Dog is God Spelled Backwards

Taking a paws, and hitting play again.

And so it goes... With arms wide open I welcome you back to the SubStax... I'm sorry I've been absent for ages—life has a way of coming in hot and the last several months have made me have to take a beat and focus on my family. From the start of my company, The Stax, I've always been candid about my grief, and the other week I shared about the loss of my beloved dog of 15 years, the magical Zelda. Since this newsletter is more about razzle dazzle and less about complicated grief, I won't wax poetic on my life with her, but instead will revive my Substax, and tribute this moment to my first baby, my Zelda. Cheers to you, pal!

A little tribute collage art for my pup by yours truly.

One of the many things I love about my job and why I started The Stax, was to help clients build meaningful jewelry collections for moments in their life, joyous or devastating... I sat down to publish this a couple weeks back, but the devastating LA fires hit and I've been in shock since, and trying to support from afar in New York, feeling helpless on the daily. Rereading this draft last night only reminded me that the loss of a pet, a house, a loved one, a job, a ring, a relationship—you name it, all have a connecting thread, no matter how colossal or tiny the loss may seem. Loss comes in all shapes and sizes and the more we collectively talk about it, the more we heal... At least that's the hope. Because to truly grieve is to have loved deeply and that's something to celebrate, to set in stone.

Over the last few years I've been lucky enough to work with a number of people on commemorative pieces for the loss of a loved one, especially a pet... So with that being said, please paws and relax, and take a gander at some of my favorite custom pendants I love for celebrating a life well lived, a boundless unconditional type of love. All dogs (insert your pet here) go to heaven, so there's that my angels.

This Imperial Portrait Pendant Necklace by Ariel Gordon

Starting with the above Imperial Portrait Pendant by Ariel Gordon, a woman whom I greatly admire and have connected with over the loss of our Mothers; she is the dream. I love how detailed these mini-portraits are, a great option for the more high-res images in our albums. To quote Ariel—"These fully customizable charms evoke a castaway 70s vibe with their long twisted rope chain, sandblast finish, high polish textured border, and laser engraved portraits. Perfect for pics of your kids, your love, your pet, your grammie, etc etc.” I also personally respect how each piece of Ariel’s is handmade in LA, let’s continue to support the City of Angels.

The Natalia Pas Sentiment Pendants.

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know and work with Natalia Pas over the last few years… Both of us share a deep love for our dogs, and have had the honor of collaborating on several Sentiment Pendants for my clients, and for our own personal losses—Natalia made a custom emerald one to honor my late Mother which I never take off. Pictured above are two styles which Natalia hand-makes in her Miami studio. Each one can house ashes, or fur, sky’s the limit, and each pendant is soldered in solid gold so there’s no risk of flying ashes on a rollercoaster etc. In Natalia’s words—“The Sentiment Pendant is a poignant symbol of materializing emotions, memories, and the essence of loved ones. This customizable heirloom serves as a cherished vessel, capable of holding the ashes of a beloved or any meaningful object, sealed within its elegant gold orb. Each pendant a unique testament to what you hold dear.” Message me any time on to discuss your own custom piece.

A custom Pet Portrait Pendant by Jenna Katz.

Jenna Katz is not only a dear friend but also a fellow dog owner, animal lover, and one of my favorite jewelers, especially for her soulful custom pieces… My twin flame, Laurel Pantin and I, have had multiple occasions collaborating with Jenna and making keepsakes we never take off, take a look at this Canvas Coin Pendant Laurel had made with her kid’s drawings hand-engraved into the solid gold, I have my own she gifted me and I couldn’t love it more. Feast your eyes on this special painterly portrait Jenna made for herself of her incredibly cute dog whom I’m lucky enough to know. Tune into Jenna’s instagram to shop her new Angel pendant, online soon—a portion of proceeds will be donated monthly, indefinitely to ongoing wildfire fighting and relief efforts in her beloved hometown.

Custom Pendants made by RENNA Jewels.

Thanks to our mutual friend/matchmaker Nina Piro, Renna and I became fast friends many moons ago and have worked together on a number of pieces for my private clients. I’m always amazed by the hand-engraved portraits of the pets, the attention to detail, and the way each one is wholly original and so very special. Featured above is Renna’s personal one in honor of her late pup, Stevie; along with another custom one for a gentle and beloved pup named Willy… Message me to see more images or to discuss your own. Renna’s childhood home burned down in the Palisades Fire and she is constantly finding ways to give her support, find out how on her instagram here.

And there we have it… I’m back, baby… With grief always lurking in my rearview mirror, expect these bi-weekly newsletters to always come from the heart… but fear not—there is so much beauty in loss. Thanks for sticking with me while I had to slow down, and if you have a pet go cuddle him/her. Your pawl, Victoria