We are taking the month of May to celebrate Mothers!

Shibumi is dedicating the month of May to honoring mothers who had to go above and beyond during these past 15 months.

I have asked a few fathers to share a photo and some words about the mother of their children. I’ll also share a few of the things I remember about their visits to Shibumi.

With warmest wishes to all you amazing, beautiful and dynamic Mamas out there! We know how hard you work to make your kids thrive!

Meet Janae

"Janae has gone over and above during the pandemic by being an even more amazing master of family choreography. We’ve been dancing with child care for our three-year-old and toggling between on campus learning and zoom for our five-year-old, plus running two self-employed businesses out of our home. It’s been quite a juggling act and she has been a rockstar!

What I appreciate most about my wife is watching her unfold as she matures into the woman that she is. She’s expanding in her field, helping people connect with their best selves and a teacher of healing arts. I also appreciate the way she inspires me and the kids to be the best we can be.”

I met Janae and Aaron when they came to purchase their wedding rings. I often first meet clients this way. Then at some point they return with cute children in tow and l learn about their kids, their lives and the craziness the kids have added to their lives. I know that story well. And I appreciate that men like Aaron understand how much their partners do for their kids and their families and often as Janae does, fitting it all in between work or running a business.

Aaron is a talented landscape and garden designer who has helped me at my property. One day I was sharing a story about men bullying women and Aaron said, "That kind of stuff would not fly in my household with Janae and actually I'm really proud that Janae would never stand for that.” Some men today really empower their partners and that gives me hope when seeing these mother's raising kids with men like this with as role models.

What I love about the photos Aaron submitted is that they are real. They are the photos of what motherhood actually looks like. We are just trying to pull ourselves together, especially in the early days of raising little ones, hopefully putting on some jewelry to make ourselves feel good and then going about our crazy day.

We salute you mamas and all the fathers that support them!

Meet Laci

May 25, 2021ArticlesApril HigashiComment

We are taking the month of May to celebrate Mothers!

Shibumi is dedicating the month of May to honoring mothers who had to go above and beyond during these past 15 months.

I have asked a few fathers to share a photo and some words about the mother of their children. I’ll also share a few of the things I remember about their visits to Shibumi.

With warmest wishes to all you amazing, beautiful and dynamic Mamas out there! We know how hard you work to make your kids thrive!

Meet Laci

"Just as so many Mothers have over the last year, Laci without hesitation put her professional and personal life completely on hold for the health and wellbeing of our family. Laci paused her thriving culinary practice to focus on our family’s health, to become a part time kindergarten teacher, full time preschool instructor, and the force that keeps it all moving peacefully together. Her innate ability to move into action and drive us through an extremely tough year continues to inspire me.

I have a long list of things I appreciate about Laci, but what I'm most grateful for is the extreme love, attention, and care she provides to our two boys. The smallest details of their childhood are considered so deeply by Laci. My sons and I may be a little biased, but we can’t see how it could be done any better."

I have had the pleasure of working with Laci and Travis for many years. I not only made the rings for their wedding but I also made the gifts for their wedding party. These days I see Travis most often because he is a prompt and timely gift-giver. Besides him being a glass artist and having a creative eye, Laci has sung praises for him as both a husband and father to me many times.

This holiday season their gift selections for each other left me both touched and secretly delighted. Laci contacted me because she wanted to surprise Travis with something special at Christmas. At first she thought of a second ring, but she ended up deciding on a cuff. We designed the cuff with two small grey diamonds representing their two boys and one bright white diamond on the inside representing Laci. It was beautifully symbolic in a very subtle way.

Later that month, Travis came to Shibumi wanting to purchase something special for Laci for Christmas. He mentioned how tirelessly she cared for their kids during the pandemic and how hard he knew it was. Travis ended up selecting a diamond slice bracelet/cuff for Laci.

After Travis left I laughed knowing that unbeknownst to one another, they were both going to be giving each other diamond cuffs for Christmas. I am honored that I got to witness this special bond between Laci and Travis and hold their special secret until Christmas day arrived.

May is for Mothers 🌸 // Meet Yoojin

May 25, 2021ArticlesApril HigashiComment

We are taking the month of May to celebrate Mothers!

Shibumi is dedicating the month of May to honoring mothers who had to go above and beyond during these past 15 months.

I have asked a few fathers to share a photo and some words about the mother of their children. I’ll also share a few of the things I remember about their visits to Shibumi.

With warmest wishes to all you amazing, beautiful and dynamic Mamas out there! We know how hard you work to make your kids thrive!

Meet Yoojin

"Yoojin is a front-line worker, so she literally put her life on the line each day she went to work. At work, she persevered through shifts wearing uncomfortable PPE and in the early months of the pandemic, reusing and conserving as many N95 masks as possible to stay safe. Then she'd come home and change clothes in the garage to minimize the chance of exposing the rest of our family. The stress was unimaginable yet she still managed to, as you say, hold our family together.

As you can tell from the photos, Yoojin is the silly one in the family. She fills our lives with joy and adventure."

Besides her fun personality, what I remember most about Yoojin was that she and Ken got their wedding rings from Shibumi. She came back one day to have them cleaned and told me this very lucky story.

As a doctor, every day she would tie her rings inside her scrubs at work. One day, very tired, she forgot about the rings and tossed her scrubs into the laundry at the hospital before going home. By some small miracle, the next day the laundry staff found the rings at the bottom of the laundry chute!

Many years ago, Ken purchased Yoojin a Mother’s Day necklace that we designed with all three of their birthstones. We mixed the greens and came up with the three stone necklace, above. And most recently Ken came by Shibumi to purchase some bangles for their wedding anniversary.

I’m honored that Shibumi has helped mark a few of these special occasions in their lives.

May is for Mothers 🌸 // Meet Marian

May 5, 2021ArticlesApril HigashiComment

We are taking the month of May to celebrate Mothers!

As I wrote in my last newsletter, Shibumi is dedicating the month of May to honoring mothers who had to go above and beyond during these past 15 months.

I have asked a few fathers to share a photo and some words about the mothers of their children. I’ll also share a few of the things I remember about their visits to Shibumi.

With warmest wishes to all you amazing, beautiful and dynamic Mamas out there! We know how hard you work to make your kids thrive!

Meet Marian

"Marian as the Mom, the maker of heaven, has been unbelievably strong and steady and level headed in her hard work of keeping this household upright and strong and sweet through these last two years of cultural stormy seas marked by Covid and that last president guy. She has truly gone over and above navigating the mountainous bureaucracy of our daughter Camille's educational challenges, medical care and legal standing - managing our son Coke's college application process and his challenges of at home online education - her strength in churning the ever rotating wheel of clothing clean to dirty and back again, the churning of vacuuming cat hair and dust bunnies and the cycle of manifesting meals and potions to heal all of us as we get beat up now and again. And she makes a gorgeous backyard garden during it all. Her strength and grace and beauty are, and have been, truly, tear evokingly, spectacular. And we love her…"

Marian and Mark have been long time clients at Shibumi. I first met Marian when she was wanting to replace some of her jewelry and found us. One of my favorite pieces I made for them was from an agate that Mark had carved as a kid that we made into a pendant. I also fondly remember making her some beautiful, chunky rings in 22k and 18k Palladium white gold. And Marian was the inspiration for my Organic Shaped Signet Ring, which I first made as a pinky ring for her.

What I love about Marian is her warmth, her casual stylishness and that you can always tell her kids are her priority. She deeply cares about people and the environment as well as aesthetics. There is a genuine and authentic connection every time we meet.

We are taking the month of May to celebrate Mothers!

May 5, 2021ArticlesApril HigashiComment

2020-21 was a year that extended motherhood like no other year before. Enter the pandemic. If we already felt like we couldn’t stretch another inch, we now know we can stretch a mile!

Personally I was beside myself when my son stopped going to school. I was worried for my staff, meanwhile trying to keep my son on track with online school and keeping up his mental health. The hustle was unreal. If I ever thought multi-tasking was a skill I’d give up, forget that. I had to kick it in now more than ever. Somehow we all made it through; some of us even thrived. As the long months passed I ended up moving Shibumi to Fourth Street and expanding my team. I also realized the amazing opportunity I had to give my son some independence to learn on his own, while gently guiding him towards meaningful projects. He created a garden, learned how to display in the gallery, he painted his War Hammers, practiced his trumpet, discovered animation and even taught me film making basics! We also had our coping routine of eating BLT’s for lunch and watching Glee in the evenings. I worked more than I ever have since my twenties yet stayed engaged and felt creative. And my son still thrived, grew and learned new skills. (See his latest animation commissioned for the finale of the Flora & Fauna show below.)

This month I wanted to thank the many mothers who have shopped or been shopped for at Shibumi as well as honor and thank the community that has supported us, shared details of their families and inspired true kindness and creativity in our lives.

I have asked a few fathers to share a photo and some words about the mother of their children. These moms will find out how much they are truly appreciated in upcoming newsletters. I’ll also share a few things I remember about their visits to Shibumi.

(Do you know a mother you'd like to tell us about? We would love to hear your story. If we feature your story, we have a special Mother's Day gift from us to her. Email us!)

For many, wearing jewelry is a daily ritual. And it is even more special when a piece has a connection to someone we love. Below are a few of my every day pieces I cherish. Each one has a story.

With warmest wishes to all you amazing, beautiful and dynamic Mamas out there! We know how hard you work to make your kids thrive!

Stay creative...