my crystal fix!

i love sparkling things! here is a quick demo to show you how EASY it is! I've been doing it for years, and just recently realized...

if i SHOW you how easy it is, you will finally BELIEVE me!!!

at the very least, Gina and I had a great time playing around after the store closes ;) thanks gina, you're a doll! not only did she shoot the video, she loaned me the shirt off her back for the demonstration. hey, no video of that!!

bling bling! jamie

desperately seeking perfection

an apt title for this blog entry. haven't blogged in a while cause i had a GREAT idea of making a little video of me showing you how to use the hotfix rhinestone setter, demonstrating how EASY it is to add swarovski crystals to clothes, bags, scarves, hats....... and putting it on my bloggy!

then i was going to put the hotfix tool on sale at half off, so that we can all walk around in our sparkling outfits!!!

BUT, i haven't had time to make such video, much less put the setters on display, or even talk about it with customers cause i've found other fires to put out. SO, because i couldn't move forward with that project, i just couldn't move forward with blogging. CRAZY huh. and i'm sure there are many of you nodding your heads in agreement, about how our minds make rules that we think we must follow. i forget that perfection isn't a goal to achieve, it's just being here in this moment!

well ladies, tonight, i'm breaking that habit of waiting for that "perfect moment" or for everything to "align perfectly", or "go in perfect order", and i'm moving back into the flow and i'm here to say, "IT'S ALL GOOD!" no video, no samples. i'm still blogging, and i'm not going to even post a pic. how's that for some rule breaking??

i am perfect as i am. and so are you. right now, i am loving myself completely with gentleness and compassion. please gift yourself with that as well!!

love to you, jamie

p.s. want to see me sparkle-ize something? bring it in, and i'll hotfix a crystal to it for you! my treat! (make sure i'm in before you come!)

texting my heart out!

so kelli, my beloved employee, left for new york last year. tomorrow, it makes ONE YEAR, wow! isn't that synchronistic that i felt compelled to write this?

i feel like i watched her grow from girl to woman, and i am so proud of her, and love her so

much!

loving someone that much, made it hard to let her go to and not be able to watch her embrace the world. i was so tempted to call and ask questions, offer advice, and want to steer her in the "right" direction. MY direction, in retrospect. it's so hard NOT to interfere, but i learned to separate MY fears and anxieties from hers. so i bit my tongue, and for the past year resisted calling, spying, interrogating and just watched her from afar i.e. Facebook!

last week, i felt a tug of worry as we drove to work. suddenly she was at the very surface of my heart, i hoped she was okay, and i felt like i needed to do something. so i did a quick prayer, texted her my love and hit send.

later that day, she let me know she had gone home cause she felt really sick. just confirmation that love connects us. even without email, facebook, iphones.... all i have to do is trust my heart. it sends and receives so easily...

thank you kelli! we are and always will be connected through love, laughter and joy!

here's a picture of me, wearing one of her earring creations! did i mention she's a jewelry designer in new york? whoo hooooo!! i'm so proud, my smile looks too big for the photo!

sunrise at waimanalo

sunrise at waimanalo, so beautiful... so worth waking up at 4am for!

my sistah "g-blog" of hokuli'i images took this picture, and i MUST say, that i LOVE looking at this pic of me and my luvie! she took it on MONDAY, and it's only wednesday nite, but i've looked at it many many times!

every day, i see him through MY eyes. many times distracted by the day, and all the little things that fill up my hours, until i realize... whoa, where'd my day go? it's amazing to see "us" from a different perspective. from 3 feet away. to see what he sees when i look at him.

13 years - we've been together and my heart is filled with so much love and when i SEE that love and joy, captured so clearly- it centers my heart and my life and reminds me of what i am here for. beauty, love, companionship, laughter, comfort, loyalty, understanding, friendship.

i am focused. just like this picture. centered on what's important, and fuzzy around the edges.

i am so grateful for all the love in my life!

aquamarine rock

so bebe made this gorgeous necklace featuring our shell pendant toggle clasp in the front - so pretty!!!! and speaking of necklaces, i was inspired to make a gift-wrapped aqua pendant for myself, just yesterday!

this baby fist-sized chunk of aquamarine is more for display (ON ME!) than for jewelry, but it made us LAUGH once i put it on! amanda voted for a thick silver chain, to balance out the 1/2 lb. stone, but i thought that the cord looked much more pleasing, HA HA!

i could only wear it for like a few minutes, before it was WAY too heavy. come in and try it on.. it'll make you laugh too!

byeee! jamie

put your best intentions into it

Had a round of intention knotting classes this weekend, and it was terrific! I made new friends, they made beautiful, meaningful and supportive jewelry, and I practiced communicating my insights and gemstone messages.

Allison's gems were aquamarine, kunzite, and moonstone, basically for peace, love and insight. I say basically, cause it took 30 minutes to convey the message, but for bloggy's sake, i cut it down!

After 3 appointments - LUNCH! boy, all that holding a space in my heart for my peeps made me hungry!

Emilie made this gorgeous knotted bracelet with ametrine, kyanite, ruby in zoisite, green amethyst, pink sapphire and blue sapphire. Her gems supported communication, connection to the divine, making a space in our hearts for love, encouragement to follow thru and flexibility of mind and heart. SO wonderful!!!

What a great day.. i love putting our intentions, listening to our messages from our hearts, and allowing spirit to flow while creating a supportive adornment for our bodies.

Love to you all! going to exercise and make another bracelet for ME today!

jamie

dirty jewelry? no way!

Spent hours making beautiful earrings and necklaces, only to have it yellowy-grey and dingy after a few months?

Dirty jewelry! What causes it and what to do!

Very simply, our skin, moisturizers, make-up, chemicals, smoke, foods, and air can cause our jewelry to turn dark and dirty (see below).

What do we do at TBG? Polish it with a non-toxic cloth/pad, spray it with a non-toxic, non-acidic enzyme, or throw it in the tumbler.

Our favorite is the tumbler cause we can LOAD it up with beads and finished jewelry, turn it on, walk away and come back to it looking awesome! It uses stainless steel shot (jason's homemade mix) and a little bit of soap, and you're green lit to go!

Bring in something tarnished, yellowed or just in need, and we can guide you to products that will help, and if there's time, we may even clean it for you!

jason recently ordered a limited amount of tumblers, and we have a handful left in stock. email jason@thebeadgallery.com for more info!

three cheers for clean jewelry!

luv jamie