We’re looking forward to introducing you to Audra Thompson. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Audra, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
What sets me apart is the heart behind the brand. I’m not just building a business—I’m building a legacy of healing, empowerment, and beauty born from struggle. I’ve walked through the fire, and I’ve used that journey to create something that reaches people on a soul level. The creation process truly allows me to lose myself over and over and find myself in the same way. Reaching deep to create pieces that are meaningful allows me the opportunity to reflect inwardly as I am creating outwardly.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a survivor of childhood trauma, and for a long time, I carried the weight of silence and self-doubt. But I found my way back to myself through creating. Making jewelry wasn’t just a craft; it became a way to speak when I didn’t yet have words. Every piece I made was a quiet rebellion against the darkness, a reminder that beauty could grow from brokenness. It is a way to fight the battles in my head that day that I’m not enough.
Building Dandelion Wishes Studio has been about more than designing jewelry. It’s been about reclaiming my voice, trusting my intuition, and turning the ashes of my past into something meaningful. I’ve learned that believing in yourself doesn’t mean you never feel fear—it means you move anyway, because something inside you knows your story is meant to become light for someone else.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was when I was about 11. I remember my safe place was the woods in the back of our 18 acre property. I wrote to myself recently , to that little girl who still empowers me. To the Little Girl in the Woods,
I see you.
Barefoot and wide-eyed, whispering spells to the trees,
building kingdoms from sticks and moss,
offering dandelion wishes to the wind as if they might carry you someplace safe,
someplace where you could breathe.
You didn’t know it then, but the world you imagined wasn’t pretend.
It was a map.
A quiet, glimmering trail out of pain and into becoming.
You always belonged to the wild places—
not because you were lost, but because you were looking.
For safety. For freedom.
For someone to say: I know. I believe you. And I’m still here.
Little one… I am you.
And I did make it out.
I found the light again—
not by forgetting the dark, but by learning to wear it like a second skin.
I forged beauty from brokenness,
and turned all that aching into art.
You were never wrong for believing in magic.
You were the magic.
And even now, every time my hands shape silver into stories,
every time someone wears a piece and feels seen,
it’s you I honor.
You survived the unthinkable.
You created something holy from hurt.
You are still alive in every fern, moth, skull, and spark I shape.
And if I could reach back through time,
kneel beside you in the underbrush and cup your dirt-smeared cheeks in my hands,
I would whisper this:
You are not too much.
You are not too wild.
You are not wrong to feel it all so deeply.
You are sacred.
You are worthy.
You are going to grow up and create a world where others like you don’t have to hide.
Keep pretending.
Keep dreaming.
Keep talking to the moon.
You are already becoming.
With all my love,
Me
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
Not until the last few years honestly. My work as a silversmith has given me so many gifts. I’m not trying to be like anyone else. My work is rooted in lived experience, shaped by resilience, and fueled by a deep desire to make others feel seen. I handcraft every piece with meaning, often cutting and shaping the stones myself—many of them found right here in my home state. There is intention in every detail, and a story behind every design. Today, I create for the wild-hearted, the wounded, and the reborn—people like me, who have walked through fire and dared to bloom anyway. I know there are so many out there looking to be seen, to be heard….even if it’s only by themselves….but that is what is beautiful….when you finally see yourself.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
My brand, my business. I’ve built my business from the ground up—not with outside investors, but with grit, skill, and an unwavering belief in the value of my work. Dandelion Wishes Studio is more than a brand—it’s a living, growing testament to creativity, resilience, and connection. My collections are unique, deeply symbolic, and handcrafted with intention, and they’ve steadily drawn a loyal and growing following.
I’ve learned to be both artist and entrepreneur—developing not only my designs but my voice, my story, and my presence across multiple platforms. I have the resources and community to promote this feature with care and impact, and I see it as a powerful opportunity not just for visibility, but for alignment.
Im committed to the work, to grow, find my audience, find those seeking for more, find those who dare to live.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people remember me as someone who turned pain into beauty, who took the ashes of hardship and forged them into something that could shine. My jewelry is more than silver and stone—it’s a reflection of resilience, transformation, and the belief that even in darkness, light can be found. I want to be remembered as a woman who created not just adornments, but symbols of empowerment—pieces that helped people feel seen, strong, and connected to their own story.
If people say, “She showed us that brokenness can become art, that scars can become strength, and that beauty is found in the raw, the wild, and the real,” then I will have lived my purpose.
But more than anything, I hope the legacy I leave behind is written in the hearts of my family. That they carry forward the courage to be fully themselves, the creativity to make something extraordinary out of the ordinary, and the strength to rise no matter how heavy the world feels. If my children and loved ones remember me as someone who believed in them fiercely, who showed them that brokenness can become art, that scars can become strength, and that beauty is found in the raw, the wild, and the real—then I will have lived my purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dandelionwishesstudios.com
- Instagram: @dandelionwishesstudio
- Youtube: @DandelionWishesStudios
Image Credits
The images are mine
