The Full Circle Journey: Mother-Daughter Duo Relaunches Journey Lockets

For four years, the Journey Lockets studio had been intentionally quiet, the doors closed so Jocelyn Drye could focus on her family. She made the deliberate choice in 2021 to dedicate her time to the final years of raising her daughters, finishing their homeschool careers, and navigating the demanding world of their competitive volleyball careers. The keepsake lockets, which carried so many precious memories for countless customers, were carefully stored, ready for the day they would return.

Journey Lockets is a keepsake jewelry brand that specializes in glass lockets that hold photographs of your memories and loved ones. 

An Origin Story: A Young Mom's Idea and a Decade of Heart

The journey of Journey Lockets began with a feeling familiar to so many mothers: joyful chaos. Jocelyn Drye vividly remembers the spring day in May 2008. She was a stay-at-home mom managing the whirlwind of an 18-month-old and a four-year-old. Amidst the busyness, she had a passion for being creative and making and selling beautiful, functional accessories for women. The Journey Locket concept was born when Jocelyn created her very first necklace. She wanted a special way to keep photos of her two little girls, Maddy and Ava, close to her heart. When other moms saw it and began asking her to make one for them, a business was organically born.

(Original Journey Locket Necklace back in 2008)

From that simple, heartfelt idea, a remarkable decade of business grew. Fast forward almost 13 years, and Jocelyn had sold thousands of pieces of jewelry direct to customers, plus the line was carried in over 150 stores across the U.S. Her brand exposure reached a new level in 2013 when she was a featured designer on One Kings Lane, introducing Journey Lockets to a massive national audience.

Yet, the true success was never measured in sales. "The best part is that I truly believe that I have touched many women in a meaningful way," Jocelyn reflects. Their stories of their loved ones were her "why" and motivation to continue to build the business as her girls grew. Jocelyn always focused on enjoying the journey, embracing the present success and remaining open to whatever opportunities the future might hold. Now, sharing this return with her daughter truly feels like the most profound full-circle moment.

(Maddy & Ava visiting Mom at her show in Winston Salem, NC in 2011.)

(Maddy, Ava and Josh traveled to Birmingham, Alabama in 2015 to help work a Holiday Market.)

The Next Chapter: A Full-Circle Partnership

Now, four years after its closure, that original inspiration—Maddy and Ava—is the driving force behind the brand’s resurgence.

“Getting to work with my daughter on something that means so much to me and to so many women is a dream come true,” Jocelyn says. The return is a true full-circle moment, allowing Jocelyn to step back into her role as a business owner while embracing a new one: partner with her entrepreneurial daughter.

Maddy Drye: A Natural Entrepreneur Excited to Help Build the Future of Journey Lockets

The timing couldn't be more perfect. Maddy Drye, the elder of the two sisters, has recently graduated from Appalachian State University with a double major in Graphic Communication Management, focused on Print and Packaging Design and Cross Media Production, along with a Business Administration minor.

But Maddy’s entrepreneurial journey didn't start in a college classroom. She was a business owner before she was a teenager. At just 11 years old, she launched Dandy Designs, a jewelry company where she crafted and sold unique pieces at holiday markets, trunk shows, and through her own website. She quickly learned the ropes of running a micro-business, a drive for success so evident that she was featured on a local news station at the age of 12.

(Maddy with her festival booth in 2015.)

Her years after that were a whirlwind of dedication: earning her associate’s degree while simultaneously finishing high school in 2021, competing as a Division I volleyball athlete for a season at Appalachian State, and then graduating early with an impressive academic focus. Now, her professional skills and innate business sense are being channeled back into a new version of Journey Lockets. Maddy is also currently working full time at a local printing company, Ad Resources, based in Durham, NC. 

(December 2024 - Graduation Day from App State!)

A Shared Vision For the Future

Maddy’s expertise in design, branding, and packaging, combined with Jocelyn’s foundational vision and deep connection to the Journey Lockets community, creates a powerhouse partnership. The relaunch isn't just about bringing back a product; it’s about a full-circle journey—a mother and daughter, inspired by their shared history and the power of cherished memories, working side-by-side to reignite a passion project that began with the simple, loving desire to keep family close.

Journey Lockets are coming back to life after a four-year pause, not just as jewelry, but as a symbol of the beautiful, powerful new paths Jocelyn and Maddy are forging together.