After sooo much anticipation, spring is finally here and I can’t get enough! I’m basking in the sunshine, dusting off my dresses, and trying to get some color on these blindingly pale legs of mine.
One consequence of warmer weather is that my rings have started fitting tighter than they did a few months ago.
Did you know that things like temperature and what you’ve eaten that day can affect how rings will fit? And if you’re adding to your collection, knowing this can help you shop for the right size.
Brass Jewelry and that "Green Shadow"
Jewelry CareCommentI love brass with its deep golden color and its hefty, solid weight. If you prefer wearing gold tones to silver ones (🙋🏻♀️), brass lets you indulge in fun, statement-making jewelry without mortgaging your house (unless you’re Elizabeth Taylor, of course).
But every metal has its dark side — sterling silver tarnishes crazy fast, high karat golds get more red in tone in a way I don’t love, and wearing brass can leave a “green shadow” on your skin.
Tucson Gem Show Adventures
Gems and Minerals, Inspiration, TravelCommentI just got back from a trip that felt like a jeweler’s pilgrimage, a visit to the annual Tucson Gem Show for stone hunting.
This show is actually made up of hundreds (and I do mean hundreds) of smaller shows happening all over Tucson starting at the end of January, and lots of jewelers will do a majority of their stone shopping for the entire year there. Gem and mineral vendors from all over the world bring their entire supplies of stones, and it can be the one of the few chances a jeweler has to find really unique and rare treasures.
My 2023 Mantra
On a Personal Note, In the StudioComment
I’ve come to really love picking a mantra for the New Year instead of setting resolutions. Resolutions are easily forgotten within a month or two, only to be replaced with guilt for having neglected them so soon. A mantra feels more like a nudge, a gentle reminder that hey, here’s a thing that’s important to you — is there something you can do in this moment, even if it’s tiny, that’ll help you get closer to it?
And after taking a look back at all of 2022, especially the last few months (they tend to be craziest for retailers/people selling their wares), it quickly became clear what my mantra for 2023 should be:
Have more fun.
Overly simplistic-sounding and hugely vague? Yes, but it’s kind of perfect for me.
I have to admit that I stole this phrase from my husband, Zach. When he originally said those words, they instantly resonated deep down in my soul. Like, faster-than-the-speed-of-light instantly. And the phrase works on so many levels, both in my life and in my business.
Some context: At the end of the year, particularly November and December, I put waaaaaay too much on my schedule, treating it more like a wish list that I felt guilt about not finishing vs. an achievable hit-list. If I fell behind even a little bit I’d get cranky, and I started filling my personal free time with “just one more business thing, I swear!,” and then I’d be boring and tense and snippy. But when I made time for the most important things (like being in my studio or helping out around the house because we’re doing renovations) and “neglected” the things that I thought were important but maybe weren’t, actually (I’m looking at you, all of social media), my mental balance was better. Because I wasn’t as time crunched, I could dive more enthusiastically into the things I chose to do and I was just more fun to be around.
So “Have more fun” is my reminder for the year that I suck when I’m stressed, I’m tired of being stressed all the time, and I need to add more fun things into my life so that I can feel more enjoyment and less angst. In my business I have the most fun when I’m making things and coming up with new designs, not wasting hours creating #content or hunting for the exact right tablecloth that will “immediately convey my brand values.” The time I save by not doing things means more time doing actually fun/productive things, like exploring the creative process more (and leads to some of my favorite pieces, like the Thea Necklace and the Asp Hoops). And in my life, fun is putting more activities on my calendar that I will not reschedule in order to get that Instagram post up, and dabbling in new hobbies (helloooooo, embroidery!).
I’m ready for you, 2023 — let’s do this.
It's Not the Holidays Without Coquito
On a Personal Note, CultureComment
Image via Goya, whose ingredients you’ll mostly be using for this tasty drink.
As a Puerto Rican, it doesn’t feel like the holidays if I’m not snacking on turrón (a slab of almonds with a hard nougat holding it all together), having perníl (slow-roasted pork shoulder rubbed in seasoning) for Christmas Eve dinner, and drinking as many bottles of coquito (a sweet, creamy drink comparable to eggnog) as I dare.
Every Puerto Rican has their own recipe for coquito and will swear that every other recipe is incorrect/ridiculous. I’ve seen recipes that call for eggs (what?!) or orange liqueur (absolutely not), but why mess with my mom’s version when it’s better than the rest and sooo much easier to make?
Try your hand at her version below (with a few notes, specifically about measurements because she’s notoriously vague about amounts):
Susie’s Coquito
Ingredients
1 12oz. can of evaporated milk
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 15 oz. can of cream of coconut (Coco Lopez is her brand of choice)
A splash of vanilla extract (or 1/2 tsp, to be more exact)
White Bacardi to taste (anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup)
Directions
Mix all the ingredients in a blender, starting with 1/2 cup rum. If you don’t feel 🥴 tipsy keep adding rum.
Store in a glass bottle in the fridge and shake before serving.
Notes
My mom balked at any deviations from this recipe, though other people will add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a cinnamon stick. You’re welcome to try any of these, just don’t tell Susie cuz she doesn’t want to hear it.
Also, feel free to skip the rum if that’s not your thing. Coquito tastes delicious on its own, too.