It always happens that by mid-August I open my eyes and the summer has flown by…the season feels anything but endless. Slow, luxurious vacation days give way to back-to-school buzz; Nights get cooler, days get shorter and it’s easy to get swept away in the whirlwind of a full plate and a busy schedule! For this month’s finding, I spent the day with Stephanie Liu Hjelmeseth of style blog, Honey and Silk. At 8+ months pregnant and in full mama-glow mode, she relished the chance for a little self-care - a day spent styling the most romantic jewelry story, chatting new mom must-haves, mantras, baby names and the ways in which her life is about to change drastically – for the better! Both of us share a desire to live with intention and, for me, one way I am able to do that is with a personal mantra. I shared my old faithful - ‘Work hard, Stay Humble, Be Kind’ – a phrase that has kept me grounded through life’s ups and downs and ultimately inspired the creation of a brand new jewelry collection! While in studio, Stephanie shared her mantras for a life well-lived and felt that a ZC mantra piece would resonate with her readers in a big way! So In the coming weeks, you’ve got two things to watch for: a mantra collection giveaway and new baby Hjelmeseth, of course!!! | photos by annie mcelwain |

While chatting about the work/life balance pre and post baby, we shared tips, tricks and advice on ways to stay grounded and live with intention. My brand new Mantra Collection really resonated with Stephanie so she chose the medium mantra necklace that says "Everything I need is within me" for that day's styling session. She layered it with the marquis diamond halo necklace and the itty bitty diamond dangling disc necklace to create the most dreamy (and meaningful) necklace story.

As you can see, Stephanie was absolutely radiant while in studio. Immediately she was drawn to the pearl collection and revealed that pearls are her favorite gem. So we picked a few pearl styles but ultimately decided to pair the 3 diamond and pearl open cuff with the small mixed diamond link bolo bracelet for a bit of drama. She shared that her wedding rings had become a bit too tight thanks to pregnancy swelling and liked that our prong set pearl and diamond ring could act as a beautiful stand-in for the time-being! On her other hand she stacked 3 diamond thin crown band and 3 prong set trio diamond ring for extra sparkle.

For her ear story, Stephanie opted for our 14k plain ear cuff and graduated diamond white chain threaders. The cuff let her accessorize her single piercings while the rose gold threaders made a subtle, rosy statement with a little bit of swing. Stephanie's beautiful demeanor and pregnancy glow had me in awe from the moment she walked through the door. Her sense of style is divine and her quiet confidence permeates a room...she is magic!