Visitors

Look who's been working in my garden?

Aren't they beautiful? Buzzing and gathering plenty of sweetness...

I love to sit near them as they work.
They are great company and feel like old friends.

Have you been enjoying the bees lately?

Behind the Scenes: Keeping a Joy Journal

One of the best resources I adopted from my Life Coach was to create a Joy Journal. When I decided to embark upon my 120 Day Challenge, I made a Joy Journal part of my motivational tool kit.

A Joy Journal doesn't have to be complex. In fact, now one of the things I admire most about people who kept diaries through the centuries is that often they wrote down some of the most mundane things like "I bought a dozen fresh eggs today."

When I was younger I use to think these factual accounts were incredibly dull and frankly a bit silly. I mean who would want to read about what someone purchased at the market two hundred years down the road? What about all the introspection, insightful poetry, and passion that should be written in a diary? Come on people, give me something to sink my teeth into!

Flash forward twenty years into my adulthood, and I've started to see the value in writing down the simple things. Maybe people do write diaries to keep a factual record for others, but perhaps there is another reason. I've begun to consider that these daily observations may have been a lot like my Joy Journal -- every day celebrations that keep you in tune with life.

Often I write just one word like "peaches" while other times it is a memory such as "laughing at cutting my thumb." Short or long observations doesn't matter to me, for the effect is the same. Somehow by showing up every day to my Joy Journal and finding something simple to say, I acknowledge the good happening around me. My journal is uplifting and emboldening, for now I find myself more and more reaching for the good in situations that feel stressful or overwhelming. My Joy Journal is one of the best tools for motivating my life, my business, and keeping me on point.

Mermaid or Surfer Girl?

Surfer Girl, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry Design):
citrine, peridot, iolite, apatite, sterling silver,
and silver dolphin and turtle charms

Is it just me or does every woman have a wild surfer girl fantasy running amok in her head from time to time? Surfing still ranks on my top ten things to do, but lately I'm starting to wonder if I will ever put a plan into action.

Surfer Girl, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry Design):
citrine, peridot, iolite, apatite, sterling silver,
and silver dolphin and turtle charms

It's stories of mermaids, dolphins, and sea turtles that make me wonder what's out there; however, in all honesty the ocean feels slightly daunting to me. I grew up with lakes, rivers, and streams. For a woodland girl, the power of the ocean is both alluring and frightening all at the same time.

Surfer Girl, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry Design):
citrine, peridot, iolite, apatite, sterling silver,
and silver dolphin and turtle charms

For now I'm content to live in the mermaid fantasy found in my head and construct this ocean inspired necklace with my dolphin and sea turtle charms. I do hope it's fit for a real surfer girl with its sporty, aquatic colors.

Surfer Girl, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry Design):
citrine, peridot, iolite, apatite, sterling silver,
and silver dolphin and turtle charms

I couldn't resist adding this small turtle charm off the back as a hidden feature. I thought it would be fun to feel like a baby turtle was riding on your back while surfing the waves!

Are you a surfer girl? What keeps you going back to the ocean for more? What's the outlook for learning surfing after 40?

It's All in the Choosing, No?

Gratitude is the memory of the heart
Jean Baptiste Massieu

Fourteen years ago today you stuck your paw through a cage and chose me.

Every day I'm the luckiest girl in the world...

because I was chosen by the most magnificent creature :)

Thank you for making my every day brighter!

Behind the Scenes: Design Redux

Moonflower Earrings, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry Design)

The Moonflower charm featured in these earrings was one of my first charm designs. Unfortunately, it never sold well in my shop so I abandoned Moonflower. I have a handful of these designs that don't quite make it to mainstream popularity, I eventually lose steam, and chose to retire them because I hate to see them sitting around without any action.

Nevertheless, there is a concept I read somewhere out there on a blog that said focusing solely on your most popular sellers might not be working to your advantage. It went something like this:

If everyone is buying dogs, horses, and tree charms more often then others you might choose to invest your time into those designs; however, you may have several customers that buy the popular charms and then round out their order with something that is not a top seller. By providing variety you create potential for a more expanded exchange.

I have a tendency to think in terms of how can I best direct and maximize my energy, so the idea of spreading it out in all directions is quite difficult for me to grasp. Perhaps I'm the rare bird who struggles to make decisions and actually enjoys going into a store with only 5 choices instead of 50.

I'm on the fence about this concept, mainly because it's in my nature to always move towards simplicity. I'm wondering what other people think. What has been your experience selling jewelry or components at shows? Do you retire pieces that don't sell after a certain amount of time? What are your own shopping preferences? Do you like things being narrowed down for you or do you love digging through a bunch of items to find the perfect treasure?

I can't decide if I should revisit my Moonflower charm, but I do know she is always safely tucked away just in case the right day comes along :)

Erin Prais-Hintz: Tesori Trovati Jewelry

The Key to Kandinsky (is Color), Erin Prais-Hintz (Tesori Trovati)

I realized the other day that many of the artists I feature on my blog consistently trust their intuition. I'm drawn to people who have this knack for designing by feel not only because I value it so deeply, but also because I can't for the life of me remember a time during school when someone said "go with your gut" and how else am I going to learn what following your instincts actually looks like if I don't recognize and celebrate it in others.

Erin Prais-Hintz, jewelry designer of Tesori Trovati, is one of these amazing people who have the ability to tap into their intuition when working with shape, line, color, and texture. Her necklace that plays with Kandinsky's concepts of color and shape is a fantastic example of something that feels organized yet completely spontaneous all at the same time. I imagine Erin laying beads down, rearranging the composition, while all the time relying on her gut instincts to find the right look and feel for this piece

Revamp'd, Erin Prais-Hintz (Tesori Trovati)

Revamp'd is one of my favorite jewels by Erin Prais-Hintz of Tesori Trovati because it asks people to look at previously overlooked materials and rethink them in a new and creative way. Erin encourages people to raid their jewelry box for discarded gems as a method for upcycling old stuff and giving it a new lease on life. Tesori Trovati's Revamp'd bracelet with its re-purposed beads, and gold pin as a clasp next to a Humblebeads focal point is a beautiful example of what Erin asks other jewelry designers to do in her Inspired by...Before and After challenge.

Hatching Greatness, Erin Prais-Hintz (Tesori Trovati)

Hatching Greatness just makes me smile! I think this necklace best illustrates the clever, fun, and playful way Erin Prais-Hintz approaches design and life. I mean who wouldn't want to wear a little, blue, bird egg with a gold crown...just precious!

If you haven't met Erin Prais-Hintz yet, then you must visit her wonderfully inspired blog called Treasures Found where she shares her unique view about the world as well as beautifully crafted one-of-kind jewelry. Treasures Found is one of the places that has encouraged me to appreciate my instincts and "go with my gut!"

Grilling Out

fresh zucchini, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes

Have you been grilling out this year?

What's hitting your flame?

Fear of Success

Day 90

How do you define success?

For some people success is concrete -- money, job titles, assets, awards, or popularity. In fact, I remember a time when I measured my success on whether my boss afforded me the right to have a business card or not. Happily, a dear friend introduced me to Kinkos and the notion that I can define my success anytime I choose by making my own business cards based on whatever I gosh darn wanted to be.

Is this what you do too? Do you wait for other people to define your success instead of taking responsibility for it?

Fear of success is a concept that I have been actively engaged with for the last five years. Here are some key beliefs that I have learned about my ideas of success during this process:

1. I believe that if I am truly successful, I will lose love.
2. I believe it is easier to receive love, if I am rallying support from others when I am not successful.
3. I believe that to be a success I might need to be different, which could physically and emotionally isolate me from the people I love.

Funny how my top beliefs around success are fixated on approval from others and insuring that I will have a continual source of warmth, love, and support. I can't speak for men, but I've got a sinking feeling that I'm not alone, and a lot of women shy away from being successful because it somehow threatens their notion of being loved.




I've had a lot time over the last five years to come up with my own vision of success, and it doesn't have a dollar amount or title attached to it. It's based on the feelings surrounding this imagined woman who is completely at ease with herself, centered, whole, and self-assured. A woman who doesn't plan the next moment but lets it arrive, trusting that she will greet it just like this daisy -- wide open and present.

success = being grounded in my true nature

Here's the mind bender that put my whole life in perspective and started me down the path to examining my inner beliefs about success. If success means I am being true to my own nature, then...

1. I believe that if I am truly myself, I will lose love.
2. I believe it is easier to receive love, if I am rallying support from others around an act that is not true to my own nature.
3. I believe that to be my true self I might need to be different, which could physically and emotionally isolate me from people I love.

Crazy, no? You may be resisting what I've just said because it seems impossible that a person could sacrifice their true nature so easily for the offerings of love and acceptance from others, but these beliefs are probably working in your life more often then you think. I'm guessing that many of us question if other people really want us to be our best selves, and yet we freely hand the guidelines and measuring stick over to others who may not truly support our path. Our lifelong cheerleaders may not have our best interests in mind, not because they don't love us, but because their hearts may be focused on another outcome. We ask others to validate that we are doing our best when the responsibility for love and acceptance lies within one person -- your own Self.

Uncovering your hidden belief system is the beginning of pinpointing your place on the universal map, seeing where you've gotten side tracked or waylaid on your soul's journey. Re-imagining and rewriting your beliefs is what will move you forward along the path to your chosen destination. In a future post, I'm going to reinvent my beliefs about success so as to illustrate how one can go about remapping their lives. Think of it as recalibrating your spiritual GPS system!

The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place
where we can go as we are and not be questioned.
Maya Angelou

Today I have reached Day 90 on my 120 Day Challenge to improve my health and well-being. I'm three quarters of the way to my destination. I want to jump up and down and tell you about all the great stuff that I'm learning and what things have been changing, but it feels almost like a delicious movie you don't want to spoil for a potential viewer. All I can say is that it is big, minute, amazing, simple, powerful, and subtle all at the same time.

Perhaps life wouldn't have as much meaning if I didn't struggle to learn how to take responsibility for my success and being true to my own nature. Fear of success is the metaphysical string tied to my finger reminding me that I am always actively co-creating with the universe. By engaging with my fear of success, I have come to understand that I am responsible for showing up to the life I have created. I wanted it this way for a reason, and though I may have forgotten my original intent, I am solely responsible for being actively engaged in it no matter what it looks like.

This fear is nothing to run away from, but rather it's asking you to stake a claim in your own life, a necessary pain that shoves us forward into our futures so we can be people who are continually growing up and showing up for our chosen destination -- the best home of all the one found in being truly ourselves.

P.S. Many thanks to Mary Jane for sharing Maya Angelou's quote with me and making this post richer xoxo

Gem Stories: Ruby

Cotopaxi, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry)

Passion, energy, and excitement are some of feelings we associate with the color red. It comes as no surprise that rubies enhance these qualities in our lives. One of the chosen birthstones for July, rubies stimulate a passion for living, while aiding the heart and circulatory system. It's the personal trainer of the gemstone world, pushing you into action and invigorating your life.

Who can forget the one of the most important symbols in the movie the Wizard of Oz -- Dorothy's ruby slippers? Apparently, originally suppose to be made of silver, Dorothy's standout ruby slippers have become our modern symbol for following your heart's deepest desire.

Red rubies always bring you back to your heart center. The place where all things originate. Though authentic rubies are scarce, using the color red in jewelry is a reminder to come back to this place.

Behind the Scenes: Reconnecting with Your Vision

My Mother's 50th Wedding Anniversary Necklace, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry)

Have you ever lost connection with your vision? The idea that has been shaping your life. Maybe you've dropped your vision along the way while you were involved in the busy-ness of growing your business, job, or relationships -- you've forgotten why you're here and why you're doing what you do.

I'd like to say I have a pretty strong vision for myself and Hint Jewelry, but if I was completely honest, I drop that precious thing more often then not. Like a toddler carrying an egg, I watch myself drop my vision hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly.

Perhaps this is why most organizations have created thoughtful mission statements or catchy motivational phrases and post them in strategic places, offering pithy reminders as to your purpose in the daily grind. I've actually begun to think they're onto something.

My Mother's 50th Wedding Anniversary Necklace, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry)

What am I doing this for? Why am I here? What's it all about?

These questions have been and will continue to be the ones that occupy my brain for most of my lifetime. During the spring, I was given an opportunity to reconnect with these questions and my vision for Hint Jewelry through a design collaboration with my mother.

This year my parents will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and though I can't imagine the full extent of what that means to them, as someone watching from the sidelines it feels incredibly powerful like looking up at a redwood tree.

I wanted to be able to honor the life they have built together through a necklace, and my mother worked with me to come up with a design incorporating the Tree of Life charm and a symbolic gemstone for each of the people and animals she has touched.

My Mother's 50th Wedding Anniversary Necklace, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry)

My suggestion was to think of each person like a flower in a garden and imagine a gemstone or color that best symbolized their spirit. In this way, the necklace became my mother's remembrance rather then a collection of birthstones that may not feel as significant.

My Mother's 50th Wedding Anniversary Necklace, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry)

Whether you are growing a family, growing a community, growing a business, or growing a garden, they all take time, patience, and a willingness to learn. More importantly, they all require a vision and the commitment to picking that vision up again when you think you've dropped it.

Your vision can be a complex statement or just one simple word. Whatever works best for you. Just be sure to write it out or sticky note it somewhere. Tattoo it to your heart or write it on your hand. Give yourself a tool that will help your brain remember the mission every hour of every day.

My Mother's 50th Wedding Anniversary Necklace, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry)

During this amazing design collaboration with my mother, I was able to reconnect with my vision and distill it down to the essence of what I believe I'm doing here and dearly hope is the message that comes through my work...

I want to rejoice in all of creation.

See more of my Behind the Scenes stories, to learn more about running an online business and making jewelry.

Looking for Alternatives: Quinoa

Day 87

During my 120 Day Challenge to improve my diet and health, I've been integrating all sorts of new foods. Most of these foods aren't foreign to me. I've eaten them at restaurants and dinner parties, but they are what I'd call my second string. Those foods that I'm almost ready to grab from the shelf, and then I look longingly at my favs and fall back into predictability. Ahhhhhhh snuggling up with my favorite foods...yum...like coming home :)

Creating a new diet has literally forced me to step out of my comfort zone and examine the foods that I have been favoring over others, so as to plan some strategic breakups. If I've always reached for pasta and potatoes in the past, now I'm looking for alternatives to my star players.

quinoa, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red onion

Enter my long awaited friendship with quinoa. Oh I'm not picky. I'll spend some time with ivory, red, or black quinoa. They're all delicious, packed with protein, and deliver essential amino acids.

My first real taste of this grain-like seed came from our local Peruvian restaurant, where I learned that quinoa was sacred to the Incas. No wonder, because it is an excellent source of fiber, minerals, and the big bonus -- gluten free!! Apparently, it's so amazing that NASA considers it the perfect food for those pie-in-the-sky space stations we can't wait to have as our next vacation destination.

If you love rice or couscous, then you'll be an instant fan of quinoa. It whips up in 15 to 20 minutes and can be paired with lots of different veggies. My latest quinoa bowl includes the following:

Sauteed...
Grated zucchini (browns better just like hash browns)
Cherry tomatoes halved
Red onion diced

Add vegetable broth to the sauteed mixture for a flavor boost and then stir in the quinoa. Consume with pleasure!

This experience of giving up my hold on certain foods in order to discover something new and potentially healthier is a gigantic theme skipping its way through my whole life right now. It's hard to describe, but by being able to identify what I "think" has been giving me comfort and choosing to move in a different direction has opened me up to an alternative vision of myself.

If you always shop at the same grocery store, travel the same path to work, rely on the same people to get the job done, cook the same dinners every week, put your yoga mat in the same spot every class, and expect the same results every day, consider changing one of these things and see what happens :)

And be sure to hug yourself for taking a risk and trying something new!

Heirloom Memory Necklace: June 2010

Memory Necklace 2010, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry)
silver charms: cross materials: apatite, carnelian, turquoise, peridot,
brown pearl sterling silver chain and wire

One of the best day trips while visiting Portland, Oregon is to drive East along the Columbia River Gorge and view Multnomah Falls. Last month I took my brother down the Gorge to see this amazing waterfall plummet 620 feet.

Waterfalls are ancient symbols of cleansing and purification. I'm guessing anyone who has stood extra long under a shower after a hard day can relate to how water falling from above against your body feels incredibly restorative!

Memory Necklace 2010, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry)
silver charms: lotus blossom, tree of life, flaming heart milagro, and cross
materials: apatite, aquamarine, carnelian, turquoise, lemon quartz, peridot,
prehnite, garnet, brown pearl sterling silver chain and wire, and gold filled wire

Seeing Multnomah Falls again and thinking about water as a symbol for clearing out excess emotional baggage gave me pause during the month of June, and I felt it was the perfect addition to my Heirloom Memory necklace. I decided to capture that moment when water hits the nape of my neck and flows over my shoulders, so I wire wrapped a series of beautiful, blue apatite gemstones to a sterling clasp, tying the back of my necklace together.

wire wrapped apatite gemstones to sterling
handwrought clasp and brainstorming sketch

This small addition was particularly fun for me to create because it truly looks like an abstraction of water falling, and that tickles me silly :)

wire wrapped apatite gemstones to sterling
handwrought clasp and brainstorming sketch

I've never adorned my sterling handwrought clasps, but this time I wrapped some 24 gauge silver wire around the base to capture the image of flowing water. I like how it creates a unique repetition of dark and light lines that are followed through with the wire wrapped apatite gemstones.

Water can dissolve, absolve, wash away and regenerate.
Water represents the cosmos in its entirety.
It is the liquid counterpart of light.

Dorothy May, Archetypal Reiki

For the Next 7 Generations

For The Next 7 Generations Trailer from Laughing Willow on Vimeo.

This is trailer for a documentary called For the Next 7 Generations that tells the story of 13 indigenous grandmothers from all corners of the earth who have formed an international alliance to heal the earth. I've been following their story for a while through World Pulse, and now they have the story on film. I hope you enjoy their amazing beauty and bravery as much as I have!

Uncommon Handmade Jewelry: LuneDesigns

Faceted Red Agate and Sea Opal Bracelet, LuneDesigns

Kiersten of LuneDesigns creates fabulous one-of-a-kind jewelry from a small ski town in beautiful Montana. Each of her gorgeous pieces feels like something you could either throw on before galloping away on your horse or wear at the local coffee shop to spark an interesting conversation.

Kiersten's colorful, rustic, red agate bracelet makes me think of wild horses running through a field at sunset. I particularly love how she chose to use the warmth of brass to bring the whole bracelet together.

Deep Pond, LuneDesigns

This necklace featuring a Deep Pond pendant is one of my new favorites, and the odd thing is I've never been drawn to wear a fish! I think it's the delicate choice of beads combined with the pewter bone fish pendant that make me feel like I would be floating in the middle of the most sacred pond.

Right on Mauve Earrings, LuneDesigns

Keirsten is constantly showcasing new techniques in her shop, so LuneDesigns is a great place to find some unique wire work. It's so much fun to see how Keirsten takes simple mauve pearls and glass and dress them up with a few wire wraps.

If you want to feel look like you've returned from the most wonderful vacation exploring the wild elegance of Montana, then I encourage you to check out LuneDesigns and treat yourself to something special!

Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary

Our backyard has been neglected over the last couple years, mostly because we didn't have a vision and purpose. Over the spring we have started imagining our backyard as a wildlife sanctuary, and this summer my husband and I are taking steps to start building its foundation.

We are kicking it off with our new squirrel buster wild bird feeder and birdbath. Next I want to make our backyard more homey for squirrels so they remain an integral part of the crew. This short video shows one of my backyard friends feeding from a bowl of sunflower seeds I set out for him and his rascally buddies.

One of the reasons I haven't been incredibly drawn to gardening in the past is that I wasn't deeply connected to the outcome. My spirit couldn't grab a foothold on why I would be doing it. Then the other day when I realized I could be building a friendly habitat for animals, raising veggies and flowers that they would enjoy nibbling on, the switch went off in my head. My yard could be of service to creatures! It sounds so silly, but until I am able to understand the connection of my labor to the world around me, I won't invest my heart into the process.

Do you have any favorite ways of drawing animals into your backyard, providing extra food, water, and shelter? I'd love to hear from some of your experiences as I start to learn how to foster my backyard habitat.

Honoring a Teacher's Lifetime of Service

Mrs. Hatcher's Story, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry):
plum freshwater pearl, green tourmaline, amethyst, sterling silver,
and fine silver phoenix and heart in hand charms

One of the neatest projects I was invited to take part in last month was this beautiful necklace honoring a teacher called Mrs. Hatcher. My friend and her children collaborated on the design of Mrs. Hatcher's story necklace to honor her service as a teacher and to celebrate her new adventures during retirement.

Mrs. Hatcher's Story, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry):
plum freshwater pearl, green tourmaline, amethyst, sterling silver,
and fine silver phoenix and heart in hand charms

Having grown up in the company of a teaching community and also being directly involved in education, I was deeply touched when this necklace came to life because it made me think of all the teachers I have loved and said goodbye to over the years.

The children chose the firebird charm to acknowledge the amazing transformation Mrs. Hatcher is about to embark on after retirement and the heart in hand pendant as a symbol of her desire to continue to serve others by doing volunteer work in the community.

Mrs. Hatcher's Story, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry):
plum freshwater pearl, green tourmaline, amethyst, sterling silver,
and fine silver phoenix and heart in hand charms

Everybody has memories of special teachers or mentors who had an uncanny talent for shining the light on the best parts of their spirit. Often this important connection goes unacknowledged, and while I was fabricating this necklace it felt like I was given the opportunity to silently thank all my teachers for their gentle kindness and unfailing desire to nurture me as I grew up.

Thank you to my friend Lisbeth and her beautiful children for allowing me to be a part this extraordinary collaboration!

Blooming July

tickseed 'baby sun'

Happy July!

I hope you are enjoying some time together with friends
and family, taking in some sun or summer celebrations.

I'm playing in the garden this weekend and thought you'd enjoy a peek...

tickseed 'baby sun'

perennial garden

blue catmint

shasta daisy

cilantro

purple coneflower 'magnus'

bachelor's button bud

bachelor's button

Wishing you beauty every day this summer!

Turtle Medicine

Bigmeat Cherokee turtle pipe, black pottery, North Carolina

This past winter I watched the movie The New World, which is an amazing visual poem re-imagining the legend of Pocahontas and John Smith. I'm guessing this movie didn't hit it big at the box office because my husband nodded off halfway through, but for me I was feasting on gorgeous scenery and the delicate nuance of language.

One scene in particular fascinated me, and I have kept it safely tucked away waiting to be inspired by its poetry. The moment happened so fast that took my breath away, but I was able to find it on YouTube (fast forward to 2:46 on the video counter to find it). A young warrior is dying from a battle wound, and Pocahontas places a small turtle on his belly where it walks all the way across his chest while the spirit leaves the body in death.

Bigmeat Cherokee turtle pipe, black pottery, North Carolina

I'm not familiar with tribal rituals of Native Americans and even wonder if this scene represented an authentic experience, but I was drawn in by the image of this sturdy, little turtle, completely full of life, walking head strong across this man's chest. It felt so comforting to imagine a frightening death greeted by an such a small and enduring creature.

One of the things I connected with as I thought about this turtle medicine was the concept of non-attachment. Because turtles carry their homes on their backs, they can be anywhere. They are not attached to place. Home is wherever they are.

Turtle Mother, Beth Hemmila (Hint Jewelry):
silver turtle or tortoise charm

Perhaps this turtle medicine could also be interpreted as being unattached to this worldly place. Meaning that at the moment of this man's death, this tiny turtle is the remembrance that there is nothing on this earth we are able to remain attached to.

This is a concept I struggle with daily and probably hourly, so I'm looking forward to exploring some new turtle medicine this summer through jewelry. What themes are inspiring your designs this summer?