I've always been a daydreamer: imagining the big ways I wanted to change and heal the world. As a little girl I would make things while fantasizing about the vision of the life unfolding before me: fashion, academia, art, design, writing, traveling... I realize now that each daydream was a seed and carried a piece of a whole vision.

And LunaVita was a crucial seed in this process. Luna is a muse in my creative process that speaks through the intersection of handmade trinkets and natural gems and minerals to create special talismans of healing intention. She brings awareness to the body and its sacred connection to earth and cycles and helps empower each woman through sacred adornment.

I opened LunaVita in July 2013, as part of an assignment for a graduate class, Transformative Arts Seminar with Karen Sjholom, which challenged me to set and realize a creative goal. Wearing and gifting these creations garnered followed by the support and validation from the individuals in this class gave me the courage to forge ahead with sharing my process...

For me, jewelry-making is part of a meditative prayer practice in which I channel specific intentions into the alteration of natural, found, and manmade objects. This practice is most notably inspired by nature, the wonder of the human body, and gratitude for story and lineage. I frequently work with natural materials as a way to slow down, connect with, and honor the beauty that often gets overlooked in our busy lives.

I employ a similar approach to sewing and clothing design. You can visit my handmade clothing store, SolaVita Exchange, at etsy.com/shop/SolaVita.