Connecting with personal symbols is a collaboration between you and the universe to activate your purpose. A personalized charm story necklace from Hint Jewelry celebrates your past, present, and future symbols and awakens the deeper meaning behind your life. By designing and wearing your unique memory necklace, you will gain new insights, re-imagine your future, and develop faith in your process.
I returned from my trip to Utah with a little bit of a cold, so unfortunately I will be keeping my blog to a minimum this week as I try to rejuvenate for the upcoming fall season.
Every day in Utah wasn't exactly like this sunset, but pretty darn close. Utah has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth and hopefully through some of these photos you can see why I fell in love :)
Finally, here is a picture of my new favorite Love Dog who became our constant companion during our trip -- Mousse. Isn't she beautiful? I feel blessed to have spent a few short days with her spirit :)
Budding in early spring, before snow has fully melted, a plum blossom’s daring arrival speaks of simple strength during extreme moments. Like the courageous beauty of a plum blossom you too have a quiet bravery, an undaunted spirit, longing to create moments of joyful splendor.
Wear a plum blossom and share your courageous beauty with the world!
Hint Jewelry Design is closing its doors for a week of vacation. Thanks so much for the positive response to my new fall charm collection and making September a wonderful kick off to autumn! See you in a week :)
P.S. If you are looking for a really cool bag, you must check out Queen Bee Creations in Portland. This local entrepreneur is one of the best designers. I've had this sturdy all-weather messenger bag for about 2 years and looks brand new.
The September Monthly Challenge from Art Bead Scene featured this amazing painting by Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky. Known for his ability to turn music into shape, line and color, Kandinsky was an innovator of pure expression through paint.
Body Spirit Soul, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry): garnet, sapphire, green tourmaline, gold filled wire, fine and sterling silver
Hint Jewelry's most abstract charm in form and concept is this tiny circle featuring three dots that I now call Body Spirit Soul. Using the idea of three, I reinterpreted Kandinsky's painting using my Body Spirit Soul charm and a trio of tiny gemstones that turn the shape of sound into color on this delicate necklace.
Body Spirit Soul, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry): garnet, sapphire, green tourmaline, gold filled wire, fine and sterling silver
I love how the simplicity of these three gems echo the tiny dots and add a hint of richness with their wrapping of gold filled wire.
Body Spirit Soul, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry): garnet, sapphire, green tourmaline, gold filled wire, fine and sterling silver
In the back of the necklace is a small, hidden sapphire that reminds me of a single note being blown by a trumpet far off in the distance.
The black and white feathers of an eagle represent your soul’s light and shadow. As a messenger to the Great Spirit, eagle offers healing medicine from the Creator. Eagle gives you permission to love both darkness and light, opening a door to unconditional love and an opportunity to reclaim your personal power.
Wear an eagle’s feather to empower and support your vision for the future.
In loss, you are infinite love where deep sorrow is a sweet blessing. Let sadness awaken you to universal connection. Find comfort in the seed of your sorrow and wisdom will move you to a higher consciousness -- a place where every loss is a perfect blessing.
Great healers share that dis-ease of the body is directly related to emotional disconnection from someone very special -- your most magnificent self. I feel a little silly having to say this, but did you know that the universe, humanity, and every atom of existence loves that you're here...with us...doing that unique thing you do?
Well, I lied. I don't feel silly because every morning I say this affirmation to that woman in the mirror. Sometimes she forgets, and I'm guessing other people forget too.
We forget that there is something inherently valuable in our existence. Though it appears that our true self may seem small and unlovable to others, by choosing to forget what is most simple and vulnerable in ourselves, we disconnect from being in touch with our own divinity.
Any illness such as breast cancer is our body's deepest calling to reconnect to our self with love and nurturing. It is an opportunity to experience profound surrender to loss and love.
So I was one of those pitiful skeptics, who sort of half believed people when they said "Oregon strawberries are the best!" I mean who can really say that? Nevertheless, after my first summer in Oregon, I was a convert gleefully exclaiming "Oregon has the BESTEST strawberries EVER!!"
Thanks to my husband, who got the brilliant idea to buy out New Season's latest batch of Oregon strawberries, we now have these beauties tucked away in our freezer for summer time smoothies in the middle of October. I'm so stoked! Yum :)
Of course for all you fellow skeptics check out the Oregon Strawberry Web site and find out the real science behind their sweetness and beautiful red color.
Are you missing summer already?
Any local produce you're about to say bye bye to until next year?
I've been slowly pulling together a fall and winter charm collection for Hint Jewelry. Here's a smattering of newbie charms. Though I've listed these charms in my shop, they are definitely works in progress. I'm still feeling out the right name for each one and of course dreaming up stories to tell about them :)
I do own other types of polishing cloths such as Sunshine Cloth and Selvyt, but I've grown attached to these little foam pads that have permanently bonded micro-abrasives. I use them for polishing all my oxidized components such as ear wires, chains, and findings. I also sell these polishing pads in my shop for friends that want to keep their Hint charms or jewelry tarnish free.
Several months ago I added a section to my Etsy Policies, explaining how to store Hint Jewelry and keep it free of tarnish. I'd love to be able to include this information on a small business card in all my shipments, but alas it is languishing on the procrastination list :)
Storage
Prevent tarnishing and scratches by placing each individual piece of silver jewelry in a cloth pouch or an airtight, plastic bag. Store these bags in a cool, dry place, such as a jewelry box.
By wearing your jewelry, you will slow the oxidation process and keep your silver polished and shiny.
Remove silver jewelry before sleeping, swimming, and bathing. Avoid exposing your silver jewelry to household chemicals such as bleach or ammonia and beauty products such as hairspray, perfume, oils, make-up, and suntan lotion.
Cleaning
Always use a professional jewelry polishing cloth or pad to remove tarnish. Gently rub the cloth against the metal. Silver is extremely pliable, so remember to proceed cautiously with chains, which could easily break if pulled too hard. Fine silver is more pure than sterling; therefore it is a softer metal, and should be handled with care.
Polish your jewelry after wearing it to remove oils, fingerprints and dust.
Do not use cleaning solutions or “dips” to remove tarnish for it may alter the patina, and cause permanent damage to the silver or gemstones.
To purchase a professional polishing pad, check out the polishing section of my shop.
On the top of your head rests the crown chakra -- a gateway to pure consciousness. This place of divine wisdom promises complete harmony with the universe. Like the golden circlets of ancient queens and princesses, you have been graced with a radiant crown, drawing you towards what is most purely innocent and light within you.
Wear a radiant princess crown and shine your light on the universe!
A beautiful promise exists within moments of being lost and confused – the opportunity to be found by your Beloved. Given infinite possibilities, you may choose to run with total abandon towards your Beloved and plant wet, sloppy kisses of gratitude all over their face.
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." —Maya Angelou
When I saw this quote from Maya Angelou on the front page of Cassandra Barney's Web site, I knew I was hooked. I don't want to say too much and ruin the visual feast, but I am totally drawn in by Cassandra Barney's paintings. It's as if she crept into my soul and painted the women I see inside myself. Here are just a few of her amazing pieces.
"Maximizing infinite bliss is completely up to me." Beth Hemmila
The other day I reached a personal financial goal and found myself completely elated. Not because it was extraordinary, but because by reaching my target, I affirmed that my next goal is totally manageable.
So simple, but unfortunately most people give up before they complete their first goal or they set a destination so unfathomable that their ego burns out stretching towards it. Fulfilling a dream is as simple as having a plan and creating manageable stepping stone goals along the way. You follow through on the steps to reach one of these goals, and then when you've achieved it you start focusing on the plan to attempt the next consecutive goal. The key is to limit your focus on what's right in front of you while keeping the big picture in your mind's eye.
One of our number one needs is the desire to feel a sense of success. As your own life-long teacher, your role is to give yourself opportunities for feeling a sense of success along the way. Each time you allow this feeling of success to pour into your life, you are refueled for the next goal in your journey.
There will be what I call Mr. and Mrs. Minimizer out there, trying to throw you off track. These people will roll their eyes, laugh at your silly ideas, and call you a dreamer. They will choose words that seem to minimize your aspirations and will look for dark clouds in your grand plan. But you keep your head down and your eyes ahead on the very next goal. Why not giggle a bit to show them you're rock steady.
Minimizers are scared silly by your dreaming and goal seeking. Every time you reach a new goal, you exude a state of blissful happiness. When this happens, anyone who isn't feeding themselves this emotional nourishment will sense their own level of starvation and do or say anything to keep from feeling their own sense of pain.
Keep reaching for your goals and feeling your state of bliss, so that one day others will understand that behind their need to minimize is a human being wanting to dream too.
All Hint Jewelry charms have been antiqued (oxidized) to give them a slightly aged patina. One of the most interesting aspects of working with metal is deciding on the final look. I experimented with different types of finishing and chose the one that spoke to me. I wanted my charms to look like they had been found in an ancient burial mound so they feel as if they have a history, so I decided to use liver of sulfur to antique my charms.
My disclaimer for this posting is that I don't consider myself an artist who spends a lot of time worrying about safety much to my body's dismay. So if you are going to use a chemical such as liver of sulfur, I encourage you to read books on metal clay, research the precautions on the label, and make the safety decisions that best suit your needs. My recommendation is always attempt this process in a well-ventilated room or outside so there is plenty of fresh air, wear rubber gloves and a mask to give yourself some added protection, do not use these tools for any other process, and store the liver of sulfur in at least two zip lock bags away from children and pets.
To achieve consistent results and an even patina for a large group of charms, over the course of experimenting with different temperatures of water, I have found that boiling water and letting it cool a bit has worked best for the finishing that I am trying to achieve. However, most books say that you only need hot tap water. Again, I'm no safety guru so I'm not advocating my particular method, but I do encourage you to read and explore what works best for you.
Here's a slide show that shows you the details of my process for antiquing Hint Jewelry's charms.
Inner peace feels like a fountain, quenching your heart’s thirst in every moment. It is a place of spaciousness where you see everything and hold nothing. A harmonious space between suffering and serenity where you are balanced on the edge of pure beingness. In this state of grace, you become a voice of infinite compassion, singing songs of freedom for the Beloved.
Wear a symbol of peace and feel your heart sing praises of freedom!
