hi there! i'm kristyna, the owner + maker here at set apart studio.  my husband mark + i live in new england with our three babies + one on the way! i work full-time as a police department co-response clinician, but my most important role is being a mama which is the best, most rewarding/fulfilling experience + all i've ever dreamed of.

the studio was established in 2016 as "set apart signs," where we offered handmade wooden home + wedding signage. signs were my first adventure, + although no longer my focus, i am forever grateful for the foundation that opened the door to this amazing community.

my whole life, my mom + grandmother inspired me with their love for natural + handmade self-care products. after becoming a mama again just two weeks before the pandemic hit, i began sharing my love for natural products + my friends/mama community began asking for some of these products. soon, set apart's natural wellness + skincare line took off far greater than expected with a website, multiple shipping days per week, products in over 30 stores/spas/salons nationwide + dozens of in-person events each year. the business began to grow far greater than i could handle alone. i was working only part-time in the emergency mental health field while working more than full-time on this small business. however, i was grinding the gears at both ends to be able to "do it all." i realized after three years of absolute hustle, that hustle wasn't what i wanted at all.

i created this business as an outlet for healing, inspiration, + community. the hustle +  grind culture was not something i ever wanted to take part in, and when i realized that success was coming at a cost, i had to make a change. i created the business to give myself flexibility with my days, to spend more time with my kiddos. but i realized that the "free" minutes or kiddo-distracted minutes, were all being filled with SAS. i realized our weekends were being taken up by small business events, that the spaces in our home were becoming cluttered with SAS products, materials + necessities. i had a choice to make.

when we finally became pregnant with this final babe due this fall to complete our family, i took a long break from SAS. i paused the website + wholesale ordering, stopped scheduling events, + cut back significantly on social media. i took my dream job that was offered to me after years of dreaming it up, + focused my nights on rest. the outpouring of sheer love + support from the community carried me through to the decisions we have made to where SAS is today. yes, i could have hired more than just event employees. i could have gone full-time with SAS + quit the mental health field altogether. but again, the hustle wasn't worth it to me, + the pull towards my purpose in motherhood + the field of clinical work in law enforcement was far stronger.

at the remainder of our in-person events (check out the event tab for details), you will find handcrafted earrings, skincare + wellness, as together these collections tell a story of self-care. we love small business + events so much that we began another business, "the market for makers" (@themarketformakers) in 2020, hosting small business artisan markets where creatives can connect, grow + thrive through the community.

over the last 7 years, this business has grown with me + my family. the journey tells a story of a gal who grew up quick, healed, + created the life she always wanted for herself. i'm beyond grateful for those of you joining in each new season, + especially grateful for those of you who have been here since the very beginning. my favorite part about creating is the ability to take raw materials + turn them into useful, beautiful + trustworthy products-- only putting forth what I would personally use/have for myself, my kiddos + our home. since we have finalized what products we will carry to a small selection, we will also be promoting our favorite trustworthy brands + products, providing discount codes + links whenever possible. stay tuned for DIY videos on how to make some of the products you loved to purchase from us, as well as inspiration/recommendations for scrunchy mamas (you know, the semi-crunchy ones) + busy humans.

i am overjoyed to bring you natural wellness + recommendations of my favorite products for the body + mind, for you + all your favorite humans. our name derives from deuteronomy 14:2 + with that, we hope to remind you that you have been Set Apart + chosen. thank you for choosing us.