“Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function.”
Precious Ring.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Purr
“Purring would seem to be, in her case, an automatic safety-valve device for dealing with happiness overflow.”
Purr Ring.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Alligator
Find an online photograph of an alligator and look at it closely.
Now take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and consider this: you and this creature live on the same planet at this very moment in history.
Alligator Pendant.
Handmade with amethyst and recycled sterling silver.
Cats
There was a space next to my bedroom mirror that needed art. I did not want another square or rectangular painting, since there are already several in my apartment, instead I wanted something sculptural and organic that did not protrude too much from the wall.
The result is a family of cats I made using self-drying clay and acrylic paint. I now sleep in good company.
Radiant
“Everywhere across whatever sorrows of which our life is woven, some radiant joy will gaily flash past”
Radiant Pendant.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Kiss
“The cat does not offer services. The cat offers itself.”
Kiss Pendant.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Wonder
“Mothers, tell your children: be quick, you must be strong. Life is full of wonder, love is never wrong. Remember how they taught you, how much of it was fear. Refuse to hand it down - the legacy stops here.”
Wonder Pendant.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Attuned
I’m at a point in my life where I am finally discovering what my true nature is. This began when I finally gave myself permission to love what I truly love.
I love spending most of my time alone (by most, I mean 90% of it). I enjoy my home so much, that the longer I’m here, the more I flourish and become creative. When I do go out, I marvel that I get to walk alone, at my own pace, to explore all that interests me.
I cannot for the life of me hang out with more than two people at a time. When I do, it takes me days to recover.
I can’t stand dark chocolate, coffee or alcohol; but white chocolate, butter and bread make me swoon.
Wearing really short hair and “mens” clothing makes me feel free, and I will never ever ever wear tight jeans again.
My biggest joy is to be in bed by 9 pm, and wake up with the sun rise. I cherish silence and staring into space for long periods of time.
It turns out I am nothing like I thought I should be, but I’m everything I ever wanted.
Attuned Pendant.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Companion
I made a little companion for myself, as I navigate the deep waters of my truth.
Companion Pendant.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Compass
A few years ago, I started to get a skin rash all over my upper body. At first I was convinced it was sugar intolerance (diabetes runs in my family), but as I cleaned up my diet, the spots got worse.
After doing all kinds of tests to rule out food allergies, I’ve now realized that the rash appears every time I say yes to something I don’t want to do.
Saying no sounds easy, but it is terrifying when you believe your sense of safety and belonging depends on not dissapointing those around you.
Today I decided that the person I can no longer dissapoint is myself.
I’m already feeling stronger.
Compass Pendant.
Handmade with tourmaline quartz and recycled sterling silver.
Lovable
It turns out that the things about myself that I was so ashamed of are becoming what I love the most.
Lovable Pendant.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Included
Today I woke up to see that Trump has probably won the election. My first feeling: the US government is not God, and my sense of safety and belonging in this world does not come from anyone or anything else. Then, I felt tremendous joy and gratitude for all the love, unity and goodness these past months have shown, through every person who spoke up for others with no platform, and for those who have been rejected. You showed me a world where everyone is included.
As I ate breakfast, I listened to an interview with Brenee Brown on vulnerablinity and realized that it is time for me to show up as my full self. I will no longer hide who I am out of fear of rejection. I’ve been excluding myself from this human conversation, and it is time to finally present myself loud and proud.
I have a Republican Christian brother (son of my mother), whom I’ve listened to patiently for many years, and with whom I’ve never shared the truth of who I am. I am everything he rejects and judges as sinful. In “sparing” him from fully seeing me, I internalized his toxic beliefs.
Today, I believe Creation loves everything and everyone, including me: a gay, gender non-conforming woman who has taken 51 years to love herself.
It is good to meet you here, where we all belong!
Prayer
“Keep walking, though there’s no place to get to.
Don’t try to see through the distances.
That’s not for human beings.
Move within, but don’t move the way fear makes you move.
Today, like every other day, we wake up empty & frightened.
Don’t open the door to the study and begin reading.
Take down a musical instrument.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground. ”
Prayer Necklace.
Handmade with lapis lazuli and recycled sterling silver.
Encounter
“Your life is a journey of learning to love yourself first and then extending that love to others in every encounter.”
Encounter Necklace.
Handmade with fluorite and recycled sterling silver.
Moon Ring
“We need to find God, and she cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
Maria’s Moon Ring.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Spider
Maria commissioned a spider pendant based on a drawing I shared recently. She wanted the legs to be separate from the main body, which turned out to be a technical feat, as one would un-solder as soon as I soldered the other. In the end, I was glad for the challenge, as I think she turned out beautifully.
Spiders symbolize artistry, manifestation, patience, feminine power, ancient wisdom, balance, and interconnection; all qualities I appreciate, and am sure my dear friend Maria already has (which is why I think this design appealed to her).
Maria’s Spider Necklace.
Handmade with moonstone and recycled sterling silver.
Light
“I think architecture becomes interesting when it has a double character, that is, when it is as simple as possible but, at the same time as complex as possible”
Light Earrings.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Modeled by my dear friend, Daysi Urtecho.
Morgan's Birthday Ring
A special commission for Morgan on her 23rd birthday, from her mom.
Morgan's Knowing Ring.
Handmade with labradorite moonstone and recycled sterling silver.
Clouds
“I came to a point where I needed solitude and just stop the machine of ‘thinking’ and ‘enjoying’ what they call ‘living’, I just wanted to lie in the grass and look at the clouds.”
Cloud Necklace.
Handmade with recycled sterling silver.
Amalgam
I have been adding life to the lifeless corners of my home. Plants, pillows and art bring warmth to what seemed uninhabited. I do the same with the parts within me that I’d disowned growing up, I welcome them with tenderness so that my inner being becomes a richer home.
Amalgam Necklace.
Handmade with labradorite moonstone and recycled sterling silver.