Empowering Whistles for Women

I'm starting the email with an upsetting photo and headline, I know. But it's kinda why we're all here.

The man in the blue sweatshirt is a "federal agent".

Please take a good look at him.

When I think of a federal agent, a police officer, or a member of the military, I think about the presentation of authority. A crisp uniform. A distinct, trim haircut. Shirts tucked in, shoes shined. Even their hats, if the uniform includes them, look sharp.

I don't think of...this.

Not some dude with ill fitting glasses and his hands tucked into his tactical vest.

When I first saw this photo (as the news was breaking) I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I actually kind of did both.

He looks like a punchline to a terrible joke being played on all of us.

Just ol' Joe Shmoe with a tactical vest and a gun. It's actually terrifying

I won't go into the details of the day, because the headline sums it up pretty succinctly. Suffice to say it was a long one, culminating with injustice being carried out. Again. And this time, the local PD and Vermont State Police participated (with ICE) which is so disheartening.

So I make whistles.

And I make them for you. I want these whistles to make you feel powerful, connected, supported and brave.

As I mentioned in the previous email, I use a different medium for these, Precious Metal Clay. It is so hands-on, in a way that my traditional metal smithing work isn’t.

My typical pieces involve hard metal, sawing with jagged blades, filing with coarse files, using a flame to force the metal where I want it to go.

Hammer blows to move metal. Piercing with a drill bit and filling the studio with the sounds of a dental office, a high pitched whining whir.

Rigid work.

And you might think this sounds like a great way to get rid of frustration

A way to channel rage.

But working in the metal clay- it’s flexible, yielding. Soft and responsive.

The pieces start in a rough egg shape (or, more accurately, a chocolate covered almond!) Then get finely sanded using just an emery board and sanding sponges.

A drop of water smooths things, removes imperfections.

When I sculpt the head, a subtle pinch to make a beak, the gentlest touch creates such personality in the little emerging bird.

My fingers get covered in a layer of fine silver dust. A swipe at an invisible itch leaves a mark like flour on the cheek of a grandmother baking cookies

Everything about making these whistles feels…gentle.

Calm, and soothing.

Isn’t that a juxtaposition?

I'm making a warning. Something meant to attract attention, to make noise. To give a voice to the scared and silenced.

But I make it in quietude.

There are no loud hammers, no buzz of the flex shaft.

It’s just me, my hands, music in my ear, creating voices.

There is something so feminine about the process.

Women create. We support. We nourish and nurture. We bake. We bend in compromise. We break.

But we build.

We build up with our soothing hands and big warm hearts and brilliant minds. And that’s the energy we need right now. Furious women blowing whistles, knitting hats, painting posters, calling sentators, baking cookies for protestors.

There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish- Michelle Obama

I'm expecting to have whistles shipping out as early as next week! Those who selected the "choose your whistle" option will be emailed with a photo of the line up to select yours, and then they will be shipped out in the order they were received. Each bird has its own little personality, as unique as you, and I intend for them to bring you both delight and determination to keep going. Build, persist, hope.

I'll be sending out one more email update to tell you a little about the packaging- it's SO CUTE, it deserves it's own update, so stay tuned for that.

(And if you haven't gotten a whistle, but want one, I'm still making them!)

Buy now

Happy Women's History Month, Whistle Warrorios!

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