You'd Never Guess The Job Ryan Paevey Has Outside Of Hallmark

Ryan Paevey became known as a soap star and then transitioned into TV movies, but he also works a side job with his hands. The Hallmark star's big break in acting came as Nathan West on "General Hospital," but Paevey decided to leave that role after five years, telling Soaps In Depth in 2018, "I was ready to go, and I think GH knew that." He continued, "When GH gave me this job, I didn't even call myself an actor — I didn't even know if I wanted to be an actor." 

Peavey has starred in an impressive number of Hallmark movies including "Hope at Christmas" and "Matching Hearts." The network was so thrilled with his work that they signed Paevey to a multi-picture deal in May 2022. According to the Hallmark Channel's executive vice president, Lisa Hamilton Daly, this contract offers more flexibility for the actors. "When the time comes and we have the perfect script for them, we just pop them in there," she told Deadline.

Daly added, "The deals are basically done and we're ready to roll." This was crucial for Paevey who also has a successful jewelry company called Fortunate Wanderer. Creating beautiful things was originally a hobby while he worked on "GH" but it quickly turned into a job. "I don't know how I got to this point in my life where I'm a jeweler, but I kind of am," he shrugged to Wide Open Country in 2022. Funnily enough, it was spawned by meet-and-greets with fans.

Originally, Ryan Paevey followed another passion, which organically led to him becoming more serious about metalwork and design, "But what began as an intent to share photography [...] transformed into a more broadly represented scope," per Fortunate Wanderer's website. On the company's site, shoppers can buy bracelets, pendants, beads, rings, and apparel, "[O]ffering everything a wanderer should have for their adventures." 

What began as a friendly gesture — gifting handmade bracelets to "General Hospital" fans — led to Paevey becoming a celebrity who also quietly works a regular job. As he recalled to Soaps In Depth in 2017, as Fortunate Wanderer was just getting off the ground, "I would just take them off my wrist, give them to people, and tell them where the bracelets had traveled with me." The "Harvest Love" star enjoyed the physical act of crafting the pieces. 

"Now, I work at it daily, and the things I make have become increasingly more complex," he confirmed with the outlet while also pointing to the research he put into the craft of metalwork. By February 2018, Paevey had greatly expanded the Fortunate Wanderer collection. It was a success, and several items sold out quickly, per Soap Central. But, despite pieces flying off the shelves, the actor decided to take a break from the business later that year.

Unsurprisingly, there was major interest from fans for Ryan Paevey's design work, but the Hallmark stalwart had trouble meeting their demands on his own. In May 2020, the "Unleashing Mr. Darcy" star revealed that Fortunate Wanderer had not been operational for the previous 18 months, but the company was returning shortly. "My family and I will turn it into a family endeavor," Paevey informed Digital Journal at the time. "Some of the old products will be back but it will be mostly new products."

Fortunate Wanderer has been running well ever since its revamp, and Paevey credits his design approach for the jewelry company's success. "I really like having really strange stones in there. [...] Just something to make it unique," he proudly detailed in a 2022 chat with Just Jared. The former soap star also discussed the wonderful feeling when he nails the design on a new piece, enthusing, "[E]very so often, one of them just really kind of falls together." 

Paevey shared one such piece in March 2024. "I'm proud of this one [...] came together nicely I think," he wrote on Instagram alongside a snap of a stunning lavender turquoise cuff. Fortunate Wanderer's official page has been inactive since 2022, but Paevey promotes the design work on his personal page. "Remember that chain that became a bracelet that became a couple rings? These are the rings," he wrote in a February 2024 post that showed off two rings.