At the risk of litigation from Disneyland...

(they wouldn't really do anything...would they?) I want to officially declare Giving Tree as the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!! This week, my soul has been so filled up by the people that have come to visit! It is simply amazing, and I just had to share some stories with my dear customers...(You!)
First there was Daia (sp?..sorry!) from upstate New York. We met at a craft show Giving Tree was doing in town. After meeting her two adorable children, I knew they just HAD to come 'explore' our gardens. Well come they did.. and they were prepared!
Here they are with the COMPASS they bought to navigate the grounds! :) And if that wasn't enough to fuel me for the month.. a dapper fellow strolled in on Saturday with his gorgeous wife and her parents. He asked if I was Rachel. Not sure of the context, I wavered a bit before finally copping to it. He told me he was a long time on line customer, and the moment he said his name.. I had to throw my arms around him! Murray Meador is the fellow, and I have enjoyed, FOR YEARS, working with him on gifts for his fiancee (now his wife) and even a Jeanine Payer ring for him! Meeting Murray and Susan in the flesh confirmed it.. my intuition was SPOT ON! They are two of the most glorious people you could ever hope to meet. I feel blessed that they felt the urge to stop in at Giving Tree. Here they are in all their love and radiance!
And today, (Sunday) a dear friend, and old employee of Giving Tree, Dena Haden, arrived with her boyfriend Dan, to do an 'installation' on the property. Both Dena and Dan are professional artists, and are enjoying wonderful careers in Cambridge Ma. Dena wanted to place an installation piece on the property, and today was the day! While Dan photographed, Dena installed her sublime sculpture called 'Us'. I will be sharing more of this glorious work in the near future. And watching the two of them co-mingle in art and love, was truly.. soul enriching. Here they are, setting it up!
Finally, my entire month of July has been made sweeter and sunnier by some dear friends I have made due to my rather shameless GTJ promoting on Facebook. Carol Batchelor McDonald, in Houston Texas, has become a beautiful energy in my world, and I feel so lucky to be considered her friend!
What a gift this place is! Most of all.. to me! Thank you everyone, who add their heart, and their art.. to our 'dream come true'.
With so much love and gratitude. Rachel

Giving Tree Jewelry Friend.. no.. HERO of the day!

This VERY special award goes to Pete Blanco! Allow me to set the scene, and take you behind what "really" goes on here at Giving Tree Jewelry.
All the beautiful pictures you see on our givingtreejewelry.com site have to be taken by someone. For a long time, we had a staff photographer/manager performing this important task. When she moved away, we had to figure something out. I (Rachel) thought (foolishly) "oh! I can do that! How hard can it be?" The answer? Very VERY hard! Wow. One hasn't experienced frustration until they have tried to photograph a silver and stone ring to put on line. Again, Wow.
So, after about 48 straight hours of attempts, I called on my dear friend Pete Blanco to advise. He brought me into his studio, built me a light box, and we spent the next two hours trying to get the shot. After two hours, we had nothing, and I had a box of 30 new pieces to shoot.
Finally, Pete pulled out the 'big guns'. He brought the teeny, tiny, sparkly, shiny, Lilly Barrack ring into his professional studio. He propped it on the stool usually reserved for doing portraits, and pulled out his biggest camera. It was a bit like David and Goliath, the ring being Goliath! Finally, finally, he got the shot! One down, 29 to go!!
Pete is now taking it upon himself to shoot the brand new Lilly Barrack rings and Good Charma pieces.
I am beyond grateful. In fact, I am almost speechless (but not quite). So should he ever read this, I just wanted to say "thank you" to you, Pete- a true friend of Giving Tree Jewelry, and a true friend of mine.
Here are some pics of Pete in action. Giving Tree Jewelry's "Hero of the day"
It takes a big, strong man to shoot a pretty little ring!