Summer Rituals and Habits

Being half Spanish I have inherent comfort level with heat and warm temperatures. I love being warm, baking in the sun by a pool. And despite some of the oppressive temperatures lately, I still love summertime.

So here are some of my favorite rituals and things to do this time of year.

1. Enjoy the sunsets! I try to get outside in the early morning and in the late evening. Even if there is a warm drizzle, being outside with my daughter is so fun in the late summer nights. She enjoys a popsicle while I sip on rosemary seltzer water and we soak in the natural beauty.

2. The Uptown Umbrella market and all farmer markets - Ripe red tomatoes, local honey, shaved ice and live music, it’s free and we get to see our friends! And if I’m lucky we go to my favorite farm to table restaurant Starlight Cafe.

3. Outdoor concerts and movies - another fun and FREE activity. Now that our daughter is running around and has all the energy it makes sense to take her to a musical outdoor event. It’s another excuse to be outside enjoying the late nights.

4. Harvesting - For our garden summertime explodes with green and purple peppers, Japenese eggplant, mint, basil and cherry tomatoes. It’s so gratifying to go in our backyard and pluck fresh vegetables.

5. Stay inside and paint - Yes I love warm weather but I also enjoy the cool temps inside. I’ve taken to setting up a paint station for my daughter and we get totally creative. It’s also a meditative activity. You don’t think, you just paint and allow your mind to empty!
   

Every season has it’s extremes, fun and drudgey but overall, I try to enjoy each season for the wonderful offerings and ways to move with time.

Thanks as always for reading, stay in touch with me via my email list and I’ll send you more rituals and ways to celebrate a more present life.

How Becoming a Mother Changed My Perspective of 'Work' and Life Balance

Over the course of the past two years of being a mother I’ve been through a bit of a roller coaster of emotions. Some days I’m at peace with my new role and other days I feel complete overwhelm and anxiety.

I’ve posted on my blog several times about my journey and how I finally came to some peace with the fact that there won’t ever truly be balance. And I’m sure so many other moms have the same feelings, what I think is unique about being a stay at home mom AND running a small business without much child care is that it can take an incredible amount of patience, flexibility and community help to get through the the long haul.

One significant factor in my coming to terms with the role of motherhood and working from home is my mindset has changed incredibly. I’ve listened to podcasts that encourage meditation, working smarter and less, creating rituals that ensure productivity.and mindfulness. I’ve also just allowed myself to take time to rest and relax.

AND the major part of all of my changes in mindset is my daughter Tallulah; toddlers have a way of forcing you to be present and incredibly patient. Toddlers will TEST you like no other and in the end you begin to understand that they are simply curious. And that curiosity is immensely beautiful and grounding.

You might be thinking, ok Lisette we get it, you’ve accepted being a mom and a boss, what’s that have to do with me?

“I share my experience with you because I know we all struggle with balance and just BEING, and knowing that perhaps in the moment there can be anxiety, stress and overwhelm but if we acknowledge that it isn’t us - any situation that we’re in is one we’re experiencing but it doesn’t define us. ”

— Lisette Fee

Thus here are photos of me in my studio, garden, meditation space and most importantly of all photos of me with my pookie, Tallulah.

Tallulah loves flowers and being outside. It’s our daily ritual to walk all around our town.

Watering our vegetable and herb garden.

Tickles are the best with a little person.

Rose in hand, surrounded by jewels.

While Tallulah naps, I work!

Tallulah loves playing in my meditation room.

sorting through tarot cards and rune stones.

I hope you enjoyed this post and an inside look into my studio and life. And thank you as always for supporting and following Eilisain.

5 Super Easy Ways to Celebrate Earth Day - EVERY DAY

What they said is wrong, being green is easy. Seriously, in our convenience led world we don’t need to be wasteful. Our beautiful planet needs us to be protectors of her abundance and generosity.

Life is cyclical right? We can not take something without giving. And the same goes for all that we consume on a daily basis. So here are five super easy ways to be less wasteful, recycle, reuse and especially REDUCE.

1. Take your own water bottle or coffee mug when you step out of the house. As a matter of fact, stash a to go container, a reusable water bottle and coffee mug in your canvas shopping bag.

2. Reuse any of your plastic bags. And clean and drop off any plastic film and bags at your local Food Lion or grocery store. It’s SO convenient.

3. Unplug and turn off any cellular charging stations or lights that you aren’t using. This will not only save energy for the planet BUT it also SAVES YOU MONEY!

4. SHOP second hand and Salvation Army. You guys, this one is fun - you can find the best treasures at thrift stores.

5. Grow a garden, plant trees and pick up trash where you see it. It all begins in your community. the more we time we spend outside in nature and the wilderness the more we appreciate and love our world.

I hope that you take this time of year to venerate and give gratitude for all the our mother earth provides for us. I know I sound all hippy dippy but trust me when I say that what YOU receive in return for your gratitude is so much more.

If you enjoyed my tips and want to learn more, sign up for my email list below and you’ll get more advice AND ways to improve your life.

Drawing Down the Moon

One of the most cherished pagan books, I absolutely love the title and what Margot Adler means by it. When we live in tune with the Goddess and the moon we draw down it’s power.

Thus I became inspired to create a collection of images and jewelry that drew inspiration from the moons guidance and beauty. I worked with some super talented artists, my friend and photographer Gigi Hoggard and Meagan Wilson, makeup artist and fellow boss girl.

We shot on a super humid and sunny day at a beautiful water dam in the country hills of North Carolina. Shooting outdoors is always the given option, as my jewelry draws immense inspiration from the land and animals.

The Kaltes Collection is named after the ancient goddess of the Ugric people of Siberia. She governs the moon and her she is said to shift into a hare. I found all of these aspect incredibly meaningful to what I had been doing with my jewelry, the moon calling to me as well as using the bones of a rabbit.

Isn’t my model, Michelle Torres stunning? She really captured the confidence and bravery of a Goddess. To be strong when we feel scared inside, to put on the dark veil and submit to the shadows. This is what I find fascinating and insightful to stories and myths; they give us guidance and examples of how we can face our inner demons.

We all go through periods of our life when we need to be brave. Who hasn’t felt nervous, worried, anxious or fearful? But it is how we grow from the tough periods of our lives that make us who we are.

I hope that you also find comfort in the tales of our ancestors, and be hopeful. Every day is a new beginning. Just take two deep breaths and and take the plunge!

You can shop for these pieces and more on my site. Thank you as always for visiting.

How to Manifest Your Dreams

Such a grandiose statement, and believe me I’m no expert however one dream of mine that I can see a timeline of how I manifested was my jewelry career. That over fifteen years ago I began a journey of discovering a passion and career of creating jewels that began with simply playing.

But what truly pushed my dream forward were several very simple and easy things I did on a daily and weekly basis. Here I will share my secret to how I manifested my dream of being a jeweler.

Probably the hardest part of manifesting your dream is knowing what your purpose is, we can go a long time in our life in the journey of finding our purpose. Using my hands and making small objects began when I was about ten years old, my mom would give me thread and toothpicks and I’d create little dolls. Or I’d use clay and ‘friendly’ plastic. I loved making things.

But as the story goes, we grow older and are taught to pursue more practical careers. When I finally came to the conclusion I wanted to follow my true life’s journey of being a jeweler I was 25 years old. Working a 9-5 job with not much enthusiasm or joy, I signed up for evening jewelry classes, then worked part time for professional jewelers. All along I journaled.

This is a key component to manifesting your dreams.

1. WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS: There are studies that writing things down imprints in your memory. You want to put on a piece of paper your dream. Write exactly what you want and how you will go about obtaining it. For me it was writing it down as a New years resolution.

2. SPEAK IT: I heard recently on a podcast that using your voice to speak your dreams and goals is like casting a spell, you are putting the energy out into the world. I’ll never forget the feeling of telling someone that one day I was going to have my own jewelry business. And I felt scared yet thrilled, I was speaking my truth.

3. SHARE YOUR GOALS: I told my family, my friends and some select coworkers my dream. I knew that if I told them, they’d hold me accountable. Now, make sure you share your dreams with people that will nurture your passion. Some people will be pessimistic or they are unhappy themselves and don’t want you to be happy. When you share your dream with people that support you they will help you on the journey.

4. FIND MENTORS IN YOUR DREAM: Once you begin following your dream, you will automatically be led to individuals that share that same passion. Ask if you can help them on the weekends or for advice. Through my journey I did meet people that I wanted to be my mentor but they weren’t necessarily available, and that’s okay. But you will find others that will take you under their wing. Several of the teachers I had were more than willing to write recommendations for me.

5. REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT: There is something to be said for continually repeating a phrase or MANTRA. it burns in your brain. I wrote down in my journal constantly of wanting to be a jeweler, I documented my journey and I would repeat it, in my words and in my actions.

I’m a firm believer that it takes time and hard work to achieve your dreams but most importantly it takes dedication to following your dreams. You have to be consistent, my parents taught me that. One other piece of advice, your integrity is worth it’s weight in gold, I’ll admit there have been times where I’ve messed up but when people know they can trust you, it’s immense.

Below are some photos of the amazing people that have guided me on my journey.

My enameling teacher, Abby Schindler Goldblatt.

These two guys mentored me on silversmithing and jewelry repair. Some of the best in the business in Old town Alexandria, VA.

How cute is my old boss and mentor Ellis Cutrell? He owns the Jewelry Doctor in Greenville, NC

Learn more about how I manifested my dreams of becoming a jeweler and what propelled me to go for it! Click on the link below:

Updated: My New Top 5 Favorite Podcasts

Since I don’t work in a conventional office space or even really have a 9-5 job, I keep myself feeling less alone by listening to podcasts. I love it because it’s a way for me to learn as I work. And lately my new podcasts are super engrossing and informative. They challenge me to grow, think outside of the box and challenge my perception of reality and time…..

So here are my new favorite podcasts:

1. The Melissa Ambrosini Show - If you’re into the metaphysical, meditation, yoga etc AND you love Aussie accents then this show is for you. I love her guests Melissa has and her Motivational Monday series. I just feel better when I listen to her show.

2. Goal Digger Podcast with Jenna Kutcher - She is the ULTIMATE bossbabe. Jenna is so real and authentic and she gives away so much FREE knowledge. She has awesome guests from Melissa Ambrosini (that’s how I discovered her) to other super amazing and talented entrepreneurs.

3. Mind Your Business with James Wedmore - I’ll admit, the sound of James is voice is a bit salesy but he is super grounded and I truly enjoy how he melds the metaphysical with abundance, success and growth in your life and business. I also found him through another podcast of Melissa Ambrosini.

4. Don’t Keep Your Day Job - Cathy Heller will motivate you anytime you listen to her, she is so inspiring, positive and authentic. Cathy’s story of working towards becoming a singer to writing her own songs is a journey that many of us can related to in the sense that, sometimes what we think we’re destined for isn’t exactly our journey. She champions each of us to follow our dreams.

5. Witch Wave - The pagan in me has to get my dose of ethereal and weird. Pam Grossman delves into the everyday lives of pagans, witches and earth practioners. Pam brings it all back to me, melding spiritual with everyday ritual and culture.

   
   If you’re looking for a brief motivational story or background noise, podcasts are a great way to listen and enjoy the ride. I hope you liked my updated podcasts list.

   And you can continue to stay updated on all the things I enjoy listening to while I’m in the studio by subscribing to my email list! Sign up below.

Mom Bossing Update - Balancing My Daughter's Growth and My Own Sanity

It's been awhile since I've updated you on the whole, juggling being a SAHM (stay at home mom) and WFHM (work from home mom).  Both of these roles present challenges yet so much gratification.  And it is ALWAYS a work in progress. 

Tallulah is now 17 months old! Nearly two years old and she is constantly on the loose, she absolutely LOVES being outside and getting dirty.   Thus we have taken to being outside as much as possible, she loves digging in the dirt, pulling up weeds with me and in general being a flower girl.  But all our play outside gets me exhausted - I now understand why having kids when you're younger is sensible.  My nearly 40 year old body gets just a bit more tired than it used to!

My daughter is obsessed with flowers, though this is really sage with it's flowers. 

She loves digging in the dirt, so I have her help me with repotting plants.

What I really want to address though in this post is how I've balanced working from home and caring for my daughter.  I truly had to be transparent with you and my customers on the process of getting orders and custom pieces made because the timeline now is much longer.  There are days, such as today, when I put my daughter down for a nap that I just want to lay around and do NOTHING - but my inner bossbabe brains yells at me to get up off the couch and go work.  Or there are nights when I just want to watch the Real Housewives series when I know I should be on my laptop marketing or working in my studio. 

So what ends up happening? A little bit of both.  Some mornings I will race around, handling all the household chores and then scramble to post a photo on social media then sit down and drink my coffee.  Then we go for a long walk around our neighborhood and I'll listen to podcasts while Tallulah points at the trees or birds.  We stop at the playground and she runs around and climbs.  By the time we get home she is ready for her nap and I'm tired from our walk.  That's when I have to ask myself, what needs to get done in my business today.  More importantly, what is the most pressing thing I need to do?  It can be a mix of everything.  I'm trying so hard to pre-emptively work at scheduling all my marketing and social media posts so that I don't have to think about them however this requires setting aside a very large chunk of time to do so.  But where does that time come from???? Dangit if I didn't wish there was a time jar that I could stow away chunks of time!

On the same token I do try to set aside time for self care.  Some nights I'll go up to my meditation room, light sage and maybe do a lil tarot reading or crack open my favorite herbal book and read for an hour.  I've found that this time to myself is critical for my own sanity.  I need time to rest my body and brain.  And not just that I crave time to be inspired, to dream and journal my thoughts. 

At my most recent show, the Durham Patchwork Market in Durham, NC.

I'm fortunate in that I have such a supportive family and husband.  On the weekends my husband will take our daughter to his parents house in the country which gives me time to either work in my studio or do things around the house.  I love that time to zone out and get creative.  I typically get two full days of work in my studio and what I produce in those two days are critical to the rest of the week.  And I'll be real - sometimes I set lunch appointments, massage or just a shopping trip on my 'days off'.  Once I got a massage and it was AMAZING! I felt revived!

You may be wondering, why doesn't she just hire a nanny or babysitter.  when it comes down to it - we probably could afford some part time help but we're both so worried about saving money and paying our bills that we don't want to spend it on a nanny when I could watch her.  This is the conundrum I often think about, that what if I did hire someone and worked those extra hours to produce more one of a kind pieces or work on the business side of things?  I'm hoping that I'll soon be in that space to do so but not just yet. 

Thus I continue to juggle a million things at once and hope that somehow our lives will go smoothly - HAHA! wishful thinking but in the end, I do feel so incredibly blessed to spend these critical months with my daughter. 

thank you so much for reading, following and supporting my small business, it means putting food on our table and that is immense!

Embracing Your Shadow Self

I have a confession, I just learned what this meaning was recently, the shadow self.  And this discovery of the word makes complete sense.  Not only do I feel that it is extremely beneficial for our well being to address the shadow self and work with it but also to accept it as an asset.  Think about it as the Star Wars saga - you see a hero that works with his inner teacher but faces the darkness.  It's the yin and yang of who we are. 

I'll be the first to admit that there is a secret side to myself that can be conceited and self rightous. WE all have an inner struggle with what we know can be mean, ugly, jealous, and so forth however our good angel, the one that knows and understands what is morally good. 
"Carl Jung stated the shadow to be the unknown dark side of the personality. According to Jung, the shadow, in being instinctive and irrational, is prone to psychological projection, in which a perceived personal inferiority is recognized as a perceived moral deficiency in someone else."

Being  my sassy self. 

So what can we do to work with our shadow self and harness that side of us that is nasty and dark? Turn it into something tangible like art or change that energy and thought.  I tell people all the time that the jewelry I create, the aggressive talons, the large and possessed pieces reflect the badass part of me - the side of me that is unhindered. 

I once read the performer and singer, Marilyn Manson say that his music channeled his aggression and violent thoughts however it didn't mean he went out and tried to do any violence to others.  And I felt that it resonates so much with why it is so important to release certain energies and thoughts into good action. 

thus - make art, dig in the dirt, go for a thrill seeking bike ride through your neighborhood, go to a ropes course with a friend, do some yoga, meditate, climb a tree, go swimming in the ocean - physical movement or activity stimulates some of the same chemicals in our brains as those found in certain drugs. 

I hope this gave you some insight and thoughts about the shadow self and learning from all the aspects of yourself.  The good and the bad.

Tap Into Your Third Eye With Your Jewelry

This is a super brief yet easy reminder that we can always tap into your inner teacher and third eye to guide us to more clear and conscious living. 

Tonight is the pink full moon in Sagittarius.  We can use this time look deep inside ourselves and ask, what is calling to us? So take a lil time out, even five minutes to be still and quiet and use your jewelry as a source of focus. 

thanks as always for reading and stopping by.  And click on the link below that takes you to my One of a kind jewels that will aid you in your meditation and journey to your inner teacher.

My Journey and Self Discovery

One of my most treasured self care rituals is taking a bath and this evening as I lay there in warm soothing water (my element as a Pisces) I thought of what to post here on my blog; and it came to me - sharing my journey and path to jewelry and love of gems, tarot and the Occult.

I will not shy away from saying or writing that word - THE OCCULT - because in my mind it isn't bad or riddled with horrible things but of magic.

Shot from the Valkyrie collection.  The cup represents water and the cauldron.

When I was in my early twenties I was at my lowest in self confidence and direction.  I was lost; and of course I got into trouble.  I went through so much inner pain and anguish and filled the deep void within myself with material objects.  And as with many individuals whom get lost, I found faith.  First through Christianity but eventually I became fascinated with the old gods, with their tales and myths.  Mind you, I've loved storytelling since I was a child in middle school.  Their tales gave me hope and renewal.

Enamel brooch, 2011. 

Fast forward roughly ten years, I still had some emptiness inside but I learned to channel my fear and doubts with keeping my hands busy.  A thought formed in my mind of melding my two loves - faith and adornment.  Ritual adornment has fascinated me since I was a girl attending the traditional catholic church and prayers.  I loved using the ritual beads and iconography.

Thus I continued my passion for making jewelry and became fixed on turning it into a career.  As humans, our nature is to create culture - to embody the Gods by also making and forming with our hands and mind.  And I'm most happy and fulfilled when I'm being creative and not just in the studio but in my garden, my kitchen and with spirituality. 

When I moved to eastern North Carolina I was thirty years old, at a precipice of venturing into the wonderful world of jewelry and metalsmithing.  I'd found my calling and it felt liberating to embrace it and take the leap.  It changed my life moving to North Carolina, and it's not so much the place but the people I met that challenged me.  

***peep my brief interview below going into more detail of my process.

So my tale has come here, to a happy and growing place of contentment and exploration.  I hope that it gives you hope to leap, and that your net will appear.   Be patient with yourself and give your space to explore and question yourself. 

Thank you as always for reading!

Beauty of the Beast

I don't often participate in exhibitions so when I was invited to submit several pieces for the Greenhill Gallery at the Greenhill Center of the Arts exhibition Beauty of the Beast, I was extremely honored and thrilled to participate!   Below are the details and concept behind the exhibition.

So many amazing and talented artists from North Carolina and abroad. 

What I love most about the concept behind the exhibition is merging art with the wild - because when you truly think about art - nature and the wild is the ultimate creation, the ultimate form of art.  And North Carolina has such a rich history of both art and appreciation for wildlife.  I truly became in touch with animals and my own inner strength because of them when I moved to Eastern North Carolina.  I hope that the exhibition brings attention to preserving our parks, rivers, streams and oceans.   Now more than ever we need to be aware and also be active in our wild environments.   If you live in Greensboro, I hope you can attend the exhibition and events the amazing staff at the Greenhill Center of NC Arts have organized.

The Bast One of Kind necklace will be on display along with other signature EJ pieces. 

How I've Juggled Being a Momboss

It's been one year since I became a mom and it's been one fun, overwhelming and gratifying experience.  I've also somehow managed to keep my business going while caring for our baby everyday.  Even though one year is very little time, I thought I'd share with you what I've learned and how I continue to juggle two of my biggest roles. 

First off, it wasn't as scary or impossible as I thought it'd be.  And somehow my flow of work continued only with minor adjustments.  Nap time is KING! That is when I run around the house and my studio.   Whether it be working on jewelry at the bench, preparing and shipping out orders or handling administrative tasks.  Tuesdays are my full on work days, as my generous inlaws watch Tallulah all day.  My husband also watches her in the early evening and one day on the weekend so I can get more intense pieces finished.   It truly does take a tiny village to raise a tiny human!

My husband and I can't afford childcare and honestly, I feel so grateful that I can stay home and raise my daughter.  Most days it can get quite boring watching Sesame Street on repeat BUT I get to feed her the food that is good for her, take her for walks and generally enjoy raising her. 

My 'office space' in our second kitchen, it's part of the mother in law suite of our 1950's house.

I think the hardest part of working from home AND watching Tallulah is deciphering what to address as the most important and pressing need of that day as well as planning for the future.  I'm just now hitting my groove where I can finish work in my studio but also sit down and plan for the following weeks and months ahead. 

Now if you have any friends or family that are business owners themselves, you know that there are SO many facets to running a small business.  What has really helped me to not feel so overwhelmed is to compartmentalize each task.  For example, scheduling specific days for certain tasks.  Mondays I plan out the week and handle administrative work, Tuesdays are primarily studio days (finishing jewelry or wax work), Wednesdays I may follow up with clients, reach out to boutiques and press, Thursdays are for sketching, planning and working on new or current designs and Fridays are for doing any of the other tasks I didn't do earlier in the week.  Then on a Saturday or Sunday I'll working half or full days in the studio depending on the time of year, holidays are crazy busy so I definitely work on the weekends. 

Tallulah and I on her first birthday.

I will admit though that lately I've come to a place where I'm viewing my business and goals from a new perspective and I'm thinking of changing the overall model of what I produce.  I absolutely love making one of a kind, highly personal pieces versus more production jewelry.  I think this is due to the fact that I can't churn out a ton of work because I also care for our child, which demands the most amount of time.  

I also acknowledge that over the years, my demands as a mother will change and so will my business, so I'm trying to be 'loose' with my schedule and go with the flow.  Which can be SO incredibly hard because at the same time, if I don't stay on my toes and maintain a consistent level of communication and new jewelry for my clients and customers then I won't keep that flow of sales which are essential to our household income. 

She doesn't even have to try and be cute!

The pressures are there, but when I reflect on our life before Tallulah, it seems less bright and I wouldn't change that for the world.  Tallulah has given me a new meaning to life and I'm so grateful for that.

Thank you for following me on this journey and for reading my blog.  You can stay in more touch with me on my newsletter - sign up at the link below!

Growing a Green Thumb

There seem to be these phases of growing into adulthood, other than the usual kids and buying a house.  And I believe one of them is becoming a gardener.  I've always loved flowers and herbs but not enough to truly grow a garden.  And now that we have a very large backyard - I'm very excited to begin cultivating it.

I can only dream that my herb garden would produce this much of a harvest - one day!

Last weekend my husband and I planted a pear and fig tree.  We're still not there yet on the raised beds but we will get there. What I absolutely love about having a garden is being able to go right out my back yard and pluck a cherry tomato for my salad or add rosemary to breads or oils.  There is something precious about cultivating your own food. 

I will say I'm also incredibly lucky that my inlaws are experts at growing a vegetable garden AND they have chickens.  Their eggs are the best! And you know whats also cool about having a garden you actually don't need a large backyard.  You can grow vertical gardens in tight spaces or simply keep small potted plants on your porch - it's what we did before we had an actual yard. 

I hope you enjoy this season with fresh herbs and vegetables - especially if they're from you garden!

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

All commercialism aside, I love celebrating Valentine's Day, y'know why? Cause I'm a lover, I enjoy connecting with people and showing people with gifts and memories how much I love them.  And we've come to a point in culture where we recognize that it doesn't have to be romantic love to celebrate on Vday, it's your bestie, your Aunt or Uncle or your work wife/husband!

So with that said I have a fun and affordable gift guide for you this year.  And I can attest that each of these makers are ones that I support.

I was unable to provide a link in each image so here they are:

Immortal Mountain chocolates

Blue Earth Curio Embroidery

Watercolor moon print