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New Beginnings

New Beginnings

"What you seek is seeking you" ~ Rumi - Bronze and silver Shiva bracelet with lotus bud drop, representing New Beginnings, Renewal and Enlightenment When was the last time you walked through a new door? Was it New Year’s Day? Was it the day your child was born? Was it the day you were married—or divorced? Perhaps the day you quit your job? What did it feel like? A breath of fresh air? A lightened load and spring in your step? A wider, expanded sky above you? I’m feeling all of that and more. Today I’m happily announcing a new beginning. Because today I am recommitting myself to the artist within me, my craft, my jewelry. Today is a sigh...

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Why We Travel

Travel isn't easy. And sometimes it's not even fun. But tell me where you've been and I'll see who you are. We venture forth from our bubbles full of anticipation, expectations and a bit of trepidation—there’s the best case scenario and the worst case. My experience is that most travel lies somewhere in the middle. When we traveled with young kids, vacation was simply relocation…with a better view. Now we’re traveling with a young teen where each new experience can be an exercise in emotional jujitsu, and this time I was seeing things through two lenses—mine and hers. My daughter has traveled since she was 6 months old and loves it. But this was her first European trip to a country where English is...

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Be Kind and Pass the Hygge Please

Be Kind and Pass the Hygge Please

At Relica we love a good story and the meaning behind what people value--so we enjoy occasionally sharing these interesting anomalies (and commonalities) that make us all human. This Thanksgiving, pass on Uncle Morty in the lampshade and indulge in the hygge! In college I majored in International Relations. By far, my favorite class was Cultural Anthropology, where we immersed ourselves in and studied cultural traditions and idiosyncrasies from around the world.  The tradition and value that stayed with me the most was a Danish tradition called Hygge (pronounced "hooga" -- imagine how the Swedish Chef on the Muppets would say it). Below is an excerpt I borrowed from thedanishway.com that I feel most accurately captures the essence of hygge. How many times have you been...

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Wabi Sabi

  The Japanese have many words for interesting concepts--one of my favorites is Wabi Sabi. It is an appreciation for the imperfect, the subtle, the humble. And it is seeing the profound beauty that time bestows on all earthly things; a reverence for the cycle of life. In her book about this very concept, Robyn Griggs Lawrence outlines the meaning of both words; wabi is harmony, peace, balance and tranquility--sabi refers to "the bloom of time" or the dignity and grace that accompany the natural progression of aging. I have long been fascinated by this subject of imperfection--both in design and in humanity. Think about it; isn't it really our idiosyncrasies, flaws and vulnerabilities that attracts us to one another? It's what makes us unique, interesting and...

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Treasured Relics & Serendipity

My daughter Lucy and I traveled to Ireland last summer. It was enchanting, bucolic and surprisingly playful (the Irish are, after all, carriers of the “play gene” and wear it on their sleeve). One day in particular always stays with me; our visit to Kinsale on the southern coast of Ireland. We were traveling with a group of 50 of our newest, “nearest and dearest” best friends—about 7 families from all over the US. The lot of us walked the village by the sea, played in the beautiful public playground and visited a pottery studio where we worked on the potting wheel and engaged in free form creativity with clay. It was joyful seeing adults immersed in this form of exploration for a change--several...

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