NEW BLOG MONDAY! A Celebration of Independence and Inspiration!!

One of my favorite reading rituals of the week is the Sunday New York Times Weddings/Celebrations section. But then again, how could it not be? Stories of love found, love honored, love lasting... in a word, everything I love :)

My favorite weeks are when the section feels well balanced. I am always excited to see at least one gay male couple, at least one lesbian couple and at least one interracial couple. I don't even want to call this progressive because I would rather believe it is simply a reflection of our collective reality, and that soon, these still noticeable anomolies will not stand out at all, but rather blend in, seamlessly, as they should.

This Sunday, July 4th was extra fun because the cover story was about a wedding in Iowa (I was already endeared) between Mitchell Gold and Tim Scofield. Even before I started to read the article, I knew something was familar. Sure enough, the "Mitchell Gold" is the one half of the "Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams" ("whose logo looks like something two lovers would carve in a tree") of the furniture company name and fame. I used to live close by to a store of theirs in Boston. I couldn't afford anything, but would always pass by the windows, stop, and think "oooh pretty!"

The point of all this isn't actually the love story part of the feature. (Especially because I was confused.. one would think "Mitchell and Williams" got married, but they did not. They broke up. Mitchell Gold found the second love of his life, and married him.) The point for me (and I usually always have one, it's just the getting there!) was one line in the article, about the company Mr. Gold co-founded.

"The company makes couches and armchairs that are hip in an everyman way. Its Web site reads like a friendly blog, with the two founders writing about the importance of giving back to their communities, staying curious and avoiding mean people."

It was THIS line that caught my attention. and after smiling through the rest of the article (now all about the love) I went to check out the site:

Please, if you have time, check out the ABOUT US ON MITCHELL GOLD + BOB WILLIAMS SITE!

Personally, I only made it about half way through the "Who We Are" before I got teary. And then, moving onto the other sections, especially the GOLD FAMILY ALBUM
I understood that these were to be tears of JOY and INSPIRATION.

On our journey's in life, it is always a blessing, I think, to find something that speaks to you and inspires you to go, and grow, and work harder. That is what this website did for me this early Monday morning.

Every once in a while someone will ask me what connection some of the things we do here at Giving Tree Jewelry has to with...well, selling jewelry. Why so many charity endeavors? Why these (tiny) revolutions, and the SEEDS section, and a book about "How To Avoid Being Sad" and c.d's and WHY pictures of a silly red bicycle outside random sites around NYC?

Now, this morning, because of this website, arriving into my consciousness via one of my favorite things- I know the answer (I sort of always did)
Because this is the kind of company Giving Tree Jewelry wants to be! It may not be traditional, or familar, or even always make a lot of sense- but it's heartfelt, and earnest, and true, and endeavoring to do so much more than just sell jewelry. Giving Tree Jewelry wants to bring its friends and customers that support us, some JOY, some HOPE, and some INSPIRATION. And now, after seeing another site doing the same (and doing it SO MUCH BIGGER!) the one thing I can promise you for sure... Not only are we not going to stop, Giving Tree Jewelry is only going to GROW!

So THANK YOU MITCHELL GOLD & BOB WILLIAMS (And congratulations Mitchell and Tim!)

THANK YOU faithful readers of this blog, and our FACEBOOK friends, and our customers and visitors. THANK YOU! We do this, only, ever, with your support and love.



*And Laura and Courtney, don't worry! I'm studying the scholarship programs on this site. By the time Ellen is going off to college, and Courtney and Dans someday kids are ready to go.. the Giving Tree scholarship fund WILL exist! Mark my words :)

And now, since we know it doesn't need a specific 'purpose'- Check out the growing album of Ramblin' Red in NYC. All photo destination spots suggested by YOU!

*Become a fan on FACEBOOK and see all our albums!
I hope everyone feels as much independence and inspiration as I do right now.
Love,
Rachel July 5 2010, Cape Cod Ma