Hearts and Lungs, October 15, 2020
I'm gonna skip the apologetic preamble…
You know the one — about how I haven’t written and how crazy the year has been and etc. You know. I know. So let’s get into it.
A little treat
The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing provided a grant to boost sales of Vermont artists’ goods. To take advantage of that, I’m offering 10 coupons for $20 off a purchase*. You can use the code BUYVTART from now until Nov 30! The HallowThanksChristmas season is upon us.
*Finished jewelry only, cannot be used for custom projects.
This year of becoming
For me, this has been a year of becoming. I made the supremely difficult decision to quit my job teaching art to elementary school. I miss the kids so much, I miss the connection with my colleagues, I miss the colorful projects.
But it’s given me the opportunity to dive fully into my business at a time when my jewelry is most resonant. I’ve been busier with orders since March than I am most holiday seasons.
At first, I couldn’t understand the uptick in sales. But then I started to look at what was selling.
Lung lockets for a daughter who lost her mother to lung disease, several lung cancer survivors, a lung transplant recipient.
An anatomical heart for a recent EMT graduate who made the decision to continue on to Med school.
Two more hearts etched with the words of Rumi:
“You have to keep breaking your heart until it open”
…reminding the recipients that love is both painful and necessary.
Blooming flower lockets etched with words of hope — encouragement for milestone events: births, birthdays, and anniversaries.
Sentimental jewelry at a time when we’re all feeling a little nostalgic. For the way things used to be. For the loss of normalcy and control (and civility). Jewelry full of sentiment that provides hope and resolve for the future.
I just finished up this flower, and it may be my favorite to date:
“It takes courage to become who you really are.” — e.e. cummings
