Bella Wish: meet the ladies

original scanned photo ~ adele and mabel

There is a series of posts that I have been carrying around in my heart and head since first opening my Etsy shop. They tell the story of how Bella Wish was born, my designs and what they represent, my marketing materials, and what each of the sayings I stamp means to me personally. It's time for these stories to step out of my heart and take their place in the world.

I thought I would start with introducing you to Mabel and Adele Rowland. If you have visited either of my shops Bella Wish or Adele's Attic or purchased something from me, you have seen their images on my packaging, postcards and shop banner.

Mabel and Adele are sisters. Adele was an actress married to actor Conway Tearle. Mabel was a playwright who also wrote and published a book of monologues called Life With Laughter. They are my great aunts. To me they also symbolize greatness.

Aren't they gorgeous? I carry this fantastically crazy mondo beyondo fantasy of writing a historical novel based on their lives that of course becomes a best seller and is made into a movie with fabulous sets and costume design. In this dream I sometimes see Ashley Judd playing Adele. What was that? Did someone say Oscar? Guess I should find a dress just in case... but I digress.

I knew about them growing up though I don't have memories of them. Mabel had died before I was born and I was only two when Adele left this earth. It wasn't until my grandmother passed away that their stories started to reveal themselves to me. I inherited many of the items that both my grandmother and great grandmother had held onto... and they held onto everything. I literally have boxes of their personal belongings.

One of my very favorite items I was blessed with was an antique box that belonged to Mabel. It is filled with photos, mementos, some of her writings and personal letters and it's one of my most treasured material posessions. You can see an image of it here. The photos are gorgeous for sure, but it's her letters that are so fascinating to me. Many are an exchange between her and a gentleman named Richard. These yellowing, almost translucent pages hold ordinary yet brilliant colorful exchanges (written in pen! some in envelopes with stamps!) that detail ideas they were working on for what I am guessing was a collaboration for a play. You could feel the passion for their craft in their handwritten words. I actually was so fascinated by them that I tracked down Richard years ago to find out more about their story, only to discover that he had passed away as well.

What inspires me about both of them is they are two women who lived their purpose and breathed their passion. Two women who were raised on the east coast in Rhode Island who made their way to the west coast to pursue their dreams. I am sure their story was met with obstacles and rich with charm. I imagine them as true pioneers. They witnessed the glamour of the twenties and the depression of the thirties. They lived with laughter and I imagine loads of moxie.

I wish I had known more personal details about their stories while my grandmothers were still alive. I wonder how Adele met her husband, Conway? I wonder what their romance was like? I wonder who Mabel's great loves were? I wonder how they got into show business? I wonder Mabel she drew inspiration for her plays? I wonder what it was like for them to stand on a stage and entertain people with their stories and performances? I wonder what they ate for breakfast and if they carried good-luck charms? I wonder what their favorite colors were and what they carried in their hearts and if they wanted children?

I wish I had asked more questions, known about the boxes, thick with dust, sitting in the shadows of a musty garage for decades. I wish I would have listened more - perhaps that was the lesson for me and why I constantly work on listening now. I may not know many of their life details but I've asked my mom a lot more questions since and I know that when I do get really still and just listen, they are there, whispering to me the juicy details should I ever pursue that mondo beyondo dream of reimagining their tale.

They serve as inspiration and as muse. I use their images on my marketing materials because these women have empowered me simply by having lived in their purpose. They are the kind of women I seek out and am attracted to in my life. My jewelry is designed to empower women and inspire us to honor our gifts, follow our path, invoke the muse, live in gratitude, embrace our unique journies, stand in truth, know our greatness, see the blessings and tell our stories. Any future work I create for myself, whatever that may be, will also serve this same purpose.

When I was a wee twenty-two years old I sat with a channeler who told me that my great aunt Adele watches over me. At that time in my life I didn't know that much about her at all but he told me she appeared to him as larger than life in a fur coat and didn't wait for permission to come directly to the front of the line to send me this message:

Do not be afraid of your colors. Stop being small. Life is too big and so are you.

Adele, if you are still watching over me, it took me all these years but I can now see clearly why you came to the front of the line, I am trying on my colors and share your message with others. I now have daughters of my own - two beaty-filled sisters who are each spilling over with the most sparkling, rainbow-colored hues. I know my main purpose here is to model for them to not be afraid of their own colors and embrace them always. Thank you for your moxie.

Comments

They are beauties! How wonderful to have so many of their things. I know what you mean about wishing you would have asked more questions. I was very lucky to have had a close relationship with my Great-Grandmother up until she died at 99. We shared countless hours telling each other stories and secrets. She was the kindest and most generous woman I ever met. She had a quiet, gentle spirit and the patience of a saint. She taught me to sew and bake an apple pie at a very young age. To me she was my Grandma Janie (Stella's middle name is Jane, after her)....but, long before I was born she had this whole other life that is fascinating to think about. She had many struggles growing up and ended up marrying and divorcing my Great-Grandfather 3 times which I'm sure back then was unheard of. I can only imagine what it was like for her....but she survived...she was strong and her spirit lives in me. When she died I was on a road trip and was asleep in the back of the car and I woke up around 3AM and I "felt" her and "smelled" her....all around me. It was strange and wonderful feeling. When I got home later that day I found out that she had died early that morning....most likely the same time I had felt her. I cherish that and feel blessed by it.

Posted by: Amy Rufkahr | June 23, 2011 at 07:37 AM

Amy, thank you for sharing your story about your great-grandmother and your beautiful connection. She sounds so much like my great-grandmother. xo

Posted by: stacy | June 23, 2011 at 09:09 AM

Wow... I see their beauty threaded through generations into you and your two delicious meatballs 'Bella and Mia'...love you...

oxox
Trish

PS: You are one spectcaular rainbow woman!!

Posted by: Patricia Dolan | June 24, 2011 at 12:49 PM

Incredible. What beautiful women and I love the story behind it and your connection and inspiration you take from them. Thanks for sharing!

Posted by: Amber | June 27, 2011 at 11:13 PM

totally cool, stacey! one of my mondo beyondos has been to create a staged monologue of a character i create and costume and perform it in small, cool venues (historic homes, museums, parks, what have you)-- kind of like the belle of amherst, losing my religion, the belle of holyoke, and some of the other one person plays...maybe someday...just haven't decided on my character and what she wants to share...now i'm off to see if i can find any of your aunt's monologues...but you have a bottomless treasure there to mine!

p.s. can't wait to see your pix next month after your visit to portland!

Posted by: Michelle Shopped | July 04, 2011 at 09:59 AM

oh how I love your stories of these remarkable women and how their legacy guides and inspires you. I got chills reading this. thank your for sharing this.

Posted by: Nikole | July 10, 2011 at 06:21 PM