happy new year

ring in the new year with a festive new pair of happy earth earrings.

new beginnings

fresh supplies have arrived! that means new designs for happy earth and deliveries to soon be made. excited to say that the creative juices are finally flowing again. just in time for the new year.

xo, cz

weekend!

i ❤ new york

83rd and 3rd - my former stomping ground

what does one do when they start to get that overwhelming feeling about moving somewhere new, especially if it's somewhere you swore you'd never want to live again?

sigh.

new york has been permeating my mind of late, from dreams to waking reflections. having lived there before, i know what an amazing place it is, but i'm also aware that it is fairly devoid of nature - something that i must, must, must be near.

that said, perhaps somewhere natural near the city would suffice. i also can't help but know that, even though i live in nature on kauai, my impact is far greater on the environment than if i lived in a city (gasp). in nyc you don't need a car nor the importation of its oil, you can walk everywhere. the food is fresh and not traveling a bazillion miles to get to your plate - the farmer's markets are OUT OF THIS WORLD. the vegetarian lifestyle is abundant, there are so many options for purchasing products that do less harm to the environment and the list goes on and on.

i get excited thinking of all the city really has to offer with so many progressive-minded people to connect with.

but alas, it is a huge, huge decision to move back east and one that will require much more contemplation.

for now, sea glass jewels will continue to flourish and my love for hawaii will continue to grow.

xo

ho ho ho

santa says every girl should have a pair of happy earth earrings under their tree this year.

once a hippie, always a hippie

lawai international center

where peace prevails.

santa's workshop

it brings me pleasure to announce that the final happy earth holiday order delivery will be made today. it will be nice to give my fingers a wire-wrapping break as they were responsible for some 50 pairs of earrings (that's 100 individual earrings!) over the past few weeks.

to pick up a pair as a gift for someone else or for yourself, please visit any of the following stores:

on kauai - halelea gallery in poipu

oskar's boutique in kilauea

work it out in kapaa

on oahu - richies at kahala mall

on the big island - pueo boutique on alii drive

all jewels are made with either 14k gold-filled or argentium silver (a higher quality silver than sterling and a recycled precious metal) wire and sea glass or shells picked by yours truly from beaches around the island.

it's a voggy vog world

as i attempt to finish two orders of jewels today, i also attempt to catch my breath.

the islands have been enveloped in vog (from big island's halemaumau crater) and haze (from our own  pollution-largely suspected to be from nearby car-filled honolulu) for days now. every year, the situation grows worse as tradewinds that would normally blow this away continue to diminish due to the planet's undoubtedly rising temperature.

for the first time in a long time, i seriously consider the necessity to move in search for clearer skies.

though kauai is the best island to be as far as blue-sky-days are concerned,  i'm sad to think that some day soon, there might not be enough of them to clear away the sore throat, asthma and general sick feeling that has engulfed me today.

boo.

a reminder

canon convert

dear santa,

after delivering peace and good will to everyone and everything on the planet this year, maybe you'd consider slipping the new rebel t4i into my stocking? oh the jewelry picture-taking goodness that would come to be!

trading my nikon for a petite canon that i can easily slide into my handbag was one of the best decisions i made this year (not to mention a more environmentally-friendly one). i am officially in love with canon products.

but, really, peace and good will first!

love always, a good girl.

newness

happy earth designs' earrings now available at work it out in kapaa! 

thank you, jeni!

xo

hui no`eau

photo from mauihawaii.org

this place is an artist's dream. walking through the grounds and soaking in the artistic talent during my recent trip to maui was an inspiration that i have yet to get out of my mind.

sometimes i go through artistic slumps (like now) and it is my dream to attend a class here to not only enhance my jewelry-making skills and jump to the next level, but learn (or remember) other crafts like ceramics and painting.

photo from mauihawaii.org

it would be a dream to have a place like this on kauai.

i encourage anyone in hawaii who has any drop of artsy blood flowing through their veins to visit this place in makawao next time you're on maui. there is almost always an exhibit or two to browse or a class to visit. even the grounds are enough to make you want to stay there as long as you can.

seriously, you won't be disappointed.

http://huinoeau.com

i speak for the trees

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, 

Nothing is going to get better. It's not."

all the answers reside within

"do you want to meet the love of your life?

look in the mirror."

sunrising

sunrise shell jewelry has exploded in popularity. i personally shy away from it, however, because now that they are in such great demand, folks are plucking them from the ocean depths, mopping the floor clean, often with creatures still residing in them. i'm all for adorning yourself with beautiful hawaiian jewelry, but never at the expense of a living creature or without consideration of unnatural over-consumption.

nonetheless, i feel privileged to have been gifted this magnificent gem that supposedly came from a source who only dives for vacated shells. what makes it even more special is its purple hue - not only kauai's color but also my favorite. 

it's been sitting in my linen closet for months but i feel like the time has finally arrived to venture toward other jewel avenues like necklaces and bracelets and this is perfect inspiration for the former. 

let the creative process begin.

giving thanks

i am thankful for (in no particular order) ...

1) turkeys and indians who received the unfortunate end of the thanksgiving stick.
2) true love, in all varieties. the kind where actions never cease to speak louder than words.
3) the earth, our home, and its entire abundance and splendor.
4) animals - short ones, tall ones, skinny ones, fat ones, scaly ones, two-legged ones, four-legged ones, no-legged ones, ones with fur, ones with feathers - each and every one.
5) human beings (not human doings).

6) a kitty's purr.
7) birds. birds. birds. (whoops, this probably falls into the animals category, doesn't it?)
8) all the great teachers who never give up showing us how to live in the moment.
9) art. seriously, what would the world be like without it?
10) self-employment and doing business for people who tell you how much they appreciate you on a regular basis.
11) people who really listen to you and not just hear you.

12) flowers. flowers. flowers.
13) hawaii. you will always be my home no matter where i am.
14) rainy days, a comfy chair, a good book and a cat in your lap - or even just a good book, a comfy chair and a cat in your lap.
15) a crispy hawaiian "winter" day.
16) the first glance of the sun as it peeks over the horizon and casts brilliant hues of purple, pink and gold in the sky.
17) wow, once you get going, it's really hard to stop.
18) trees and sitting underneath one that envelopes your soul with its sweeping branches and fluttering leaves.
19) early morning before the world starts to wake up.
20) the shama that sings outside my window at dawn. (wait, birds again.)
21) making fresh, healthy meals from local produce.
22) national tropical botanical garden for developing in me an even deeper appreciation for these islands and plants. and, of course, for limahuli (nuff said).

23) sand between my toes and gently lapping waves.
24) seriously, i can't stop now.
25) the days i get to turn off my cell phone and computer.
26) hiking everywhere and anywhere i can.
27) glorious mountains i can never stop staring at.
28) save out shearwaters (i know, again with the feathered ones), for allowing me to help care for hawaii's precious birds and because, without you, how many of them wouldn't be here anymore?

there is so much to be thankful for. 

each. and. every. day.

what's on your list?

festive fall hoops

earth laughs in flowers

alii kula lavender farm. 

heaven on earth.

back to basics

what matters

birds.

bees.

flowers.

trees.

symbolic spirals

wisdom

"humankind has not woven the web of life. we are but one thread within it. whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. all things are bound together. all things connect."
~ chief seattle, dwamish

"when all the trees have been cut down. when all the animals have been hunted. when all the waters are polluted. when all the air is unsafe to breathe. only then will you discover you cannot eat money."
~cree prophecy

"man's heart away from nature becomes hard."
~ standing bear

biggie i

happy earth earrings will officially be on their way to the big island tomorrow (jealous) where they will find new homes by way of pueo boutique.

so grateful for the opportunity.

grow where you are planted

spending time in kokee amid koa and ohia-filled forests with native birds like apapane and elepaio whistling sweet serenades is food for my soul.

true beauty resides in nature.

acacia koa

aalii

pukiawe

ohia tree gripping to a cliff where many native species have been forced to live in order to survive

happy halloween

boo!

house of the rising sun

sometimes a trip to another island leads to a surge in creativity.

though i try not to fly too frequently or far (i recently learned from a fellow writer that it takes more than 50 barrels of oil per person to fly one way from hawaii to the west coast!!), i felt the need to check something off my bucket list - a haleakala hike on maui.

while the decent into the valley of haleakala (yes, it's a valley and not an actual crater) was something i shall not forget, it admittedly left me longing for shade, new legs and larger lungs. heading downwards was, of course, no problem, it was the ascent up the sandy trail (akin to walking through concrete) at an altitude of some 10,000 feet that was literally breath-taking.

the endangered silversword plant at haleakala

aside from seeing the always-stunning mauna kea in the distance and walking through the moon-like landscape of the house of the rising sun, the most inspiring part of the hike were the silversword (ahinahina) plants, hanging on by a thin thread to life on this planet, just like so many other flora and fauna in the world. still, even though their numbers continue to decline, they push on, living in the moment and never giving up - a lesson i can always use.

she finds sea shells by the seashore

from hanalei

from anahola

serendipity

as fate would have it, upon researching information about the native hawaiian owl, the pueo, for my last blog post, i came across a website for a boutique located on my other favorite island.

serendipitously (is that even a word?) called pueo boutique, i thought it must be a sign. as luck and good fortune would have it, i am excited to announce that happy earth designs will be sending a handful of goodies to the kona store on the big island in the next few weeks!

synchronicity.

Pueo Boutique

madame pele's persistence on the big island

hawaiian blessing

while hiking sleeping giant and doing my usual feather-scouting for jewelry-making, i came across this beauty. my friend insists that it's an owl feather (from the face/neck area). the colors are strikingly the same, however, the verdict is still out since our "jungle fowl" on kauai have quite the abundant array of colorful plumage. still, i must admit, i'm pretty convinced she's right.

the endangered hawaiian owl, or pueo, is an aumakua or a guardian spirit/ancestor. we are lucky to still be able to see them on kauai, as, like the native newell's shearwater, artificial lights, cars and concrete jungles have almost obliterated their population. to see them is a true honor to which i am always grateful to receive.  they can often be seen hunting pastures at dusk (they are diurnal unlike most owls which are nocturnal). to watch one soar over open fields while the sun is setting is an extra-special hawaiian treat. 

Photo from Wikipedia.

if i have, indeed, discovered one of their feathers for the first time, i consider it a hawaiian blessing and will be sure to create a piece that i will always hold dear to me (sorry, not for sale).

xo

bon voyage

Kumu Sabra Kauka releases a bird out to sea at Lydgate
Beach Park while Wilcox Elementary School students observe.
Coco Zickos photo

Birds are an inspiration of mine and I am very much in love with Hawaii's species. This is the time of year when the endangered Newell's Shearwater needs our immediate attention. The remainder of their small population exists largely (if not entirely) on Kauai. I would be remiss if I didn't post this article everywhere and anywhere I can. Read on and, if you live on Kauai, please take downed birds to the aid stations listed below.

By Coco Zickos

The light of the moon and the stars naturally guide Newell’s Shearwater fledglings from the mountains to the sea every year, from mid-September to mid-December.

However, when the moon is new or the sky is filled with clouds, these endangered native seabird babies become disoriented by artificial lights. In an attempt to reach the sea for the first time in their lives from steep cliffs and deep foliage in the central part of the island, they become distracted, circling the lights until they fall to the ground in exhaustion. Without the proper wind and conditions to take off again, they become vulnerable to dangers such as vehicles and predators.

The state recognized the issue some 30 years ago and established the Save Our Shearwaters program in an effort to help. The program encourages people to pick up any downed fledglings they may come across and bring them to aid stations located around the island, where people such as Tracy Anderson come to their rescue.

Anderson, Save Our Shearwaters program coordinator, and her small team either release the birds right away or nurse them back to health at their rehabilitation center at Kaua‘i Humane Society in Puhi.

When the birds enter the rehabilitation program, which can last from a few days to a few weeks, they are treated for ailments including dehydration, malnourishment, head injuries and broken bones.

Making sure the Newell’s Shearwaters’ feathers are waterproof also is of utmost importance, since their feathers are their only protection from the cold ocean water, and their down insulates them and provides warmth.

“Somebody needs to do it, and the need is there to do it,” says Anderson.

“They’re really cool little birds and worth saving.”

Approximately 90 percent of the endemic species’ entire population now exists only on Kaua‘i, a place they have called home for thousands of years. Prior to human arrival, the islands were covered with seabirds. In fact, the birds helped make the islands as lush as they are by digging out their burrows through lava rock, turning and fertilizing the soil.

“They helped to make these islands as beautiful and green and as fertile as they are,” Anderson says.

They also were helpful to Polynesians when they arrived in the Islands, as the birds helped direct them to fish.

“If we let them go to extinction, our biodiversity is lost,” says Anderson. “They’re special — they’re Kaua‘i’s bird.”

A Newell's Shearwater gets a second chance at life.
Coco Zickos photo

One of the qualities that make the Newell’s Shearwater, which is thought to have a life span of about 30 years, so special is its ability to live mostly at sea, returning to land only to nest. They also spend four or more years in the open ocean after fledging.

These seabirds have the ability to survive without fresh water, as they are part of the tube-nose family, meaning they not only have a developed sense of smell that most birds do not, they also have specialized salt glands in their heads which filter their blood and excrete a saline solution that drips from their tubes.

In addition, the Newell’s Shearwater (called ‘a‘o in Hawaiian) can dive some 30 to 42 feet for fish, with the deepest recorded dive being more than 150 feet underwater.

“That’s a long way for a small bird to go,” says Anderson, who has been a wildlife rehabilitator for 17 years and has worked with other birds such as eagles and trumpeter swans.

Sadly, a serious toll has been taken on these fascinating birds. Their numbers have declined dramatically in recent decades, and because they only lay one egg each year, which both parents incubate and raise, they have not been able to recover fast enough.

Tracy Anderson with a young Newell’s Shearwater that suffered head trauma. Coco Zickos photo

Their population also is likely on the decline because of the increase of introduced predators such as dogs and cats, as well as overfishing.

“But the lights are something we can control, so we can help these guys get back out to sea where they belong,” says Anderson, who urges people to make compassionate changes, including not keeping outside lights on unnecessarily and drawing curtains and blinds at night to shield indoor lighting.

Nonetheless, because of the Save Our Shearwaters program, it has been estimated that more than 30,000 birds have been collected since its inception, of which more than 90 percent have been released.

If a downed bird is found, it can be wrapped in a clean towel or picked up with clean hands — without lotion, insect repellent or sunscreen — and taken to the nearest aid station, and with information on the time and place the bird was discovered.

“At this time of year, if you live here, it’s a good idea to keep a clean box and clean towel in your car,” says Anderson.

The birds are picked up at the aid stations every day, and if it so happens that a bird is placed in one after the regular pickup time (noted at the station), Anderson asks that people contact the program so that the birds do not have to spend another 24 hours at the station.

“I enjoy releasing a bird that I know has a good chance of surviving in the wild and coming back to breed,” says Anderson.

Visit http://kauaihumane.org/services/saveourshearwaters for more information.

DOWNED BIRD DROP OFFS

Downed birds can be dropped off at these locations around Kaua‘i:

North Shore
Kilauea Medical Group
Princeville Fire Station
Hanalei Liquor Store

Eastside
Lihu‘e Fire Station
Kapa‘a Fire Station
Kaiakea Fire Station
Kaua‘i Humane Society

Westside
Waimea Fire Station
Hanapepe Fire Station
Kalaheo Fire Station

South Shore
Koloa Fire Station

luscious leaves

sweet sojourn

creating jewelry is a fun hobby, but i'm not going to lie, it doesn't pay all of my bills. when i'm not busy crafting delicious danglers, i am writing for a weekly publication on kauai - a job that brings me so much joy.

not only do i look for ways to make happy earth designs prosper, i'm always looking for ways to improve my writing craft, especially when it comes to penning stories about nature. next week i'll be bouncing over to the national tropical botanical garden for a week-long environmental journalism fellowship with some of the best scientists on the planet. i am thrilled to be a part of this amazing opportunity, but that means i'll likely be putting happy earth on the back burner for just a little while.

so.

until we meet again.

remember to love the earth.

~ coco zickos

precious

recycled precious metals = mo bettah!

tah tah

the ocean and its creatures are breathing a collective sigh of relief today as the navy's war-game exercises across the islands, called rim of the pacific exercise (rimpac), finally cease. explosions, sonar and changing atmospheric conditions (as acknowledged by a local newscaster - whatever it is they were doing was causing what looked like a giant thunderstorm over kauai on the radar), are finally over.

the presence of the ships'  were ominous as i collected the sea's precious treasures in recent weeks. 

truthfully, i feel safer now that they are gone.