Thinking about others this season!

I love the holidays! I love shopping for gifts for others, I love spending time with my family and this year I love that I am creating new traditions with my daughter.

My baby is far too young this year to understand what we are doing and will be for some time but I want her to grow up with empathy and understanding that not everyone is in the same position in life and kindness from strangers can make a difference to their lives.

I have really tried to integrate these thoughts into my life and have done so in ways that feel right to me. So below are a few things both Jewel Envy and me have tried to do for people this season.

1. Jewel Envy is holding a jewellery drive for the month of December for Dress for Success Toronto. We asked our customers to donate any work appropriate jewellery they had sitting around and we will clean and fix all of it before dropping it off in January. Dress for Success Toronto helps disadvantage women reenter the workforce with training, mentorship, and office attire. A polished look can help with confidence and jewellery is a luxury item many would not splurge on for themselves so we're helping with that. Our customers have been very generous and we look forward to dropping off everything along with a cheque for some extra help. There is still time to donate to this so please drop off by December 24th at 4pm!

2. The Shoebox Project. I just learned about this, this winter and this is the one I want to do with my baby every year. You decorate a shoe sized box and buy gifts for a woman of items she may not treat herself to. These are collected throughout the city and go to women's shelters. An important part of this is to write an inspirational card to show you are thinking about their well being and wish them well.

3. Individual donations. I helped a few people directly that I thought could use a lift. Groceries for a local homeless person, contributed to a kitty to buy craft supplies for a kid, and money in the hand of a few that needed it. This one is easy. Just pick a day you want to do good for someone and keep your eyes open for who needs it on that day. I can't help everyone every day but I want my daughter to learn kindness is an every day thing and we should help people even if they don't ask if we can.

4. Global donations. I always try to donate to a few causes when something terrible in the world is happening. I specifically like it if a large organization is matching funds as I know my dollar goes further this way. This year I tried to give to both local disasters and distant ones. The world can be a scary place but I want to teach my baby to reach out and extend a hand, even when she doesn't know the people.

All the best this season!

Gillian

Student Work!

 

SPOTLIGHT ON JUDITH NOLDIN!!!

 

As I write this, the weekend is sadly coming to an end. Luckily, I have some beautiful pieces by Judith Noldin to turn your sad frown upside down, and brighten your dark winter night.

I actually thought these were bookmarks - very glad I asked Judith because they are little forks! Beautiful and special forks, when you want to impress your guests as they dine on your delicious appetizers. Also a wonderful gift for someone who loves entertaining, don't you think?! 

Solid sterling silver $180

I love these rings. The colours and shapes are very unique, though they work perfectly together as a collection. The ring on the left is sterling silver with an 18KY bezel and the stone is black flint for $410. The centre ring is also sterling silver with an 18KY bezel, and the stone is a green and red lakeshore gem for $410. The ring on the right is my favourite (because I love the pink, salmony colour the most), and it is sterling silver with 14KR little accent balls on the either side of the pink lakeshore gem for $380. *full disclosure I don't know what a lakeshore gem is, but I will ask Judith the next time I see her! **UPDATE!!! A lakeshore gem is a stone that Judith finds while walking along the Lakeshore!! Amazing**

Judith makes very unique pieces that have the most interesting shapes, colours, and textures. I am always surprised (in a very good way!) by all the different elements she brings to her craft. She is also a whiz at doing repairs and redesigns and of course custom work, so if you're looking for a real conversation-starter of a piece, ask for Judith!

Stay warm out there lovelies! xx

Dear Friends, 

We had our great 10 anniversary party last Friday!  

Thank you very much for showing up and a sincere thank you to the many members of our community for their donations for Dress for Success Toronto.

We gave the SWAG BAGS to our guests and the three Raffle Packages with some pretty special loot. 

Special thanks to Jewel Envy’s team too! We come from the four corners of the world,  China, Korea, Germany, France, Canada, Colombia. The melting pot of cultures, backgrounds, languages, and more, make us the unique team that we are! Your support makes it possible for us to keep doing what we love the most, jewellery.

Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content

Helena

Happy Sunday, readers!

Jewel Envy is celebrating our tenth anniversary this year and marking four years in our lovely studio/classroom/retail space on 151 Marion Street.  It’s taken a lot of work to get here—not only tenacity, hard labour (see the crazy pictures of our many renovations below) but the dedication of two very smart and talented women, Gillian Batcher, owner, and goldsmith and Alexis Kostuk, manager and goldsmith.  Everyday when we walk into the big blue house—which is not only a retail space, classroom and working studio but also a home—we can see evidence of Jewel Envy’s dynamic duo.

Most often we will see Alexis behind the counter talking to customers, at her bench making incredible art jewellery ( find her at Glacialegoldsmith.com) or training her formidable problem-solving skills to make sure the space runs smoothly for all of us.  Thank you so much Alexis for making the space a great place to grow, for giving Jewel Envy the best you have, for your uproarious laugh that keeps us going, and for being wonderful YOU!

In Gillian words, when she started the renovations of the Blue House “Alexis was there to help, as she always is, every step of the way. I couldn't ask for a better manager or friend! “

Alexis have been working with Gillian at Jewel Envy for many years, she knows the business better than any one, she loves what she does, and she is a big part of this ten years that we are celebrating next Friday!

Many thanks Alexis for making Jewel Envy a great place , for given Gillian the best you have, just for been YOU!

Lovely pic of Alexis and Gillian more than three year ago at the renovation site.

Congratulations to Jewel Envy and to our incredible team! in these tenth anniversary.

Helena

Trip to Stars Hollow

Last night I took a trip back to Stars Hollow. Thanks to Netflix's revival of the show Gilmore Girls. I had intended to try and stretch out my viewing experience over four days, but that's not what ended up happening. Oh man. Those four words.

I think what struck and will stay with me is each Gilmore Girl's dealing with the change in life perspective that goes along with grieving the loss of a close loved one. Each character struggles in their own way even if it wasn't on the surface all along. It is a beautiful evaluation of loss and tribute to Edward Herrmann who played Richard Gilmore.

I still have Gilmore Girls on the brain so today while scoping through inventory I couldn't help but think about what I would choose as gifts for each of them. And I gotta say, I am sentimental for the type of ending the revival of Gilmore Girls gave me. I love to be left questioning things afterwards. -Alexis

For all those crazy dreams Lorelai keeps having I would give her Pash Jewellery's Dream Catcher Necklace. 

Emily needs some modern pearls from Hyewon Jang - she did after all get herself a pair of Keds!

For Rory. Well, I couldn't make up my mind.

BONUS! Luke Diner Pin, click here!

   

Countdown to our Holiday Party

Can you feel it?!  There's party in the air!!  The countdown is on here at Jewel Envy: 7 dys until our Holiday Party!!!

And you know what that means, the SWAG BAGS are lined up and waiting of our FIRST 50 GUESTS to take home some pretty special loot. There's jewellery, coupons, art work, and much more to be given away.

You know the saying "it takes a village, to raise a child?" Well it takes a village to throw a party.  We have been very lucky to have many members of our community donate to our swag bags. One of our special contributors is a new retail store in Roncesvalles Village: Earlybird and Worm.

Early bird and Worm are a kids' concept shop--art +fashion+function at 169 Roncesvalles.  We thank them for their generous donation to our swag bags.

Check out their instagram account @earlybirdandworm to get clues to what our first 50 party guests may find in their swag bags!