Mom Combines Parenting with Her Passion

Her story is not unlike most moms trying to balance a career with motherhood, except Karen Lamont’s has a twist – a citrus twist.  When the 36-year-old mom to two little girls, age five and three, returned to her job as VP of a marketing company after her second daughter was born, she discovered juggling a full-time corporate position along with her mom duties was too much. “I felt guilty not spending enough time with my kids,” the Beresford Avenue resident told The Villager. “I would rush around to get dinner on the table, get some chores done and get my kids to bed, so I could work again.”

That’s when Lamont decided to pursue a passion she’s had for most of her life, launching Citrus: Silver with a Twist her own line of custom designed silver jewelry.

Lamont said she chose the name simply because it’s fresh and fun.

“I’ve always loved jewelry,” said Lamont, who first started designing her own silver pendants with construction paper she borrowed from her daughters. Then, she sought jewelers who would be willing to make the pendants for her.

“I was learning it on the fly,” said Lamont. “I don’t have a background in jewelry.”

At home, changes were made at home to accommodate Lamont’s venture. Her kids bunked in the same room, leaving one room in their three-bedroom semi-detached home for a studio, where Lamont creates her one-of-a-kind hand stamped sterling silver pendants, specifically designed for the client.

Lamont, who grew up in a small town between Peterborough and Belleville, never envisioned herself as an entrepreneur, before she moved to High Park with her husband. “I love it. I don’t think I’ll ever move,” Lamont, who has lived in the neighbourhood for more than a decade, said.

Inspiration, Lamont said, can strike anywhere. She’ll get ideas for different shapes from furniture, a billboard, magazines, even clothing. “I’m just excited about spending more time with my kids and being at home with them,” she said.

Visit www.citrussilver.com for more information.