How Instagram inspired an earring design

Introducing The Influencers: earrings as a wearable, shareable platform for your treasures

In the realm of social media, we are what we portray to others – sharing ourselves – who we are – with our family, friends and followers.  For all of its screen-overdosing issues, when we are in a good flow, our projected outward appearance, or persona, can empower inner world expression.  It is fairly poetic really – the arc and story of our lives playing out in the social arena in ways we have never seen before.

When I sat recently in a trend update meeting, the trend that caught my attention was “above the shoulder” accessorizing… namely, the uptick in hair and ear accessories in the market.  The reason for the surge?  Instagram. Selfies. Self-influence in social media. And of course most of this happens around the face. So … we were inspired, and had an idea for an earring.I thought: what can you say with an earring? And then: you can say whatever you want, as long as you have the way and the ingredients.  Enter, The Influencers.  A concept that can transform any jewelry elements, or other clip-able jewelry, objects and treasures you may have, into earrings.Personalization. Play. Creativity.  Giving new life to what you already own, and a canvas for new styles. Find The Influencers here: https://www.waxingpoetic.com/influencer-earringsThe whole game of accessorizing to me, is to make ourselves feel like we are wearing what we need – be it sparkle, totems, touchstones – so many little pieces that carry meaning, waiting to be curated and brought center stage and talked about and shared.

These earrings could have been called Tabula Rasa – “blank slate”- because having these feels like having a blank notebook or canvas to start working with (and equally as lovely on their own, which is the beginning of the story). But we chose the name Influencers to not only reflect the Insta-culture that inspired them, but also to remind us that we are all influencers in our own right and realms.

As Instagram, and other social media platforms like YouTube, Snapchat and Facebook encourage us to become more of ourselves with every visual we post, we hope these earrings provide a tangible, wearable platform for the same.

Use our hashtag #poeticinfluencer to join in the conversation and for a chance to be featured in our gallery.

Have fun, and use your influence well!

Xo Patti

See more Influencers in action in our new Fall/Winter 2019: Catalog:https://www.waxingpoetic.com/wp-digital-catalog And for more information:

https://www.waxingpoetic.com/press/

The origins of our brand name: “Waxing Poetic”

People often ask us, what does “Waxing Poetic” mean and how did you choose it?  Early on, when the idea struck me to create and cast our first wax seal insignias, a belief and energy came over me through the pieces that, was, well… “poetic” (even though the name Waxing Poetic had not appeared yet. That is part of the wonderful mystery of how these things happen!).The intention of the seals just inspired me – each was a “signature” of sorts, an iconic identifier, that held beliefs and intention and much more. I was so moved to somehow channel the humble and potent energy of these imperfect, handmade pieces.  Just like the artifacts of ancient cultures, which were not just for adornment, but carried information, there was a through line there that piqued my curiosity.

So I went about exploring how to authentically craft a palette of expression for our community – pieces that express the freedom that we can combine and “author” this jewelry in our own way.  I was searching for the right name, and wasn’t satisfied until my husband (who is a genius wordsmith) said something like “these are Waxing Poetic.” It just came out, like a gift from beyond, and that was IT. Aha!  Waxing Poetic - a name that embodies both the process of how we make the jewelry (the lost wax method) and also the intention behind it (to become more of who were truly are… the “poetic” and harder to describe quality behind these pieces that our customers are drawn to, and that we seek to uncover).We both recognized “Waxing Poetic” as the name of the path we wanted to be on – the path these pieces and our customers were showing us.  Since then, we our brand has stayed true to what these words mean: a “becoming” (waxing) more connected to the expressive and emotional (poetic).

That’s Waxing Poetic! Thank you to all who have shopped, gifted, worn, and loved our jewelry. We hope we continue to meet your inspiration with pieces that you recognize and embrace as your own.

Love to all,

Patti

The MOST ____ Mom.

 Everyone’s Mom is the MOST [something they know] –
every day, all the time.

Thank you for sharing your Most ____ Moms. See some of the stories shared below.

My mom is the most compassionate, loving, patient woman I know. She has sacrificed so much for me and I would love to be able to show her how much I love her and how proud I am of her.

I have attached a picture of us on my wedding day. She is beautiful everyday, but on this day I think she was glowing.

- Kayle Garcia

My mom is the most Kind Mom - every day, all the time.   My mom (parents) live between Arizona and Wisconsin while her three adult children are spread between Arizona, Wisconsin, and (me, pictured), Maryland.  I'm the oddball.  But my mother always makes time to call her kids in all 3 states to check in on us, tell us she loves us and makes sure we are well.  This has been through her own bout with breast cancer and my father's bout with prostate cancer.  She is 78 and carries herself like she is 50.  Her kindness is beyond words.  She worries about my medical condition of epilepsy.  In fact just hours after this photo was taken I had a tonic clonic seizure with my mother and she cared for me until help could arrive.

My mom is a nurse by training.  A newborn nursery nurse.  Kindness and gentleness are requirements of her job.  Now retired, my mom has retained those qualities in life and cares for everyone she encounters in life the same way.  My dad, my siblings, my aunts/uncle's, cousins, my mother's friends, everyone she cares about.  Simply said - My mom is the most Kind Mom.

- Sheri Ferguson

My mom is the most inspiring person I know. She has inspired me to be the best mom that I can be to my 2 children. Now since I am older, I have realized, all she has sacrificed to give me a good life. She has worked countless hours, and still had time to spend quality time with me.

-Lindsay

My mom is the most giving person that I know. During health ailments with my dad, her ex-husband, she has been a constant support and caretaker for the family. She has given the most to our family and my father to make sure that he receives excellent care and that we are all getting the care that we need as family. She has sacrificed so much of her own time and life to be an amazing mother.

- KathrynMy mom is the most reliable person I know. Ever since I went away to college in 2007 I have been calling my mom everyday, sometimes multiple times a day to chat or share stories. We have lived in different states the majority of the years since I turned 18. In over ten years my mom has never not returned a call that same day, usually within the hour. She is an excellent listener and the first person I want to share good news with. She always jokes that she isn’t world’s best mom, but the fact that I can call her and know she will be on the other end of the line is invaluable to me. I love her more than she will ever know. Now that I am a mom myself I have been calling more than ever with “is this normal?” “should I take her to the doctor?” “should I stop breastfeeding?” questions and I know she will be that reassuring voice on the other end of the line and in my head all the time. She is truly the most best friend a girl could ask for.

- Emily

WAXING POETIC SAYS GIVE A *&%$: Elephant Edition

Giving A Damn

Means knowing

In the most central part of your heart

That while you cannot fix everything alone

You can be part of what will fix everything eventually

And what will right now

Help whatever it is

That you Give a Damn about.

And then you do

Your best.

Here’s why we’re giving a damn on Save the Elephant Day:

Elephants

Value the importance

Of close bonds

Of female familial ties

Of learning between generations

Elephants

Value the importance

Of respect and devotion

Of being in community

Of love, wonder, and seizing moments of joy

Elephant values should be ours.

*

All Elephants deserve our respect, wonder, love, and when necessary, our protection.

Historically, humans haven’t done so well in this regard. Elephants worldwide are in trouble because of poaching, habitat fragmentation or fragmentation, and other careless human actions. But we can help change this. We can choose to Give A Damn.

By hand, by heart, and always true

A Story of MakingBy Hand

Each Waxing Poetic design begins and ends, quite literally, by hand.

By Hand? Really? Yes.

All our designs start by hand. As in drawn, sketched, outlined, doodled, painted (really, it has happened more than once) or even described with words, written out or otherwise rendered by hand, on the drawing board. Or notebook. Or sometimes sketchbook. Or even possibly a napkin. Or tablet. Or iPad. Whatever it is, we draw it out first.  Once we like where a concept is going, we refine the design and send it to our dear friends and artisans in Bali.By Heart

In addition to being one of the most overwhelmingly beautiful places in all the world, Bali is a jewelry designer’s dreamland, home to a tradition of metalsmithing that can be traced back centuries, if not a millenium. Silversmithing is a revered practice and valued trade, and most artisans come from families who have been part of the practice for generations. There is an implicit poetry to the work -- from carving detailed designs into wax to casting pieces to painstaking attention to detail in finishing a design that was apparent to us from our very first collaboration. We are honored to have our designs felt, understood, and translated into being by such beautiful spirits. Balinese silversmiths, or “pandai parak” in Indonesian, are incredibly skilled and internationally regarded as some of the most dextrous, gifted silver artisans in the world. The term “pandai” itself reflects this truth -- it translates as both a noun (metalsmith) and a host of adjectives (clever, skillful, gifted, proficient, resourceful, ingenious and versed, to name a few), and their work itself is proof. Speaking of proof, ‘proof’ is another word for a prototype or sample design. The proof-process feels pretty magical on our end. We send concepts and drawings digitally across the globe and a few weeks later, wonderful little packages containing realized jewelry dreams arrive. What happens in between though is even more magical -- designs literally become jewelry with the help of many sets of hands and hearts.

There’s an old saying that wax, as a material, always tells the truth. It makes sense -- wax impressions catch uncanny details, early sound recording technology relied on wax, and wax document seals were the standard of trust for centuries. Waxing Poetic isn’t just our name, in a way, it describes the very process by which our designs become.Once a Waxing Poetic design arrives in Bali, it soon makes its way to artisan wax carvers, who interpret the 2D rendering into wax with precision tools , translating and our lines and shapes into physical reality. Next, casting artisans take over, a cast gets made, molten Silver poured, cooled, and then the piece is almost ready. Another team of wondrous people refine the next phase of work, adding proprietary treatments which give Waxing Poetic jewelry its particular and recognizable finish, and then, with great care, each new piece is gently wrapped and sent back to California for inspection and approval. Sometimes a proof sample is everything we hoped for in one go, other times we open a package and realize an idea needs to evolve before it makes its entrance as a finished piece of Waxing Poetic jewelry.We trust our artisans implicity, and work together in joyous community to realize our creations. It literally takes a village (if not more accurately a few) to make our jewelry, and we hope the hearts and hands who help make it possible resonate with every piece.

Little Goes Far Violet Collection

We’ve been in love with violets for a long time. Their shape, their associated symbolism (memory, devotion, faithfulness, innocence, emotional depth, empathy, and spiritual yearning) , and the fact that they’re probably the most irrefutably feminine of flowers (sorry peonies, we love you too) would be enough to inspire us, but when we read poet and naturalist Diane Ackerman’s book Natural History of the Senses and learned that violets have an almost magical quality that distinguishes them from all other flowers, we got swoony. Simply put -- nature gave violets a unique and memorable gift -- there is a chemical property in violets that causes a delay in human scent perception. When you smell a violet, your brain can’t process it for a few seconds, and so every time you inhale their fragrance, you are actually inhaling a memory.

We hope these little wearable reminders, like the violets which inspired them, go far and long in your hearts and memory.

Happy New Year!

The New Year of 2019 is upon is, and I have been internally noting many things that I wish to let go of, and equally many things that I’d like to bring into and cultivate in my own life.

The problem is: I tend to not keep my resolutions, not because I don’t want to, say, “get organized” in the New Year (or “spend more time with my family,” or “travel more,” or “eat better,” etc. etc.) but because I simply get swept up in living.

So, to help keep myself on track, I thought that I’d start a new tradition this year and let some of my favorite Waxing Poetic designs inspire my 7 New Year’s resolutions (because 7 is my lucky number) – this way, I can wear them all year long, and be reminded of the commitment I have made to myself.

7 Poetic New Year Resolutions for 2019 + Sneak Peek      I hope my resolutions, in turn, might create a spark for crafting your own resolutions.

We can use our Waxing Poetic pieces as reminders of who we already are (because we made the resolution), and who we might become (because we will put this into practice every time we wear the piece).

Please share with us your Poetic Resolutions, and help us keep each other on track and bring more poetry to life in 2019.

 Love to all in the New Year ahead,  

Patti

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.

A sense of purpose from the CanSurvivor

Kelsey Smith amplifies the voices of those who have turned pain into purpose on her CanSurvivor podcast and website. Diagnosed with Breast Cancer at 29, she has built a community of women using their talents to make a difference. We recently sat down with her for an interview. The Can Survivor is such a great name for your blog and podcast – it’s so perfect to have the word “can” front and center. Tell us a bit about that? Thanks so much! When attempting to name the blog, I kept seeing the term “Cancervivor,” which appeared to give ‘cancer’ too much weight. So, The CanSurvivor was born. It was a way of flipping something traumatic like facing mortality on its head, an assertion I could survive. It certainly isn’t a guarantee since one-third of early-stage diagnoses turns into Metastatic Breast Cancer. For now, cancer doesn’t have the upper hand. I CAN survive, while sharing the experiences of others who have had a direct relationship to breast cancer. Whether it is a plastic surgeon, CEO, or nonprofit organization, there’s an incredible amount of resources to help with survival.

Receiving a diagnosis at 29 must have been quite a shock. Can you tell us a bit about your journey and how sharing helped you in the beginning?

Cancer was nowhere on the itinerary, as I had just started a position in a “dream job” eight days prior to the diagnosis. In fact, I was so into the job that it took a month to call doctors about the lump I had found in my left breast. While I had gotten sick twice in September, I didn’t put two and two together. Many family members and friends were across the country during treatment and the blog started as a way to keep everyone updated. It was helpful to articulate exactly what was going on while explaining all the details so everyone would be on the same page. It also served as a testament to what someone actually goes through in treatment. You do some pretty fearless things – repelling down a 16-story building for The Victory Center is brave as can be. How do you work up to challenge?

This is true! There’s something innate where the possibility of the result is more attractive than the method of getting there. Rappelling down a 16-story building meant more money for the Victory Center, for example. It was also a trust exercise: All of the tools that allowed participants to rappel were designed for safety, and professionals were standing by. It’s important to trust the goodness in even the most negative of processes. While rappelling was definitely scary, seeing the bigger picture negated the fear.

Helping women be their most brilliant, resilient and amazing selves as they navigate Breast Cancer is a bold goal and you do it with style. What’s a favorite example of brilliant resilience from your community – or yourself? Thank you! The best examples are the individuals who have turned their pain into purpose. In the breast cancer community, there are so many people who are using their talents to make a difference. Women like April Johnson-Stearns of Wildfire Magazine or Emily Hopper of Empowerhaus, who are unapologetically inserting their kick-ass attitudes into their brands. These are women who are vulnerable and impactful.Your long-term survivor guests are fantastic. What are some of the top lessons passed along from these 30-years in ladies? Yes, they are! There’s an incredible amount of wisdom to pick up from these women, especially since their treatments were harsher decades ago. Many people don’t know that less than 40 years ago, surgeons did not reconstruct breasts. It took decades for this advancement to be a standard of care. In fact, it is so embedded within the community that women are asking specifically to go “flat,” or not receive reconstruction. It’s really amazing how much long-term survivors have endured while maintaining a sunny disposition.While we have a long way to go to cure breast cancer completely, processes are getting better every day. They’ve taught me to be appreciative of modern medicine. Older survivors have the ability to focus on what is important without letting small things ruin their day. They’re also the best at holding space during tough times of uncertainty.

How important is community in treatment?

It isn’t just community that is important, it is the right community. During treatment, it’s easy to become the center of attention, which then makes others seem or feel like spectators. It can also attract the wrong attention. People aren’t afraid to exploit the situation. Since breast cancer is such a big deal (especially under age 45—Only 11% of us have it), word spreads pretty quickly which can be isolating. Anyone who has been diagnosed should seek out cancer support groups immediately because people may rally around during treatment, then disappear afterwards. It can be mentally exhausting, daunting, and lonely. People who have been through it understand like no one else can.

You’ve turned your pain into power and created something amazing as a result. Were you a coach before your diagnosis?

I was not. The diagnosis took the wheel, as I was in product marketing previously. Young breast cancer survivorship is unique as it leaves open the possibility of making big lifestyle changes in diet, relationships, and sense of purpose. Having a coach who understands this and doesn’t think you’re “overdramatic” or “crazy” is incredibly essential in the healing process, which is uniquely individual. No two cancers are the same, but if you allow it, you can make incredible connections and move forward with optimism.

What is the funniest thing someone has said on The CanSurvivor Podcast?

The talks with fellow survivors are always funny because we are SO not modest, and nobody quite understands our struggles like each other. There were some hearty laughs on an upcoming episode regarding prosthetic nipples. Yes, there’s a prosthetic for that!

What would you like to tell us about self-exams and mammograms?

Breast cancer does not discriminate by age. Eleven percent of women under age 45 will get breast cancer, so please do not forget to set time aside the first of every month to do a self-exam. If you have dense breasts, simply look for “sisters” (similar lumps and bumps). The lump I had did not have a sister, cousin, or anything like that. Mammograms are not typically covered for younger women unless a mass has been found, so “feeling it on the first” is a great defense. In addition to that, if you have a family history of cancer, please speak with a geneticist about testing for genetic mutations. Five to ten percent of all breast cancer diagnoses are caused by BRCA mutations. Luckily, there are solutions!

What’s next for you? And where can others find you out in cyberspace?

This week, we launched the podcast in video format on YouTube! The format of the show has changed to weekly interviews, which allows for more guests involved with breast cancer initiatives. It seems to be continuously expanding, so you will just have to wait and see what’s next! There are several ways to find me: www.TheCanSurvivor.com Facebook IInstagram Twitter

We’re all pledging to take care of ourselves this month with a small step that’s easy to incorporate into every day; a walk, meditation, primal scream. What is your #mypledge?

#MyPledge is to spend fifteen minutes outside, whether it means exercise, taking in nature, playing basketball, or walking. October is a great month to watch the leaves change and fall. There’s an incredible amount lot of beauty in the Midwest!We honor Kelsey’s spirit – and the spirit of so many others – with our support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. During the month of October, a donation from every sale goes to NBCF and the important work they do. Our hope is that one day there will be no more unexpected warriors.