Ceremonial…. You just gotta go with the flow...

Sigh… This blog… I have had it for many years and the last little while, I’ve had writers block and just can’t seem to write.. today I will try.. I am so moved by living and working in Bali. I want to  try to describe to you a little of my experience. As some of you know, I travel the world and make jewelry along the way. I find wise and knowing silversmiths and goldsmiths and sit with them, talk with them, learn from them and sometimes am lucky enough to work with them. It is not an easy road to travel, staying true to values while trying to make a living, but it is what I do and I would much rather go with the flow of how ‘they’ work, then force my own agenda on a culture that works so differently.

Bali

July 2, 2014

I had a meeting with Nyoman this morning. It is has been 8 weeks since I took my designs to him.. I asked him to make me 20 pieces and 5 samples.  This should take about one week.. I know this. It has been 8 weeks and one sample is finished along with the 20 pieces.. I am not in a hurry and it is frustrating at times, but I also understand that here in Bali, the most important thing is ceremony.. And there are a lot of ceremonies here. When there is a ceremony, work stops and life revolves around it. The last 8 weeks have been a time of many many ceremonies, including Galangan, where the Balinese ask their ancestors for forgiveness and guidance. It is a 10+ day ceremony where there are preparations before, making food and offerings to the Gods, the day of Galangan there are processions and performances throughout the island. It is beautiful! 10 days later is Kuningan where they send the spirits back and continue thanking them for their guidance. This day is spent in a temple. Then there are cremations, when someone in a village dies, the whole village is involved in the ceremony which takes a full day or two or three. This is just a small example of what happens here in Bali. So, navigating this within the world of trying to get things done, can be quite challenging. But as a business woman who believes in the people I am working with,

I realize, I must go with the flow.. The flow of their pace and schedule. So, I too, have tried to plan accordingly in my deadlines and timings of production. As working against it just simply DOES NOT WORK! So, I have most of my new pieces.. They have made it through all the ceremonies and are blessed for you to wear, on your wrist, your ears, you neck…

Please know, these are made by hand, by beautiful soft people and are designed with so much love.

www.karazidesign.com

Here is to going with the flow.. May you too, feel that in your life.

New locations in the Pacific NW

Well, it's been a while. We've been busy around here!

You can now find the NEW Bali Collection at several sweet boutiques and museums around the Pacific NW

check out the new spots.

KOBO in Japan town and Capitol Hill. A great boutique in Seattle for high end Japanese inspired gifts, amazing jewelry and fine art from artists around the world.

NEW!!! Hitchcock in Madronna. One of the hippest jewelry shops around. Check them out. The new Bali Collection fits in perfectly with this classic, yet edgy shop.

Vixen in Magnolia. This wonderful buzzing day spa and boutique, reflects the amazing energy of it's owner Courean. Love this place, cute clothes, great jewelry and great spa services!

Les Amis in Fremont. Oh la la... My favorite place to shop for clothes in Seattle. So excited to have my jewelry there!

COMING SOON! Museum of Glass in Tacoma. Dale Chihuly's Glass Museum.. Need I say more!

You can also buy this jewelry online here

In addition to this:

Samia will be giving a talk in Wisconsin
 River Arts on the Water
Monday October 15 at 6pm
Journey's East: The dying art of Traditional Metalsmithing

the journey continues + new music

The journey continues... I'm in Barcelona now.. It was a crazy long journey getting here.. I had found a good priced ticket from Bangkok to Barcelona and at the time thought it was a good idea to go for it.. after that journey though, I think I may pay a little more next time.. I stayed up all night on the full moon of July 3 and left my beautiful Balinese villa at 3 in the morning.. It had been a long stressful day, not knowing until 10pm if my jewelry would be finished or not.. Holding on to the faith that it would, it was, and I ran home to finish up my last minute things.. Returning my scooter, organizing what I was going to leave in Bali and what I would take with me, packing etc.. Deta, my friend and driver arrived at 3am and we drove to the airport.. Day 1 of no sleep.. I flew to Singapore and spent a couple of hours in the airport and then got to Bangkok in the late afternoon that day.. For some reason, I decided to take the train and try to find my guesthouse by foot.. I did.. but it was feat and I was super tired and super sweaty.. I hunkered down in my dingy room and pondered my next move.. Food and a massage.. Not all bad.. One night in Bangkok has it's benefits, for sure.. As i was getting my 'foot massage' it started to pour rain and as I walked out the door I wobbled my relaxed feet back in the warm tropical downpour.. ahhhh.. Refreshing actually.. Went to bed early not really knowing what time or day it was and set my alarm for 5:30am, got up, showered and took a taxi to the airport. From there I flew 8 hours to Moscow, spent 4 hours in the airport and took another 4 hours flight to Barcelona.. phew.. Talk about long haul.. so many days.. no sleep and little food.. but i love it..

I got to my sweet little hostal in Barcelona and had the best room in the place overlooking a beautiful plaza. I arrived at midnight and decided I had to have a glass of spanish wine (who needs sleep when there is good wine?).. So I went downstairs to the hopping restaurant and sat alone and drank a glass of wine. The table next to me was full of people and they invited me to join.. So i did.. turns out they were musicians.. We connected and shared our music with one another.. I love that, wherever you go in the world, there is always music.. And it is such a magical way to come together.. They inspired me to get my music out there.. Some of you may not know, but I sing and perform and write music.. So.... I just put one song up on Soundcloud, check it out here and let me know what you think (and if you like it share it with others)... I recorded this with my friend in Bali in April..


Today is my second day in Barcelona.. I am with some friends and we are going to the beach.. After 7 months in Asia, Barcelona is a perfect transition for me being back in the west.. A little Mediterranean sunshine, yummy food and beautiful people and good friends. 

Those final moments... flying again..

Those final moments…. I travel a lot.. It’s my guiding light in this world, connecting with people and cultures while diving into the divine unknown. The wonders that exist on the other side feed my soul and make me feel whole.

3 and a half months. I didn’t expect it. I thought I would stay a month and move on, as I’m pondering my departure in a few hours, trying to stay calm (while still waiting for my jewelry to be finished), I realize this is the longest it’s been, in years, that I have not gotten on an airplane. 3 and half months in one spot.. And the beauty of it is.. Bali may have captured my wanderlust soul. I don’t feel like leaving and know I will be back as soon as I can. Wow!!

Transformation has happened here, an energetically powerful land. There have been moments of big expression, artistic and emotional. My mind has evolved, I’ve met amazing people, designed and made jewelry, wrote music and performed, connected with the land and the people here. Enjoyed a slice of paradise on this globe and found my way in place where you better watch out what you ask for.. because it will happen.. in good ways and not so good.  At times it’s been difficult to stay grounded as I have major FOMO (fear of missing out) and want to do it ALL.. Somehow here, it ALL happened, in such a short time!! And I am thankful and blessed in this life on earth.. I am feeling nurtured, supported and loved as I journey on to the ‘other side’

Nearly 7 months in Asia and I am headed to Barcelona, France, Morocco and back to the states in mid-August.. Full power gypsy style for a bit.. It’ll be amazing and I’ll keep you updated.. on it all..

Full Power

Wow! The last month has been, as I like to say, FULL POWER! Taking a moment to breathe and absort all the beauty around me.... 2 weeks left here in Bali... I can't believe it's been 3 months. At the moment I am sitting in my room listening to the frogs, the music of the gamelan in the distance, watching the fireflies outside the window and taking in paradise. As, the last month has been full on and it's easy to let the beauty slip into the daily routine.

I've been working hard on my jewelry as well as on a beautiful collaboration called Amari... My goal as an artist and as a woman in this world is to work with the people I meet when I travel. I love combining my art with the art of the region, working with the local artisans to create little pieces of beauty to adorn the body, or in a word.. jewelry..

Bali is known for it's carvers, so I've been working with a carver here. He has carved amazing pieces with beautiful Balinese designs. It's been a 6 week process, but finally yesterday, I received my last bits from him. I have taken them all to a silversmith and he is creating the carvings into jewelry. It is all very exciting and I can't wait to show you the finished products.. SOON!! so so SOON..

Alongside my own jewelry, I am working on a new project called Amari with my friend Rachel. Our moto is 'inspired by women to give back to women'. We have begun to work with unemployed crafts women here in Bali and are designing a whole line of jewelry, to then employ the women to make it. It's been a wild and fast ride into something very exciting.. We will launch the website soon, as well.

In the meantime, enjoy the 'in process' photos..

soon to be Karazi Design's Bali Collection!

carved buddha heads

making jewels with the women

javanese glass beads... and carved horn

Mt. Batur festival, Kintamani, Bali

Volcano power... I spent my weekend dancing at a small festival on the active volcano called Mt. Batur. It was a magical weekend of dance, hot springs, good people, good music, and not such good food (we can't have everything). There is always something special about camping at a festival.. Somehow this seemed even more.. I think it was a combo of being on the powerful island of Bali and then mixing that with being on an active volcano with it's amazing view. It was full power! I danced til my knees hurt and stayed up til I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. I had interesting conversations and when the music got to be too much (it didn't stop), I got a ride on the back of a motorbike to the local hot spring just next to Lake Batur, with an amazing view of the volcano, and soaked in the healing volcanic waters with families from the area. One family and I sat together and sang Indian mantras.. We knew the same mantras and we sang and sang and laughed and laughed. While I was changing into my dry clothes the family came up to me and thanked me for singing and gave me a wonderful gift of crushed ginger with special herbs in it.. It's good for digestion, memory and liver problems.. I had some with my tea this morning. It was wonderful.

It is moments like that I cherish and hope to remember for the rest of my days.

island life!

Sometimes, when traveling, time is like a vortex. I get lost in each moment and forget all the rest. It’s a peaceful place to be. In the zone,  focused on the present. I woke up this morning to the sounds of the ocean, the waves making sweet music.

I’m on a tiny island called Gili Air, off the coast of Bali. There are no motorized vehicles here, only horse drawn carriages and push bikes. The water is an aqua blue and today I plan on snorkeling with turtles.. I can’t wait! He he he…. I left Bali a few days ago to do a little traveling.  I was feeling a bit stuck in Ubud, a magical place, hard to leave. Since arriving on these small islands, I’ve been sucked into the calm steady way of island life. Slow moving, shanti shanti shanti.

Goa Gajah, magic!

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Travel… Oh my.. So much to say. Within all the movement, all the new experiences, new faces, new places, there is some sort of stillness in the beauty of the present moment. I find magic in these moments.. Here is one that will never leave me.

Goa Gajah: elephant caves

Bali, Indonesia

18.04.2012

A tourist location. Interesting, as they are (tourist locations). Wide open, roar, the entrance to a cave, an intricately carved stone mouth, monster, or whatever it is. I didn’t do my research before going (or after). But that doesn’t matter, the feeling is strong, the energy is powerful. That’s all that is important to me, really, or at least in this instance. The impressiveness of the entrance was muted by the dullness of the cave, a small, dark open cavity, with 2 small statues inside. Ganesha, om gum ganapate namah and Shiva, om namah shivah.. But this is not my story.

After leaving the cave and wandering down the path towards the jungle, I saw an old man sitting beneath a magnificent Banyan tree. He was wearing all white and was dirty, as in hasn’t showered in ages. He was glowing, as well and I like that.. A beaming light of being, a true Bodhisattva. Baba Gushti is his name. As I approached, he stood up with a radiant toothless smile, his hands were shaking and his shirt was splotched with red dribble from his betelnut habit. He took my hand and lead me into the river beneath the tree. A magic little spot, with spring fed water and Buddhist ruins from an earthquake in 1917. He surprisingly spoke a little English.

As we left the river, He said. “Mediation cave, long walk?” I, of course, followed his lead through the mysterious jungle. He laughed. I giggled with joy in the magnetic attraction we had for one another (you know what I mean). We walked deep into the jungle coming to a serene and secluded tropical river flowing through the jungle. We crossed, a precarious bamboo bridge and he lead me to the cave in the jungle. We sat and meditated. I sang some mantras, we shared a magical silent moment in the midst of the buzzing jungle. After several minutes we departed, I jumped in the river and smiled, Big. Really BIG. Feeling particularly blessed by that moment. Letting paradise soak into my skin.

A few days later, I returned to visit Baba Gushti. Again, we went to the cave, again we meditated and again I swam in the river. He told me, sometimes he sleeps in the cave. He doesn’t eat much, he likes to chew on betelnut.. I thought to myself, food isn’t the only fuel to keep us alive.

Open to the moment. Open to experiences of travel. Magic happens.

tropical rain.. tap tap tap

Singing stillness of the tropics buzzing with sounds of nature. The Bullfrogs drone in the night. Then suddenly.. the cool rain comes, full force.. Glistening in the lightness of the dark night. Tap tap tapping, boom boom, creating music on the way down from the sky. Ticka ticka ta ta. Beauty, awe, and wonder. Feeling all alone, yet fully embraced.

lost in paradise

Paradise... I've been lost in paradise.. A tropical luscious land of magic embracing my being with mother love. Bali... Oh la la.. It is said, that India is the root of spirituality and Bali is the fruit of spirituality. I feel that here, so strongly. It's quite amazing how immediately upon landing I was sucked in to a vortex of powerful grounding energy. I landed 3 weeks ago and have been in Ubud, loving the creative atmosphere, surrounded by musicians and all sorts of artists. I feel as if I am in heaven, dancing to the Gods.