Monday, January 28, 2019

Resparkable. Again.

I'm re-opening my Resparkable Vintage jewelry shop.  Resparkable, oddly, wasn't a word before I named my shop.  But even still, it's so obvious how to spell it AND what it means, right?

RESPARKABLE
re-spar-ke-bel
1. something both sparkly and remarkable
2. bringing back the sparkle and shine to something old, especially jewelry
3. also, making something old into something new and highly desirable again

That's from my personal, made-up-words, dictionary.  But like I said, I bet you knew the meaning of that new word as soon as you read it.

I curate vintage jewelry and handbags.  I clean up and repair really cool and unique pieces so they return to their like-new, original and beautiful condition. But, when vintage jewelry is broken, or missing parts and beyond repair, I use the salvageable bits to make brand new, unique designs.

I'll be re-opening my shop over at Etsy, along with getting back to posting regularly on the ResparkableVintage website.  You can read about vintage jewelry designers over there, see pics of things I'm selling, seeing "before and afters" on repurposed jewelry, and more!  I'll also be posting again on the Resparkable Vintage instagram feed.

I thought I would be opening the shop up today, but there was a little technical glitch that will take about 3 business days to resolve.  But by the end of the week, please be all up in my business!  My Resparkable Vintage business. ❤️
resparkable vintage sarah coventry earrings.  looking brand new again!
 



Thursday, January 24, 2019

Brighter

I've been on a roll with my book choices lately- I've loved everything I've read for the past few months it seems.  And I have a few I'm about to start that make me think this good streak is going to continue.

When I went to the library the other day to pick up my books I had put on hold, I of course couldn't help but look around a little and see what else might be available to check out.

I saw Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward.
I had heard a lot about when it was first out.  And I was sort of interested, although also (and mainly) repulsed.  But since I read all sorts of genres of books- including true crime, being repulsed doesn't usually stop me.  So, I checked out this book, along with several others.
There were plenty of good books I could have started with, but I went straight for the Fear book, for whatever reason.

But after a couple of chapters, I thought, "What am I doing to myself?  When did I become a masochist?"  Filling my head with the information in this book is not how I should ever end my day just before drifting off to sleep.  I have enough problems with sleep.  And with anxiety.  The words and the stories I fill my head with matter.  So I slammed the book shut, threw it on the floor, and told Fermin I wasn't going to keep on with that book any longer. He continued to snore.

The next morning, I cracked open one of the other books I found at the library.  This time, I went for the polar opposite theme.  Instead of FEAR, I chose something that would make me (hopefully) feel better about everything, whether it's something in my control or not.  I started the book called The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan.  I already know I made the right choice.

I know how true it is that it's our attitude (and hence, our gratitude) far more than our circumstances, that bring us joy. How we look at the world makes all the difference. I know it, but I need to be reminded of it sometimes.

I'm so glad that I chose to close that book on FEAR and instead, start reading more about GRATITUDE. Already, things are looking a little brighter.


Monday, January 21, 2019

BLOOM

Up until fairly recently, I had lived my entire life in the concrete jungle that is Dallas, Texas. I never intended to stay in one place so long, but life flies by and the next thing you know, you've lived many decades in one city.

When I was in Dallas over the Christmas holiday, I went to CoAmerica bank to close an old account I had there.  I was chatting with the bank teller helping me, and she asked me where I moved, and then asked me why.  I told her we had always wanted to move to Colorado, and finally we just decided to do it.

"Oh, I can't imagine.  I would never want to live anywhere but Dallas," she said.

WHAT?!  I really was floored that anyone felt that way.  But it's true.  Lots of people love Dallas.  There's a pride many Texans have that I've just never felt.  This particular woman loved the heat of Texas summers, loved all the shopping and restaurants, loved having lived in the same place her whole life (and she was even older than me!), and had no desire to ever move.  The only thing we agreed on was that the traffic in Dallas is awful and that it gets worse each year. But this lady is willing to put up with that traffic, because well, she's deep in the heart of Texas.  She truly loves it. So, really good for her! Stay there forever if you feel that way!
 
I live somewhere that I love now.  Being surrounded by mountains and so many trails right out my door is so important to me. Places to shopping, and restaurants aren't nearly as convenient or as abundant as they were in Dallas, but for me, that stuff is NOT what I care about.  But hey! everybody's different, and that's a great thing!

I've heard that saying, "Bloom where you're planted."  I'd like to amend that and instead say, "Find the place that makes you feel in bloom, and plant yourself there."