finally!

a month ago i wrote about wanting to run a fundraiser to help people in the gulf affected by the bp oil spill and hurricane katrina, people who are struggling to keep their pets.

to me, this is a devastating thought, having to relinquish your pet because you can no longer afford to care for them….and this is happening to so many people in the gulf.

unfortunately, spay and neuter programs are scarce as they are lacking the funds and “no kill” shelters are few and far between in the gulf right now. too many mouths to house…so to speak and so many people out of work are struggling to keep their four legged children.

thanks to all who responded when i asked for advice on this. i had been researching organizations, but not really getting the “feel” for any of them.
(thanks also to those who raised my awareness about the mis-allocation of funds by some larger orgs– i didn’t know!)

one of the kind people who responded to my post had just seen a segment on the Saint Bernard Parish SPCA, a shelter doing amazing work in really challenging times, and after checking them out online, i am really moved by their passion and mission. Please check out

Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Bernard Parish!

not only are they actively working with their community to help people care for their pets in a time of crisis, they are also ardently working to achieve  another ideal of mine when it comes to animal rescue, a “no kill” status in their shelter.

“We will not give up until our shelter achieves a ZERO euthanasia rate for every healthy, adoptable dog and cat in their care. Warehousing animals will not work; less pets born and more adoptions will! You can be a part of the solution, too!”

as a former non profiteer (the jarvis reilly foundation, san diego 2000-2007), i think this shelter  is really making a difference, so

30% of all  jewellery purchased from heather-reilly.com/shop will be sent directly to the Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Bernard !!

all custom commissions (wedding rings, too!), all ready to wear wishbones, om pendants, runes and peace sign jewellery, from now until i don’t know when– 30% of the sale will go to animals in the gulf through the Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Bernard.

(i just cleaned the studio before diving back in (took the kids east for a grandparent holiday!) and have a few “sample sale” items appearing here over the next week that will be fair game, too)

for lots of us right now, life isn’t leaving much extra to help out the people, animals and organizations who need it in the wake of the gulf oil spill.  i would send millions if i had it already, but as a jeweller who is also a full-time mom right now, i need your help to send anything.

need a unique gift? time to spoil someone you love? early holiday shopping?

include yourself here :) and help me make a difference!

be beautiful and be so well,

heather

PS the direct link to my online store is heather-reilly.com/shop !

i smell spring.
and i am smelling it from our “true” pittsburgh home,
goodbye townhouse rental, hello 1903 victorian just east of downtown.
snow abounds, and yes, recedes and disappears in the sun.
hooray as hunter, logan and i would say!
we are inheriting the last third of a community garden and damn, to my kids and i love to dig, sow and reap.
we will have pumpkins this fall, just you wait…

in this garden/backyard of ours i envision a fabulous wee smithy of sorts, next to the pumpkins.
basically an amish barn that takes up residence in our backyard, providing a safe for me to work with fire.
a place in side for jewellery, outside adjacent, my 250lb anvil and my forge.
a smith adjacent to a jewellery studio!

grateful inside and out that our move is complete and psyched about setting up my new temporary studio (till i get this barn you know). back to work with a wave of really cool new clients (return of some old) and some new newsletter subscribers (thanks maureen-burke.com, for featuring the “life chain”!).

and i am thinking…
i want to send out a newsletter as a house blessing, create something for you guys, whilst manifesting a barn raising for me :)
but i would like your opinion.

what would you like to see me run a special on right now?
mother’s day, graduations, spring! all on the horizon,

would you like to see some OM pendants, wishbones perhaps…
on sale as they say?
so happy to hear anyone’s response.

it would be great to finally have the opportunity to finish the astrological pendant line.
john is a huge proponent of these little guys and i daresay, they are so simple and pretty, charms indeed.
was thinking that i could offer a really great discount to all who commission the first of their sign (leo and sag are the only ones finished).
any and all thoughts are so welcome and appreciated.
i love making OM’s, wishbones and peace signs, but perhaps you want a discount on custom creations or just good old peace signs?
so many possibilities….:)

now i must to garden exploration with my wee companions and baby wolf. the snow is melting so that i can actually see soil.
hooray

shine sun, shine
xo
heather

My first glowing jewelry testimonial of 2010–Thanks, Mark, there’s not much that makes me happier than responses like this from clients like you!
 

Heather,
 
Susan opened the box containing the 22 carat om pendant on Christmas afternoon and was completely blown away! She absolutely loves it and has not taken it off since she put it on Friday.
 
She has excellent taste and gave me (and you) the best complement when she said, “This is so beautiful. It is exactly what I would pick out for myself.”
 
Your suggestion to go with the rawhide necklace was perfect and it really looks good. I took some pictures and I will try to get one to you this week, but I just wanted to say thank you for helping me to make this Christmas extra special.
 
Your work is exquisite and we will be back!
 
Take care,
Mark

its finally time for the zodiac signs!

the pot of gold idea i wrote about last time is a recent idea that will serve for a long time, i think, but i’m probably more excited right now about the zodiac symbols, handforged sterling silver pendants in the style of my peace pendants or om pendants.

my zodiac signs are the other way around: an old idea I’ve really wanted to do for a long time, just recently getting an opportunity to come to fruition, starting with the sagitarius sign.

for the record, the first zodiac symbol pendant i forged was a custom job, and one of my most successful jobs ever, because i got it just right for a very thoughtful client.

here’s the actual first zodiac symbol pendant, a leo sign.

yellow gold leo sign

here’s the testimonial, which shows exactly why this was such a successful project for me, because my work for him was such a perfect gift for her.

Hi Heather,

I just want to let you know that I received – and love – the Leo pendant…. Thanks, also, for the personal note that you included….

… turning 21 is a big milestone for us. I wanted to mark it with something special and nothing off-the-shelf would’ve adequately expressed the occasion.

Thank you for forging my feelings into something that will mark and enrich us for the years ahead.

Warmest regards and best wishes,
Mark Morgan

i’ve always been moved by this piece and this testimonial, and as a true to form aquarius, have wanted to share it with everyone else somehow, so this is the beginning of that: the handforged sterling silver Sagittarius symbol zodiac pendant, just in time for Sagittarius birthdays starting November 22 (through December 22).

sagittarius zodiac

this is just a preview, i may have to work on John for a better photo before they go online on the shop- i’ll post here when they do.