Enchant your style: Toquerville woman creates bewitching gemstone jewelry

Written by Jessi Bang
July 14, 2024

ST. GEORGE — From witchy vibes to gemstones with intent, one woman is putting together jewelry pieces she hopes will empower others.

Wicked Daizy owner Daisy Hobbs puts together her signature earrings at her home in Toquerville, Utah, June 19, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Wicked Daizy owner Daisy Hobbs puts together her signature earrings at her home in Toquerville, Utah, June 19, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

“Sometimes people only shop with me for a special occasion,” Daisy Hobbs, owner of Wicked Daizy said, holding on to an earring dangling from her ear. “For me, I wear these mountain biking. I go hiking in these. It’s OK to be pretty and festive every single day and I try to drive that home.”

With a 25-year career in hospitality, Hobbs first began working at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, where she did everything from serving tables to accounting. She moved up to HR and eventually became the General Manager of the Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim. She then worked as the GM of the Zion National Park Lodge before managing multiple hotels in Springdale.

At the end of 2022, she found herself burnt out and overwhelmed with the industry. With her parents getting older, she decided it was the right time to leave her career.

With a love for jewelry, especially earrings, it was no surprise she stumbled across an advertisement for beads and gems one day while scrolling online. Constantly buying earrings everywhere she went, she thought it would be a fun concept to try making them herself. She decided to invest in beads and other jewelry parts.

Wicked Daizy, an earing line by Daisy Hobbs, features a wide variety of gemstones and styles, Toquerville, Utah, June 19, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Wicked Daizy, an earing line by Daisy Hobbs, features a wide variety of gemstones and styles, Toquerville, Utah, June 19, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

She pulled inspiration from other artists, including many who once sold their work inside Joy’s, a gift shop that once sat amongst other touristy shops in Springdale. Initially, her only intention was to make earrings for herself, but as she collected more parts and pieces, she ended up with way more jewelry than she would ever need for herself.

When she began laying out her artsy earrings, she realized it looked similar to a collection you’d see in a small storefront. And when her friends and family encouraged her to begin sharing them with the world, she decided to take the leap.

“I just got super excited that my friends would be interested in my stuff,” she said. “And then it kind of snowballed.”

She first began with an Etsy shop but opted to open a Shopitfy store, instead. She’s seen firsthand how word of mouth can spread a business and she’s loved watching it grow.

When she decided to begin selling at local markets, that changed everything. Her first market was the Hurricane Farmers Market, which she began in May of last year. From there, she branched out to other local markets, including multiple events in Cedar City before moving her booth to the St. George Downtown Farmers Market, where she can be found now. Stay tuned to her Instagram for specific dates.

The name, Wicked Daizy, was selected out of its uniqueness and representation of her brand, and it includes her name in a spelling that has differentiated her from other online handles and platforms.

Daisy Hobbs runs her booth at a local market, location and date not specified | Photo courtesy of Daisy Hobbs, St. George News
Daisy Hobbs runs her booth at a local market, location and date not specified | Photo courtesy of Daisy Hobbs, St. George News

“I think I have a little bit of a witchy aesthetic, which I think is pretty cool,” she said. “So wicked kind of fit in with that. And it’s a little salty and spicy and a little mysterious.”

She considers her earring line “desert boho,” which she says encompasses more of a free-thinking and mellow vibe. It is defined as “demi-fine” – a category that bridges the gap between fine jewelry and costume jewelry. They are unisex and created to be worn for both statement pieces and everyday wear.

Her main inspiration? Nature.

“I have forever had a deep connection with our desert environment,” she said. “I find a lot of joy and satisfaction in using plants, trees, flowers, rocks, canyons, rivers and even weather as a creative inspo for my designs.”

Every piece contains natural gemstones and no synthetics. Some of the stones, such as vericite, are mined in Utah. Hobbs has been wearing gemstones to enhance her well-being for over a decade, and she’s loved the ability to create her jewelry with specific intentions. Each set of earrings for sale features the type of stone written on the back along with the stone’s intention, such as pyrite encouraging success and abundance. She’s also drawn to anything known to enhance one’s intuition.

Wicked Daizy, an earing line by Daisy Hobbs, features a wide variety of gemstones and styles, Toquerville, Utah, June 19, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Wicked Daizy, an earing line by Daisy Hobbs, features a wide variety of gemstones and styles, Toquerville, Utah, June 19, 2024 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

Most of her jewelry incorporates warm-toned metals such as brass and copper. She ages pieces of brass herself, giving them a unique patina. Lately, she’s been experimenting with mixed metals, including rhodium plated with a brass element.

As for where she sources her stones, she focuses on shopping from small, independent businesses and shops local whenever possible.

Hobbs said she’s loved immersing herself in the community while having a creative outlet. She looks forward to meeting new people and seeing where her business takes her. Her ultimate goal is to inspire confidence in every person who wears them.

Shop Wicked Daizy in person in Cedar City at Little Sunshines Mercantile, Trudy’s Spot in Hurricane, Juniper Sky in Kayenta and DeZion Gallery in Springdale. To shop online, visit the Wicked Daizy website and follow the fun on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Bang was born and raised in Utah and has a passion for nature and the great outdoors. She graduated from Kaplan University in California with a degree in criminal justice. She has extensive experience in marketing, content creation, photography and copywriting. You can find her showcasing outdoor adventures through her blog, “The Rambling Raccoon.” In her free time, she enjoys climbing mountains, trail running, working out and cuddling her two lovable pups.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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