We had the good fortune of connecting with Bella Kalkbrenner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bella, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
My most important value right now is finding the happiness in everything, and letting go of the idea of perfection. For a very long time I have struggled with perfectionism. It finds me at school, within my business, and in every aspect of my life; I am always striving for my idea of perfection. During the covid 19 pandemic my perfectionism was able to take over. I let myself fall into unhealthy and disordered habits with the goal of seeming outwardly perfect. I neglected the fact that beauty comes from within and there is so much more to life than constantly striving for the ever changing idea of “perfection”. Right now I am really focusing on finding beauty in the small things and acknowledging the person I am right now, rather than the person I want to, or “should” be.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I began making necklaces out of shells at the beginning of 2022. During the pandemic I struggled a lot being out of school and away from my friends. I developed some very unhealthy and restrictive habits as an attempt to control the only thing I felt I could; my appearance. I had no other outlets, my sports and extracurriculars had all been stopped; I developed anxiety and my perfectionist tendencies worsened. While recovering my family and I visited the beach frequently. In September I also got my best friend, my dog River. River helped me through my recovery, she was my sunshine and my inspiration.

When at the beach with River, I started collecting shells on our walks, as an attempt to be more grounded and appreciate nature more. It was therapeutic, although I was always upset that I never could find any whole, “perfect” shells. I was trying to appreciate the small things more, but I wasn’t doing a very good job. However the more I watched River interact with the world around her, the more inspired I became; she looked at everything, sniffed everything, (and tried to eat everything) like it was the best thing ever.

I began looking at the shell pieces differently, although they were imperfect, they were so unique and special. I wanted to find a way to show people how beautiful they really were; I wanted other to be able to appreciate their natural beauty as I was beginning to. I began making necklaces with them, which sparked the nature-lover side of me. I became my goal to create a brand of jewelry that appreciates nature, not harm it.

I am very passionate about the outdoors, I love to be at the beach and in the mountains. In the summer I visit Estes Park Colorado to hike in the Rockies. My passion for nature and sustainability has been a driving factor and priority within my business.

I use traceable and sustainable materials; the beads I use are recycled and handmade, the hemp cord I use is sustainably farmed and the shells and sea glass are, of coarse, all natural and found by me. I disagree with the large amount of habitat destruction and CO2 emissions produced by majority of the Jewelry industry. I don’t believe in wearing something that hurt the planet in order to enhance beauty. With River and Rosemarys necklaces we can wear something natural and sustainable to add to the natural beauty in all of us.

River and Rosemary is more than Jewelry. It is about finding beauty in the uniqueness and individuality of ourselves and the world around us. River and Rosemary is named after my dog River who has brought me more joy than I could have imagined. Rosemary because it thrives near the sea; “Rosmarinus” means “dew of the sea”. Rosemary also represents loyalty and friendship, an important message in how we should treat ourselves, and our planet. There is a great importance in self love and an environmental connection. By being present in the world we are part of, we are able to find joy, importance and beauty in everything. Individuality makes everything that much more special, and beautiful; diversity is natural.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Raleigh NC has so much to offer. I am originally from San Fransisco California, which is vastly different. Some of my favorite restaurants are Tazza kitchen, which is a fresh wood-fire grill, and Plates Neighborhood Kitchen, a local, farm to table experience. Other than food, my favorite thing to do is get outside. Raleigh is amazing because there are so many parks and beautiful areas around town. The rose garden and art museum are both gorgeous. If you travel a bit out of Raleigh, the campuses of Duke and UNC are worth visiting.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I give so much credit to my strong and loving family, who has stood with me through all my struggles and helped me to become the person I am today. Also, my amazing dog River, my inspiration and my hope. When I was struggling through the pandemic I felt hopeless, like I had no purpose and no plan.

When we got River she inspired me to heal and find myself again. I came up with the idea behind my business by walking on the beach with River. Seeing her happiness and unconditional love towards everything and everyone, I was inspired. I started trying to notice the beauty in every little thing around, like River did with everything.

Previously when having visited the beach, I was upset because the shells were all in pieces and broken, none of them were ever perfect. Then, after trying a little harder to appreciate the small things, I started noticing that each piece was beautiful and unique in its own way. My passion for sustainability, combined with the inspiration from my dog River, drove me to begin crafting jewelry out of those same broken shells that I had previously shunned.

I would not be where I am today without my family or River. I am still working on myself and growing everyday, I am not perfect, but, I attribute my progress to them. River, along with my business River and Rosemary, have taught me that perfection is over rated, true beauty is unique, natural and comes from within.

Website: https://riverrosemary.com/

Instagram: river.and.rosemary

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