I'm so thrilled to join forces with some amazing women at the helm of these amazing brands for something extra special for Mother's Day. Together, along with Hatch Collection, Parachute Home, Tenoverten, Erica Chidi Cohen of LOOM and True Botanicals, I sat down with Hatch to discuss my thoughts on motherhood and how I make it happen.. Click here to read the interviews from these other ladies who personify mom goals
If motherhood were a song…
You Are My Sunshine
Favorite memory of you and your mother?
My mom passed away quickly and suddenly from cancer 3 short months after I became a mother. Since she’s no longer here, it’s the little things that I remember and cherish the most – talking to her on the phone while stuck in traffic, going shopping, eating burritos at the beach by our house. The sum of all these beautiful (although seemingly mundane) moments is so much more than the individual parts. It’s these quotidian memories that come to mind when I think of her in passing and make me smile.
Wisdom from your mother…
She always used to say, “The judgement of your life is your life.” Or said another way by C.S. Lewis, “It’s not that load that weighs you down, it’s the way you carry it.” Meaning we all have the power to shift how we view a situation. If you feel in the weeds, if you are afraid, if you are overwhelmed… you have the power to reframe things. It won’t necessarily solve the problem but it will help how you process it. And that’s all we can hope for. “Surrender to the divine,” my mom used to say.
Your mom’s self-care routine…
My mom was a life long learner. She was always deep studying a new philosophy – yoga, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, Feng Shui. She used a hybrid of all these Eastern philosophies to help craft her life. But she also loved a good In-N-Out burger. So it’s all about balance.
As an adult, what do cherish from your mom?
My mom was a larger than life personality. She wore frilly socks, rhinestone earrings, and bright red lipstick every day. She was never one for big birthday celebrations or holidays because she thought everyday we are alive is a celebration. If she saw something she wanted to give me as a present, she wouldn’t wait for a birthday. She lived in the moment. “Life is short. Buy the bag.” Needless to say I inherited quite the handbag collection from her.
Advice to your younger self…
No matter where you go, there you are.
Daily beauty routine?
There are more days than I would like to admit that I don’t get to take a shower. I don’t wear makeup unless I have a meeting or a shoot. I’m all about easy and casual dressing. But I do have a standing appointment for my eyelash extensions. I am obsessed. They make my face look instantly brighter. A tiny hour every 6 weeks where I get to close my eyes.
Moms are an integral part of your consumer base – what was your intention in creating your business, specifically as it relates to mothers?
It is so satisfying to design and make something that is tangible and becomes a part of a some one’s daily life. Because all of my jewelry is real gold and stones, I love the idea that the pieces I make could be handed down as family heirlooms. AGJ consists of highly personal pieces designed to be worn together and collected over time since I often find myself wearing the same jewels for months.
Women no longer want to wait for gifts or grand gestures from others to build a jewelry collection—they can do it themselves. This customer often buys herself jewelry as a tangible symbol of those she holds dear to her heart, or a happy occasion in her life. Since so many Ariel Gordon Jewelry pieces can be personalized or customized with hand engraving or birthstones, I sell a lot to these ladies.
Who is your mom role model?
My mom
Biggest mom fail?
Realizing I have poop under my finger nails but I haven’t changed a diaper in hours.
Greatest mom moment?
My mom always used to say that our children our our Buddhas and I love thinking about it this way. I get to be both the teacher and the student. I am the best version of myself when I’m with my kids. But in the frazzled moments, I am also a really gnarly version of myself.
One thing you said to your kid(s) that you never thought you would?
“I’m going to give you to the count of 5…”
Something you do, that you said you’d never do before having kids?
My husband goes to work by 6:30 every day I’m solo with both kids for the morning routine. I have to feed them, get them dressed, brush teeth, sunscreen, pump milk, etc etc etc. I can do the routine by myself because I let Luca watch an iPad. C’est la vie.
What’s the last thing you bribed your kid to do?
Luca is well aware that if he sleeps in his bed all night long then he gets a bobcat truck with tracks. Hasn’t worked yet…
Most awkward question your kid has asked you in public?
Luca asked if he could touch my nipples.
That time your kid embarrassingly called you out on something in public…
He asked what was stinky. It was me… I hadn’t brushed my teeth all day and it was 3 pm.
A self-care routine that you hope to pass onto your children?
Coming from a Jewish / Eastern European background… Laser hair removal is worth it. Ha.
But really – wear your sunscreen.
Advice for NEW moms…
Everything is fleeting. If it’s really good – that will pass. If it’s really hard – that will pass. If you’re really unsure – that will pass. If you’re really overwhelmed – that will pass. Try to stay even through all these ebbs and flows and surrender to the moment of where you are.
