My daughters and I turned a Samurai exhibit into a jewelry adventure. We started with sushi and ended with stories. We love creating themed experiences together.
Once we paired a zombie movie with bar-b-que ribs, “brain” slaw and jicama “fingers.” Other times it’s matching our jewels to museum exhibits. These little adventures connect us. They turn ordinary outings into playful memories.
At the NC Museum of Art, surrounded by armor that once protected warriors, we carried our own symbolic shields.
My oxidized leaf brooch by John Iverson sat perfectly imperfect on my shoulder. Cast from a real leaf with all its tears and aging—pure wabi-sabi becoming more beautiful through time’s passing. Later, I draped shibori fabric beneath it for a YouTube video on combining brooches and textiles—the textile and metal synergizing each other and layering the Japanese aesthetics.
My Japanese-speaking daughter wore the pendant I gave her for her 21st birthday—a Victorian charm of a bird in a cage with a bottom that opens. I smiled seeing her wear it, remembering how she, like that bird, flew the cage. Her towering new heels, a Carrie Bradshaw-worthy splurge from our Sex and the City marathon, carried her through galleries with warrior-like determination.
My younger daughter brought the third note to our chord. She wore pearl earrings with a basketweave motif like my own, and a stickpin we discovered together—a Venetian glass bead painted with Japanese patterns.
Around our lunch table, each piece sparked stories….”Remember when”… “What if”… “Did you notice?” In the process, layering today’s moments into each jewel’s history.
Jewelry isn’t just decoration—it’s delightful, purposeful play. It connects moments. Creates memories. Sparks joy. When was the last time you played with your jewelry collection?
What adventure could your favorite pieces join tomorrow?
Japanese Influences: From Eye to Jewel
This black opal ring mirrors a samurai helmet’s silhouette. I designed it for clients who introduced me the Kurosawa samurai films—my mind subtly absorbing their passion and transforming it into jewelry form.
For those same clients, I engraved Japanese kanji on this red beryl bracelet’s hidden back. Secret symbols in their private language. I delivered it with a translation book—their very own decoder ring.
Torii gates stand as magical thresholds in Japanese shrines. They mark where ordinary life pauses and sacred moments begin.
See how these pendant and earrings play with the torii silhouette? I can adapt this framework to different gem types, colors and shapes to suit your preferences.
The Torii ring captures this passage between worlds. Available in my online boutique, I can customize its colors and gems just for you.
Author Deborah Yonick interviewed Cynthia about her use of the gate in her Finding Inspiration series – it may inspire you too.
Three differently shaped gingko leaves—so beloved in Japanese art—fan out to cradle this pearl. Imagine your pearl of your choice nestled here, or perhaps a tumbled gem, wrapped in these magical shapes.
These rock crystal beads celebrate Japanese minimalism. Nothing extra. Everything essential. A quiet statement that speaks volumes. Available in my online boutique.
Not sure about the story your jewelry can tell? During our no-obligation 30-minute Zoom, I bet I can give you lots of ideas.
