Labor Day

Labor Day brings to mind a three-day weekend, sales, and gatherings with friends and family (all fun!) but it’s also really about the men and women among us who design, manufacture and make the creature comforts and items we use on a daily basis. From the parts and assembly of the cars we drive, the appliances we use daily, all the products in our homes and so much more. To really observe in our highly consumer driven society that “someone, somewhere had a part in making this” is a thought that at times, escapes us. Part of our philosophy at WP is being cautious of what we buy, where we source from and the production methods used. Labor Day is a celebration of (and dedicated to) the social and economic achievements of workers and their contributions to the strength, prosperity, and well being of our country. With this National Tribute, we want to thank, celebrate and honor you all.

Carry Your Memories Close, Wherever Life Takes You (in this case off to College)

As you embark on this newest chapter of your life (or perhaps, it’s your daughter, niece, granddaughter, or sister who is embarking on a journey) there is bound to be a little yearning for the creature comforts of home and the familiarity of your old room, mom’s home cooking and the hall way lined with family photos, your friends calling from the window and all the memories in between. At Waxing Poetic, these are the things that inspire us and drive us to create meaningful pieces that can be carried with you through out your entire life. Consider a reminder: the camp charm that reminds you of a pet at home, or a trophy in your room. Add an insignia of your bff, a talisman of courage to follow your dreams, be fearless and keep faith. Some inspiration for your college memory markers…

Gather gift ideas for taking memories of home with your (wherever you go)

Explore Charms and Pendants

Poem of the Month:

“Somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond

any experience, your eyes have their silence:

in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,

or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me

though i have closed myself as fingers,

you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens

(touching skilfully,mysteriously)her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, i and

my life will shut very beautifully ,suddenly,

as when the heart of this flower imagines

the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals

the power of your intense fragility:whose texture

compels me with the color of its countries,

rendering death and forever with each breathing” –E.E. Cummings

What's Hot - Layered Looks

Curating your story into a necklace is a fun, thoughtful process. Imagine your most cherished moments, the hearts you behold, beloved memories and the reminders you want to keep with you always. Here are some lovely and iconic ideas to inspire you.

Explore all the many ways you can style and wear your treasured Waxing Poetic pieces. The possibilities (much like you) are e n d l e s s…

Explore more options and new pieces to incorporate into your collection

Poetic Picnic

The Waxing Poetic First Annual Poetic Picnic was a success! To celebrate summer, family, and loved ones, we held a little BBQ soiree with potluck and a cookie contest (see winning recipes below). Connection is a core value here at WP, and we encourage friendships to grow both within and outside of our company.

We just really love a good party too. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oatmeal Carmel Apple Cookies

20 minutes
COOK TIME: 14 minutes
YIELD: 24-30

INGREDIENTS:
For the apples:
1 1/2 C Chopped apples
1/4 C Brown sugar
1 tbsp All purpose flour

For the cookies:
1 C Unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
3/4 C Granulated sugar
3/4 C Brown sugar
2 Large eggs
2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
2 tsp Maple syrup
2 1/4 C All purpose flour
1 pk Instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz)
1 1/2 C Oats
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Apple pie spice
3/4 C Walnuts
1 pk Kraft Caramel squares

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Start by chopping apples into small pieces, about the size of a dime. You will need 2-3 apples. In a separate bowl, combine sugar and flour and stir to coat apples. Set aside.

3. Allow butter to come to room temperature. Combine with both granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium speed for several minutes until very well combined. Mixture should be smooth

4. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until well mixed. Add vanilla extract and maple syrup and mix into batter after both eggs have been added.

5. Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl: flour, vanilla pudding mix, oats, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and apple pie spice. Slowly add dry ingredients to the batter and mix on medium speed until combined.

6. Slowly add apples and walnuts to dough and beat on low speed just until combined.

7. Line cookie sheet with baking mat or parchment paper

8. Using a medium sized cooking scoop (about 3 tablespoons), place dough on cookie sheet. Use your thumb to press into the middle of the dough ball to make a hole. Place an unwrapped caramel in the middle. Use your fingers to pinch the edges back together so that caramel is fully covered with cookie dough.

9. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes until the edges turn light brown. Allow to cool on the pan for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

10. Store in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften caramel.

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Chocolate Cake Cookies

1 cube of butter
8 oz of cream cheese
1 tsp of vanilla
1 egg
1 chocolate box cake
Powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Mix room temperature butter and cream cheese

3. Mix in chocolate cake, vanilla, and egg

4. Let cookie dough chill for a bit

5. Form dough into balls and roll in powdered sugar

6. Bake for 10 min

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Chocolate Avocado Cookies

1 ripe avocado, finely mashed
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅓ cup flour
½ tsp baking soda
3 cups chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the finely mashed avocado, white sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, and baking soda.

4. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients until just combined.

5. Gently stir in the dark chocolate chunks.

6. Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, add one heaping tablespoon of dough on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the top has set. Don't over-bake!

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The King

13 hr 10 min Prep: 30 min Inactive Prep: 12 hr Cook: 40 min

YIELD: about 24 cookie cups

INGREDIENTS:
10 slices bacon
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts
1/2 cup sweet dried banana chips, roughly chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, then drain on paper towels. Once the bacon is cool, roughly chop it (you should have about 1/2 cup).

2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter, mayonnaise and sugars with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and beat until combined.

3. At low speed, add the flour mixture in batches, beating until just combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chunks, bacon, peanuts and banana chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

4. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners.

5. Fill the muffin tins about halfway full with the batter (a 2-inch, 2-ounce ice cream scoop gives you just about the perfect amount, and helps prevent spilling).

6. Bake until the tops are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. (Keep in mind that the cookies won't rise and form a dome like a cupcake.) Let cool in the muffin tins on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then unmold the cookie cups and transfer them to the racks to cool completely.

The History of Charms

We love history as much as we love art. Your personal history, along with ancient history is inspirational. So for fun: A little history lesson that we find completely fascinating.

Charms have been enchanting humans since prehistoric times. Frequently referred to as amulets or talisman, the wearing of charms has been associated with magic, mystique, protection, spirituality, faith, love and wealth.

As early as the stone age, people began making jewelry from clay, animal bones and shells to use as objects of adornment. Different cultures came of age at different times throughout history, in Africa, there is evidence that as early as 75,000 years ago early stone-age man used shells as adornments. In a cave in southwestern Germany, tiny intricately carved ivory figurines made of mammoth tusks were found dating back 30,000 years.

During the Bronze Age, the jewelry making process became more sophisticated and intricate along with the materials used. Early charms were made of lapis lazuli, rock crystal, and other semiprecious gems and were inscribed with small designs associated with special powers or meanings. Different civilizations including the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians made and wore charms. The Babylonians are believed to be the first people to wear charms on a bracelet around 700 BC.

Egyptians started using charms as early as 3000 BC. They used charms to ward off evil spirits, protect loved ones in the afterlife, enhance fertility, and assure prosperity. As master goldsmiths they were the first to develop the ability to cast gold, using the lost-wax technique which many modern jewelry manufacturers still use today.

Leading up to the industrial revolution, charms were custom-made pieces of jewelry. Affluent citizens had the means to acquire and commission these pieces.

The introduction of the machine age provided the technology to mine precious metals and mass-produce them into affordable jewelry for the growing middle class, both in Europe and the United States.

Queen Victoria further popularized charm bracelets in the 1800’s by wearing small lockets containing family portraits and locks of hair of her beloved husband, Prince Albert.
Charm bracelets reached the heights of popularity in the United States after World War II. American soldiers returned home with souvenir charms from the cities they had liberated. Jewelers soon added charms of various metals, styles, and occasions to their lines. Today, charms are as popular as ever. People continue to use charms and charm bracelets to tell the story of their life, whether it be a simple heart charm worn around the neck or charm bracelet filled with tiny treasures.

Quite often, charm bracelets are given from mother to daughter, either as a new gift or passing it on as a family heirloom, continuing the tradition of charm collecting from generation to generation. All of this information was sourced from the world wide web, Rembrandtcharms.com

5 ideas for making your workspace more poetic

You may be at your desk all day, working the day away and by the time you realize it, you didn’t take one moment for yourself it leaves you feeling less than relaxed. Well, here are 5 ideas to create a poetic workspace for yourself to ease the feelings of your day becoming a time warp.

1. Introduce your favorite scent. Fresh flowers or a favorite candle can clear your mind, soothe and lift your spirits. (We recommend being courteous to fellow co-workers in the space and choosing a light scent that can be enjoyed by many.)

2. Listen to your favorite music while you work. It can help a creativity breakthrough, be a creativity booster / mood enhancer and lets face it- music is fantastic and sometimes it feels really good to get lost in the music, put your head down and get through your workload.

3. Take breaks, Take breaks, Take breaks. The better condition your mind is in, the more productive and patient you will be. Everyone, no matter how busy their day may be, has time to take a few minutes to get fresh air, a sip of water, or meet a friend for coffee mid day. Give yourself the opportunity to take notice of your surroundings and be aware.

4. Write in your journal for a few minutes each day. To say something that is bothering you, to make a list, to write a love note to yourself (or someone else) Keeping in check with your thoughts throughout the day will keep you engaged in the events taking place around you and allow you to feel more relaxed when the day is over, versus carrying all of the weight on your shoulders.

5. Find something to be hopeful and thankful for each day, and remind yourself to take a moment and reflect on your many blessings and gratitude

The Art of Giving and Receiving Gifts:

Gift giving and receiving according to Emily Post (whom we adore and find to be a fantastic reference) “When giving and receiving gifts, it is most important to remember that the spirit of the gift is more important than the gift itself. That is not to say that any old thing will do as long as you give it with a smile, simply that the feeling behind will be received as much if not more than the thing itself. There is an etiquette involved in choosing, presenting, and respectfully acknowledging gifts.” Emily is so right, there is no need for lavish over the top gifts. Sometimes, the best and most cherished gifts are the gifts that are handmade, simple and heartfelt.

Browse gifts by recipient or occasion

From Our Poet: Love Wing Locket

Brave Hearts, you too
Warriors, princes, pilgrims, poets, mamas, mystics
And ALL the unspecified heroic other
Who Teach
Who Listen
Who Heal
Who Care
Who Know
Who want us to know more
ALL OF US
Courageous darlings
We need to remind ourselves of something
There is no too little that cannot win a race against too late
Act. Love. Give. Listen. Share. Cherish. Praise. Comfort. Grow. Change. Become…
and choose beauty.Find the Locket that fits your style