Fall Cleanse with Krissy Leigh Ruddy

Today I'd like to feature the lovely Krissy Ruddy. She is a friend and customer and fellow Burlingtonian and a lovely goddess woman who is a certified holistic health coach and yoga teacher. I've been following her on Facebook and Instagram and today she is starting a 5 day kitchari cleanse and I'm inspired (along with others) to join her. 

I've never done a cleanse before but I did first read about kitchari on Krissy's blog a year ago and since then I've made this dish for dinner several times. It's so delicious and so perfect for this time of year. 

(This photo is from Krissy's site, I'm always so impressed with her food photos and videos - so beautiful.) Kitchari is a traditional Ayurvedic dish that's known for its ability to detox the body and balance all three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha. The goal is to cleanse the body in a gentle manner, kitchari provides ample nutrients while pushing the junk out of your body. It's made with mung beans, basmati rice, seasonal vegetables, ghee, and spices. Mung beans are known for their ability to remove toxins from the body and they are a great source of protein. The key is to use seasonal ingredients of what's available locally because Ayurveda is linked to the natural transition of the seasons. Last week I listened to Krissy's webinar, she is so knowledgeable and her manner is very honest, warm, funny and real. I truly enjoyed listening while I finished up a bunch of jewelry. I'm a bit nervous but excited to try this little adventure with the support of Krissy and others. If you're interested, grab the ingredients and try it too! 

Top 10 Signs you live with a Jewelry Artist

Tacoma and Seattle

Got home late last night from visiting my bro in Tacoma. We spent the weekend exploring Port Defiance and Nisqually wildlife refuge and had amazing warm sunny days. We spent Monday in Seattle, of course I loved Pike's Market and we had fun checking out the Space Needle and the Fremont troll. Really enjoyed getting to use my camera to get far away shots of birds and other animals. Met with some boutiques for future orders and visited my favorite bead store. All in all a fabulous trip, just a bit tired now and scrambling to catch up, had 7 Etsy sales while we were away and one Etsy wholesale order! I'm also making work for the Artist Market on Saturday. So glad to come home to lovely weather and the beauty of fall!

Seagull eating a starfish!

Can you believe this photo! I didn't see what he was eating till I zoomed in on the photo.

Gorgeous bouquet from Pike's Market. Love the flowers everywhere.

So good! Had the smoked salmon piroshky and some amazing apple desert.

Visits always go by too fast!

IN with the old and IN with the new!

I love fashion. Strike that… I love sustainable fashion.

Getting more involved in the wholesale scene has gotten me more aware of the fashion world. Things happen so far in advance! It’s so strange to go from my market life, where every week I would re-make similar pieces to the ones that sold the previous week, to wholesale where stores order a season ahead. In this fast paced, ahead of things world, keeping up with the seasons means that there should be exciting new designs and a shedding of the old designs. I love making new work but I couldn’t and wouldn’t want to get rid of the old… 

I’m a fan of sustainability, of making work that’s timeless. We’re riding a merry go round of extremes, of trends of new and used and discarded. It’s such a disposable era, nothing’s made to last. I think, if something is good, if something is successful, it should remain.

I’m all for creativity and keeping things fresh but I’ve been cultivating my line for a decade. All of my customers, through the Artist Market and my Etsy shop have helped inform it, refine it. I guess it’s just different with handmade. I love when I hear that my earrings are a staple, a go to, a favorite, everyday pair. I like that they get worn and worn and become part of your story, take on your travels, your memories. 

I just want to make work that’s simple but eye catching… a little edgy but rooted in comfort, wearability, and there’s no time limit on these things. The beauty of taking the "ancient" and mixing it with the "modern" is that it can live in the NOW. There doesn’t need to be an “in” and an “out”, how about a solid ALWAYS!
Make new work but keep the old, one is silver and the other is gold. Just some thoughts while traversing this new path...

 Meanwhile I'm getting work ready to present to a new shop. I love how every fall copper earrings look fab with the surrounding colors!

This little Pendleton jewelry case is great, super compact and stylish. I stapled my earring cards to a few foam board sheets for extra display space.

It all fits and stays safe while being lightweight and looking professional. 

Happy Fall Y'all!

New Work!

Working on a few new simple and sexy designs... Just added all of these to my Etsy shop. Been busy with store orders and getting ready for the Artist Market on Saturday. Already figuring out my holiday show and production schedule - crazy! 

Adding a little verdigris to the Sweet Lady Earrings!

These giant rectangle earrings are my new favorite to wear.

And if I'm not wearing those I'm wearing my new HUGE forged sterling hoops.

Making the hoops got me to make a big riveted circle pendant.

Special request - gold and sterling ladder necklace. So excited to have a request for this, been wanting to make one. The gold and black look so great together.

New Riveted Blade Pendant

New Riveted Arrow Pendant