On ‘At Home With,’ we virtually visit our members and catch up on their current normal. From recommended reading and podcasts to creative recipes and wellness routines, get to know the network - and maybe even come away with a little activity inspo.
Meet Los Angeles-based jewelry designer Emily P. Wheeler. Having just finished building out her home studio, she’s been able to spend the extra downtime on her natural creative outlet. Emily shares what else she’s been up to as she waits for the right time to release new collections, including finding fresh gratitude for what’s truly important.
What’s your usual location, and where are you currently sheltering in place?
I live in Los Angeles and I'm currently sheltering at home. I'm lucky because I'm a homebody and just completed my studio/showroom which is a detached building behind my house.
Any new pastimes or creative outlets?
I've been working full time still which is naturally a creative outlet. The extra time has been spent working on new designs and upcoming collections. I wouldn't say I'm ahead now, but I am finally feeling on schedule and not behind. I'm also a huge animal lover and took on a foster in the spring who ended up having puppies. A lot of time has been spent helping the mom raise them and finding them good homes. We adopted the mom.
Do you have any favorite podcasts, books, newsletters?
My favorite podcasts are Left Right and Center, The Daily, Reply All, and My Favorite Murder. A few favorite books are The Dog Who Wouldn't Be by Farley Mowatt and Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I read Little Fires Everywhere and Rules of Civility during quarantine so far and enjoyed both. I'm reading some animal behavior books now which is probably my favorite subject. I read lots of news. I try to get it from everywhere (both liberal and conservative) to balance out all the bias.
What’s keeping you going right now?
Work is a huge outlet for me. It's frustrating because I'm having to hold back so much work that I'm really excited about (I don't think it's smart to launch too much right now.) I'm happy that things have slowed down a bit but annoyed that everything is sort of on hold. Momentum is a big propeller forward for me in my career and I feel a bit like the wind is out of my sails. My husband is my lifeline in general and especially right now. We could have fun together while the world was ending, so we're still laughing and keeping each other going. My dogs are also a big part of what keeps me happy. And taking care of my fish pond.
What do you miss most from pre-Covid life?
Hugging my friends and family. When we watch movies or tv now and watch scenes of people hugging or dancing or shaking hands, it makes me so sad. I miss contact with people, both ones I know and strangers. We had to cancel our wedding which was supposed to be in April. I can't wait until it happens some day and we can sweat all over each other on the dancefloor.
Best advice you’ve received lately?
I haven't received any good advice lately, but one thing I try to remind myself always, especially now, is to be grateful for what I have. It's easy to feel bad for ourselves right now, but I am still so grateful for my family, animals, my friends, my job, my house, and my health. I try to remind myself of the things to be grateful for every day. I'm grateful for each day that goes by where me and my loved ones remain safe and healthy. On the other side of that is thinking about those less fortunate and how to use our energy to help. Like many, I've spent a lot of time learning about the racial injustices in our country and fundraising for the NAACP with others in my industry.
