Paige Devlin
Connection: Recommended by Betsy Craske, Paige graciously accepted the ask to complete the iivy’s Q&A - and I’m so glad she did. It’s very gratifying to get connected to a woman who is crushing it with her natural talent and be able to learn more about her. A mother, a jewelry artist, a new friend, and someone who is both philosophical in the way she writes while simultaneously having me chuckle when reading through her responses, I’d like to welcome Paige to the iivy!
Name: Paige Devlin
Location: Winthrop, WA
Self-Description: Mother, Jewelry Artist
Words to live by: Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. (Rachel Carson)
On health & wellness
What is something you changed in your life, to change your life for the better? About six months ago I totally changed what my evenings look like. Instead of watching TV a few times a week, I stopped TV altogether. Now after the kids go to bed, and necessary tasks are finished, my husband and I spend time talking and connecting, then I light a candle and either read, journal, meditate* or do tarot. It feels deeply satisfying to me and much more intentional. I look forward to this evening time so much. *once I discovered that I didn't need to do the traditional meditation of clearing your mind and following your breath, I fell in love with my own version of meditation. It's really more like visualization than meditation.
What advice, inspiration, or motivation can you share to encourage someone to move their body? For me personally, what has been best is finding the movement that makes me come alive. With the focus being on joy rather than fitness. It feels much more motivating and fulfilling for me after making that mental shift.
What is your favorite thing to do with your friends? Time with girlfriends without our kids is really special. I adore my children, of course! Though time to talk without interruption feels so special these days. It could be anything--dinner, a hike. I tend to love one-on-one time with friends.
On business
Tell us about your business. I am a jeweler. I craft heirloom wedding and engagement rings, mostly. I definitely am an artist at heart, and had to learn the business side of things, marketing especially. I am a one-woman-show so I balance lots of hats every day--from studio time, to communication, to website maintenance, to accounting, to figuring out how to get my work into the world!
Were you always interested in it or did you fall into it? I have always loved making things with my hands. My first pair of earrings I made when I was about 7. They were cardboard with glitter. I always found ways to be making art. In college, I brought all of my jewelry-making supplies and designated a corner of my desk for them. In grad school I was always making jewelry for classmates. It was always right in front of me, I just didn't realize it could be my full-time vocation until about 3 years ago.
What is your favorite part of your work? Gosh it is hard to choose just one thing! I love diving into a piece in the studio--everything else really does fall into the periphery. I also love my amazing customers. I feel lucky to be making jewelry for such great people.
What advice would you give someone who is looking to get into the same industry? Follow your own unique voice. It may take a moment to find it. I promise you there is some amazing creativity in there though! There is a sea of makers and jewelers, and I think it can be challenging when starting out to create material that comes from your soul, when there are so many visuals to look at, especially on social media. Focus on your skills, fine tune them, notice what jewelry aesthetic calls to you--what you see in public, in books, online. And then: turn inward. Step back from seeing what others are creating for a while, just start designing and see what surfaces! I think this important inward-phase is often over-looked currently with the publicness and fast-pace of social media. But I really do think it's crucial for authenticity.
On motherhood
What advice would you give a new mom who is going through it for the first time? Motherhood looks so different. Babies have different temperaments, sleep requirements, and your baby may be totally different than your friend's baby, but there are mothers out there going through similar challenges. And while your challenges might be very different from another mother's challenges, we are in it together, even when we feel alone at times. Also encouraging them to find people to talk to who are caring and supportive. Also that reality looks a whole lot different than what social media portrays, so I would ask them to try to be gentle with themselves, and remind them they are doing a beautiful job.
Was motherhood something that came naturally to you or did it take some time to find your rhythm? Both, I think. The love and desire to nurture felt instantaneous. But the personal identity shift took some time to adjust to. With my first child, she was very colicky for many months and slept terribly for over a year so the transition was a rough one, to be honest, but once she started sleeping and crying less I was able to catch my breath and embrace the transition.
What is one product you'd recommend for a mom of a newborn, toddler, or teenager? I used the Ergo baby carrier a ton for both kids.
Is there anything you'd want to say to women who are currently pregnant for the first time? That motherhood is almost indescribable-- in that it holds so much all at once--it's simultaneously beautiful, messy, raw, joyful, ever-changing and completely heart-expanding.
The full list of favorable mentions are linked below with a brief description.
What is the best type of gift to give, or a go-to one for you? Anything Homemade! Elderberry syrup or soap that my daughter and I make are my favorites. What do you never leave the house without? I always have my New Old Friend bag, chapstick, an old purple leather wallet I found years ago in Montana, sunglasses and water. Snacks for the kids too, lots of snacks! Current playlist: I recently found Sierra Ferrell. Her voice is a dream! Brandi Carlile is my forever standby. Podcast: I have been enjoying Amanda Yates-Garcia's "Between the Worlds" podcast. I love how she combines the worlds of scholarly research with mysticism. Book recommendation: Recently--"Sun House," by David James Duncan. Also "Circe," by Madeline Miller. Makeup product: I love LunaRoots. Especially the Earthen Veil adaptogen skin tint and Soul of Gold Illuminator. I feel like a woodland nymph when I wear their makeup. Health/Wellness product: Nordic skis. I'm not sure skis are a wellness product per-se, but I'm sure the Scandinavians would say they are. Skincare product: Rosewater (Note from Editor: Rosewater can help reduce skin redness, help prevent and treat infections, relieves headaches, has anti-aging properties, and more.) Small business we should support: LunaRoots, Feathers and Folktales, Corinne Lent ceramics, Grace Brogan studio, Rubinski Works. Recipe: I make a yummy Swedish meatball recipe that the whole family enjoys. I don't usually follow recipes exactly--I look at the ingredients and then approximate. So here goes, the meatballs approximate recipe: 1lb of ground beef mixed with one egg, pinch salt, a slice of bread that has been soaked in cream, add sautéed onions and a hearty pinch of thyme. Roll the meatballs in flour, then cook in butter or olive oil. Remove the meatballs when cooked. To the saucepan, add a large can of diced tomatoes (or fresh!) and a large handful or two of chopped kale, plus a hearty splash of red wine. Add more salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Serve over rice that has been cooked in chicken broth for extra protein. Favorite store in another state/country: The store that pops into my head is the "Free Heel and Wheel" in West Yellowstone, MT. It's a sweet little ski /bike shop run by women that also serves great espresso and tasty eats like mac n' cheese.
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Instagram: @thearrowleaf