At JB’s Coastal Creations, entrepreneurs Jerry-Dee Richardson and Brittany Haley have crafted keepsakes for a range of events, including a first encounter with a stingray and golf tags for a championship.

Still, they were surprised when someone asked whether they worked with human ashes.

“They wanted a memorial keepsake to give to a parent,” Ms Haley said. “We had never worked with ashes before.”

Ms Haley was touched by the request. It was a different way for their epoxy resin mementos to touch lives.

“We created a canvas out of a wooden sheet,” she said. “Then we mixed the ashes into the resin and spread it on the sheet to create a beach scene, a garden and a memorial quote. Our client presented that to their parent, and they absolutely loved it.“

The duo met four years ago when Ms Haley took a fitness class taught by Mrs Richardson. They became friends, and now call each other mother and daughter.

Mrs Richardson had never considered herself to be arty before, but discovered crafting with epoxy resin on Facebook during the pandemic.

When heated, epoxy resin can be poured, but cools into a type of plastic. Anything encased in it will last a long time.

They turned Mrs Richardson’s hobby into a business a year ago, and have been building their brand ever since.

Both have regular jobs. Ms Haley works in information technology in a bank, and Mrs Richardson is employed by a captive management firm.

They do a lot of their crafting in the early morning, out of Jeremy Johnson’s Village Carpentry Shop on the North Shore in Pembroke.

“My father ran that for years,” Mrs Richardson said.

Mr Johnson is retired, and the building has been up for sale for some time.

Growing up, Mrs Richardson was often with her father in the carpentry shop, but never thought of touching any of the tools.

“I have realised that over the years I learnt a lot from being around him though,” Mrs Richardson said. “Sometimes I ask him questions like what would be the best way to shine something. My husband, Darius Richardson, is also a carpenter.”

When they started JB’s Coastal Creations, they did not realise how much it would take to run a business.

“It is not just about us being in the garage and having fun and creating lovely things,” Mrs Richardson said. “In January of this year, we both did the Ignite business accelerator programme, and that opened our eyes tremendously.”

Ms Haley had seen family members run businesses but did not fully comprehend all that went on behind the scenes such as inventory, accounting and forward planning.

Their goal is to get their name out there.

“We want JB’s Coastal Creations to be in every tourist location on the island,” Ms Haley said. “We want to become a household name in Bermuda. When people think of keepsakes and mementos, we want them to think of us first.”

They sell items such as magnets and Christmas ornaments at Harbour Nights in Hamilton on Wednesdays. Their products are also available at Lookie-Lookie in the Washington Mall in Hamilton, Bermuda Craft Market in Dockyard and Flying Colours on Queen Street. They also do customised keepsakes for individuals and corporations.