this is my practice.

The "My Practice" necklace is your chance to think about what you currently want to invite into your life and claim it with a hand stamped word paired with kyanite and amethyst to really support you as you stand tall in the life you want to live.

This is the necklace I've been wearing for the last few weeks. Mine is hand stamped with the word "allow," which has become one of those words that keeps appearing in my life. Allowing all the feelings. Allowing for the possibility that I can choose to make little moves each day toward the life I want. Allowing those around me to show up as them just as I want to show up as me. Allowing for more abundance, more love, more in-person connection, more community.

When you order this necklace, you choose a word that represents your current practice. Yes, this could be your word of the year, but it could also be the soul care practice you're calling in right now or even just the feeling you most want in your life. Perhaps you have begun to notice, like I did, a word that keeps appearing again and again and is almost demanding that you pay attention, so you feel called to bring it into your life in this tangible way.

After I hand stamp you word/short phrase on this brass bar, it is then paired with a gorgeous wire wrapped kyanite teardrop gemstone to invite in clear communication and to help you speak whatever you need to say as you live this practice. And a sweet little faceted amethyst is added to invite in a sense of balance, peacefulness, and calm. These three special pieces hang from a thick brass jump ring to give you a gorgeous focal point for your practice.

I imagine you reaching for this necklace and holding it when you need to be reminded that you know the next step you want to take. Yes yes yes.

You can find the limited edition My Practice necklace right here.

Soul Mantras Instagram Sale

I'm having some fun over on the Soul Mantras Instagram feed today. Yes, Bonnie and I started a special Instagram account just for the Soul Mantras and every now and then we're going to have special sales. And weekly, we're sharing peeks into the studio and first announcements about new designs. We also have sample sales from time to time too.

This special sale runs through tomorrow (Tuesday). I hope you find something for you or for a loved one. And we'll be shipping so things get to you in time for Mother's Day!!

Come on and follow us over here!

a spring sale

Over in my shop, I'm having a spring sale!

Just use coupon code SPRING15 to take 15% off your order from now through Sunday evening.

the heart.full collection

whole heart talismans in the shop

She wasn’t one for a month all about love or stringing hearts up about the house. She rolled her eyes at the idea of one day when someone you call sweetheart is supposed to buy you roses. She had spent so many days alone that even when she found herself in love and loved in return, she still tried to ignore this need others had to make one day about something that never quite felt real. She was quiet about it but mostly tolerated seeing everyone in red, and then she bought the chocolates when they went on sale.

Years passed with this story on repeat.

Then a few years ago on a day in July, she found herself holding the pieces of her ownheart together as she watched a doctor try to heal the tiny heart of her five-week old daughter. That day gave her a new sense of what a heart could be, could do, could mean.

In the days that followed, even as life shifted and pushed her in ways she never expected, she found herself saying yes:

to hearts about the house
to seeing the light shine through the cracks
to wearing red
to letting herself be loved
to opening herself to healing

As the light returns a bit more each day and the calendar moves closer to that day of love, she stands in this moment and says yes to all that is to come.

I wrote a variation of these words back in 2011 and am revisiting them because I just really want to tell you this story. I want to share this glimpse into how you can hold something as simple (and huge) as "I just really don't like Valentine's Day" in one hand, and in the other, hold this belief that you can choose love today. And I guess I just want you to know why hearts so often appear in my jewelry, in my photos, in my world.

Hearts have become my way of holding the idea of "love always wins" close to me. 

And here's the thing about choosing to believe that "love always wins." It doesn't mean, "love always makes life easier" or "when someone loves you everything falls into place" or "you aren't winning if you aren't in love" or even "love will never hurt you." To me, it means a belief that keeping my heart open by choosing love (for those around me, for life, for the earth, for myself) will profoundly make the world a better place to live. 

Yes. Yes. Yes.

The Heart.Full Collection

And I'm also reintroducing the Heart.Full Collection in my Soul Mantras shop. My heart lockets have always been part of it since I introduced it back in 2011, but I'm excited to grow it a bit more and give it a special spot in my new shop.

I've gathered up the hearts alongside the phrases I hold close to me when love feels far away and put them inside this collection. I'll be donating 10% of the profits from these necklace to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital here in Tacoma where Ellie spent five days when she was just a few weeks old before she went on to have open-heart surgery in Seattle.

Thank you for supporting my shop and this collection and for reading these words today. I'm so grateful for you (yes, you).

And because the new "whole heart" talismans shown in the photo above have become my favorite thing in my shop (maybe ever), I'm also introducing a buy 4 get 1 free special. Several of my customers have told me that they loving giving them to their friends. And I began to imagine so many beautiful souls carrying words like "loved" and "brave" and "kindred" and "xoxo" and "whole" in their pockets reminding them that they aren't alone...so I want to help you make that happen in your corner with this special.

Sending love love love your way today.

an intention to guide you

In November, the idea came to me to offer an intention necklace in the shop - something for the person who likes the idea behind choosing a "word of the year" but doesn't want to choose one or one hasn't presented itself yet or something for the person who just needs some extra reinforcements any time of year. I wanted the gemstones to represent several different types of journeys a person might be on right now, while inviting in strong guidance and support. I also knew I'd be creating a special mantra with each stone, so I wanted stones that felt ready for that kind of goodness.

So when Bonnie and I went to the gem show in late November, we were looking for gorgeous, unique stones that really seemed to hold the magic of this idea.

Here's what we found:

Aquamarine: For courage, growing trust, and connection to the sea. 
Your aquamarine mantra for the year: May I listen to the brave wisdom within me and open my heart toward the peace that awaits.

Rose quartz: A stone of the heart.
Your rose quartz mantra of the year: May I feel supported as I open my heart toward self-compassion and love.

Kyanite: A stone for speaking your truth, it is deep blue in color.  
Your kyanite mantra for the year: May I connect to the wisdom and courage within me and tell my story.

Moonstone: A stone for beginnings and connecting to your light and to the divine feminine. The stone used in this offering is cloudy white in color and sparkles in certain light. 
Your moonstone mantra for the year: May I seek the stillness I need to connect with the light within me.

Amazonite: A stone of courage and truth that soothes the spirit. 
Your amazonite mantra for the year: May I remember to show up as me and let go of what I no longer need.

Amethyst: A stone for comfort, peace, and becoming.
Your amethyst mantra for the year: May I embrace my journey of becoming and remember to seek and ask for the comfort and support I need.

You can find this limited edition offering right here. You choose the gemstone that represents the intention you'd like to hold at this time in your journey, and I'll choose one just for you from the olive wood bowl that holds them on my studio altar. We also include a little card with your stone's intention and mantra.

And if you're looking for an even more personal experience and special necklace designed just for you, check out the Soul Talisman offering to see if it feels like a good fit for you. I can even include your word of the year with that special offering.

a word of the year

The practice of choosing a word for the year is one I've been doing for about five or six years now. Sometimes this practice feels like it deeply affects my journey, and other years I realize that my word isn't really doing it for me and other words begin to take its place. 

This year, I thought I was actually going to focus on four words. They each kept appearing again and again and seemed to represent different ways I want to grow and feel right now. But then on Saturday, while listening to Elise and Ali talk about the One Little Word practice, my 2015 word appeared. I'm going to share more about it and how I'm going to work with it tomorrow.

Today, I want to simply invite you to think about choosing your own word or theme for the year. 

One way to do this is to think about how you want to feel in 2015. You could literally write at the top of a piece of paper "In 2015, I want to feel..." and just start journaling. Notice the themes. Really describe how you want to feel and why. See what comes up for you. From there, make a list of words that represent this feeling. See if one stands out. And then live with it for a little while. 

Here's a post where I talk about how I used a similar idea with my word for 2012: whole. That post gives you a few other ideas to help you choose your word.  

The new whole heart pocket talismans pictured at the top of this post are just about my favorite thing ever that I've created for Soul Mantras and Other Stories. I love how they literally look like little heart rocks. They're thick and perfect for carrying in your pocket, putting on your altar, placing next to your computer in your cubicle, or giving to a friend. Find them here (and if you want to order four or more, send me a note for a special discount code).

There are also several new "word of the year" designs in the shop, which you can see here.

Throughout this week I'll be sharing some thoughts and resources around this idea of choosing a word or intention to focus on for the year. I'll even be sharing thoughts around letting go of this practice if it doesn't work for you and will give some other suggestions about what you could do instead.

Remember, working with the practices that most support you is the goal here. Always.

a holiday sale

My yearly holiday sale begins today! From now through Thursday, take 20% off your order at the Soul Mantras website and in my Etsy shop with code HOLIDAY20. You'll be able to enter the code on the checkout page of both shops, but over on Etsy, remember to click "Apply coupon code."

My new shop at soulmantras.com has all my limited edition and one-of-a-kind necklaces. You can find them all, like the new courage necklace above, the new popular sea glass altar necklace, and others from the Where the Forest Meets the Sea Collection, right here.

Both shops have the two new layered necklace sets: the ice crystal layers necklace above and the feather moon layers.

I'm also excited about this new "so I fly" pewter keychain. Several customers have requested this one, and I'm so happy to have found a design I'm happy with.

Thank you so much for your continued support of my shop. Feeling deeply blessed over here as I create these special pieces and send them out to your corner of the world. 

Love,
Liz 

Introducing the Soul Talismans

  

The Soul Talisman is a one-of-a-kind necklace made just for you in my little studio in the Pacific Northwest. The intention behind this offering is that it will become your companion as the gemstones chosen just for you support what you most need. 

While I create your necklace, I will be holding you in my heart and blessing your stones and your stories. Your necklace will be infused with love and light and will be cleansed with sage before it is packaged up and sent to you.

I think of each necklace as deep soul work that I create the foundation for here in my corner as I gather and wire wrap and sing in my studio, and then I send it off to you as a reminder to begin tending to the seeds of that soul work in your corner.

Here's how it will work. You answer a few questions about where you are on your path right now along with a couple of style questions.

I was amazed that you could know me so well having only the few questions/answers.  It was wonderful to know the meaning behind why you chose those specific components for me and my necklace and showed exactly how much care and intention goes into your work.

- Deb

I light a candle in my studio and read your words. Then I sit in the quiet thinking about what you've shared and gather the stones that will support you.

Your chosen stones then sit on my altar overnight soaking up the blessings and wisdom that space holds. 

I set aside another block of time just for you where I bless the stones in light and love and then hand wire wrap them and create your special necklace. Then I handwrite a letter that shares the story behind your necklace, why the gemstones were chosen and other good things.

I cleanse your necklace with sage and choose an additional larger gemstone to include in your package that you can sit on your altar or carry with you in your pocket.

Then I gather it all together, along with a few other surprises, and send it off with love to you.

Please note: I will be choosing these gemstones for you from my collection in my studio. They will be stones that connect to what you've shared with me in our email exchange. I will also ask you a few style questions (such as length) but this offering invites you to trust what I'll create for you.

"The packaging and care that went into it was great. The handwritten note explaining the process and the stones chosen has already been read and reread several times. Love love love it! The amethyst and the note have been added to the alter I keep right in my closet so I see them at the start and end of each day."

- Kirsten

Sizes: There are two sizes to choose from with this offering: Small and Medium.

The smaller necklaces will have daintier gemstones and the entire pendant will be smaller in size. The smaller necklace is $115. Here are some examples. 

The medium necklaces will be larger with slightly larger gemstones that create a larger pendant. The medium necklace is $135. Here are some examples. 

To start the process, please choose which size you'd like and pay via PayPal below. The prices include US shipping. International customers, please choose international shipping, which is an additional $7.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRICE: As a gift from me to you, the price below reflects a 15% off holiday special. This price will be available through December 5. If you'd like to receive your talisman before Christmas, please order by December 5. Orders placed after the 5th will begin shipping out around December 31. 

Sizes and Shipping

Small with US Shipping $97.75 USD Small with International Shipping $104.75 USD Medium with US Shipping $114.75 USD Medium with International shipping $121.75 USD

After I receive your order confirmation, I'll email you a questionnaire (at your PayPal email address) so we can get started. (If you want me to send it to a different email address, please email me and let me know.) Because of the special time set aside with this offering, your custom necklace will take 1-3 weeks to create.

If you have any questions, please email me.