Meet The Maker: Niece’s Pieces And Designs
When Niece’s Pieces and Designs applied for our 16th Annual Unglued Craft Fest, we were enamored with her process and unique use of stones found in the Lake Agassiz lakebed! So we were very excited to get to know more about Shanice and her process this month’s Meet the maker! You’ll be able to catch
When Niece’s Pieces and Designs applied for our 16th Annual Unglued Craft Fest, we were enamored with her process and unique use of stones found in the Lake Agassiz lakebed! So we were very excited to get to know more about Shanice and her process this month’s Meet the maker! You’ll be able to catch her at the Fest, March 6-7, at West Acres Mall and see her work yourself!
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born in Minneapolis, raised in Fargo, and bumbled about for a bit in between Fargo and finally landed in the small town of Hawley, MN. I love traveling and have travelled across the Midwest, West Coast, a bit down south, have lived in Alaska, and plan to start venturing out East this summer! Camping is something I have always enjoyed as well. My children and I do our best to stay outside as much as we can every summer, camping, hiking, kayaking, climbing rocks, all of it! I enjoy most anything I can do with my hands—any form of creation from woodworking, sewing, metal bending, silversmithing, painting, and the list goes on! I have been running my business for about seven years, full-time for about five years.
Describe what type of products and craft work you do under Niece’s Pieces and Designs.
I do all sorts of different crafts here. My main artform, and where I started, was with wire-wrapped jewelry. I also have wood-burnt boxes that I make. I do use a CNC machine to engrave the basic design onto each box, then after I finish up with that, I will add all of the details and backgrounds with a hand burner, making each piece unique. I have a handful of boxes that I burn completely by hand, often capturing very scenic views, capturing my love for camping. I have also recently picked up some silver smithing as well as making rings out of old spoons and forks.
Tell us how you got started with your handcrafted business. What inspired you?
I had started my business while living out of a camper and traveling from Minnesota out to the West Coast with my family. We were stopped at a music festival called Sawtooth Valley Gathering out in Idaho. I had met a gentleman who was selling rocks and doing wire wraps. At the time, I had been doing some macramé work, making necklaces as well. After chatting for the weekend, we decided to sit down and trade skills, spending a day sitting at the festival grounds showing each other what we knew. After leaving, he sent me off with a bag of stones, and I would collect doorbell wire and strip the wires to use for my jewelry. I have since switched to different wires and cabochons, but have held true to the basic frames, as well as picking up a handful of other wire weaving techniques. I did use wire weaving to start the business and have been forming it into my different crafts throughout the years. I have done woodworking, wood burning, painting, and soon will also be adding some drawing into the mix.
What was one of the most difficult pieces you’ve created?
I would say that the most difficult pieces I have made were coasters. I had had a tree fall into my house and decided that instead of just burning the tree, I decided I would turn it into coasters! I would cut each coaster with a chop saw, dry them out (using various methods, always trying to find the most efficient), then I would engrave and/or hand-burn each coaster before coating it with epoxy. After that, I would have to trim any excess epoxy and sand down each of the edges by hand. The process for each coaster would be between one and two weeks. Each piece that came out successfully felt like its own little achievement; however, this is something I do not think I would ever care to do again!
Where does your inspo come from for new pieces?
A lot of my quotes on my boxes are found in poetry, books, and, of course, social media. I am greatly influenced by nature, the importance of standing still, and becoming the best version of ourselves that we can be. Anything positive or affirming, places that make me feel small, scenes that feel larger than life as well as my favorite camping spots under the stars. I find myself inspired most when I am traveling to new places and hoping to capture the energy I find there.
Tell us more about mining your local crystals and rocks! Anything that someone would find surprising?
I have been incredibly lucky to be able to find these Duckbill Selenite! They are a stone that is found in the Lake Agassiz lakebed. They have been found from Fargo up to Winnipeg and even over into Minnesota! These specimens are found between 14-20 feet underground in and around sand pits. Selenite is a form of gypsum, which is a mineral found in anything from drywall to toothpaste! These duckbill selenite formed when the gypsum had gotten wet and then dried, the moisture in the gypsum was slowly pulled from the stone mineral, crystallizing it and creating the duckbill. There are also other formations called desert roses that are formed similarly and found all over the world, those are created with sand in them as well as gypsum.
What has been the most challenging part of this handcrafted business?
I feel as though I have been super fortunate in my business ventures. Creating a space that I love to exist in and making my inventory has been one of the most rewarding things I have done in this life, next to raising my two children. Finding spaces that fit with my values and beliefs, and creating handmade pieces, has been something I have been working towards for many years now. Paperwork will always be the ultimate rival. I can never seem to stay nearly as organized as I should be!
What has been the most rewarding part?
I believe the most rewarding part has been that I have been able to provide for my family as well as stay home and be here with my children as they move through school. I have loved watching not only my business grow, but my kids being able to experience entrepreneurship as well as add into my business in their own ways and giving them a creative outlet. The feeling of fulfillment is ever-present when running your own business, even if it is close to the tension of success. Making it through each trying time becomes a source of not just pride, but true self-worth. I do not think that I would be able to find this level of accomplishment in many other careers out there, at least not the ones that I have tried! .
What advice would you have given yourself five years ago?
Five years ago, I would have chosen to take the leap, take the chances, and do the things that I knew would bring me joy. I’m grateful that I was able to convince myself to take the chance; it did take a lot of time to convince myself to do so. I am grateful for where I get to be now and am not sure what it would be that I would change, but I would have given myself more reassurance that it was going to be okay. Let me know that it will be one of the most rewarding things I could have done for myself.
You’ll have a booth at our 16th Annual Unglued Craft Fest! Tell us what people will find from you at this event, March 6-7?
At the unglued event on March 6-7, you will be able to find some of my wire-wrapped pendants, wood-burnt boxes, as well as some of those wonderful duckbill selenite! I will also be bringing what is left of those pain-in-the-butt coasters! I am down to the last 60 or so that I will make.
Where can people find your work or connect with you?
I do have a website that you can find both my wire wraps as well as any of my zodiac boxes! I do also have an option for making both custom boxes and pendants! On my website, you will also be able to find a calendar with all of my events and where I will be every weekend! I travel the entire Midwest, but on my website, you will see where you are able to pick up your own piece of Duckbill Selenite!
Niece’s Pieces and Designs
Published March 26, 2026
