It's Too Darn Hot...

not to stay cool!

I think it's finally here. The 'dog days' of summer. Or maybe I'm just using that as an excuse to get to post this excellent picture of my main man 'beazie'. in my new hat! (fedora, all the rage, so says the sunday nytimes style section- Judith's bible)
Beazie definitely knows how to stay cool. The rest of us are trying! The best part of the summer has been the on'line customers that have come to visit! We love putting faces to names and love getting to know you!
Personally, I realized my dream of making t-shirts this last month. For me, 'dressed up' is, more often than not, is a pair of heels, dress pants, a nice blazer or jacket..and a tshirt! So it was only natural that I eventually would find a way to create my own! There are two styles, the nature series, and the art series, all up on the site now!


In other news, I'm busy working on another dream.. becoming a d.j! My dear friend Pete Blanco, (the 'hero' I speak of a few blogs back) took some photos for me recently. Now if only I knew what I was doing, I would be all set!
Speaking of Pete, and friends with talent that never ceases to amaze and inspire me.. I wanted to mention a few and include links to their websites. Each and every one of them started as a 'customer' and now, both Judith and myself consider them to be close friends.
Please, if you are ever in need of any of the products or services they offer, (or in the case of the amazing Ellen- just need an awesome 'read' to put everything in perspective) consider visiting their sites first! I couldn't recommend them more highly!
And, if you have a business or blog you want to share with me.. please do!
In these nutty economic times, we have to, HAVE TO remember what matters most. Just this morning, with cup of coffee number one, I came across this quote by the inimitable Oscar Wilde: "Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you."*
*(often, they are the intangible things we give each other) I added that.. ok! On to the wonderful websites!
New! Giving Tree Tees!
Giving Tree Jewelry (of course! )
The Nest Massage-Sublime!
Pete Blanco's Amazing Photography Site
Deluxe Screen Printing-Made My Dream Come True!
ThinkPod Design-Best Printers Ever!
Murray Meador-The Ultimate Guru Of Good Taste
Psychic Christina-My Go To Girl!
Crumby Love-Amazing Cakes
Shelly The Great Entrepeneur
Ellen Osborne's Beautiful Words
The Famous Group-They Did Our Site!
World Famous Audio Hacker-Inspiration
The Fabulous Files by Jennifer Chan

"It Takes A Village"-Another 'Gratitude' Blog

It's true. I am overflowing with gratitude again, and standing (ok, lying on the couch) in awe over how blessed I am, and how, as the title suggests, "it takes a village"...to run Givingtreejewelry.com! I could not end this day without taking a moment to thank the people that have been around this last month. NOT an easy month, to say the least! Losing a long time manager/web designer, I have had to take over the daily running of the site, and at the same time, try to do the 'new' things that will help the business survive these incredibly strained times. These folks (and lots of others) have literally kept me going! Please read on and celebrate them with me!
Laura-Steadfast and true, Giving Tree sales manager and great friend, Laura, has arrived daily with a wonderful attitude and amazing energy. She powers through each days challenges, not the least of which is dealing with..ME!. (Case in point... and I quote: "Laura..Laura?? Have you seen the 18k bezel set diamond earrings by Melissa Joy Manning? I JUST had them a second ago.. Laura.. Laura!" "Did you check the trash?" "Whoops"

Liza- Next week, I will be launching the line of 'Giving Tree Tees' I have been working on for months. My dear, life long friend in L.A.- Liza, is screen printing them for me. And she has offered so much support, encouragement, and advice! And she has been incredibly gentle with me during the learning curve. Essentially, these are a labor of love. I will need to sell 75 shirts before I break even. I think I got a little carried away. Again. "Whoops"

Maggie-My amazing partner who has been absolutely incredible for the last 8 weeks, even when almost every 'date' night consisted of Maggie watching me struggle with the website. Not once has she been anything but loving, patient, and kind. I feel so lucky to get to spend my life with just this type of person!

Pete- My friend who stepped up, and in, to help me with the photography of the site, as well as just being an all around inspiration and example of absolute goodness. He and his beautiful wife Kara have officially won the battle to adopt their two foster kids, and I am working with Me & Ro to create a piece for them to give as gifts to the Social Workers, etc, who helped them. THIS is the kind of 'work' that makes my heart explode with joy!

Meg-An absolute gift to me, and Giving Tree. Our new designer, who (there is a theme here) puts up with me ALL day long, and has worked tirelessly to make my givingtreejewelry.com site dreams come true!

Michael- Giving Tree's original designer, from L.A. who has moved on from teeny companies like ours, to companies like Gatorade, Barbie, and Cisco. And yet he STILL lets me call him all the time and ask him how to do things!

Friends, like Suzanne and Keilana and Tina and Meg, that love me, despite my obsessive workaholic tendencies!

Artists (and friends) like Pablo Valencia that has been an ANGEL to Giving Tree. His answer, always, unequivocably ,is "yes!" I love you Pablo! thank you!

Customers, like Carol, Patrick, Karla, Caroline, Laura,Deb, and Mariya! who have kept me smiling all month by just being SO good and alive and wonderful, and who share their lives with me. Thank you!

Customers that come visit me at the gallery, and add to my life forever! Mr. Meador, in particular, who is supporting my 'other' dream of becoming a d.j., by sending me oodles of music, and support, via the wonders of the internet.
Check this out!
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/146432/02%20Crazy%20In%20Love.m4a
(don't worry Maggie, I won't spin this! I promise! (Sort of)
and finally,

my MOM! Not only did she create this place, and make it what it is, but every day, she fills me with love and joy, and something to laugh about. And all before 9 am!
I am MOST blessed to have this time, and share THIS beautiful, incredible, dream come true- with her.

Love To All!
Rachel

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!