Superhero of Love
"Designing and Leading Waxing Poetic from the Heart"
Our founder, Patti Pagliei was interviewed by Bridget Fonger on her podcast called Superhero of Love.
In
the interview, Patti talks about how she overcame the many challenges that life threw her way, such as her battle
with cancer, the threat of losing her home due to natural disasters, and the love that helped her family get through
many health hardships. It's a must hear! Listen below.
Behind The Design: Heartscape - What Matters Most
There is so much coming at us in life, at all times, and sometimes it is hard to stay focused and centered in the truth behind it all. Something that seems like a big deal to us can actually turn out to be quite trivial, and some of the tiny things, the quotidian joys, we may take for granted and dismiss.
What matters, what doesn’t: a life without difficulty may never give someone the opportunity to distinguish between the two. This is what I learned when faced with the greatest challenges of my own life: my own mortality, the sudden illness of my daughter, and perhaps losing this business I created and love so much in the midst of all of this.
So, then, this charm and phrase came into being. WHAT MATTERS MOST.
In our humanity, we receive our lessons, we learn from our suffering, and if we want to keep refining ourselves to our highest state of being, we alchemize all so that what doesn’t matter no longer stands in the way of what does matter. And if we can’t alchemize, we let go.
The human experience leads to the divine. We remember who we are and why we are here. What Matters Most, is perhaps, all of this. When I wear this charm, I bring this reminder with me. I have the ice cream. I hug my daughter tight. I breathe. I open myself up to doing what I love, with love, and loving the things that challenge me, bringing me back to what’s really important again and again. This precious life I have been given, the details of which are mine to matter most.
#iampoetic - Featured Friend Carla
FEATURED FRIENDS OF WAXING POETIC
WHO I AM
Africa is in my blood.
I moved to Durban, South Africa from London with my family when I
was young.
This is where I first developed my deep love and bond with horses.
I am a huge
animal advocate and lover, and horses at that time were my life. Horses have a spiritual quality that give me a
sense of being.
I rode competitively but more importantly I was living my childhood dream!
I spent most of my free time carefree, happy and at peace with my horses.
These memories of being one
with horse represent freedom and joy.
I am a designer by profession, having studied in Durban, South
African for 3 years and went on to do a post graduate degree in London at the Central Saint Martin’s School of
Art.
I’m a creative thinker who has both held senior positions for leading companies and co-founded and
built up two successful sportswear brands.
I have an entrepreneurial spirit, and live life with
passion.
I’m purpose driven and care deeply about social and environmental causes.
BEING POETIC
Being poetic for me is about how one lives one’s life.
Seeing the
extraordinary in the ordinary.
Seeing beauty in nature.
Living with love and
kindness
It’s authentic self-expression, being true to yourself.
Self-expression is the
heart and soul of creativity.
It’s about imagination.
MY LIFE / VALUES / INSIGHTS
In 2006, my husband, Shaun
and I tragically lost our only beloved son, Mathew.
Men and women heal differently.
I felt
so alone.
The unspeakable pain and grief led me to question my value and meaning in life at that
time.
Soon after, I was introduced to The Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation.
TBCF supports
families that have a child with cancer providing financial, emotional and educational support.
I threw
myself into volunteering for them, finding helping others was emotionally healing to myself.
Giving
back benefited me ……. knowing that I could make a difference in the lives of others in some small way,
allowed me to begin a new life, living with gratitude.
TBCF gave me a sense of family and a sense of
belonging.
It was life changing and powerful!
I continue to be committed as an Ambassador
for Teddy Cancer Foundation and advocate for children in Mathew’s honor.
I’m so lucky to have Shaun by
my side, and to have been given a second chance at being a family.
I believe in miracles ….
I believe in the power of prayer ….
I trust in the universe, have hope, humility and know love
triumphs
Family connection matters most.
Luke, our second born son, is now 8, and I like
to think we bring poetry into all aspects of our lives.
I value every minute of every day with
him.
We share stories and I’m planning on writing a book about our dearly loved dog Buddy, who is our
four-legged family.
Luke is going to illustrate the book which will be called “Buddy Belongs”.
Friendships are also pivotal to my existence, and enrich my life.
I'm surrounded by a circle of
phenomenal friends here in Santa Barbara.
Dreams – we all have dreams
But what makes our come alive … believing in ourselves …
being divinely aware, our faith and love.
My dream is to love and be loved, to follow my own
path, living a life of purpose.
The ocean heals my mind, body and spirit.
It makes me
calmer and more creative.
We are a family of ocean lovers, so protecting our ocean and coastline is
vital for humankind, and those we care about for future generations.
2013 I began volunteering for
grassroots organization, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper and subsequently became a board member after a couple of
years.
Channelkeeper protects the waters in the Santa Barbara Channel through science-based advocacy,
education and enforcement.
The climate crisis affects all of us and we need to protect our
environment!
Knowing that we belong to something bigger than ourselves and that all life on earth is
connected to our oceans, protecting the beauty of our ocean and beaches for a better future is a commitment we can
all make.
We have the personal power within us to share our inner most thoughts, our vulnerability and
deepest emotions. Sharing our ideas, our journey, is not only magical for the writer/ artist/musicians/advocate, but
can have an impact and help others.
Each and every one of us have the power to inspire and be a
positive influence in this world.
It’s about doing something that matters.
The first piece I bought was a necklace with an initial
M on the one side and an astrological sign on the other side – gosh it was maybe about 15 years ago.
What drew me to it was a heart connection – this piece is a remembrance now it is my love.
My old
favorite piece that I wear stacked is a simple bangle that a close girlfriend gave me for a gift, many years ago
that is inscribed “LOYAL AND FIERCELY SO."
I fell in love with this piece and went into the store and
bought a few for my girlfriends.
My most complimented piece is small gold crest necklace on leather
that I that Luke loved so much that I bought him one too.
My new favorite is the large silver ring I am
wearing in the shoot!
Whether WP are gifts for yourself or for others, whether to bless, inspire,
encourage, or motivate I love the personal flavor.
FAVOURITE POEM
Maggie
and Molly and Molly and May by E. E. Cummings
maggie and milly and molly and may
went down
to the beach (to play one day)
and Maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she
couldn’t remember her troubles, and
milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five
languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while
blowing bubbles; and
may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as
large as alone.
For whatever we lose (like you or me)
It’s always ourselves we find in the
sea
Hhhhhm so many beautiful quotes – this one today - "The best and most beautiful
things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched, but are felt in the heart.” Helen Keller
Who We Love
And… a testament to who we love
She likes
kindness and cats
fashion and soccer
poetry and shiny things
butterflies and baseball
Your world, and in it
The mother and free spirit
The survivor and friend
The neighbor and birdwatcher
The sister and saint
You are seen and you are cherished
The husband and hero
The wife and heroine
The journey and the moment
Recognized here, now.
As you live and breathe
In time and through space
Under the moon and stars
I like you and love you
Sons and musicians
Daughters and dancers
Friends and dreamers
This is for you.
This is for everyone.
This is for you.
Who we love.
“You have been my friend…” Meet the Poetic Pooches
“Why did you do all this for me?' he asked.
'I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.'
'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing.”
― E.B. White, Charlotte's Web
The Waxing Poetic gang thought we’d share photos of our Poetic Pooches with you all in celebration of National Dog Week, along with a pledge:
We pledge to give our dogs extra rubs, hugs, walks, fetch sessions,
treats and LOVE this week,
and let them up on the bed,
and give them an extra bath or massage session,
and some delicious scraps,
and why not always…
we do indulge them,
after all,
they have been our friends,
and that is a tremendous thing.
Founder and Creative Director Patti with Georgia, 8 year old German Shorthaired Pointer.
Georgia likes to sunbathe, chase tennis balls, and accompany her people on hikes and adventures of all sorts. She has a recognized “master nose,” and can sniff out anything, anywhere, even in the dark! Her nicknames are Animals of Love, Person, and The Nibbletron.
More of our Poetic Pooches
We’d love to see you and your tremendous friends. Post a photo and tag it #poeticpooches and help us celebrate some of the best love we will ever know on this earth! See more of pooches on pinterest.
Moving Mountains
While I was going through treatment for breast cancer, and especially during chemotherapy, I felt isolated at times. My senses were deadened and my body struggled to hold strong against the ravaging effects of the drugs. And then there was that stranger looking back at me in the mirror, the one trying to save her hair (and some dignity).The feeling is one of submersion. Where you can’t really hear or see or feel like everyone else does. It felt as if life is going on “up there”- on the surface, where there is laughter and joy and exercise and all sorts of earthly pleasures reserved for the healthy folks. Where people have eyelashes, can taste their food, can get through a day without needing to get sick or rest.
Now, I have so many friends, and almost all of them were calling and cooking for us, sending gifts and books and all sorts of supportive gestures. This was such a different reality, and it was all mine. There I was. Feeling alone. Down there in the deep. Wondering, can anyone really see me down here?
One day, I came across the work of Torri Horness on her Instagram outpost of poetry, @notesontheway and grabbed the lifeline. One poem, Mountains, found a way in… a way for me to feel what was happening around me. My friends rescued me every single day I was feeling down, and this poem beautifully illustrates the journey of friendship, connected and brave and powerful.
I contacted Torri when I returned to work, and asked her if we could design a special little compass (inspired by the compass she drew on her post) to accompany this poem to support breast cancer awareness, and she happily obliged. We are so grateful to be able to offer this beautiful poem, along with the compass necklace, as a special gift with purchase for yourself, or a friend in need of this love (the poem can be framed to be kept close).
I’d like to dedicate this post to my friend Amy, who is starting her health journey soon, and to all friends on any side of a cancer journey.With Love,
Patti
Mountains, by Torri Horness
whatever anyone says or
fails to say, you are loved.
& when you are standing
alone at the edge of the earth
& it looks like no one is coming,
listen closely…
you will hear the roar of rattling
stones, trembling beneath the
feet of friends
who are moving mountains
to find you.
Join us to help create a world where our sisters and mothers, our daughters and friends are not at risk. We have a long way to go. We should be able to make it with each other’s help, and great organizations like the NBCF.During the month of October, Waxing Poetic will donate a portion of all sales to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Solar Eclipse
The Sun loved the Moon
With a love so bright
It lit up the entire sky,
And when they were close
In those brief seconds
As day turned into night
The color that rushed
To her cheeks
Set the horizon on fire.
In the stillness of that moment,
The whole world could feel
The warmth of her affection
For the one she would wait
Earth ages for
To glow, at last, as one
In the light of an eclipse,
If only for
A little while.
Moon Daisy Tosca Choker
Archer Moon and Wandering Star Necklace
THE GATHERED UNIVERSE
There’s an Oscar Wilde quote that probably everyone reading this has (or will) come across in their lives at one point – sometimes stencil-painted onto a sidewalk, sometimes part of a mural, sometimes in a fragment of overheard song, sometimes when you’re trying to find a quote regarding stars and google presents you with 300 options but this one will always cap the list, sometimes something inked on the arm of the youthful barrista making your latte just so (and you might feel even a bit invasive having noticed and read the text, even if it’s out in plain view, because it’s visible but also worn by someone else), sometimes referenced in a movie, a novel, a poem, or even in its original form and context, a play. It’s a quote about stars, and longing, and depending on whose read wins, it’s a line about the yearning for connection beyond oneself.
Have you guessed it?
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking up at the stars."
At Waxing Poetic, we are well aware of our pet uses of the word “universe,” often referring to an interconnected system of love, awareness, friendship, adventure, seekers, and dreamers on varying and often overlapping courses, charts, journeys, and tracks – and we’re also aware that this definition, like the universe itself, is not fixed. Our universe expands, our friend universe shifts with regularity, our family universe a little less so, but our heart universe, the core of our being as a brand and company built with and from love…is always expanding, always changing, always welcoming other gathered pieces to come together and grow.
Autumn is upon us soon. If you drive out into the Arizona desert (or Mojave, or Joshua Tree, or somewhere in Nevada, or hop on the 10 freeway and head east for awhile) and look up, or drive up a mountain, or head into California’s beautiful interior – anywhere you can go where you can ensure a little less artificial light pollution --even without a telescope, you will see something new and unfamiliar and it will become a friend in the sky. And if you don’t stargaze this way, we advise you to look at each other with a little more inquiry, a little more openness, a little more willingness to see the starry bits in side one another and… your winter, your soul, your friendship circle, and your heart universe will be bigger and more gathered and more grateful for it.
We are not all in the gutter, but this does not mean that we are not able to look up, or out, or into the eyes and hearts of the people we love or are going to love or know more – and see some stars.
Gaze onward, upward, and everward, darlings. Stars are everywhere, and we are all part of a gathering, gathered universe.
Let your Self have a guiding word
What happens when you distill down your focus, intentions - dare we say, life in-the-moment - into one word?
With the release of our new Wordplay collection, we’ve been pondering this question here at our WP hub… and we’ve seen a quite interesting kind of internal motivation and connection within and among us as a result.
The wearable variety of guiding words isn’t new to us. We use little talismans of sentiment on our jewelry as touchpoints on a variety of things that matter to us.
But just one word? Yes.
One.
Word.
One that you can wear and touch, that reminds you of the life you are creating. Yes (yes actually happens to be Patti’s favorite guiding word). What is yours, right now?
Let’s find out. Be still. You may already know your word (one will come to mind pretty quickly… don’t edit, just recognize). You may have a word that if more of a life word (like Patti’s yes) or may need one to reflect and direct something you have going on right now (feeling stuck? Wanderlust helps… something like that!).
Or maybe you aren’t sure. Just turn inward to listen to yourself: what words do you hear over and over? Always a good place to start. And here, a few more places to begin the journey toward the right wearable word (or words) for you:
What do I want to cultivate in my life?
What is my essence, in one word?
What quality describes an accomplishment?
What is my truth?
What affirms my beliefs?
What is a common theme in my life that I keep coming back to?
Words are memories, motivators, affirmations, and most importantly, portals to our deepest desires. The closer we get to ourselves, the truer the transformative effects of these little efforts, these little, very powerful, words. What word if calling out to you now?
View the entire Wordplay collection here.
Welcome to Nota Bene (both Latin and Italian for “note well,” which we do around here!). At Waxing Poetic, we make things, and get the chance to see them made real (and loved, and changed – by all of you). Here you will find tiny actions, tiny pieces, and tiny particulars of our process – the small (and not so small) things that matter much.
Enjoy!
Patti Pagliei, Founder
