Amanda Hayes grew up in central New Jersey (which is most definitely where her abundance of sass and affection for expletives originates from). After graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in Plant Biology, she headed west to San Diego, CA. Her career path there flowed from an assortment of botanical jobs like plant cloning, interior plantscaping and floral design, eventually leading her into the wedding industry where she owned and operated her own business for almost 2 decades.
During this time in Southern California, she met and married her "husfriend," fine art painter Michael C. Hayes. Together they continually fuel one another's creative endeavors, and it was Michael who gifted her her first electroforming kit in 2016. From that moment forward everything in her world could be divided into two categories: "Oooo! I can electroform that!" and "Too bad I can't electroform that."
The bee has always been a symbol of a deep love and appreciation for plants and pollinators for Amanda. Early in her electroforming days she was gifted honeycomb from her bestie Sara's beehive as a prop to include in her product photography, but quickly decided she needed to electroform the comb, too. When that comb was all put to good use, she began sourcing from folks in San Diego who specialize in beehive rescue and relocation.
With honeycomb being a prominent feature in her work, this conversation starter has allowed her to spread awareness about hive rescue and relocation as an alternative to extermination. Hilary Kearney of Girl Next Door Honey had a huge influence on Amanda's passion for not just educating folks about hive rescue, but also for giving women beekeepers an equal voice in the bee keeping world.