For me designing is all about looking out the window, getting outside, surrounding myself with the landscape.  I’m pretty sure that’s the reason I moved to San Diego almost 13 years ago.  I feel the best when I’m walking on the beach, hiking a trail, feeling the wind on my face and my eyes flooded with nature’s beauty practically 365 days a year. 

 

     For Housgoods, this is everything.  All the time. Our tagline is “jewelry inspired by landscape”.  All of the pieces I’ve created have come from lines, shapes, textures, patterns I see all around me.  The Topography Collection was my very first collection created from pictures and sketches I took when I flew my first day time flight from San Diego back to my home state NJ.  Usually one to take the red eye due to a full-time job and minimal vacation days, I slept through the night, completely shutting out what was out my window.   But that first flight was the real beginning for Housgoods.  Now 5 years later, and many flights back east to see family and other trips along the way, I now fight with my 5 year-old for the window seat!  

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                                      Livermore, CA - 2/17/16                                        Rill Ring - Handcarved Bands inspired by                                                                                                                                                      the deep grooves created by erosion.

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     My fascination with nature started as a young child.  I loved climbing trees, picking flowers, playing in the woods behind my house.  I was lucky enough to travel a lot as a young kid thanks to my mom’s love for it.  From Caribbean crystal blue seas, lush green tropical mountains, night skies sprinkled with stars, to the country sides of Italy and Germany with poppy covered rolling hills, snow-capped mountains and thousand-year-old cities which nature has softened and patinaed.   My mind’s eye can still imagine these landscapes 30 years later.  

 

     Now when I travel with my own family, which is exploring more of the United States and all its wonders, I’m the one in the car googling every landmark to learn about what we are looking at. On our last road trip for Spring Break to Tucson, I learned about the formation of the Sonoran Desert.   The power of the Earth and how it was formed fascinates me.  Questioning what was here before, who lived here, is so magical to me and I will never stop looking out the window no matter how fast we are going. Even when the surroundings become blurred, shapes become softer and colors fade into one another, there is beauty to be seen.  You just gotta look.  

 

     So, it was natural that any art I created stemmed from the beauty that is mother nature. From hand forming wire into meandering river-like lines, carving grooves in metal mimicking patterns in erosion, to impressing clay with the undulating surfaces of shells found from far off beaches, everything I see becomes inspiration for my work.  I try hard to purchase the materials I use from sustainable suppliers and do my best to know the origins of them. 

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     By using recycled metals both from suppliers and keeping all my scraps, I make an effort to reduce my waste as a designer of material goods.   Ethically sourced stones are making their way into my collections and will be spending more time this year learning about the world of gems, mother nature’s jewels.  It is not my intention to just add MORE to the world with Housgoods, but that with each piece purchased you connect with it and the inspiration behind it.  The vision that designed it and the hands that made it.  To share in the love of special pieces so that it adds value to your world.  That it becomes a conversation piece and you can tell its story.  It’s about consciously choosing to add HG to your coveted jewelry collection and creating heirloom pieces to be passed down to your loved ones.  So that every time you wear your HG, you get to see what I see, an earth with endless beauty with all her optimism, strength, and mysteriousness.  

                                 

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     So, celebrating Earth Day is an everyday occurrence for me.  Appreciating all it provides for me in both my everyday life and as inspiration for my art.  As one person living amongst many, I try to do my part locally to make sure our earth is cared for by volunteering for beach and park clean ups, I pick up trash anywhere I am and have taught my son to do so as well.  I carry reusable totes with me everywhere I go, my favorite being from Baggu.  We have reusable water containers - to reduce our plastic use (I love Manna's tumblers for their cool patterns) and I've got a collection of silicon straws in rotation.  I’m a recycling nut and try to re-use every day household products/items until they’ve truly broken down at which point I figure out how best to dispose.  I’m working on consuming less and embracing a more minimalist lifestyle so as not to add more waste to the world.  It's not easy, but as everyone will say, a little goes a long way.  

 

     As a small business owner and believer in doing good for others, I also choose organizations throughout the year to give back portions of our profits to do my part in preserving our beautiful world. To keep it wild.  To keep it majestic.  For the future of my son and for everyone.  

 

Here is a list of organizations HG has donated to in the past:

Surfrider Foundation

National Park Foundation

Greenpeace

World Wildlife Fund for Nature

Project Concern International

 

     Who would you like to see us donate to?  If you have other organizations that you love supporting, please let me know.  Without your support I wouldn’t be able to give back what I can!  

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Send me a note, info@housgoods.com,  I’d love to add these to our list for future give back partners.  

 

     And if you have any beautiful places I HAVE to see, let me me know too!  I’m always looking to travel and get outside, with a sketchbook and camera in hand of course.  

 

Happy Earth Day. Today and Every Day.

 

With love, 

Jenn 

Owner/Designer