My Story

Hi, I'm Cherise Richards, also known as Reesie, and I've been crafting jewelry since 2017. Originally from Oregon, I've lived in Central America for 10 years. My jewelry-making story began by making stained glass windows with my dad. I loved it but soon realized that if I wanted to continue making glass work it needed to be in a way that was travel-friendly. So I started using small pieces of glass to make jewelry and thus began my jewelry journey. From glass I went on to experiment with resin and had a phase where I would use flowers and dead creatures I’d find in the jungle environments I live in to make resin molds. I made many a necklace with the tails of dead scorpions I’d find around my house and that happened to be around the time I named my brand. Thus the name Sting Bling came to be. Although I no longer make insect-themed jewelry due to a lack of demand, (go figure :) and the environmental impact of resin, the name lives on. I’ve tried many different styles of jewelry making but finally settled into the brand I have today - surfer friendly simple metal work and beaded earrings. My love for surfing and beach culture heavily influences my designs. I draw inspiration from the beauty of shells, metals, and vibrant colored beads. In addition to my jewelry making, I am a yoga teacher for Surf With Amigas and hold a BFA in Dance from UCSB and an MFA in Choreography from CalArts.