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 just love the Almond Blossoms painting by Vincent Van Gogh that inspired these earrings. The shade of turquoise blue he used in the background is my favorite, and so I added that color as an accent to my earrings in the form of some apatite gemstones.
I couldn't resist using some blossom charms and decided to just keep it simple with the rustic metal and wire wrapped pearls. They are super long and feel a little bit exotic to me -- like geisha meets Middle Eastern princess!
Karma is matter that matters. What you choose to think, say, and do stirs up the karmic wave of your existence and creates new learning. Rejoice wave rider and trust in consciousness and karma carrying you toward infinite bliss.
I haven't been paying any attention to my little Lighten Up heart charm lately, so yesterday I re-listed it in Etsy and then surprise...water coloristCynART saw it and included it in her Jitterbug Perfume treasury. What a wonderful feeling of synchronicity!
Maggie Mae Beyeler of Magpie Pottery is based out of sunny Santa Fe, New Mexico. In each of her delicate creations there is a little of bit of that wonderful burnt sienna color so indicative of the southwest.
I particularly adore her buttons like this big 2 1/4" Indian embossed beauty in a cheerful green. Wouldn't this button make a neat focal point for a necklace or dramatic statement on a summer hand knitted sweater?
Magpie Pottery also features buttons that have images fired onto the surface with just a hint of glaze for color. Maggie mixes a wonderful old fashioned images with a modern button design.
If you already have enough crafting and beading supplies, you might indulge in a pair of cute earrings for spring. These birdies would be fun when dressing up for a day at the park or just strolling around the neighborhood.
Who wouldn't want some birds twittering in your ears?
Magpie Pottery also has a beautiful collection of functional tableware that is super scrumptious. This Pear Noodle Bowl is my favorite. I'm imagining a wonderful steaming, hot bowl of Vietnamese pho that would be delish eaten out of this treasure!
I have be consciously re-imagining my approach to creativity for the last several years. It's not a new belief that I dreamt up but rather a very intentional process of re-programming based around the concept of creative thinking.
Reformulating how I see my creativity is a two-fold concept:
1. A creative idea or action never begins with me nor am I solely responsible for it's outcome. Rather I open myself up so as to be an instrument of collaboration with universal consciousness.
2. In every moment, each human being is becoming the most perfect expression of their creative goodness. Without question. No matter the circumstance.
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Like a flower that opens in response to the sun, our willingness to let go and be used by a greater force is all we need to access divine creative energy.
Simple, no? It feels like I get to be a passive participant in the process, waiting for creative magic to happen. Woohoo!! NOT!
The first step is opening up and making myself available. However, the second step, I've come to believe is the willingness to do what it takes to catch a fly ball.
I was never very good at baseball, and was seriously misplaced in the outfield. I would see a ball flying towards me and tense up. A moment of truth -- will I catch it or will I disappoint everyone and let it fall to the ground. I think most of the time I was too afraid to find out so the easiest solution was to miss them altogether. I self selected myself out of the game.
It was definitely an issue of trusting in my self-worth, and I've come to see catching fly balls as the perfect metaphor for taking responsibility for the creativity that comes to me. It's not enough just to be in the game waiting for a creative idea to fly towards me in the outfield, I need to be honing my skills, looking alert, and taking the necessary steps to develop trust in myself as an active participant in the process.
By affirming over and over again that in each moment I am the most perfect expression of creativity -- from burning the toast to brushing my teeth -- I remember to show up, learn to stick out my glove, and trust that this divine energy was meant for me.
I've been thinking about my process of re-programming because just the other day a friend shared this video of Elizabeth Gilbert, the writer of Eat, Pray, Love, speaking about the nature creativity. I was blown away by Elizabeth Gilbert's ability to see creativity as a force outside the body so as to reconcile it with our daily humdrum lives.
How does an Olympic ice skater go from landing a triple toe loop that everyone saw was lit with a divine energy to understanding who they are the next week when they fall on flat on their face? It's not just a question for artists and performers. It's a question for all humanity. By changing the way we think about creativity, we change our perception of ourselves and others.
Liberating ourselves from being the originator and honoring that in every moment we are showing up to be the most perfect expression of our creativity is a healing for our century.
P.S. Be sure to watch Elizabeth Gilbert's talk all the way through because some of the best parts come near the end :)
Sometimes people wander over to Hint Jewelry to check out my tiny triple wire-wrapped gemstones that can be added to personalized charm necklaces. Most people only create a single wire wrap when connecting gems, but I have fell in love with the look and durability of a "fat wrap."
I created this video tutorial on triple wire wrapped loops and the following information to help anyone who wants to learn this wire wrapping technique and incorporate into their jewelry design. Unfortunately, the video is silent due to my kitty that kept meowing, and my inability to wrap my head around explaining this process and doing it at the same time. So if the video doesn't make sense, please be sure to read through the end of this blog post.
The first time I encountered this fancy triple wire wrapped loop technique is when I was perusing jewelry designer Eni Oken's web site for tutorials. Eni Oken offers a great free download for beginners called the Fat Wrap Bead.
This is what my handmade fine silver head pins look like when they're done. I start with 3 3/4" of 26 gauge cut wire so that when the end balls up I have at least 3" of head pin to use when wire wrapping 3mm-5mm size gemstones.
Tools & Materials
Head pins
Gems or beads
Wire cutters
Round-nose pliers
Chain or bent nose pliers
Polishing pad or cloth
1. Slide a gem onto a head pin that has been work hardened using a rubber mallet or running it between your fingers to strengthen it.
2. Using round nosed pliers, hold the wire snug up against the bead and super close to the end tip of the pliers. Bend the wire away from you to create a 90 degree angle.
Tip: You want a small space between the loop you will create and the bead itself. Hold the wire close to the end tip of the pliers and only create a 1/16" and 1/8" length stem between bead and loop.
3. Remove the round-nose pliers from the wire and re-position so that the wire tail bent at a 90 degree angle is sandwiched between the two levers. Place the wire along the round-nose pliers in the location that corresponds to the diameter of the loop you are wanting to make. For a medium size loop, I grip the wire in the middle of the pliers' jaws. Using your fingers, pull the tail of the wire up and around the pliers towards you.
4. Remove the pliers and slip the bottom jaw through the loop you just made. The top of the pliers' jaw is above the loop. Wrap the tail of the wire away from you underneath the bottom jaw of the pliers to complete the circle.
5. You should now have a loop that looks like a little balloon sitting on top of your gem.
6. Using chain nose pliers (or bent-nose pliers), grip the loop at its base so that the wire tail is parallel to the pliers and at a 90 degree angle from the stem coming out of the bead.
7. With your free hand, wrap the wire away from you and underneath the stem, pulling it towards your body.
8. Keep wrapping the wire around the stem so that with each wrap you move towards the gem. Usually this only takes three wraps, which I think looks best, but sometimes you may do four. Normally this is the point where most people stop wrapping.
9. To make a thicker wrap, continue wrapping the wire around the stem but move in the opposite direction towards the loop, overlapping the first three wraps you made. When you get to the loop continue wrapping a third time moving towards the bead.
10. Now you should have wire that is wrapped three times over itself and the stem of the gem -- a triple overlapping wrap. Use cutters to trim any excess wire and gently squeeze the wrap between your chain nose or bent nose pliers to tidy everything up.
11. Use a polishing pad to shine up your wire wrapped loop and create contrast between light and dark.
For more tutorials like this wire wrapped loop and information on running an online jewelry business, see my whole Behind the Scenes blog series.
How was I to know you saw the deepest stirrings of my heart? Your seemingly small existence was easy to overlook. You were the extraordinary in the ordinary. A gigantic secret wrapped in a small package. O brave of heart, thank you for being true as I learned to see the prince inside of you.
Aquamarine is my go-to gemstone. It's perfect for every day wear, seems to look beautiful on most people and always produces a calming affect on me. Named for that ever changing blue color of the ocean, aquamarine is the modern birthstone for March and anyone who feels they were originally meant for the sea but finds themselves living on dry land (translation: mermaids, anyone?).
In fact, in ancient Rome, aquamarine gemstones were sacred to the god Neptune and gifts from sirens carried ashore by the sea. If you were an ancient sailor, you may have used an aquamarine stone to keep you safe on the high seas and to protect you from the lure of a siren's song.
Bluish in color, aquamarine is also associated with healing the throat chakra (fifth chakra) -- the location of your body that centers around self-expression. Learning to communicate personal truths, listening with compassion, finding your creative voice, and developing resonance with others are challenges of the throat chakra. So much of our daily existence is wrapped up in speaking and listening, I've come to consider aquamarine as the best gemstone to aid in Nonviolent Communication (NVC).
So what if most aquamarines are heat treated to deepen their blue color and may come from landlocked Colorado, I love the picture they evoke of ocean waves and mysterious sirens as well as the comfort they bring as I learn to grow a compassionate voice.
When you arrive at Gail Crosman Moore's web site you are greeted with this glorious explosion of color and texture -- just like spring garden! Of all the artists working out there in mixed media, I think Gail Crosman Moore's work in fiber and glass expresses most closely the reverence I feel when I look at colors and forms in nature.
I saw her work at The Whole Bead Show in Tucson, Arizona last month, but honestly there was such a bustle and frenzy of things going on I couldn't really focus on the intricacy of Gail Crosman Moore's work. I picked up a business card, and promised myself I would be visiting her site online so as to spend a few quiet moments with her artistry. I tucked the card away in my growing collection of "things must do" and manage to let it accumulate dust. Then I happen to be re-reading Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads by the wonderful artisan Stephanie Sersich, and saw a feature on Gail Crosman Moore.
Life seems to have a way of bringing me back to the places I need to be, so I quickly got online to check out Gail Crosman Moore's work.
Wow! I was so taken with her ability to transform felt and glass into artwork that has a living presence. I enjoy how each bead on one of her creations seems to be placed with intention in just the right spot.
Felted Acorn Earring Kit, Gail Crosman Moore: wool fleece, sequins,needles, thread and seed beads, ear wires, rubber stoppers and instructions
If you'd rather start with something small when learning wet felting for the first time, Gail Crosman Moore offers a $29.00 kit to make these adorable felted acorn earrings.
If you want to try your hand at felted jewelry, buy interesting beading supplies, or just get inspired by some magnificent artistry in fiber and glass, then be sure to scoot over to Gail Crosman Moore.
One of the unconscious business savvy things I was doing from the start of Hint Jewelry was developing a signature style for my silver charms. Being an artist, I am naturally compulsive and repetitive. Can't say for certain which came first!!
Because I liked the design of my little plum blossom flower so much it was part of my natural tendency to repeat it often and include it in many different charms. It was an intentional habitual behavior like grabbing for the same brand of oatmeal every week at the market, but what I didn't realize is that it can also be a conscious way to create a signature look that gives your business sincere presence.
"Oh, yeah Hint Jewelry, she's the girl that has all those charms with the cute animals and the little flowers."
What I was doing with my compulsive need to include flowers in my charms was also the means to putting a recognizable face on my business. From a relational point of view, I believe it helps people know with me with clarity. They know what to expect from my design, and they can feel safe perusing my shop. I'm not jumping around trying on new design styles like trends from last season, instead it communicates a grounded consistency and genuine presence. I'm guessing my repetitive behavior lets people know they are getting the real me.
When I came to this new point of view, I realized that like a symphony I wanted all my charm designs to flow together and harmonize. I've set about revising charms such as Rabbit Run pictured above so as to fit them better into the whole picture. Just by changing the flower to the plum blossom, I felt a deeper connection to this piece.
Everyone is welcome at the table. Everyone is invited. We greet birth and death. We nod our heads to what is barren and what comes to fruition. We say a prayer for the stirring and for the innocent stillness that came when we were hoping for new life. We hold close the people who run from and who run to. The door of our hearts opens to all, and in the midst of joy and suffering there is always the promise of life becoming.
As the eternal messenger of spring, the elusive rabbit promises a season of birth and renewal. Tickled by the rabbit’s ability to reproduce with gusto, many cultures have adopted this creature as a symbol for motherhood and celebration of life. The rabbit has become an animal that best represents our feminine nature and continuing desire for creative expression, joy, and sensuality.
Wear Rabbit Run to enhance your creativity, evoke feelings of joy, and celebrate life!
I don't purchase a whole lot of large semi-precious stones anymore, because unfortunately I've got so many sitting around my bead stash that is seems like a waste. Nevertheless, when I visited Dakota Stones booth at The Best Bead Show in Tucson, I had a hard time prying myself away from the dazzling array of colors and shapes.
Based out of Minnesota and having the best tag line for a bead supplier -- "Dakota Stones for designs that ROCK" -- I really appreciated their choice in stone selection. There is bold, colorful chunkiness to the stones they are selling, and I like that they offer unique shapes. Aren't these Indian bloodstones simply delish?
Memory Necklace 2010, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry): aquamarine, carnelian, turquoise, lemon quartz, peridot, sterling silver chain and wire, gold filled wire, and silver charms (lotus blossom and cross)
I worked on my Memory Necklace for the month of February last weekend. She's really beginning to take shape with a whole East West spiritual theme and southwest colors.
As I perused my favorite memories from February, I kept coming back to our trip to Tucson and our final day out in the Sonoran Desert. It was raining, but still the sky was a gorgeous blue and the rusty colors of the desert came alive.
I mind mapped February in my journal, so you can see that Tucson had a lot to compete with such as spring robin sightings, blooming daffodils, Olympic downhill skiing, etc.
Nevertheless, I settled on the colors that I had seen out in the desert and
thought they would be wonderful translated into gems. This prickly
cactus looked like peridot, carnelian, and lemon quartz to me.
And the interesting black patterns on this cactus reminded me of the
dark patina I like to put on my sterling chain.
Of course, a beautiful turquoise bead to remind me of a blue southwest sky!
Another really beautiful memory from our hike out in the Sonoran Desert was when I saw this small, ceramic cross near a cactus, sitting there like a tiny altar. It was so touching to see a sacred object completely hidden by nature.
To hold this memory close I added a Valiant Milagro silver cross charm to the end of the necklace's extender chain and then wire-wrapped a group of healing stones. I liked the idea of this charm hanging down the back of my neck, hiding just like the cross in desert.
I'm really enjoying this process of putting a piece of jewelry away and then pulling it out again each month to reflect on its design and the memories of the past. This feels a lot like painting or knitting where you can pick up a piece and put it down without any pressure of figuring out where its headed.
Almond Blossom, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry):
Almond Blossom, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry):
