NEW BLOG MONDAY All You Need Is Love!...And Pablo!

On Wednesday of last week, a longtime customer of Giving Tree Jewelry, Jeff Rona, flew to NYC from Los Angeles, with his fiancee Kelly Seal to have lunch with Giving Tree artist Pablo Valencia and yours truly! Now it is entirely debatable whether lunch with the two of us is reason enough to make a cross country trip, but what isn't debatable is that Jeff and Kelly are in love. Giddy but grounded, mutually respecting and adoring, love. And Jeff recently proposed and did so with a special customized "Forever" ring by Pablo Valencia, so this trip east was about planning their wedding rings! (Our fabulous wit and banter was just a bonus!)

Now I knew I liked Jeff the very first time he placed an order with Giving Tree Jewelry, so many years ago. He had shared that he was a composer, and after one listen I knew he was not only a remarkable talent, but in possession of a truly special spirit. When Jeff returned last year to purchase the engagement ring, we immediately forged an easy rapport, and I truly enjoyed every time we got to speak during the planning stages of the ring making. When Jeff sent an email with the bold and capitalized heading "SHE SAID YES!!!!" I felt an instant wave of JOY! knowing that if I liked Jeff so much, this very very smart woman.. well she would have to be wonderful too!

And she is! Kelly Seal is a writer and columnist about... LOVE! Specifically, Kelly explores, explains and when necessary, explodes, the etiquette and awkwardness of 'dating' and looking for love. I love her style, and I love that she obviously knows what she is talking about.. having found Jeff!

For the constantly radiating, committed, heart-huge glorious being/artist/man that is PABLO VALENCIA, I sometimes feel I am running out of words to describe my respect and confidence in him. However, just as I know I will find more words in our months and years of our working together to come (YIPPEE!) So did I know that Pablo was absolutely the PERFECT person to create these rings for Jeff and Kelly. And I was right. Pablo has the vision and the skill (and the soul) to now be creating the totally customized, unlike anything you have ever seen, wedding rings for this Giving Tree couple!

I for one can't wait to see the finished product, and of course to share it with you! For this moment though, at about 7 am on 'New Blog Monday', I already have a feeling of being totally realized and happiness sated today, because I get to think about a wonderful NYC lunch with three people that move and inspire me with their art...and their hearts.

Thank you Jeff! Thank you Kelly! Thank you Pablo!

This is turning out to not only be a SUMMER OF YES! here at Giving Tree Jewelry, but also a SUMMER OF LOVE!

I can't imagine better company to toast to the love of yes, and the yes of love!!!

Happy Late August Everyone..keep saying YES!

Rachel, August 2010 NYC

***Click on Jeff and Kelly's links to read and hear their art!