Sweet Memories of My Jewelry Career in Dallas

Dallas has been home for my entire adult life. I went to college in Dallas, at SMU. And not too long after, I started my business here at the age of twenty-four. It began in my humble $450/month, all-bills-paid apartment in Preston Hollow. Those apartments don’t even exist anymore, but I can still remember moving my sofa out to make room for my first employee. We worked together in the living room for a year before I finally leased my first office space in the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff.

 

That was 1999, at the dawn of the Bishop Arts' revitalization. That same year, Neiman Marcus picked up my collection. I thought life couldn't get any better.



My first office is now a restaurant, Café Veracruz



Earrings from the collection I was selling at that time,
 now we call it our Vintage Collection

In 2002, I leased a warehouse-style space on Monitor Street, north of the Design District, and hired my first sales person. Then I hired another. And another.

That office is now a gallery (pictured below). And they still have the security bars that I had installed!

 

We were in that space for five years before relocating in 2007 to our current showroom overlooking Turtle Creek. That’s when I launched my first 18k yellow gold collection, followed a few years later by my first semi-precious silver collection.

Turtle Creek in Dallas

Our showroom overlooking Turtle Creek

I live in Fort Worth now.  I bought my first house in Dallas in 2007, and had great fun making it my own style and giving dinner parties there.  I sold my house in Dallas and moved west in October of 2013, see my blog post here.  

An article in PaperCity on my home in Dallas

These past couple of years, I've kept my business and showroom on Turtle Creek, and I’ve been commuting, sometimes spending the night in Dallas to make the transition a little easier.

Now, after a lot of thought, I've decided to relocate my business at last. We are moving in two weeks!

“We can’t become what we need to be by remaining where we are.”

- Oprah

I can hardly believe it. I’m sad to be leaving Dallas, but I’m excited about finally jumping in with both feet, and truly living and working in Fort Worth.

Many of you know that I grew up in the small town of Hillsboro. After that upbringing, in many ways Fort Worth seems like a perfect fit. It has a calm, small town feel—as much, anyway, as any city with nearly 800,000 people could. The city is absolutely filled with incredible things to see and do. I’ve fallen in love with its energy and spirit. And I get the best of all worlds—the small town feel and the big city adventure. I’m excited, and, you know, life is good.

Elizabeth Showers' earrings from past to present

Looking back at every phase of my life and business, I can also trace the trajectory of my evolving style, tastes, and skills. A focus on vintage, then stones, learning about metals, gold, silver. Learning about myself and what I could do, where my own creativity could take me. Every new place and experience has informed and deepened my work in a way that now seems like a critical part of my artistic development.

I know this new phase and locale will have the same effect. Every time I take a leap, I’m rewarded. I hope you’ll continue to follow me as I make this one.

Stay tuned for details on another major leap in my life! (hint: Molly from A Piece of Toast leaked it here!)

“Every day is a journey, and the journey
itself is home.”

- Matsuo Basho

Feel Beautiful,

Elizabeth

Finding Beauty Beneath Ugly Self-Talk

From age thirteen to twenty, an eating disorder controlled my life and informed nearly every decision I made. After seven years in the throes of what some call 'The Beast,' I know what it is to be shackled by feelings of darkness and self-hatred. I empathize with people currently struggling to free themselves of those destructive feelings. Too many people are alienated from the truth about their own beauty.

 

 

The self-hate dialogue I fed myself for so many years went like this:

 

“You overate again. You’re disgusting. You don’t know how to control yourself. You have no willpower. You are a failure.”

 

“Your body is gross. You will never be enough. No one will ever love you with the way you look.”

 

Without looking back at my old journals—which I still have—these are the thoughts I recall most vividly. There were many, many others. I know there were even worse things I said to myself from which I am (thankfully) so far removed that I can’t remember.

 

Even today, I’m not completely free of body-centered negativity. One of the residual symptoms of an eating disorder is that I still struggle daily with pernicious thoughts like:

 

“My body could be so much better looking.”

 

“I’d look so much nicer if I lost five more pounds.”

 

“This shirt doesn’t fit the way I want because there’s something weird about my body.”

 

A younger version of myself thought the best plan was to simply ignore negative thoughts or to try to shut them out. But I found that when I did, they persisted and made me feel bad even when I thought I knew better than to give negativity power over me.

 

 

 

Over time, I learned the solution was to counter destructive self-talk with messages of positivity and self-love. Therefore, whenever my self-generated ugliness began, it triggered me to reply with thoughts such as:

 

“My body is beautiful exactly as it is this very moment.”

 

“I cherish, love, and adore my body. ”

 

“I am so grateful for my healthy, wonderful body.”

 

“Look at all the amazing things my body does for me!”

 

This new way of dealing with harmful thoughts became my self-made path away from days charged with masochistic, ineffective thinking. I'd finally discovered how to free myself from some of the most poisonous unkindness in the world: the unkindness that comes from within.

 

Of course, it didn't happen overnight. "Fake it 'till you make it," became my motto. After years of ACTING as if I believed the positive affirmations I was taught during: 12-step programs, treatment, therapy, positive mentors, uplifting books, and body image/nutrition counseling, I'd made it.

 

"We are flawed creatures, all of us. Some of us think that means we should fix our flaws. But get rid of my flaws and there would be no one left." 

-Sarah Vowell, Take the Cannoli
 

Why is negativity so much easier to believe? At first, it's hard inviting positive words in... especially when affirmations can initially sound slightly hokey and silly. But, you know what? Everything changes when you let your guard down. I was amazed to find when I believed something beautiful about myself, I began to heal.

 

I remember feeling so FREE and RELIEVED when it finally clicked. I had the power to change my thinking! I realized: those made-up thoughts? They were just that. Made-up.

 

It was essential to start feeding myself regularly, giving my mind the healthy fuel necessary to reflect on the impact such negativity has on the body and soul. Without a healthy relationship with food, my mind would have remained locked in a vicious cycle of negating self-talk.

 

Once I started really being in my life knowing that to be human is to be imperfect - that flaws are part of the deal - I loosened up. I started to love and trust myself; which empowered me to LET GO of voices telling me otherwise. The hardest but most important lesson I learned is that within imperfection IS perfection. It is simply perfect to be imperfect.

 

My profound wish for you? Believe the tried yet true cliché: "beauty comes from within."

 

"I think happiness is what makes you pretty. Period.

Happy people are beautiful. They become like a mirror and they reflect that happiness."

- Drew Barrymore
 

Embracing your uniqueness applies to attaining true physical beauty as well. What makes us unique, may also be things many don't like about themselves: a crooked nose, a gap between two front teeth, curly or straight hair, or a loud laugh. These "things" make us individuals. However, self-regard for our distinct lovability is tarnished when ugly thoughts control our minds. We're all too uniquely beautiful to let negativity win.

 

Try it and see how you feel. Let your negative self-talk serve as a cue to tell yourself something you love about you. I’m willing to bet it will make something beautiful happen in your life.

 

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”

- Confucius
 

We have the option to see the beauty in ourselves.  Empower yourself to see your own beauty and how precious and singular you are.

 

Feel Beautiful,

Elizabeth

 

 

 

From Me, To You

I’ve been delaying my reboot of this blog for a couple of reasons. First, because of some internal, self-generated pressure that before I proceed it has to be perfect. And besides, everyone has a blog these days, so who’s going to read it anyway, right? 

 

E.B. White says:  “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”  Thank you E.B., I needed to hear that.

 

Maria Popova’s Brain Pickings’ Blog

 



I recently finished reading “Share Your Work,” a short book by Austin Kleon recommended by my beloved cousin Drew. Thanks to Austin’s words of encouragement, regardless of what the future might bring, I feel it’s imperative that I write this, and begin to “share my work,” even if it’s imperfect.

 

Get 'Share Your Work' Here



From the outside, my work appears to be as a jewelry designer, and yes, jewelry is a result of my "work." But my truest, most important work -- and my purpose in this life -- is to simply remind you of how beautiful you already are. You are precious, regardless of your outward appearance or any piece of clothing and jewelry you could ever put on your body. 

 

wearing my jewelry to serve as a reminder of my preciousness in this world

I need a daily personal reminder of this, especially on days when I didn't get a solid night's sleep. Fatigue inevitably turns up the volume on that awful internal critic of mine, and alas, the temptation to dump coffee/caffeine over my wearied self tends to work in the inverse.

 

Thank the goodness in this world that I have fantastic solutions for getting out of a less than optimal mental space since simply going back to sleep isn't always an option.

 

Here are a few ways I drown out the critic: going for a run, reaching out to an uplifting friend, offering help to someone, listening to an educational podcast and escape into learning (like James Altucher's Podcast here and Tim Ferriss' podcast here), sharing my work through posts like this (ah, yes, last night was one of those less-than-six-hours-of-sleep nights), creating a way to enter into the “zone” on a project at work,

 

a sneak peak of a custom jewelry project we're working on

 

sitting in meditation (Sharon Salzberg is a great guide), eating healthy foods ("Eating on the Wild Side" was recommended to me by my friend, Krista), yoga, consciously smiling and relaxing the muscles in my face (a natural facelift!), wearing my jewelry to serve as a reminder of my preciousness in this world, consciously recognizing negative thoughts and turning them around to be positive...

 

yoga clears my mind for a fresh perspective and
Exhale is one of my favorites in Dallas

 

These are just a few solutions that help me disengage with the critic and remember my preciousness, to feel beautiful.

 

Plus, they remind me to focus on seeking progress, not perfection.

 

graphic compliments of Patti Murphy Designs

 

My company’s mantra this year is TO ADD VALUE to the lives of anyone I can reach. I personally want to see, read, experience, and learn things that add value to my own life, and it has become even more important to me to ensure I am doing the same for you.

 

Email me with your favorite quotes, stories, books, podcasts, or any other inspiration that reinforces your confidence.  I would also love to hear from you if you are simply feeling stuck or challenged.  I am committed to fostering a community that lifts each other up!

 

 

Feel beautiful,

Elizabeth

IN THE SPIRIT OF SUMMER

SUMMER.

It's the epitome of simplicity, when time slows and windows open to the list of things we wish we could do all year long.  There are certain things I do every summer, my open windows during the dog days. 

Drive

My summer has to include a road trip.  Texas is vast, and the highways are endless.  Driving is a big reminder that life might seem short but there's always more road over the horizon.  

The highway between Amarillo and Childress, Texas on my recent road trip to Colorado.

 

Climb

The mountains do call me, and every summer, I must go!  

On Mt. Crested Butte in July

Surf

 

I learned to surf in California - actually, at a turning point in my jewelry design career when I was out west attending a gem course.  Surfing is freedom, and there is such a sense of accomplishment, at every stage of learning.  From that first paddle out, to achieving the feat of balancing on the board - it's not so much about riding the wave as it is about the personal challenge: being my best me on the board in the open ocean. 

Surfboards are utter simplicity in both shape and design.  So inspiring!

 

Explore

My summer is always about creative exploration, not just adventurous.  I try to get as far away in my imagination as I can during these slow summer months.  

Shortboard earrings from the Surfer Collection, a favorite summer earring

 

CHILL

And there's always got to be a soundtrack!  

Click HERE and listen to my favorite summer tunes.

Elizabeth's Summer Soundtrack on the super cool music share site, MixedTape.me

The perfect wave is out there.  Go find it.  Happy summer!

Feel beautiful!

Elizabeth

MY FAVORITE PEOPLE INSPIRE ME TO BE FREE

My life is an occasion. I am rising to it.

 

With 4th of July here, Suzanne Weyn's quote is a great reminder for me that my freedom and independence lies in the moment. I am rising to it.  I am rising to it every moment I choose to be mindful, to be present to my gut feeling, my intuition, and then I have the freedom to act on my intuition.

Harley, Tommy & me during Thanksgiving last year.

 

Last October, I moved from Dallas to Fort Worth to join households with my wonderful life partner, Tommy, and his two beautiful children.  I love my new life.  It has been an exciting and challenging time, shifting into new modalities, living with a family after an entire adulthood living solo, and now commuting to Dallas for work during the week. This period has been a “reset” for me, a time of mindfulness of every move I make, everything I do and say, every plan I set forth, every direction I give my team at work, every piece of jewelry I design.
 

This period of heightened mindfulness and connection has made me more aware of some of life’s biggest challenges, in particular: how to be my authentic self in a culture filled with written and unwritten social contracts.  These expectations are the filters that I have grown up with from family, from friends, in the news and social media, in magazines, in fashion, in blogs, in the entertainment world, and even from a simple assumption I make from a look on a stranger’s face.  Every single one of us is subject to these made-up expectations if we allow ourselves to be.


Left: Harley, Tommy & me after Harley's performance of
High School Musical last year at Casa Mañana in Fort Worth 
Right: Ethan & Tommy

 

My discoveries and adventures throughout my adult life have led me to recognize what these filters are, and to shed most of them with a goal of clearly hearing and enthusiastically embracing my desires for my life.  Because we are social animals, I of course need to learn from others. The people I spend my time with are people of whom I admire, and who genuinely honor themselves and their own authenticity.

I tell you all this on the day before July 4th, Independence Day, to remind each of you of your personal independence to listen to your authenticity. I am finding that the more authentic I am, the healthier of a role model I am for everyone around me. The more I am independent of the filters that I have unconsciously let the outside world place upon me, the more present I am to be the incredible human being I was intended to be.

 

We are about to have our second annual Feel Beautiful Week. ‘Feel beautiful' has been my personal and professional mantra for over 12 years now.  I am surrounded by strong, independent women, and each one is beautiful in her own way. Next week I will share some of these special women with you.  I also encourage you to think about what makes you feel beautiful inside and out.

Feel Beautiful!
Elizabeth

WHAT'S YOUR SIGN?

 

I love thinking about how many ways our world works in synch - and how natural  elements and influences interact to affect the work we do.  It is no funny coincidence that my latest dalliance is with the Zodiac.

 

 

 

 

Isn't it incredible, reading your horoscope, just how eerily accurate it can be?  More than just a medieval or folkloric pastime, Astrology has long been considered (sometimes controversially) a science.  It's about the influence of distant cosmic objects, planets, stars, the sun and the moon, and how powerfully their positioning was, on the day we were born.  

I can't say I live and breathe by my astrological status, but I do confess to being intrigued.  Two books on Astrology that I have loved for years are Phyllis Vega's "What Your Birthday Reveals about You" and Linda Goodman's "Sun Signs" (Linda Goodman's blog is here).    My favorite online Zodiac read is Astrolutely.  I do follow it though -- just as a fun way to check in with myself.  

 

 

 

I'm Virgo.  This description, found online, is pretty amazingly accurate.

 

 

Astrology has inspired artists since as early as 300 BC -- the Ancients saw art in the sky and named the constellations to be guiding images that have lasted through the millennia.  I love the personality of each sign, the clever humor, perhaps not meant to be taken seriously, at all!  

It's for its artistic inspiration that I have turned to the Zodiac, and am thrilled to introduce my newest collection of gold and silver pendants, available now for presale*.  

 INTRODUCING:

THE ZODIAC COLLECTION

I can't wait to see how people choose to wear their sign...

 

Feel Beautiful!

Elizabeth

*To order your Zodiac pendant, email us at lauren@elizabethshowers.com.  Available in gold and silver, pendants will be ready for delivery around June 15th.  

POSTCARD FROM NEW MEXICO

Winter turns to spring.

Tommy, the kids and I drove west to New Mexico, not knowing what we'd find, but deeply in need of a break.  What I didn't realize is just what a break it would give us!

First of all, in New Mexico, there's practically NO CELL SIGNAL.  So, we talked!  Conversations were extemporaneous and humor-filled, which happens when you have the time and the space to hear each other.   We drove, and listened to music, and played games.  

Finger puppets we found along the way became our entertainment on the road.  

We designed an over-the-road adventure that included State Parks, Martians and Ski Lifts.   

 Carlsbad Caverns, a jewelry designer's paradise, inspired visions of the way minerals are transformed into objects of beauty.  Stalactites of limestone were so eerily suspended, creating incredible shadows and angles.  As if the millennia of dripping and falling suddenly one day just... stopped... 

Carlsbad Caverns National Park 

The breadth and depth of the desert, the dry wind which at times howled over the roads ahead of us, made us feel both insignificant and very powerful.  

 Ethan framed against the NM plateaus that spread north from Carlsbad.

It was all about breathing, I think.  

I'm closing my eyes now and calling back what cleansed me during that week in New Mexico.  The fragrance of the desert and the effervescence of the mountains.  I see jade greens, dusky browns and deep sky blues.  And I hear the voices of the children -- how profoundly their voices provoke us to truly live in the moment.

The dual tracks, patterns on a Taos ski run.

I collected stuff, too, especially from a cool Taos store called Moxie.  Two of my favorite souvenirs are a gentle, turquoise-hued female buddha and an incense-burning pueblo, just like one I had in my childhood home.  

I loved this store, though it may not be unlike others that sell bright colored folk art.  I loved it for the bright spirit of the owner, Katie Thomas, and her unwavering commitment to provide unique beauty while supporting fair trade for the arts and artisans.  Here's what she says about herself and her mission:

Why Moxie?  Moxie is:

1 - The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage.

2 - Aggressive energy and initiative.

3 - Skill and know-how.

It takes Moxie to venture into an unknown field in a recessive era.  It takes Moxie for crafters in developing countries to work hard to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.  And "Moxie", it's a fun word to say.

This much-needed break gave me a dose of perspective, fresh air and MOXIE.  

Feel beautiful!

Elizabeth