“Someday”

Eleven years ago today, life as we knew it changed. Living in New York City on that day, I felt as if I was watching a really bad movie and just wanted to jump up and leave the theatre. But I couldn’t – it wasn’t just a horrible movie – it was reality. In the days following September 11^th I watched a city rally and unite, each person doing whatever they could to help one another. While sitting in the neighborhood fire station with Agatha, my Norwich terrier, I watched as a young mom walked into the station with her small child. I cried (because it’s what I do) as the mom explained that her child wanted to help the kids of the firefighters who had lost their lives; and I watched the youngster offer up his small piggy bank. It was in that moment that Kids Make It Happen was born.

The Test of Time

Seems like I blinked and weeks have passed since my last blog entry. Over the last several weeks I have been thrown into circumstances that have made me marvel at all the technology we have at our fingertips these days. And, I am very grateful for it all. However, on the other end of the spectrum, I am so grateful for the repetitive handwork it takes to create my jewelry designs – work that takes a significant level of skill and definitely work that doesn’t fly at the speed of light.

Inspiration: Pure and Simple

People often ask me where my inspiration for my out-of-the-ordinary color mashes come from in my jewelry. All I can say is "I just keep my eyes open." Mother Nature seldom makes a mistake when it comes to mixing colors. Last weekend, on a hike on the wooded nature trail at Champoeg Park, I stopped for a bit on a lone bench overlooking the river. I was the only one on the path and happy for the solitude.

Small Towns, Fourth of July & Rodeos

I love that I get my hair cut in Dundee, which is nestled in the wine country here in Oregon. The two-lane highway that I take winds through the flat part of the valley and is tossed with farm land, hops fields, hazelnut orchards and dairies for as far as I can see. I pass through a few small, small, small towns. Well, less than a few...I think I go through two to be exact...one of which doesn't have a stop sign and boasts a population of 354! Twenty miles west from me, across the Willamette River -- two towns later I arrive in Dundee, whose population has grown to 3,000! At last count, and don't quote me on this, I see that there are forty-six vineyards nestled in the hills of Dundee; with the first vines being planted in 1965.

A Father's Day Reminder

Here we are again -- another Father's Day to celebrate. While there are a lot of dads to celebrate; today is also a day to remember those dads of ours who have left this place. Sadly, my dad passed in the summer of 2001. In our last conversation, my final words were "I love you...and I'll see you on the other side." In my mind, I was thinking that I would see him when he was out of the heart surgery he was being wheeled into when we spoke that afternoon via phone. I was living in New York and he was here in Oregon - there was a world between us and a flight that night which seemed like it would never land.

Ari Seth Cohen & Advanced Style

After waiting for what seems like an eternity for my copy of Advanced Style to arrive, you can imagine my excitement when the mail carrier rang my bell this morning...signaling that there was either something to sign (ugh!) or a package that was too big for the mailbox. Today...my lucky day...it was a box from Amazon! Based on it's size, I knew it had to be the long awaited Advanced Style.

Living in a World of Change

I don't like change...much. The older I get, the more I realize how true that fact is. When I read my astrology chart for 2012 it warned of major shifts for the year...a kind way of saying change. Well, lo and behold, the last four months have been full of major "shifts." I understand that change is part of life, it is part of what makes us grow; and at the same time, I want things to stay just the way they are. I wonder when in life I made the shift and ceased welcoming change.

The 60s Revisited

There is so much talk in the world of fashion about the 60s these days I decided I had to comment about it in some way. Yes, I can't lie (why would I start now?) I was in high school in the mid-60s. So if clothing and jewelry from the 60s is "vintage" guess that makes me "vintage" too! I have always thought of vintage as stuff from the 20s, 30s, 40s and maybe the 50s -- but now we can add a few decades to that term -- meaning that for me -- everything old is new again! Well, let's say all of my jewelry from that era is new again -- can't say that I am new again because we know that not to be true.