​Throughout the years, many people have asked me about how I got my start in jewelry-making.  My usual response is, “It actually started out as a hobby and I never thought that many years later it would become my passion and my career.”  When I really think about it though, there’s so much more to it.  My jewelry-making journey has been a long and winding one, filled with many roadblocks, detours, dead ends and thoroughfares.  There have been several defining and pivotal moments along the way, things that I believe have completely changed and shaped my life into what it is today. There have also been several people who came into my life, some for only a short period of time and some still in my life now, who have played important roles in who I am and how I got to where I am today.  I liken it to The Butterfly Effect – “the existence of seemingly insignificant moments that alter history and shape destinies.  Typically unrecognized at first, they create threads of cause and effect that appear obvious in retrospect, changing the course of a human life.” (I will circle back to this concept further on in the blog…please read on).
 
The weeks and months since the stay at home order due to COVID-19, have been challenging for me for many different reasons, as I’m sure it has been for everyone. Specifically related to my business, there have been times that I have been grateful for the opportunity to rest and recharge. I enjoyed having the time and space to be creative and think up new jewelry designs.  However, there were also times that I felt defeated and extremely anxious about the future.  In addition to worrying about the future on a personal level, I also agonized about the future of my boutique (which had only been open for 6 weeks), my business, the retail industry and the economy in general.  On those days, I stayed away from my workbench – I only make jewelry when I’m in the right state of mind – when I can put positive and healing energy and lots of love into my designs. On those days, I did other things. I explored new creative outlets, read or watched a feel-good movie and practiced self-care.

Since the retail industry received the green light to reopen on Oahu effective May 15th, I’ve noticed that shoppers and retailers have been proceeding with extreme caution – which I think is a good thing. But it also makes me wonder and worry about what the future of retail and economy will look like for the rest of the year and how that will affect everyone.  Honestly, there have been moments recently that I haven’t been sure if I should continue with my jewelry business.
 
I try my best in times of hardship and turmoil to look for the lesson and opportunity for growth.  However, more often than not, it takes a bit of time and distance to truly be able to understand the takeaway and gain a clearer perspective.
 
My intention of taking this walk down memory lane with you and revisiting my history with jewelry-making is two-fold.  I think it’s a cool way to connect with you - my customers and readers – a way for you to get to know me better and hopefully gain some insight into my background, experience, thought processes, philosophy and aesthetic behind my designs. More importantly though, writing about my journey will be a way for me to remember why I do what I do - why I love gemstones and making jewelry. Retelling my story will allow me to remember my resiliency and perseverance.  It will be a way for me to reflect back on how far I’ve come, hopefully inspiring you to think back on all of the times that you’ve overcome challenges and obstacles in your life, putting what we are all going through because of COVID-19 into perspective – that in the coming weeks and months as we adjust to the “new normal”, we will all have a better understanding of what we were supposed to gain or learn from this experience.  Hopefully instilling a sense of confidence that we will all come out of this together, stronger, wiser and like the Butterfly Effect, exactly where we are supposed to be.
 
Until then, I hope you will join me on My Journey To Blue Bird.
 
Next Up On The Blog:  My First Experience With Beading. 

​I can't believe that it has been over two months since we temporarily closed our doors due to COVID-19. Because we were only open for 6 weeks, there were many moments that I actually questioned if the boutique really happened...or if it was all just a dream.

The memories of my customers, your faces and our conversations (jewelry and non-jewelry-related), is what gave me the strength to have faith and keep going. Our shared love for sparkly things motivated me to use my time at home to create new pieces, in unusual color combinations and cuts. Making jewelry kept me focused on the future of Blue Bird even when the future of retail and the economy was unknown.

​In the weeks prior to and after the announcement of the re-opening of retail on May 15th, I did tons of research regarding safety and sanitizing protocols and talked to a lot of my fellow retail store owners to learn about what they were planning on putting in place. I also communicated with people in the jewelry industry - metal and gemstone suppliers and jewelry associations. With all of this and the health and safety of our customers and community in mind, Blue Bird will be implementing a MODIFIED REOPENING.

​Starting on Wednesday, May 20th, we will be offering our customers a Private Shopping Experience By Appointment Only.  To allow for proper social distancing, we are only able to accommodate one customer at a time.

If you're interested, please call or text (808) 892-8820 or email bbjh.boutique@gmail.com for availability and scheduling. Please note that 24 hours advance notice is requested if possible.