This was a big year personally – my husband Tom and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary!
Such an occasion calls for a celebration – even during a pandemic. While we were a bit weary to get on a plane, we were more than happy to hit the road and head north to Ostsee, otherwise known as the the Baltic Sea.
I’m so happy to finally share some memories with you – take a look!
Given the world’s trajectory in the last week, I’m feeling so lucky that I was able to attend the Tucson Gem Show Back in February this year.
It was an inspiring trip in so many ways, and I thought it might be a nice distraction for you during these crazy times.
Minerals and crystals and beads, oh my! I had my first experiences with gem shows at the Tucson Gem Show, which is the largest in the world. Not a bad place to start, am I right? 😉 Now that I’m in based in Germany, it seemed like the perfect time to venture out and explore Europe’s largest gem show. Find out more about my adventures at the Munich Gem Show 2019!
There’s quite a few things I love about living in Berlin. The city itself is a rich tapestry of art, culture, and history, but even the most mundane activities have a special kind of charm for me. Everything is still so new and different. I love walking along the cobblestone roads lined and tree lined canals, and now that the dust has finally settled from the move and my studio is set up, it seemed like a great time to take advantage of the summer by taking a little vacation!
I’ve been in Germany since the middle of the summer, and have been slowly but surely familiarizing myself with the procedures for transferring my life and jewelry business. I’ll be honest, it’s pretty overwhelming!
Germany is well known for it’s thorough bureaucracy, but it was hard to put into perspective until we arrived. The business side of things felt quite a bit more daunting that it ever has in the United States, largely due to the language barrier. Even though I’ve moved my business within the States multiple times and even made the move towards incorporation in the last few years, nothing quite prepared me fully for the challenges of moving to a new country.
Continue reading “Expat Life: Moving my Life and Jewelry Business to Germany”
It’s been just over a month since I’ve been in Germany, and I have to say that it’s been quite the experience so far. I haven’t done a lot of writing, blogging, or really much of anything because I’ve been so wiped out. Not so much because the move in general, more because we managed to move during a serious heatwave. We’re talking 95˚F (35˚C) and above, which isn’t terrible per se. In fact it seems like it’s been fairly in line with Chicago weather this summer. I’ve been told constantly by longtime residents that this is a very unusual summer, which I hope is true. But there is one thing that has made things a little more challenging for this American… Continue reading “My First Summer in Berlin: Heatwaves, Canals and the Importance of Looking Up”
I have some crazy exciting news! My husband and I have been wanting to take the plunge and live abroad since we’ve been together, and if you can believe it, it’s been on our bucket list for 18 years. Well guess what? It’s finally happening! We’ve moving to Berlin! Continue reading “Zurina Ketola Designs is Moving: Berlin Bound!”
I feel so lucky to have connected with such incredible and inspiring women with my work and on my travels, and it got me thinking:
Would clients like to be featured here on my blog?
I’ve had the idea kicking around for a while now, and after my last trip out to California, I’ve finally began asking around. To my surprise, a few of my absolute favorite clients welcomed the idea!
Continue reading “NEW! ZKD Client Profile: Chantal Gillberg”
A few weeks back, my husband popped in my office and asked if I wanted to make a quick trip out to Malibu, California to surprise his dad for his 70th birthday. My ears perked up – the actual sun, and a milestone birthday? Um, yes please! Winter was dragging its feet in Chicago this year, so a weekend getaway to a sunny place was something to look forward to!
Not only did I get to spend time visiting with family and friends (btw, the party was a hit, he was totally surprised), I always make it a point to travel with a small selection of my latest and greatest jewelry designs in tow. I have clients from all over the world that love to check out what’s new, and often book personal shopping appointments with regular customers and new clients while I’m in town.
Continue reading “The ZKD Personal Jewelry Shopping Experience”
I’m taking my annual sojourn to the Tucson Gem Show from January 26th through February 9th, and I’ve decided to keep my jewelry website up and running in my absence. Please note that I won’t be able to fill orders until after I return on February 9th. Orders can be processed and paid for during this time and I expect to ship orders placed during my vacation by Wednesday, February 14th. Continue reading “Away Jan 26th – Feb 9th: Orders Will Be Filled and Shipped Upon My Return”