I can remember sifting through my grandmother's jewelry box as a child, full of shiny baubles and pretty things. I was fascinated with the contents of that magical box. It was a treat to get to play in it. You see, my grandmother was more a lady of the land. She gardened, cooked, and oh my did she craft, saving the contents of that box for special occasions. But when she put them on, she was transformed, simply exquisite, her beauty was undeniable. I know now that my love of sparkle and pretty things is directly tied to the memories of my grandmother....
Time travel a few years with me into 2006. After a particularly destructive lady named Katrina ripped through southern Louisiana, I decided to relocate to the Carolinas with my husband, canine kid, and one month old daughter. I suddenly found myself in a new city, with a new baby, in a new home, surrounded by new people...an entirely new world. While I loved being a stay-at-home mother, I quickly realized how much I missed being out in the day-to-day and yearned to be around other creative souls. I decided to rekindle my romance with jewelry making, drawing upon simple skills I had learned from a class I took a year prior simply for fun with my mother and sister. Around this time a friend introduced me to Etsy. It was the perfect way to combine my love for creating, staying home with my daughter, and selling my wares to others. In the fall of 2008, armed with a passion for creating, dreams filled with beauty, and the desire to contribute more sparkle to the world, I spilled my artistic soul into Eclectic Orchid. It became my creative outlet, a place to share works of wearable art.
Why Eclectic Orchid? I have always loved orchids. They have such a simple beauty to them, but are also so delicate and classic. I also have a very eclectic style. I love the juxtaposition of vintage and modern styles, new and old materials, simple and sparkly, boho romantic beauty combined with timeless, classic elegance. All of these loves merged into the whimsical and unique style that Eclectic Orchid is known for, jewelry and accessories meant to ignite the imagination and sparkle the soul!
My passion for photography grew after starting Eclectic Orchid. I realized I adored the process of photographing my products, from lighting, to designing little vignettes, and editing. I also started to see the world a bit differently after my daughter was born- the ordinary seemed more extraordinary, more vibrant, colorful. Through her eyes, everything is magical, like dreams coming to life before our eyes. These inspirations melded together, and Bellawonderella Photography by Eclectic Orchid came to be in the summer of 2010. Bellawonderella prints are most often a combination of the everyday with a twist of whimsy and a bit of magic.
The most wonderful part of this journey is that I have been able to share my passion for design and creating beautiful things with my daughter, Bella. She has become such an artistic soul and can often be found creating right along side me at her own little desk. She sees the world in a colorful, magical and sparkly way. I love her view of the world, and have come to see it that way too!
This is my personal blog, a place for me to share dreams, beauty, craftiness, shop shenanigans, and life's journeys. Thank you for letting me share a small part of my story with you. I hope that you continue to join me in my adventures through this beautiful world. So, welcome, and don't forget to dream.....
