It's no surprise that the symbolism of the orchid includes love, beauty, refinement, thoughtfulness and mature charm. It also symbolizes many children....maybe that is because they can grow new ones but honestly, that is one I can't relate to. If you know me you know why. Various colors also represent different attributes as well such as white representing purity, purple representing royalty like amethyst, February's birthstone.
Red orchids, which I have never seen, represent determination, courage and love. Garnet is also a symbol of love. Garnet is featured in the silver ring and earrings in this collection.
Green orchids represent good fortune and health and longevity. Peridot is also believed to bring good health and brings delight and good cheer. Peridot is featured in the gold ring and earrings in this collection.
The last piece I designed was based off of a place I have visited over many years that is near and dear to my heart, Chautauqua, New York. There is a rock in a yard there that says, Don't Postpone Joy. It's ironic that that piece inspired these new ones, the joy my orchids bring me.
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Longwood Gardens as they decorate it every year for the holidays yet it's beautiful all year long. We walked through the Orchid Room along our stroll of the various displays. It is literally four walls of all kinds of orchids. For someone like me, it's like being a kid in a candy store!
Orchids are one of the most desirable plants to give as a gift. So, if you're looking to gift an orchid that will live on for those without a green thumb or just some luck from perfect placement, this is the perfect gift.
Shop new Orchid inspired jewelry.
]]>I like to think of myself as someone who never goes without key pieces. Seven earrings, five to 10 rings, three to four necklaces and probably close to 10 bracelets. Oh and of course my toe ring which only comes off if a medical procedure makes it necessary. I started thinking about this as I was sick recently and spent multiple days in sweats just resting and watching TV. The only jewelry I wore is what I never take off. As I slowly came back to life I added a single and very much loved gold band and my staple of two gold and diamond bands that I stack with my Logan Hollowell Baby Queen Water Drop Moonstone Ring. I don't have the energy to add anything else yet. That being said I miss my jewels is my jewelry box. Yes you read that right. I miss my jewels. I love to "play" in my jewelry box and am pretty certain I will be revisiting it soon.
I have also come to realize that my style ebbs and flows. I used to always be drawn to statement pieces. Bold rings and big earrings. Now I lean towards more dainty rings that I can stack and earrings that don't take away from my necklace stack. I want my various pieces to compliment each other. Also, probably because I wear multiple pieces it's sometimes disjointed to add in a big statement piece. I think typically statement pieces need to be worn on their own so that changes the entire style if you're into stacking....which I totally am and seems to be the trend these days.
My design style is a mix of both. When I started designing I was using larger stones most of the time for everything. Now I am drawn to smaller stones and those that sit more flush and even some pieces with no stones. Of course I still have a few bold pendants because the stones are just too beautiful to resist! And that is fun part of designing, it can be whatever I want it to be! Of course I just hope that it's loved by my customers in the end.
]]>I know for me personally everything about COVID has been a challenge. I mean duh right. I lost all creativity for jewelry. My regular 9-5 job as a healthcare marketer consumed me and therefore at the end of every day I was tapped out. Those first few months my team was pretty much on call all the time. You may not think of communications as someone in the trenches and while we were certainly not facing the risk of COVID every day caring for patients, it was up to us to get all of the messaging out to the public and our employees. It was exciting but still exhausting. I have always been in awe of our healthcare workers but this obviously took it to an entirely new level.
I did have the good fortune to travel to Tucson in February for the gem show and that was FUN! I really wish I could go back this year. It was a quick few days but something new and different and exciting. I bought some gorgeous gems that have just been sitting in their packaging for almost 12 months. I take them out to admire them every now and then but have yet to place them down to design around.
I created the cat pendant as an ode to my little ginger cat and to benefit a local rescue. After that came the #shalieve cuff bracelet to benefit the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation. That was it! And that is okay my friends.
My hope is to make some new fresh jewels this year and learn better story telling around my jewelry brand. You'd think being marketing that would be easy. For some reason, that is not the case.
I bought a ton of jewelry during the ongoing pandemic. I have never been an online shopper because I like to really check things out and more importantly have the easy option of going back to the store to return if need be. Well that all changed this year. There was nothing more exciting than waiting for the mail to be delivered or for FedEx or UPS to stop by. I've already cut down on purchases now that the holidays are over but I'm finding it to be a bit of a letdown. I'm hoping that my growing bank account will make up for looking out the window every day like a little kid waiting for Santa! The jury is still out.
I'm hopeful that with the vaccine we can get back to some normalcy and a decreased amount of anxiety and worry about the unknown. I miss walking the boardwalk without a care in the world, sitting at the bar at Blue Hen drinking one or three froses - frozen rose for those who are wondering and even going to the grocery store without feeling like I have to get in and get out because I actually love the grocery store! I will say that social distancing on the beach served me well because I very much disliked people sitting too close to me anyway. There is such a thing as as beach etiquette!
So carry on friends. Do what you've gotta do to maintain what little bit of sanity you may have left! For me, that may or may not still be buying jewelry ;) And for what it's worth, let it be what it is.
]]>Driving to Tucson from Phoenix was beautiful. Since I have always lived along a coast of some kind water I'm fascinated by places that are landlocked. We drove along and saw cacti, mountains, nothing and outlet malls. It's just so different when you are driving along and nothing is around and all of a sudden a small town or neighborhood pops up. I always wonder what the people who live in those places do for work. It's no wonder why I loved anthropology in college. I'm not a huge fan of people, but I find them to be fascinating!
My husband and I pulled up to the Tucson Convention Center and asked the lady at the parking stand where we could park. She responded by telling us that the vendors were simply loading in today. My heart skipped a beat. Did I screw up the dates? We pulled out of the lot and pulled into another one just down the road figuring we'd find our hotel. I said to Frank, "I just know something isn't right!" There is a passport debacle story from a few years ago that I have yet to live down so I was freaking out internally. If you've heard the story you know. If you haven't, don't ask! I pulled up the JOGS show info on my phone. "Oh WAIT! It's at the Tucson EXPO Center!" THANK YOU GOD! Clearly there is a difference in Tucson between the two and each was hosting a very different show. We plugged that into the GPS and got back on our way.
Because the Greens are almost always running late (not because of me) by the time we got there, parking was not available. I was somewhat irritated. I wanted to be there right when the doors opened. UGH. We drove to the hotel just a few miles away and Ubered back to the show. HOLY CRAP. It was like nothing I'd seen. Just a huge building with tons of vendors of all kinds. I told Frank for the first hour or so we were just going to walk around and check it all out. Of course I got sidetracked not soon after we started and had my hands in trays of stones. I came to my senses and we moved on just looking. Frank had cased the place in about 30 minutes and was bored. You don't want to get separated in a place like this. I had to call him to find him. I kept looking around, talking to some people, smiling and moving on from others. We ended up at the other end of the building and went outside to regroup. He took a work call and I checked out the vendors outside. I found him 15 or 20 minutes later still on the phone so I told him I was headed back in.
I found a vendor that had stones of the same size packaged and I went through and started picking out what I wanted. I finally felt like I was in the groove. I went back to a nice guy I had been talking to and bought a few more individual stones. I kept moving along.
I'm not going to lie, I was shocked at the some of the vendors at the show. You had one guy selling pre-owned Rolex's, another selling diamonds and well, another selling stuff I would just not buy. I'm trying to be nice. No matter what though it is overwhelming just like everyone said! We finished the day and Ubered back to the hotel.
Over dinner I told Frank I wanted to check out some of the other shows going on. The next day he drove me to an area that I thought I could walk around from "show to show." Um, no. This was more like a group of vendors in one area versus a show. Nonetheless, it was pretty cool. All of these vendors were selling minerals, crystals and specimens. It is unbelievable what Mother Nature creates. Some of these were hundreds of dollars and absolutely stunning. I bought a few Herkimer diamonds, a piece of fluorite, a yellow quartz and an agate druzy looking thing. Honestly, in the back of my head all I could think was how did these guys get all of this here? The stones and the displays! Some were displayed in beautiful glass cases with lighting. It made my head hurt! I talked to the guy I bought the fluorite and quartz from and asked if he lived in Tucson. He said no he lives in South Africa. I looked around at ALLLLLLL of the boxes around the room and allllllll of the crystals and rocks he had on display and thought what does it cost to get this all here!?!?!? Having been an event coordinator and knowing what it means to schlep event crap my head often goes to logistics in these kinds of situations. But as usual I digress, we left and headed back.
There was another big show in a huge tent off the freeway and at the last minute I said let's go. We couldn't find parking so he let me off and I ventured in. Again, lots more stuff. Mostly nothing of interest to me but still fun to look at. As I was heading to the door I stopped at a vendor selling Australian Boulder opals. A nice woman probably about my age was talking to me and she apologized that she couldn't stop yawning. I told her not to worry as I'm sure the time difference was a killer! She was working with her dad who at one point asked her what is cell phone number was. I joked that there does come a time when we become the parent! I bought a few stones from her and was done. I found Frank in the parking lot and we headed back to the JOGS show so he could drop me off. I figured I had seen enough of the other stuff and there were probably a few more things I could buy there. I told him I'd probably be an hour or two. Three and a half hours later he picked me up. I had found some more beautiful stones, some rough cut tanzanites, some moonstones and labradorites with beautiful blue flash.
Everyone told me you will spend more than you planned if you're not careful! I am happy to report I spent about 1/4 of what I was prepared to spend. This was a great learning experience to understand the shows and all that goes on. There are different shows going on all throughout February. It helps to have a car! And when I go back I will make sure to see the AGTA Gem Show. That's the one that was loading in the day we got there. It didn't start until after we left so I couldn't fit it in this year. But like I said, I'll be back!
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The end of summer around here not only means back to school for most it also means the end of the “season.” The tourist season that is. Those of us who live here year-round can’t wait to have our roads back. It seems we cherish the roads and less traffic more than we cherish our beaches, being able to easily get a reservation at our favorite restaurant or getting in and out of the grocery store quickly on a weekend. Maybe because both of those examples and countless others involve….getting on the road!
We don’t have kids so I am not in the group who is thankful school is starting back up. But I see friends and co-workers thankful to get back into a routine. To be honest, I am also better when in some kind of normal routine and for whatever reason I never feel like I get into a good routine in the summer! This summer has also been different though dealing with a nerve injury at the beginning of the summer and basically all the through July made this summer a little challenging and I think that is why it went by so quickly for me! I was out of commission for about two weeks then had to slowly get back into the groove of work and fun while managing this on meds that make me really tired. And I have to be honest, I’m already tired – ha ha ha! But if that is the worst side effect I have to deal with – I’m thankful.
So, routines. I think back to school is a good time to clean and purge as well. This helps me feel lighter. These days, clutter makes my anxiety rear its ugly head. Just ask my husband. I recently bought a roomba to help with the fur balls and cat litter that is literally all over the house. I like clean counters and tables in our kitchen and living area. Therefore, it should be no surprise that I also like clean JEWELS.
I recently gave my mom a ring that I bought in Mexico. It’s silver and has a beautiful bright blue topaz in it. She has coveted it since the day I brought it home. I rarely wear it so I finally gave it to her. We went out for dinner one night and I said, “Let me see that ring. It’s filthy!” She looked at it and replied, “Geez, you’re right I hadn’t even noticed.” She gave it a good cleaning and the last time she was over it looked so much better. Remember jewels are made to sparkle!
My point here is if you’re cleaning up everything else getting ready to get back into your routine don’t neglect your jewels. One of my first blog posts was about how I clean my jewelry. It’s simple…for gold and silver rings with stones take an old SOFT toothbrush, a little dish soap and some warm water and use the toothbrush to clean under the stone where dirt gets trapped as well as all around the prongs and setting. Then I take a soft, fluffy towel and give it a good wipe down, especially under the stone and around the setting if you can. The reason I like a fluffy towel is that it can be hard to get under the setting so the let the towel fibers work for you!
You can also use a jewelry cleaning machine with a little dish soap but don’t put your pearls or opals in it. Always hand clean softer stones. If you aren’t sure about your stones just google them specifically and you’ll likely be able to find the way to best care for them. And don’t put gold plated jewelry in those either.
The best care for gold plated jewelry is to not use water. This will cause the plating to wear off faster than it normally would. Use a silver polishing cloth on this kind of jewelry. If you can carefully clean stones with a soft toothbrush without getting the rest of the setting/ring wet then go for it but be sure to dry it off immediately. And remember to remove your gold plated rings when washing your hands and all of your gold plated jewelry when bathing or swimming!
Finally, for a quick touch up to your silver you can try the old boiling water and baking soda mix! This is a great way to clean lots of pieces in batches. Line a large bowl with aluminum foil and drop in some baking soda and then pour in water you’ve brought up to a light boil. Then drop in your silver jewelry. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this for all jewelry with stones but it’s safe for sterling pieces with no stones – again this is a big no-no for opals and pearls. My mini-me (as I like to call her), Haley, did this recently and sent me some photos of her progress! She was super happy with the results and was kind enough to send my some photos to share of the before and after and you can see the difference!
]]>I have NEVER read that amethyst aids in nerve disorders. NEVER. But as I write this I wonder, did I just miss it because I have never dealt with it? I don’t know but either way, the universe had a message for me and I was picking it up! I had to buy this little book. I am still shocked to have seen it. I came home that day and had already cancelled my plans to meet friends at the beach. I thought I needed to rest the nerve in my back causing the leg pain and again the pain meds make me really tired. So I just laid on the couch on the porch with the cats and watched golf. However, before that I went into my jewelry box and found quite a few amethyst pieces and immediately put them on. Just laying around in my jewelry – don’t mind if I do!
Note the “playing” ensuing in the background in the photo below!
I know not everyone believes in healing power of gems or crystals. That is okay. But if you see me wearing a lot of amethyst these days and my grandmother’s cross that is why! I wouldn’t wish nerve pain on my worst enemy so I’ll take all the help I can get! And a little special QT with my fur balls is sometimes the best medicine.
]]>I had always wanted to create a stacking ring. I typically stack my rings on a daily basis so this only made sense. I finally created the very simple pear side set ring with a band that was thick enough that the rings would sit comfortably and the stones when each turned a bit would sit nicely together. When I got my first two prototypes I was STOKED!
I think I first posted these when my husband and I were on a work trip for him in the Bahamas. I was happy with the response on my IG post because people seemed to like them! In fact, my friend Alison commented on that post and later she placed a custom order for one with a blue topaz! While I was there I thought about naming the ring after the resort since that’s kinda where it made its debut. We stayed at the Melia Resort in the Bahamas and while the resort was okay I must admit I was mesmerized by the beach. The water colors were just amazing. This beach girl was in her happy place! So that was one idea.
Next I had stopped into a local store with Sam and her husband while Frank was on another work trip. The girl behind the counter who helped us gushed over Sam’s jewelry and her Sam Necklace. Sam pointed out that I was the designer and she gushed some more. I probably blushed. The next day I thought about how awesome that was and considered naming it after that young lady behind the counter. But the next time I went in and she helped me it was purely transactional. It’s a busy place and I would never expect her to remember me but there wasn’t much customer service that day just your typical, “What can I get you?” Followed by, “Thanks have a good night.” I knew when I left that was out.
Sometimes things happen that are unexpected yet bring the most joy. I’m a planner and my OCD kicks in when I don’t know what the plan is for a night out or a vacation day. I’m working on that. But don’t we often find that when we just GO and let the night unfold in whichever manner the universe has planned for us it turns out to be one of these: Oh my gosh it was the best night EVER!
I met Jodie in 9th grade. She went to Lewes and I went to Rehoboth so I’d really never met her before that is just how our school system is/was set up. Our district was working out what to do with freshman classes and they decided to put our three 9th grade classes in one building together and it would only be us. It was like a pilot program because honestly I’m not sure they had room for us at the high school yet which at the time had always only been 10th – 12th grades and 9th grade was still part of the three different junior highs. Our 9th grade class was SO BONDED by this it was amazing. I still feel how lucky we were to be that class – the only class – to ever have that experience together. The following year, our 10th grade class and the three 9th grade classes all went to the high school together. Our class was rock solid as we made the transition. Jodie and I played sports together, had classes together, had sleep overs together – you get the idea. Today, she is still one of my best friends. I decided a while ago I didn’t want to have children but for that fleeting moment that I thought I did and I thought about the terror of birthing a child my mind went to her and I thought she will need to be in the room with me. I am not sure who else I will let in but she’s a definite! HA! I don’t know it was just one of those feelings that she would be my person. Out of our little foursome of friends I’ve always thought of her as the mom and maybe that is because she comes from a big Italian family with lots of brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. She just had that mom thing about her.
I went to Towson for my freshman year of college and met Ray during my first semester as he lived on the floor above me. I watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation for the first time with him and his roommate. Ahhh the memories of being away at college! I hated it. I was so homesick even though I was two hours away. Jodie had decided on a school in Florida and it just ended up not being the right place for her. She was back home in the late fall and I told her to come stay with me and my roommate (who also went to high school with us) for a weekend. She joined me at Towson for the second semester and even got placed on my exact floor! I was SO EXCITED! This was the winter of 1995.
Flash forward to July 1, 2000 when I got to be a bridesmaid in Jodie and Ray’s wedding. Oh good Lord I’m tearing up thinking about it. One thing I remember about that day is when she walked in to the room where we were holed up in the church before the ceremony I started crying a bit because she looked so stunningly beautiful. She was the first of our little four friend group to get married so this was a really big deal!
I remember the day Jodie called me to tell me she was pregnant. She called during my work day when we were still living in California and I remember having to call her back. But I KNEW why she was calling. Just like I knew when Rita was calling to tell me she was engaged. When your bonded to people you just have that sixth sense. We had all moved back to the beach when she had her second son. I was so excited to be the first of the friends to get to hold him.
Flash forward to today. Their family now includes BabyD3. Their third son was born a few months ago and his middle name is Trae. This represents the third edition to their family. When I made these rings I said to myself, one is good, two is better and three is best. I had found the name of my ring and the meaning and little man behind it couldn’t be more perfect.
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