Meet Rebekah Jaramillo | Jeweler

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebekah Jaramillo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebekah, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
When I was in college I worked for Costco. The hours were easy with classes, the pay and benefits were great and it was convenient to home & school. As I got older and responsibilities arose like marriage, home ownership, and a baby, I hung onto the job at Costco because it allowed me to feel safe as I navigated these things that I wanted for my life.

I worked for Costco for 23 years and maintained my business the entire time. To make it happen I worked long nights in the basement and weekends at craft shows. When I wasn’t at Costco I was working on my jewelry business. As a young 20 something I definitely enjoyed life with friends and family, and looking back on it I am not sure how I got it all done. Youth I suppose and having a steady income outside my business certainly helped.

Because the jewelry business wasn’t our primary source of cash flow that relieved a lot of the stress one might feel as a business owner. Some might say it was a hobby, but I knew that I wanted it to be my primary source of income, and I took it very seriously. I reinvested any money I made back into the business, treated it as if it wasn’t a hobby, and busted my *ss. I never took out a loan and always paid off any credit cards as soon as I could.

Fast forward and today I am in my second year of working full time for myself. Time management and work life balance look a lot different now than they did 15 years ago.

I still find myself working best under pressure, but I suppose that’s a pattern that’s hard to break. Over the last few years I’ve loved learning how I work best with all the “extra time”. It’s still new to me but I’m finding balance and figuring it out.

I’ve found I like the cadence of producing wholesale orders versus working craft shows. It allows me to be there for my family and not miss out on weekend activities. But while I’m working on wholesale orders, I always solder a few extra pairs of earrings or make a couple more necklaces to keep in my own backstock for any craft shows I do. This keeps me from working weekends and late nights making jewelry, and instead on the couch watching movies with my family. It’s little but by the time I get to checking my inventory, I feel pretty good about it and don’t need to panic.

Another huge thing for me is to remember that I need to fill my own bucket. I create for others but I need to be inspired to create. Taking time away from the studio to get out in nature, be with my family, and drink up life allows me to create amazing things when I’m back in the studio. Even though I’m not “working”, life is filling me with tidbits that I can translate back into my work. It’s hard not to feel guilty when you are your own boss, but understanding this has helped immensely.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I wholeheartedly believe in the shared experience and while my creations are a vehicle for learning the deep truths within myself, there is a profound impact on others when I tell the stories of why. I have a deep and lifelong connection with craft and an empathetic nature and found I love being able to connect the objects I create with compassionate meaning that validates my own thoughts and experiences. To be able to bring people together and enhance an experience or truth for someone is a real gift that I’m so proud of.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Seattle is an incredible city and not as grey and rainy as most think. But shhhh don’t let the Seattleites know I told you. It’s a bit of a secret. Here’s where I’d take you if you came. We’d pop in my campervan, Black Betty named after Black Betty by Ram Jam, and also my late grandmother Betty, for a bit of a road trip. The first stop would be to the beach down the street from my house – Alki (pronounced Al-kai) for a the best view of Seattle, some cocktails and tacos on the patio at Marination. Then we’d dip our toes in the sand and make a bonfire to watch the sunset.

Day two would be a trip downtown to explore the International District have hot pot, get boba tea, and visit the unique stores like Uwajimaya to pick up snacks for the day 3 road trip. After exploring the International District we’d walk over to Pioneer Square and visit all of my favorite galleries and small businesses. We’d stop in at fruitsuper to shop the most amazing small business finds and enjoy a glass of my favorite Pet Nat from Foundry Vineyards. They share a space so it’s very convenient. We’d then head over to Velouria to shop before finding our way through Occidental Square and visiting all the art galleries. We’d end the evening in Pike Place Market where we’d have dinner and cocktails on the patio at the Pink Door.

Day three I’d take you on a trip up to one of my favorite parts of Washington, the Skagit Valley. This is where all the tulip fields are, but instead of going directly there, I prefer to drive through Fir Island. Fir Island is a wildlife preserve that is full of the most amazing bird watching you’ve ever experienced. I absolutely love it there. After we spot a few eagles, we’ll drive up to the towns of Bow & Edison for a beer or cocktail and some wood-fired pizza at Terramar Brewstillery. Making sure to stop in at Hedgerow for some beautiful handcrafted goods. Next we’d head up the most incredible drive you’ll ever take, Chuckanut Dr. It’s a winding scenic highway along the forest at the edge of the sea. There are dense patches of forest, wide open valleys and steep sandstone cliff faces. Driving in our camper van, Betty will provide optimal views from the high-perched front seats. We’re headed to Larabee state park to camp for the night. We’ll set up camp to work back up an appetite. Meander on the beach for a bit, and walk through the forest before popping back in the car for dinner down at Taylor Shellfish. This spot is the best way to enjoy the truth of our beautiful state. The drastic cliffs behind you and the open sea in front of you, we will enjoy oysters by their fire pit and enjoy the sunset with chilled glasses of local Sav Blanc. Afterwards, we will head back to camp, make a fire and I’ll make my favorite campfire dessert for you – hot pocket cherry pie.

This would be my best week ever.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Hands down this shoutout should go to my partners at JOIN Design, Sallyann Corn (fruitsuper) and Melanie Abrantes (Melanie Abrantes Designs). JOIN Design is a 14-year collective of independent, US-made, small businesses and creatives who through transparency and collaboration are able to lift and support each other. I have the pleasure of volunteering to run the organization alongside these two wicked smart, generous, and kind women. Through this organization and the community within I’ve made the biggest strides for my business with confidence because I had the support and help to build my confidence and learn from more senior businesses. It’s been a real gift.

Website: www.rebekahjdesigns.com

Instagram: @rebekahjdesigns

Image Credits
Ashley Garrels, Estefany Bello, Marissa Alves, Andrea Pons, Danny Owens