"Jewelry has the power to be this one little thing that can make you feel unique."
--Jennie Kwon
Welcome to my Etsy shop --vintageblissbylisa. It's my own little piece of heaven. It's a vintage jewelry shop with very unique pieces of jewelry; pieces that seem to have some sort of history.
My love for jewelry came very early in life. My dad had saved a brooch from his mother for me. I was always told it would go to me. Although I preferred the ring my sister was getting, as I grew older I came to appreciate the brooch. It is filigree and diamond. Definitely Art Deco styling and unique. I suspect he had the same thoughts about it that I later did.
This past summer, my love for vintage was revived. My BFF lent me a ring she had purchased...amethyst and white gold. It is interesting looking with a cabochon stone. Most of all, it came from her.
And so, as I have been looking to have a side business, this seems to be a perfect fit. I love shopping for unique pieces that I hope someone will love as much as I do. I purchased a book on pieces that are valuable and am pricing as I think they should be priced. I'm not sure about my pricing but trying to keep most pieces at $200 or less. The reason being, I don't want these pieces to be unreachable to my customers.
I have to say, at present, my shop is not over-the-top successful. However, I also think that word is not out about it. So, I decided to take to a little self-promoting by paying for advertising as well as writing this blog.
When I look at jewelry, I feel happy. I especially love pieces from the 1950's and before...they remind me of jewelry my mother and her friends wore and somehow, that makes me feel very comfortable. I also have very old pieces, such as a flip ring that is cameo on one side and a red stone on the other -- a versatile two-in-one piece of jewelry. I have put some watches on the site -- high end designer pieces. Classic and priced to sell. This week-end, I received a mourning ring/pin. It is very macabre and one of the most unique pieces of jewelry I've ever seen. Apparently, these were worn in the 1940's and before if you lost a loved one. This one came with a picture in it but you could change it out for a picture of your loved one...or not.
Some things that many people don't know...during WWII, high end metals were hard to find, and so many pieces were made of a metal called palladium. It is a cousin to platinum. Additionally, Coro duette brooches are extremely valuable. Coro jewelry company patented the design in 1931. Their gold looking costume pieces are brushed with gold. The pieces can be worn as a large brooch or taken apart into two smaller pins. Once polyester became en vogue, so the duette clips went away, because they had the potential to harm the fabric. Anything stamped Coro is considered high-end costume jewelry.
Clip earrings were very much the fashion during the 30's and 40's. I guess people didn't pierce their ears back then. Sometimes, I just like how pieces look. For instance, I have an acorn brooch and clip earring set -- in autumn colors of garnet and amethyst. It caught my eye simply because it reminded me of fall and living in the desert southwest, I found the pieces very pleasing to the eye.
The bottom line is, if you are looking for some amazing vintage jewelry, check out my shop. If you love history, jewelry and a unique fashion find, I have it.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Oh Ye of Little Faith
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3: 5-6
These past few months have been a roller coaster ride of misspent emotions. You see, a few months ago, I felt God was calling me to step up to the plate and get a 2nd Master's degree...this time in Leadership or School Administration, as it is referred to more frequently. I knew He was calling me because I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach...familiar when He calls me to something. Also, within one week of applying, all my school transcripts arrived and everything fell into place. I was accepted.
I had planned to start last January but took the online course required to start and felt completely overwhelmed. I am not a technology guru and got scared...I started to overthink things. For instance -- What if I'm in a group of overachievers and I'm just happy to get my B? I also heard what is required to actually get into the "pool" of qualified candidates for my district. Basically, you retake your Master's degree over a semester with our school district's own program to qualify you as an administrator and you have to stay up until 9 PM on some nights. Seriously? I'm asleep by 8:30 PM just to give you a bit of perspective into my life. Yes, I'm a real fireball during the school year. And so, the overthinking began. At the end of the day, I took a pass and a leave of absence from school. (Something you definitely have the option to do with God but it doesn't bode well for our faithfulness).
OK, so come summer, I got some rest and decided, I'm up for this. I registered for classes and was ready to roll. Then, the unexpected happened. No pay raises or column moves were forthcoming. That meant, if I take on this program (and the loans), I would merely set myself back another 16K in student loans for retirement and bank on actually being hired as an administrator. My friends who had gotten into the "pool" had not gotten jobs. They were a good 10-20 years younger than me, too. To add the icing to the cake, our district went to court one last time to try and not have to pay our raises or column moves, even though in arbitration, the teachers had won. I'm not going to lie...I dropped the classes again, scared by the thought of being further in debt with 11 years until retirement. The "what-if's" played again in my mind....
Yesterday, we got confirmation that the steps and columns on our salaries would be honored. The $68 million the district had been short for so many years was determined to be a problem because they never asked for money for the increase in teachers' salaries. I HATE when that happens. And so, once again, a win for the teachers. I immediately re-registered for classes.
What's my point? The point is, I should have never gone to THAT place last year. That place of overthinking. Questioning myself but more importantly, questioning God. I DO believe in God -- I believe He has our lives mapped out for us, so we can live our lives with greater purpose and to serve Him. So if I know all this, why do I question? Why do I allow my own self-doubts to creep in? Why do I allow what I see in the world to effect my decision-making? Lord knows, when I have been left to my own devices, I have failed miserably. The only thing I can say is that it comes down to one thing...faith!
If you don't believe me, re-read this blog. Up-down-up-down-up-down...decision making or lack thereof. At the end of the day, I am back to square one. I spent a lot of emotions making that final decision when the truth was, there was no need...the decision was made six months ago.
And so, once again, lesson learned. If you are struggling with making a hard decision, take my advice. Let go and give it to God. He will give you that nudge saying, "yes, do it" or "run for the hills!" At the end, once you are at peace, you know you have His seal of approval. Let this blog serve as a reminder to all...Trust God. He has your back.
These past few months have been a roller coaster ride of misspent emotions. You see, a few months ago, I felt God was calling me to step up to the plate and get a 2nd Master's degree...this time in Leadership or School Administration, as it is referred to more frequently. I knew He was calling me because I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach...familiar when He calls me to something. Also, within one week of applying, all my school transcripts arrived and everything fell into place. I was accepted.
I had planned to start last January but took the online course required to start and felt completely overwhelmed. I am not a technology guru and got scared...I started to overthink things. For instance -- What if I'm in a group of overachievers and I'm just happy to get my B? I also heard what is required to actually get into the "pool" of qualified candidates for my district. Basically, you retake your Master's degree over a semester with our school district's own program to qualify you as an administrator and you have to stay up until 9 PM on some nights. Seriously? I'm asleep by 8:30 PM just to give you a bit of perspective into my life. Yes, I'm a real fireball during the school year. And so, the overthinking began. At the end of the day, I took a pass and a leave of absence from school. (Something you definitely have the option to do with God but it doesn't bode well for our faithfulness).
OK, so come summer, I got some rest and decided, I'm up for this. I registered for classes and was ready to roll. Then, the unexpected happened. No pay raises or column moves were forthcoming. That meant, if I take on this program (and the loans), I would merely set myself back another 16K in student loans for retirement and bank on actually being hired as an administrator. My friends who had gotten into the "pool" had not gotten jobs. They were a good 10-20 years younger than me, too. To add the icing to the cake, our district went to court one last time to try and not have to pay our raises or column moves, even though in arbitration, the teachers had won. I'm not going to lie...I dropped the classes again, scared by the thought of being further in debt with 11 years until retirement. The "what-if's" played again in my mind....
Yesterday, we got confirmation that the steps and columns on our salaries would be honored. The $68 million the district had been short for so many years was determined to be a problem because they never asked for money for the increase in teachers' salaries. I HATE when that happens. And so, once again, a win for the teachers. I immediately re-registered for classes.
What's my point? The point is, I should have never gone to THAT place last year. That place of overthinking. Questioning myself but more importantly, questioning God. I DO believe in God -- I believe He has our lives mapped out for us, so we can live our lives with greater purpose and to serve Him. So if I know all this, why do I question? Why do I allow my own self-doubts to creep in? Why do I allow what I see in the world to effect my decision-making? Lord knows, when I have been left to my own devices, I have failed miserably. The only thing I can say is that it comes down to one thing...faith!
If you don't believe me, re-read this blog. Up-down-up-down-up-down...decision making or lack thereof. At the end of the day, I am back to square one. I spent a lot of emotions making that final decision when the truth was, there was no need...the decision was made six months ago.
And so, once again, lesson learned. If you are struggling with making a hard decision, take my advice. Let go and give it to God. He will give you that nudge saying, "yes, do it" or "run for the hills!" At the end, once you are at peace, you know you have His seal of approval. Let this blog serve as a reminder to all...Trust God. He has your back.
Sunday, August 19, 2018
But Pastor...
I must confess...of late, I have not been attending church. I love Jesus with all my heart but I have a beef with the church right now -- and that is, it's position on the LGBTQ community. You see, I have a transgender daughter. It has not changed who she is as a person, other than the exterior.
The more time I spend with her in the "real" world, the more I see the looks...the stares...the treatment of her by normally pandering salespeople. Her life is hard - there is no question. There is also no question in my mind that one would not subject themselves to such ridicule unless they actually felt different...to a degree that they felt they had to make the outside match the inside. And churches are not particularly welcoming.
I understand that as Christians we are flawed. But didn't Jesus command us to love one another? Not just the heterosexuals but all people? Please don't write me and say, "but Leviticus says...." Yes, and Leviticus also says don't eat meat and dairy together and a whole list of rules and regs. Yet, we don't follow those unless we are Orthodox Jews.
I have said it before and I will say it again...Jesus was far more concerned with the lust of money than the desires of the heart. As my mother used to say, "The church has no business in anyone's bedroom."
#truth
And so, today my daughter and I are attending a potluck at my church. It is, I suppose, a way of helping to educate church members on transgender and other LGBTQ issues. I'm not sure what will be discussed but I know that one of the pastors leading it, also has a transgender daughter.
Our church, the United Methodist Church is probably one of the most liberal churches out there; yet, there may come a divide. The church denounces homosexuality in its Book of Discipline. It is, a book of how the church should function.
Our school district recently had a board meeting just to discuss transgender bullying and how we now must protect these children. I find it ironic that we have to have a discussion on something the Constitution already grants them...all men are created equal...the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...you know, all things we take for granted. That we have to actually make a rule to treat a transgender child with respect is really beyond my ability to process. But there are some who have to have a rule or a law in order to do it. Shameful.
I would like to attend church again but until Christians are willing to open their hearts and doors to the LGBTQ community, I feel compelled to study the Bible at home with my husband. It is not as I would like to worship but it is all I have for now.
"Love one another as you love yourself." A simple commandment given by our Lord and Savior. And yet, a difficult one for Christians to follow.
The more time I spend with her in the "real" world, the more I see the looks...the stares...the treatment of her by normally pandering salespeople. Her life is hard - there is no question. There is also no question in my mind that one would not subject themselves to such ridicule unless they actually felt different...to a degree that they felt they had to make the outside match the inside. And churches are not particularly welcoming.
I understand that as Christians we are flawed. But didn't Jesus command us to love one another? Not just the heterosexuals but all people? Please don't write me and say, "but Leviticus says...." Yes, and Leviticus also says don't eat meat and dairy together and a whole list of rules and regs. Yet, we don't follow those unless we are Orthodox Jews.
I have said it before and I will say it again...Jesus was far more concerned with the lust of money than the desires of the heart. As my mother used to say, "The church has no business in anyone's bedroom."
#truth
And so, today my daughter and I are attending a potluck at my church. It is, I suppose, a way of helping to educate church members on transgender and other LGBTQ issues. I'm not sure what will be discussed but I know that one of the pastors leading it, also has a transgender daughter.
Our church, the United Methodist Church is probably one of the most liberal churches out there; yet, there may come a divide. The church denounces homosexuality in its Book of Discipline. It is, a book of how the church should function.
Our school district recently had a board meeting just to discuss transgender bullying and how we now must protect these children. I find it ironic that we have to have a discussion on something the Constitution already grants them...all men are created equal...the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...you know, all things we take for granted. That we have to actually make a rule to treat a transgender child with respect is really beyond my ability to process. But there are some who have to have a rule or a law in order to do it. Shameful.
I would like to attend church again but until Christians are willing to open their hearts and doors to the LGBTQ community, I feel compelled to study the Bible at home with my husband. It is not as I would like to worship but it is all I have for now.
"Love one another as you love yourself." A simple commandment given by our Lord and Savior. And yet, a difficult one for Christians to follow.
Monday, August 6, 2018
Overthinking
I'm overthinking today. Should I change the name of my blog? Move to WordPress? Start over? You see, people who are anxious, tend to do that...overthink. And not necessarily about what they are truly anxious about.
For instance...work is starting in two days. I am anxious about that. Should I go in and give the bulletin board a face-lift or wait until I go back to work? Will I have time at work? What all do I need to do to get ready for the school year?
School...I am going back for my Master's degree in Administration. Is that the right decision? Do I really want to go through two more years of grad school for a job I may or may not ever get? Will I get (at the very least) a raise for my efforts?
Retirement...a huge thing on my mind of late. I am 11 years from retirement, 150K in debt and looking to take on 16K more with the Master's degree and frrrrrrr-eaking out! It seems so enormous. I may have to work until I drop. Meanwhile, as I get older, my patience is waning. My students who can be incredibly disrespectful are depending on me for help. I have to swallow my pride at least ten times a day to ignore the disrespectful remarks, otherwise, my time in the classroom would be spent passing out referrals instead of doing what I am there for -- to help.
These are the thoughts I have been wrestling with for at least two weeks. Suffering from anxiety, it tends to flare up when I feel overwhelmed -- which I definitely am. Instead of enjoying myself, I am stewing in my own juices.
So, how do I overcome this anxiety? How do I move past it? I take the standard anti-depressant and have medication for full-blown anxiety attacks. But until I actually meet it when it comes up, my overthinking will continue. I exercise, eat healthy and do all the things that are good for it. But genetics trumps it all. It is something I will have to live with for the remainder of my days.
Truth is, there is nothing I can do except meet it head on. I have to see what it will actually looks like. This is a case of the glass half empty when I know I have a very full glass. I have so much that I have been blessed with and I don't want to minimize that in any way.
For instance, instead of worrying about going back to a job -- I HAVE a job to go back to...when so many don't.
I am seeking to improve myself with another degree -- even if I DON'T see a monetary reward, there is something to be said for my capacity and willingness to continue learning.
What about the blog? What about it? It has been successful. I don't have to change the name in order to get more readers. And what do I gain by getting more readers? I never expected to have more than a 100 or 150 readers at best. I have topped out at 72K+ readers from all over the world. That is no small feat.
Debt? Well, I am working to pay it down. I also have a husband who took on a full-time job, post-retirement, in order to help me. If that's not love, I'm not sure what is...
So today, I thank God for giving me all that He has. I look at how far I've come. In five short years, I have gone from working three jobs to one. I am no longer staring at my bottle of Xanax every night, debating whether or not to take them all. I have a stronger faith in God than I ever had. I know I am incredibly bright and capable. I would not have survived the hardest times of my life without my personal strength and God's grace. I have remarried to a man who is the kindest, most sincere person I have ever met. Is he perfect? No, but then again, neither am I. I have eight beautiful grandchildren, four children and although not a financially rich life, a very RICH life. There is a difference.
And so, as I write, my anxiety leaves me. I feel my body relaxing. I will get through this as I have the other storms of my life. Overthinking...the art of creating problems that weren't even there. (UrbanDictionary.com). It is exhausting and non-productive. It steals your joy. And nothing...not anything...is worth that!
Some Bible verses to remember when you start to overthink or feel negativity about your life:
Romans 5:3-5 ESV
For instance...work is starting in two days. I am anxious about that. Should I go in and give the bulletin board a face-lift or wait until I go back to work? Will I have time at work? What all do I need to do to get ready for the school year?
School...I am going back for my Master's degree in Administration. Is that the right decision? Do I really want to go through two more years of grad school for a job I may or may not ever get? Will I get (at the very least) a raise for my efforts?
Retirement...a huge thing on my mind of late. I am 11 years from retirement, 150K in debt and looking to take on 16K more with the Master's degree and frrrrrrr-eaking out! It seems so enormous. I may have to work until I drop. Meanwhile, as I get older, my patience is waning. My students who can be incredibly disrespectful are depending on me for help. I have to swallow my pride at least ten times a day to ignore the disrespectful remarks, otherwise, my time in the classroom would be spent passing out referrals instead of doing what I am there for -- to help.
These are the thoughts I have been wrestling with for at least two weeks. Suffering from anxiety, it tends to flare up when I feel overwhelmed -- which I definitely am. Instead of enjoying myself, I am stewing in my own juices.
So, how do I overcome this anxiety? How do I move past it? I take the standard anti-depressant and have medication for full-blown anxiety attacks. But until I actually meet it when it comes up, my overthinking will continue. I exercise, eat healthy and do all the things that are good for it. But genetics trumps it all. It is something I will have to live with for the remainder of my days.
Truth is, there is nothing I can do except meet it head on. I have to see what it will actually looks like. This is a case of the glass half empty when I know I have a very full glass. I have so much that I have been blessed with and I don't want to minimize that in any way.
For instance, instead of worrying about going back to a job -- I HAVE a job to go back to...when so many don't.
I am seeking to improve myself with another degree -- even if I DON'T see a monetary reward, there is something to be said for my capacity and willingness to continue learning.
What about the blog? What about it? It has been successful. I don't have to change the name in order to get more readers. And what do I gain by getting more readers? I never expected to have more than a 100 or 150 readers at best. I have topped out at 72K+ readers from all over the world. That is no small feat.
Debt? Well, I am working to pay it down. I also have a husband who took on a full-time job, post-retirement, in order to help me. If that's not love, I'm not sure what is...
So today, I thank God for giving me all that He has. I look at how far I've come. In five short years, I have gone from working three jobs to one. I am no longer staring at my bottle of Xanax every night, debating whether or not to take them all. I have a stronger faith in God than I ever had. I know I am incredibly bright and capable. I would not have survived the hardest times of my life without my personal strength and God's grace. I have remarried to a man who is the kindest, most sincere person I have ever met. Is he perfect? No, but then again, neither am I. I have eight beautiful grandchildren, four children and although not a financially rich life, a very RICH life. There is a difference.
And so, as I write, my anxiety leaves me. I feel my body relaxing. I will get through this as I have the other storms of my life. Overthinking...the art of creating problems that weren't even there. (UrbanDictionary.com). It is exhausting and non-productive. It steals your joy. And nothing...not anything...is worth that!
Some Bible verses to remember when you start to overthink or feel negativity about your life:
Romans 5:3-5 ESV
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
Galatians 5:22 ESV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Psalm 51:10 ESV
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Romans 8:28 ESV
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)