Blogs

Hi Everyone,

I know that it's February already (hard to believe!), but I want to wish you all a New Year full of happiness, health, and discovery.  We really enjoyed the holidays and spending some time with family and friends really reminded me of how blessed we are and how truly precious time is.  We actually had all of our children and our granddaughter Clare here together which is hard because of scheduling, extended family, etc., and Christmas Day was Clare’s 3rd birthday, so I could not have asked for a more perfect day!  Especially as we get older, we realize that these days and moments are what mean the most.  We also lost some friends this year who were very dear to us and I will treasure the special times that we spent with them until we meet again.

As has happened in the past, I was not completely surprised to realize that my work seems to mirror my experiences, something that happens organically and I smiled when I realized that my new watch, the Goddess Quan Yin, and several of the other pieces I’ll be showing you on Sunday (1 - 3pm EST and 6 - 8pm EST) relate to the experiences and feelings which impacted me most this past year.  I’m very excited about this weekend's Designer Event and finally being able to share some of the really exciting things that I’ve worked so hard and so long on to bring to life.

I’m thrilled that after so many years of your requests I was finally able to create a watch that I think really represents my work and vision and I hope you agree that it was worth the wait!  So many of you have shown that you share my love of the skull pieces and their symbolism that I thought this would be both a fun and meaningful motif to bring to the piece.  As the skull represents the mind and the seat of the soul, I felt that a watch which obviously marks time was a very interesting combination – reminding us that our time in the material world is precious.  On a lighter note:  beyond being whimsical, the watches are really beautifully crafted, detailed pieces that work perfectly with my collections or any other fine jewelry.  I’ve created three different stone combinations each inspired both by the beautiful color combinations and also by the particular energies of the stones.

I’ll also be premiering the “skull club” charms - named so because many of our close friends (many of them musicians) own and wear my skull pieces.  I’ve started with three beautiful color choices (I’m already envisioning additional colors!) and I’ve become obsessed with the endless ways you can wear them, bringing them from anything from a stand-alone mini pendant to an accent piece.

We just returned from vacation and I don’t like bringing too many pieces with me when I travel.  Some of the ways I wore these was with the Laos chain bracelet next to the watch, with the dagger charm on both the neck and the wrist, and my favorite:  at the back of the neck from a circle closure choosing a color that coordinated with whatever enhancer I wore in front and with my hair up.  As you know, I love beautiful details and this is where you can bring your own creativity and personality to my designs.  I’ve been so impressed and excited to see that so many of you have done just that over the years, truly making the pieces your own!

Another suite for the day that I’m very eager to share is the new Quan Yin series which I have already designed several other pieces for.  I’ve always loved this Goddess who is revered in several cultures as the Goddess of Compassion, but when I delved deeper into the symbolism I was fascinated by how much lore and legend there was surrounding her and realized that although she is certainly a symbol of compassion, this is very under stated and does not do justice to the history and attributes of this deity.  Her name is taken from the term “karuna,” which is really the basis of Buddism and which describes a cry of sorrow and empathy that can only come from a pure feeling of oneness with mankind.

True freedom and leaps of faith were an important part of my life and decision-making this year and I think you will love both the On Angel’s Wings series and the “Leap of Faith” grasshopper ring.  The enhancer has become my good luck talisman and for the ring, I’ve added my signature vine and leaf motif to signify growth and beautifully enameled butterflies - representing harmony, freedom, and the immortality of the soul.  This graceful creature seems to have become the “Bixby” mascot!

I don’t want to give all the surprises away!  We are also bringing back some of my favorite pieces that so many of you have requested and I am always very excited when I know you can finally receive a piece you were disappointed about missing out on.

I want to thank all of you for your constant enthusiasm, support, and kind words about my designs.  Hearing that my pieces bring you joy or peace and have some real meaning for you is a true gift for which I am incredibly grateful.

“See" you on Sunday!!

- Barbara