our story

"Let me tell you the secret that has led to my goal.  My strength lies solely in my tenacity." Louis Pasteur

Marissa started the lilypad project in 2017 after taking a metalsmith lesson in Indonesia on a traditional foot pump.  It was there in that small studio by the sea, a fire was lit, igniting a passion and unleashing pent up creativity. When returning to the US, Marissa started her self-taught metal journey and continually strives to enhance her skills while gaining new knowledge of techniques.

The name the lilypad project came from the many lotus ponds found in Indonesia. As lotus flowers only bloom in the morning and live a short life, their existence is brief. Their beauty is temporary, conditional, and time reliant. Whereas, the lilypad is a constant. She rises from the same muck. She thrives on top. She supports an entire ecosystem and converts sunlight to fuel. She’s always there.

Steady. Stable. Reliable.

She is magnificent and beautiful while creating a community. She doesn’t need the glory and rarely gets it. Her role is supportive and consistent. She doesn’t need to be the center of attention and definitely doesn’t need the approval of the lotus. She is who we make jewelry for. We see you. We acknowledge you. We tell your story.  

Our ingredients are hand sourced from all over the world. It is our goal to incorporate social causes into our business practices. Each piece is made by hand from scratch utilising traditional metalsmithing techniques. We only have high quality ingredients and 100% recycled metals that allow every piece to be infused with love and made from the soul. All work is made in house in our small studio by the sea in Santa Cruz, CA. We believe in creating handmade heirlooms with love that represent moments and memories to be passed down to future generations.

It is with molten metal and the earth's treasures that the lilypad project strives to generate art in the beautiful engagement of raw elements.

We strive to create pieces of art that are part of your everyday life. 

Tell your story. Live your life.

Glorifies the beauty and embraces the difficulties.

We capture moments that live a lifetime.