First of all, Happy New Year Friends! I don’t know about you, but 2018 has been SO slow to start. However, there has been so much going on underneath the surface, I promise! Between recuperating from the holidays, weathering the flu season and some snow days here in Athens, GA, the month of January seemed like the most eternal state of limbo and definitely did not actively inspire hopes of grandeur for an epic new year ahead. We are in the dead of winter, I kept reminding myself. It is after all a time to really slow down and hibernate. It is what our bodies truly require. Even for those in warmer climates, this season is a time to reconnect to our grounding, root ourselves in our centers, retreat from the busyness of life and restore ourselves through cosy ritual and downtime with our loved ones. So often our society pushes to hit the ground running into a new year with resolutions and year-plans and all the things, and this is all a wonderful way to stay focused on our goals. But how about just sinking into what is going on inside and really reflecting on where we’ve been and where we are heading without any judgement or pre-conceived notions, or time constraints? Instead, just let our minds wander and unfold into the energy of a new year gently rather than rush to jump into action all over again. 

Well, this is where I’ve been, and deep. And even the first weeks into February have been touch and go. But my mind and heart have always remained on connecting with you and sharing the Mineral Forest Journey with you. Yes, I would have loved to send out holiday wishes to you all straight to your inbox. Yes, I would have loved to re-cap 2017 and what an incredible year it was. And YES, I really REALLY wanted to send out hugs in January wishing you all the very best for a stellar year ahead. So, that said, I finally have now started to find the momentum building, to sink into what is really exciting me at the moment and put into words all that has been stirring at the core. I am so excited to take you on this ride with me in the new year and let you know what I’ve been up to! And besides, it’s Chinese New Year this week. #JUSTSAYIN Perfect timing to start fresh!!!

Before going any further, thank you all for following along and supporting this dream! Last year was big. Even though Mineral Forest was conceived in 2008 (10 years ago this year!!), 2017 was the start of a whole new way of approaching this concept. I settled into my studio space at Harbor and was able to “play shop” on numerous occasions doing events and pop-ups. The online shop was launched in March with art, lighting and home goods. I am so proud to have represented the work of local friends and help them get their art out into the world. It was also a year of embarking on collaborations which is one of the fundamentals of what Mineral Forest is based on. The Minerva Jewelry Collection with Great Dame and the Harpa Stained Glass Collection with Soda Ash and Sand were the two big design projects that really stretched my creative muscles and gave my work meaning and purpose. In July, my Harbor gals and I ventured out to Atlanta and did a pop-up shop at Steve McKenzie’s. It was so refreshing to be energized by the big city vibe and meet new people in the design world as well! The year closed out big with a feature of the Beehive Chandelier in BMA's Lake House bathroom in the Atlanta Magazine HOME Winter Issue! I am so honored that BMA’s client chose this piece for their home and that it was placed in the best company born out of BMA’s incredible vision.

As a perfect segue into 2018, there are some changes to the site that you don’t want to miss: 

Check out the Press Page to read up on Steve McKenzie’s, named one of the three best pop-ups for 2017 by Atlanta Magazine, Mineral Forest is mentioned for jewelry! And the Boho Bathroom feature in Atlanta Magazine HOME Winter Issue.

There is a new collection on the Home Page: Textiles, COMING SOON! This is a project that has been in the works for a few years now and will finally launch this year. I CANNOT WAIT.

A new jewelry collection is in the pipeline and almost ready to launch. Stay tuned for the Bedrock Collection later this month!! It is SO GOOD.

So far, the last year has really been about creating and putting myself out there in a way that I have not done before. It felt like throwing darts in the dark at times to see what sticks. The whole world of e-commerce, retail and marketing has been a true eye-opener and having had a multitude of opportunities in various arenas has presented an incredible learning curve. Navigating the waters of somewhat uncharted territory in the world of design has really gotten the gears grinding and I started to understand the benefit of streamlining and zeroing in on specific goals and projects rather than just doing things for the sake of doing them. That being said, my mission for the year is to focus on producing unique, quality product that inspires you to live your best life, surrounded and adorned by beauty, always.

This summer will mark 10 years since the Lighting collection was created and there have been many iterations that this journey has taken me through.  I have blogged over the years (starting with Into the Mineral Forest), on and off and the most recent iterations have been on Tumblr in the form of image inspiration. I want to move off that platform and back into a proper blog format so that you have more to dig into beyond the product itself. What better way to launch the new Mineral Forest Blog than with this letter as a manifesto for where we are headed. So look out for updates on new blog posts coming soon! In short, I plan on finding as many ways to share with you the inner goings-on, the ah-ha’s, what I’m grooving on lately and invite you to explore more ways to find beauty in your every day.

PHEW! If you have stuck with me this far, THANK YOU. It’s a mouthful. You are my hero and true inspiration. Thanks again for following along with the work and for dreaming with me. Wishing you an extraordinary 2018 and looking forward to making big headway!

Cheers!

Patricia