Tomorrow is the Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival - the year of the Rat! Not very picturesque, is it? Rats are depicted as quick witted and clever so it's not all a bad thing! 

Those moon phase silver earrings are available on my online store - you can click here to check them out - they come in a couple of different sizes! 

Oh, and Happy Lunar New Year to you!

Like all businesses, January is a time for many things: reflecting on the past year, considering things I might do differently or better in the new year, making plans for new jewelry collections and, last but not least, inventory.

Not my favorite thing to do but it is necessary and I do get a sense of satisfaction in knowing what I have & what I don't have! It keeps me from having to dig in boxes and bins at shows looking for that special piece of Laura Teague Jewelry for you - with an accurate inventory, I know right away if I have something or if I need to make it for you.

With sincere appreciation for a happy and successful 2017, I am looking forward with anticipation to 2018. Let's move forward together and see what can happen! So many new things coming our way.

I love that quote by Anne Lamotte and I think it's true. Do you have times were you just feel too tired to keep going and yet you do? Yeah, me, too. Why we do that? Why not take a break now & then? We are no good to ourselves or anyone else when we are exhausted. 

As you know, I am working my way up my New Year's Hopes/Wishes. I am now at number 3, which is 'it's ok to rest". If you want to read the whole post, you can go here to read it now. That post was about what we choose to focus on.

I am going to start scheduling free time in my day; otherwise, I will fill every waking moment with work. The thing is, I love my work - I love making jewelry and I love connecting with people about the jewelry. That makes it a little harder to take breaks but I am determined to find some balance in my life. 

Now that the Better Tomorrow Collection is complete, it's easier to schedule a little down time.  For awhile there, I was designing, making, marketing, etc. and it seemed to just go on & on. 

I am taking Friday afternoons off and I will be a better person for it!  How about you? How can you find time to slow down a little bit? I could love to hear your thoughts!

You might recognize the title of this blog from my New Year's Day post. It was all about what I (and maybe you, too) hope for in the new year. If you want to read that post, you can go here to read it.

What is it they say? Laughter is the best medicine? (On a side note, who is "they"? I always wondered that....)

There is nothing like a good laugh to lighten your mood and move you from "oh, not yet" to "here I come, world!" We feel that we have to be so serious about our work, our relationships and our lives. Consider taking a break from that seriousness for a little while - treat it like a mini vacation!

You may ask, "how does this relate to handmade jewelry?" That is a good question. While my jewelry is generally not "laugh out loud" funny, I do have some pieces that might make you smile - and that is sometimes enough. 

Be well.
​Laura

I know that you remember my blog post this past January. I didn't do New Year's Resolutions but instead chose to focus on specific hopes for all of us for 2017. I used this beautiful quote as my inspiration: 

You will probably also remember that I am making my way UP the list.
​
Bottom of the list was: Do something nice for someone else. I am firming up plans and designs for my agreement with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which will benefit this wonderful organization. 

Next up was: Move More. I shared with you my plans to relearn how to ride a bike in order to get more exercise.

Which leads me to the next item on the list: Eat Well. I am diving into that topic now by researching the best foods to eat for better long time health. I was surprised at some of what I found. This information is from the AARP, if you wondered.

1. So, it turns out that eating more daisy fat is good for us. Who knew, right? We have all be conditioned to buy only skim milk, fat free yogurt & on & on. (I am moving from skim to 2% milk.)

2. Drinking coffee (3-5 8 ounce cups a day) is GOOD for us! Yay - bring on the caffeine~ (I am drinking a couple of cups a day that I'm sure are more than 8 ounces so I think I am good with this one.)

3. Experiencing a "sense of awe", such as viewing the Grand Canyon or even a walk in nature or viewing art, has a direct influence on your heath and life expectancy. (I am vowing to visit more museums, take more outdoor walks and go to a National Park as often as I can! In addition, I do consider my jewelry a form of art so enjoying wearing my own jewelry is a way find more pleasure in life.)

What do you think? Are you surprised by any of these suggestions? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments section.

Until next time! 

Laura

Here we are - 2017.  I barely got used to writing 2016 and the year is gone. 2016 was a fast year, wasn't it?

At this time of the year, I always spend some time thinking about the year just over and the one coming up. Although it is tempting to write "resolutions" for the new year, I always have a hard time even remembering them a few months (or weeks) into the year, much less accomplishing them!

That said, I have decided to write my "hopes" for the new year. 

I hope we both can:

1.  recognize and focus on the moments in our everyday lives that bring us joy or contentment

2. choose to focus on the things that matter to us, whatever they may be
​
3. know that it's ok to rest

4. laugh more

5. eat well

6. move more

and finally,

7. I hope we can focus on doing something nice for someone else.

If it's true that my focus becomes my reality, I hope I can focus on the beauty and kindness all around me and you are part of that.

​What will you focus on this year? Let me know in the comments - I would love have you join the conversation!

(It's a brand new year - it seems I had just gotten used to saying and writing 2015 when 2016 open it's doors to us.  I new year always brings a great opportunity to celebrate the old and welcome whatever is new in our lives.

2015 was a great year for me personally and for my business.  I so appreciate everyone who is on this journey with me and especially those who support my business by thinking of me when they have a gift to buy or need something special for themselves - you know who you are!  THANK YOU!! 

This new year, unlike new years in the past, I have so many new jewelry collections in my head that it's hard to sort out what to work on first.  I have finally narrowed it down to a collection coming out this March, called "Little Luxuries", which should give you a very hint to what that collection is all about!  I am well into production on this collection and am very excited about how it is coming together.  

In the fall I will have a collection out that will be perfect for cooler weather and gift buying.  The collection is, as yet, unnamed but I can tell you that it will be a wonderful departure from what Laura Teague Jewelry is known for while, at the same time, maintaining the same contemporary styling with ancient influences and flawless execution.  This collection is still in the development stage - lots more info to come and photos once I go into production.

Finally, in the spring 2017, another new collection is already on the books - very early in development of this collection but it is already beginning to take shape. This, too, may be somewhat of a departure from what you are used to seeing from my studio but I think you will love it.  Hint:  the "theme" of the collection is "living a minimalist life".  

Along with all that, both Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day are right around the corner! A perfect beginning to a new year!  (Did you see those little sterling silver crown earrings with the freshwater pearl?  Aren't those the cutest Mardi Gras earrings ever?)

This year will be what you make it so make it a good one!   Happy New Year!