics. Jayne was a junior in high school when she took her first jewelry class. “I definitely was not doodling during that class!” she recalls. “I knew I had found something that resonated with me. The following summer, I took boxes of beads to our cabin and created earrings all summer. I began selling my work at age 17 and have continued to create and sell things ever since.”

College was something that frustrated Jayne. She was encouraged to take a major where she could “earn a living”, but always found herself taking extra art classes. She ended up graduating with a K-12 teaching credential and went back to get a masters degree in school counseling. After enjoying 35+ years teaching and counseling, Jayne recently retired and is spending more time being creative…whether it’s designing jewelry, spending time in her garden, or just relaxing. “I thoroughly loved every minute of my career in education, but now I’m ready for a new chapter in my life.”