Hey there, Michelle here!

I love creating jewelry that tells a unique story, whether it's a gift for a loved one or a special piece for yourself. Each of my pieces is carefully crafted with attention to detail, and I'm always inspired by the natural beauty of the world around us. So whether you're looking for a custom piece or something from my existing collection, I invite you to connect with me and discover the perfect jewelry to tell your story.

Read more about me!

I’ve been a crafter and creator since the days of pom poms and pipe cleaners. I grew up in Vernon and lived on Cliffwood Lake with my two brothers, where we caught turtles and built forts in the woods. I was a competitive swimmer and made beaded flower bracelets in between heats. My first job was at Wawayanda State Park as a lifeguard where I met my now husband and many close friends. We had so much fun exploring the lake, hiking after work and going to the drive in. Vernon and Warwick were very different back then. We didn’t have all of these breweries and cute shops!

I swam for St. John’s University where I majored in Finance and minored in photography. Finance life didn’t mesh with my views from the heart, so I went back to school and majored in mathematics with the intent of becoming an educator. I finished off my college life at NYU with a Masters in Math Education. I went on to teach grade 5 math through college Statistics in Brooklyn and then in New Haven. I was a Math for America teacher focused on bringing high quality education to under-resourced communities in the Northeast. In 2013, I needed an outlet from the intensity of teaching, so I dove in to some of my passions outside of teaching. I practiced yoga, went on many 3-5 day backpacking trips on the AT (many trips with my students!), learned to stand up paddle and took metalsmithing classes.

In 2001, when I was a student at SJU, I had a teacher that asked us to write a 50 page paper on our life’s goals. One of my goals was to learn metalsmithing and to own a shop. I found a school in NYC that taught metalsmithing the old fashioned way, Jewelry Arts Institute, and wrote it in to my plan. Fast forward 13 years, I found myself leaving New Haven to move back to Brooklyn for my husband’s career, but knew we would only be there for 10 months. It felt like the right time to take a break from teaching to pursue my metalsmithing dream. I enrolled at JAI where I learned how to solder, fuse, and form metal - all by hand. The foundation I gained at JAI is instilled in everything I do here at R&M. I offer only the highest quality materials, where each and every piece of jewelry is made by me.

Once I hand enough skills and jewelry made, I took my show on the road doing jewelry house parties and local pop ups.  It’s one of my favorite ways to connect with customers. Many of my customers are looking for an everyday piece of jewelry that has some meaning attached to it. I pride myself on creating just that. Nothing is overtly personalized, it’s just enough for the wearer to know the meaning behind it, and dainty enough to wear everyday all day. Keep it simple or layer for a bolder look. My pieces transition well from day to night, babies to boardroom, backyard to beach.

When our 10 months in BK were up, we moved back home to Warwick to the most beautiful farmhouse on a local family farm. It’s a place filled with endless inspiration in the most bucolic setting. A slice of heaven on earth. Here we had our twins, Owen and Aiden, followed by Ethan 15 months later. With back to back high risk pregnancies there was no room for Riley & Madden jewelry, my life was about staying healthy to keep my babies safe. I packed everything away into the back room and worked when I could find a moment. Which as a mom of 3 under a year and a half, were not many moments. As the boys grew older, I was able to carve out more time for myself and my business, but then came the pandemic… As the world opened back up, it was time to open my business back up filled with all of the new ideas formed during my maternity (and pandemic) leave.

Today, I continue the spirit of how I started my business, doing house parties and local pop ups. I’ve grown my business to now have my own studio located in Warwick, NY, where I offer my permanent jewelry services along side my hand crafted jewelry.

I’d love to connect with you and find a piece of jewelry that honors part of your story.