I’ve been on a bit of a blogging hiatus while spending some time away from the office and in the photo studio with the wonderfully talented Samantha Lopez. I can’t say much about her forthcoming book just yet, but I can tell you I’m incredibly excited about this project. Such opportunities to witness artists at work are definitely among the highlights of my job as managing editor of North Light Books.

Sam is a talented jewelry designer with a thriving online boutique at KnotStudio.com. Happily, I also found her to be a bit of a kindred spirit. (I love it when that happens!) One day when I complimented her on the necklace she was wearing,  she explained that it was made from links of a special bracelet her husband had given her that had broken. I told her that I, too, had such a bracelet—a gift from my own hubby that I had worn every day for several years while we were dating before it broke. A local jeweler had said it couldn’t be fixed, but Sam offered to take a look and give me some advice on what might be done to salvage some small part of it.

Not only did she take a look, but she kindly took some time on her last evening in town to transform it into a necklace of my own. She filed off the broken ends, drilled holes into the safety latches of the broken clasp, and used wire wrapping to attach a delicate chain. I could never show my gratitude enough for this gift—new life for a deeply meaningful piece of jewelry that had been relegated to a box for years, as well as a new friend in this talented and generous soul.

This seemed to me the perfect lesson in inspiration and creativity. What item that holds meaning for you can you transform into something even more beautiful?

Happy Monday,
Jessica