strawberries and soul mantras

new necklaces in the shop

Last Wednesday, I stood at the kitchen sink cutting strawberries while Ellie was eating them almost as fast as I could cut them for her. While getting into that rhythm of quartering them, I had a series of thoughts that went like this, “Maybe we could go to the Farmers’ Market Saturday. Wonder what they will have. Flowers! Maybe this could be the first Saturday in a long line of Saturdays that we get out and have this time as a family. She is so inquisitive. She will love picking out veggies and fruit this summer! And seeing the dogs…. Crap! I have so much to do this weekend. We can’t go to the Farmers’ Market. I have too many custom orders to make and emails to answer.”

And just like that, I dismissed my desire to live deeply and widely with my family.

I didn’t listen to this clear voice in my head telling me what I need and want and went back to the reality I was creating in that moment about not being in charge of my own business.

And then this weekend I spent an hour photographing some lockets + soul mantra pendants I have been meaning to put in the shop for weeks. These are the pieces I have been making alongside the many custom orders I’ve been doing over the last few months. These are the phrases and words that have literally whispered to me and insisted on being included in the batch I was working on. Phrases like: 

You Are Enough
Love Big
So I Fly
Each Day I Open Up More
I dance. I love big. I live.
Live It Baby Girl
Seek Joy
I choose love
Connect
Breathe
See Your Light
Trust
Here 

And as I opened each one, placed it on the rock I use as a prop, and snapped the photo of the mantra inside, I found myself saying the phrases aloud. And then nodding: yes yes yes.

This piece of realizing you have gotten a bit lost in the business of things and forgetten about the business of living – that is where I found myself as I took those photos.

I started thinking about how going to the Farmers’ Market (and all that it represents) is the most important thing a Saturday morning (and all that it represents) should hold. I know this. I would tell you this if you came to me with this as a piece of your story.

And now it is time to live it more often.

Things have been shifting with my business for almost a year now. I have owned my call to teach + write more and poetry is taking center stage again. I am listening to my desire to start adding mentoring sessions to my offerings (thank you for asking for this! more details soon!). And I am leaning into the truth that superwoman can do anything but she can’t do everything*.

Oh and I am realizing I don’t want to superwoman. 

The first step has been to change how I run the shop. I am not taking custom orders for the next few months. Probably until the holidays. The shop will still be filled with Soul Mantra jewelry, but they will almost all be ready to ship, “what you see in this photo is what will arrive in your mailbox,” items. They will be the phrases that are most insisting to be in this world, and I hope you will enjoy them!

Go see! I’ve already stocked the shop with several of these new pieces. 

Thanks for reading all of this today as I wanted to share these pieces of my story in case you have pieces of your story that need to shift. In case you want an invitation to shift your schedule to make more time for Farmers’ Markets and all that your heart is telling you it needs…

Big love,

Liz

PS If you or someone you know is a virtual assistant who works with Etsy shops, please email me. I am looking for someone with administrative experience supporting Etsy artists. Thanks!

*When I was little, this saying (superwoman can do anything but she can't do everything) was up in my house above my mom's desk. 

trust, rest, and a shop coupon

trust . a new bracelet in the shop

Last week, I closed the shop for about ten days to give myself a bit of breathing space. I wanted to spend time with my family and focus on a couple of other projects and big dreams that I am hoping to make real. It was also the breathing space week in my Create Space ecourse, and it was simply nice to practice what I am teaching as I work alongside my current ecourse participants.

This made me think about how we really should give ourselves the gift of a break every now and then. Even though I wasn't actually on a true vacation (oh my goodness I know there is a white sandy beach in Maui calling my name but I won't be visiting her for a long time) and in reality I was working almost every day, I needed to take a break from being in the studio and creating for others. I needed this break so that I could come back refreshed and ready to create these special talismans.

(I am writing more on the idea of rest and redefining what rest can mean as part of the next "Field Notes: Adventures in Creative Self-Care" newsletter series, so stay tuned as I will be sending it out later this week. Sign up here if you want to start receiving this newsletter-only series and other fun things like coupons for the shop, retreat announcements, and so on.)

Earlier this week, as I reorganized my project table where I create most of the Soul Mantras designs, I felt called to create this new "trust" bracelet for myself. I have been working with trust as one of my personal soul mantras for a few months now, using it in meditation and with my personal altar practice. And I have been wearing this word inside a locket. But I felt called to make it even more present. I need to see it on my wrist to remember each day that it is time to trust the love that surrounds me, the wisdom within me, and that I don't have to know and do everything. I paired it with an amethyst crystal to help calm thoughts and give insight. I have been wearing it stacked with my mala beads and a few other bracelets, and it has made me so happy that I decided to add it as a new available design.

As I celebrate getting back into the studio, I am having a 20% off sale in my shop today! Just use coupon code "leap2012" TODAY ONLY to receive 20% off of your entire order. (You just have to click "Apply Coupon Code" right above the item total in your cart. Then enter the code before you check out.)

May today include a bit of what you most need...

Blessings,

Liz

heart.full (a shop note)

a few of the new items now in the shop, including several new items added to the heart.full collection

Last February, I shared a bit about the girl I used to be:

She wasn’t one for a month all about love or stringing hearts up about the house. She rolled her eyes at the idea of one day when someone you call sweetheart is supposed to buy you roses. She had spent so many days alone that even when she found herself in love and loved in return, she still tried to ignore this need others had to make one day about something that never quite felt real. She was quiet about it but mostly tolerated seeing everyone in red, and then she bought the chocolates when they went on sale.

And in that post, I shared how part of this story changed forever on a day in the summer of 2010. Now I am a girl who loves hearts (as in I kind of can't get enough), who believes that "love is all you need," who believes we must invite in joy and peace and love each day, who believes in turning the idea of Valentine's Day on its head and making it more about love for self, for kindreds, for those who help you say "yes" to knowing you are not alone and that your story matters.

Last February, the Heart.Full Collection was created as a way to say thank you to the hospitals that saved Ellie Jane's life in 2010 and to honor that love comes into our lives in so many ways. 15% of the profits from this collection are split between Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and Seattle Children's.

And I am happy to share that starting today through Valentine's Day, I will be giving 10% of all the profits from each item sold in the shop to the Heart.Full Collection contributions I will make this year with your help. Thank you for your support and kindness. Thank you for sharing your stories and catching mine.

*****

I am delighted to share that I am part of 52 Photos Project's Handmade Valentine's Day showcase this week! Each day Bella is highlighting a shop and mine is up today.

I hope you will visit 52 Photos Project throughout the week to see what other good things Bells shares.

a shop celebration

Earlier today, Kelly sent me an email that said:

SIXTEENHUNDRED SALES! WOOHOO!!!!!

congrats chickadee. smiling over here and doing

a little happy dance.

After reading her words, I headed over to my Etsy shop and saw that today I had indeed hit 1600 sales. 

Thank you!

Thank you for cheering me on and visiting my shop and sharing your stories and reaching out through emails and reminding me that what I have to share in this world matters.

To celebrate the gratitude I am feeling, I am having a 16% off everything in the shop sale from now until Sunday at midnight. Just use coupon code HAPPY16 when you check out (just click "apply shop coupon code" above your order total in your cart).

And I have added a new Collaborations section to the shop that now includes each of the nine One Word Girls paired with a Soul Mantra word that Kelly and I have chosen. We have been getting some notes from people saying that they wanted us to choose a word for them, so we thought we would add this option to the shop! I have also added photos of the necklaces with some of the new happy beads that are now part of my One Word Girl vintage moonglow stash.

And here is a little something I am writing down in the self-care section of my journal: You should always surround yourself with people who support you and remind you to celebrate your successes and call you chickadee.

(Thank you my friend.)

Blessings and light,

Liz

one word. one girl. (a collaboration)

new One Word Girl necklace collaboration with Kelly Barton

My partner in crime Kelly Barton and I have been like two cooks in a test kitchen surrounded by candy-like beads and baubles as we taste this and sample that and check for doneness. We have giggled and schemed and literally squealed with delight as we have worked on this. And now the time has come to reveal our juicy (seriously I am over the moon excited about this!!!) collaboration:

The One Word Girl Necklaces

Kelly has created NINE new original girls with you in mind. I have gathered up my favorite vintage moonglow beads in happy candy colors and found just the right sized little circle for your word of the year. We are putting the girl of your choice + your word + these happy beads all together to create a unique custom necklace just for you!

Which girl are you today?

As you think about which girl you would like for your necklace, consider the girl she might represent:

Is she the woman you see when you look in the mirror?
Is she the superhero, rock star you who lives inside you each day?
Is she the courageous goddess in you who is ready to stand tall in her truth?
Is she the little girl you living her creative dreams? 
Is she the you who knows the time has come to begin?

 Think about which girl represents the companion you most need as you walk into a new year.

(And if you are like me, you might even decide you need one for every day of the week...because oh my goodness, do you see how cute Blossom's hair is? She reminds me of the little girl me who giggles more than worries. And Patch? Patch is calling to me with adventure in her voice. And then there is Bloom. I want 2012 to be a year where everyday feels like one where Bloom is beside me. Gosh I love these girls.)

Kelly and I hope that your necklace will gently remind you of whatever you most need at this time on your journey. When you look in the mirror and see that girl and your word, we hope you will breathe deeply and know you can do it baby girl. You can live all your dreams into reality and stay grounded in your truth as you walk into a new year.

And for those of you who want a simpler look without the beads, we have created a design for you too right here.