Erin Joy, Diamonds and Coal Jewelry: the perfect option when you just need some grit with your glamour. What a freakin’ treat this woman is! Like her beautiful handmade jewelry, she’s super sweet with an edge, a bad-ass with a heart of gold. She loves digging in the dirt and “rock-hounding” for gems and minerals. She can also be found hunting for bullet casings on abandoned Native American land in Albuquerque-- all for the sake of the most unique pieces in her line of jewelry. Erin has been crafting since she was “old enough to hold knitting needles in [her] hands.” She started making jewelry for herself because she wanted pieces that she couldn’t find or afford in boutiques. People eventually started inquiring about her work and Diamonds and Coal was born about three years ago. First selling at a monthly market in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she lived prior to moving to Asheville, now her wares can be found everywhere from local shops like Hip Replacements and Wake to the Harley Davidson Cafe and Tao in Las Vegas. On her website she describes her pieces perfectly; “The name Diamonds and Coal came about because these are two things always associated together, but they convey the exact opposite in their imagery. There is a push and a pull. My pieces are beautiful yet edgy, dainty yet fierce. You always get glamour mixed with edge and grit. A little bit of sass with your sparkle. Diamonds and Coal describes jewelry coming together in that harmonious way that you might not expect.”    10 Reasons Erin Joy Loves Her New Home in Asheville:

1. Wicked Weed Brewing (91 Biltmore Ave)- To wind down, Erin loves coming here to try new beers with her fiancé and new puppy, Thor.
2. Patton Avenue Pet Company (1388 Patton Ave)- For all of little Thor's needs :)
3. Graveyard Fields & The Blue Ridge Parkway - Any time she gets a chance
4. Brother Wolf (31 Glendale Ave)
5. Asheville Tourist Games (30 Buchanan Pl)
6. Orange Peel (101 Biltmore Ave)- She and her fiancé, avid metal-band-enthusiasts, say this is their favorite spot to come to see music in town.
7. The Hop Ice Cream Cafe - “That’s the best ice cream I’ve ever had in my life!”
8. Bruisin’ Ales Beer Store (66 Broadway St)
9. Hip Replacements (Lexington Ave), Wake Foot Sanctuary & Shop (Page Ave), and The Garage 34 Project (South Lexington Ave)
10. BRÖÖ Shampoo – Erin raves about this locally made hair product!

Erin Joy, Diamonds and Coal https://www.etsy.com/shop/diamondsandcoal1 http://instagram.com/diamondsandcoaljewelry https://www.facebook.com/diamondsandcoal1