On a "Sit-in-Nature"

While on a 5 day solo retreat, in the South-Eastern Sierra Mountains, Barbara Winckler began to sense her life was about to change.  She was overwhelmed by the beauty and peacefulness of nature and promised to do something that would positively effect the environment, and bring the spirit of nature to as many people, as she could.  While there, she began to see how disconnected and distanced we all had become from the natural world.  She vowed that she would do something to help reconnect people with the healing inspiration of nature.

While on her retreat she watched many birds, bugs, critters and the rest of nature, and learned very important lessons. One of which came while watching a red ant search a long time for something. He would return to one area and try to pick up a tiny pine seed that was partially buried in the sand. He tried this several times and then would go off only to return to the pine seed again and again.

After watching him for about two hours, Barbara took a pine needle and was ready for him when he returned to that tiny seed again. She and flicked it out of the sand so that it would be easier for him to get. Amazing as it sounds, he stopped, looked up at her – as if to say "thank-you" and took the seed, carrying it over twigs, around holes and up to his ant hill - over 100 feet away!

The lesson learned was this:

"Don't stop until you find exactly what you are looking for, and then carry it with you, even if it's bigger than you think you can carry."

That was a strong message for Barbara and she never forgot it.

A few years later when she was up in the Mountains of San Bernardino with her mentor and Hopi Elder - Arizona Living Treasure, Lawrence Saufkie, she got a powerful gift while doing her silver overlay work.  She designed an egg-like pendant that would later be named "Emergence" (celebrating human growth and endurance) and would come to be the premier design for her future business - S'ArBella Jewelry.

S'ArBella is Born

Then in November, 2003, she finally found what she was looking for. After accepting her abilities as a healer, and knowing how much she loved to design and handcraft sterling silver jewelry, Barbara saw that she could combine the two and put the healing energy of nature into custom and limited edition jewelry.

The next day, just before she awoke, she dreamed that her new company had a name.  That name was S'ArBella, after a nickname that her sister used to call her. 

When Barbara looked at the name, she realized that it meant something special to her: 's = that's, Arb = arbor or shaded place, and Bella = beautiful..."that's a beautiful shaded place"... a natural place that is beautiful, peaceful and protected from the harsh sun.  It sounded like a respite from the harshness of today's world and a reconnection with nature.  Which went right along with her vision and purpose...to reconnect people with nature and inspire them to help to heal their spirits,themselves and this planet. From that day on, Barbara Winckler has done just that by continuing to learn and grow herself and her business, S'ArBella. 

As of August 2005, there are six designs available as pendants, earrings, and key rings.  Barbara has also constructed a very unique sterling silver anticlastic cuff bracelet that can be customized with various prescious and semi-prescious gemstones.

S'ArBella customers look for yearly new designs to add to their collection of unique and inspirational jewelry.