Valda Belyeu smiles when she thinks of the most unusual custom jewelry request she received.

“Someone wanted me to make jewelry using their kids’ baby teeth,” she said. “Logistically, that would be a hard one.”

So she regretfully declined that order. But a couple other special requests warmed her heart.

“A soldier who had served in Vietnam brought home two pieces of jade … he and his wife kept them for years,” Belyeu recalled. “Then they decided to have me make rings for their daughters. That was nice.”

A simple rock was the focal point for another delightful custom order.

“A woman carried a small rock she picked up on her first date with her future husband,” Belyeu said. “She always kept it with her. Her daughter asked me to make it into a pendant.”

Not all of Belyeu’s jewelry pieces come with a sentimental attachment. Most are prized just for their beauty.

She works in wire, ceramics, metals and beads, skillfully crafting one-of-a-kind pieces. Her work includes earrings, bracelets, rings, pendants and necklaces.Belyeu, owner of Peaceful Heart Designs, began making jewelry in 2005 when she moved back home to Washington from Florida.

“I decided if I was going to make a change, I’d make it a big change and see what I could do,” she said. “I kept playing and playing, taking it up to the next level.”

Belyeu’s main retail spot is Riverwalk Gallery, located on Main Street in downtown Washington; she’s been a member of that local artists’ cooperative for approximately five years. But her work may also be found  at the Pitt County Arts Council’s Emerge Gallery in Greenville, the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, Martin County Arts Council in Williamston and Dare County Arts Council in Manteo, among other places.

Riverwalk is definitely closest to her heart.

“I love being here … I love telling people I’m in Riverwalk Gallery,” Belyeu said. “It’s got a certain status … it’s been going on a long time.”

Belyeu also sells her work at a series of arts and crafts fairs, where she’ll often meet up with a previous customer looking for another original piece.

“I love when people come up and they’re wearing a necklace or earrings I made,” she said. “The people are the fun part. That’s what makes it worth it.”

While Belyeu is well known for classic pieces that never go out of style, she also enjoys spreading her wings a bit and trying new, out-of-the-box ideas.

She also enjoys sharing her talents with others through a series of jewelry making workshops throughout the year. She launches a new one this week; the six-week class meets every Tuesday evening (except Oct. 11) at Riverwalk. For more information, call 252-946-6932 or email peaceful-heart@hotmail.com.