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Valerie Lamott Designs

ホーム
日本
Tosashimizu-shi, Kochi
Valerie Lamott Designs

artisan inlay landscape jewelry

01/01/2026

Hey 👋 I’m alive.
Still working hard.
I quit social media. I did not quit my work. At all.

It’s funny, all the advice people give you in this line of work is how to quit doing shows. I’m not interested. I LIKE the shows. I like the people and I like their stories. That’s what I’m in it for.

I still care, I’m still making, I’m just not interested in feeding algorithms or talking to bots anymore. I’d rather spend my energy on real places and real conversations with real people.

Lately I’ve done a lot of miles and a lot of landscapes. Most notably Glacier National Park, Utah’s Mighty 5, and a whole bunch of random state parks. And I’m busy turning all of it into new work. 😍😍😍

I’m getting upcoming shows on the calendar (waiting on juries! cross your fingers for me!), working on getting new pieces done, and I’ll absolutely be around in real life. If you want to catch up, that’s where I’ll be.

Quiet online. Very much still around.

Happy 2026 ❤️

15/03/2025

Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park, Japan.
Stunning coastline, a lighthouse, temple 38 on the Shikoku henro, walking trails, views for days, a rock that looks like a turtle, massive natural arch, delicious udon.
A+

12/03/2025

I’m sitting in a public footbath in Shikoku, Japan, yet I’m going to share work inspired by Africa. Who says I need consistency here?
I have my website set to reopen at the end of April and I will have some Africa inspired pieces in there as well. I’m often asked if that series is done yet and I can say for sure it will never be done. Ever. I could quit everything else and find inspiration in that trip for the rest of my career. I won’t, but I could.
But I have finished enough to put some up for sale. In April, when I can ship them. ❤️

08/03/2025

I’m finally settling into somewhat of a rhythm. Wake up, walk a bit, rest and call my husband (when it’s evening for him), walk some more, eat awesome food, walk more, eat more, plan a couple days out, sleep. Repeat.

Writing it out like that sounds monotonous, but it definitely is not. It’s hard to explain, but it’s a strange mix of peace and panic all day long. I thrive on this combination. 🤣😂

Necklace not for sale. That’s my little henro (pilgrim) accompanying me on this journey.

04/03/2025

Konnichiwa!
So I made it to Japan and I’m on the Shikoku pilgrimage. I’m still finding my rhythm. I’ve finished Tokushima prefecture and am entering Kochi today.

I’ve been to Japan a lot. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been here, but it’s my first time on Shikoku. So far I ADORE this island. It’s mostly rural. The population is aging. But oh my goodness, they are the best. Everyone is so welcoming. Nobody speaks English. Like at all. And I love it. In Tokyo I often felt like a walking English lesson. If people talk to you it’s because they’re trying to practice English. And I’m happy to help, but I want to practice Japanese too, you know?! Nobody on Shikoku asks me if I understand Japanese. They just talk to me. I love it.

18/02/2025

There is a 1200-year-old pilgrimage around the island of Shikoku, Japan, visiting 88 Buddhist temples. Back when I lived in Tokyo, I was sure I’d do it after quitting my job and before heading back to America. But I didn’t. Visa issues and I couldn’t afford both the pilgrimage and the long way around Earth to get home. I chose the latter and I regret nothing. It was the right call.

I’d go back later to do it, right?

And then, you know how it goes—I got a real job, got married, started this business….time slips by. But that pilgrimage never left my mind. It’s been 20 years, you guys. TWENTY. YEARS. If I don’t do this now, when will I?

So here we go: I’m closing the website Thursday because on Friday I’m heading back to Japan. I’ll arrive in Tokushima on Saturday and on Sunday I’ll make my way to Ryozenji—temple number 1—ready to start my henro (pilgrimage). I’ve given myself 2 months to finish it, but I want to be done early enough to have a few days in Tokyo too. Hands, Loft, and Muji miss me and I hear there’s a Nintendo store in Shibuya now?! But first, I walk.

I am beyond excited and a bit nervous and I’m not sure I really believe it’s actually happening.

(Necklace not for sale. It says “udon” in honor of my undying love of udon and that Shikoku is the home of those delicious noodles) 🍜
#四国遍路 #お遍路 #四国八十八箇所 #四国巡礼 #讃岐うどん #日本旅行

17/02/2025

Africa! So I went on an epic adventure last year and didn’t share much of it. Internet isn’t the best over there and then I figured I should wait till I have some jewelry to share.

This giraffe is from Etosha National Park, Namibia. I went into this trip wanting to see the trees of Deadvlei and Serengeti and came home with like 600 new favorite national parks. Etosha is up there.

It means “great white place” and that is accurate. It’s a massive salt pan which makes the wildlife pretty easy to find—they’re at the waterholes.

16/02/2025

I adore Japan. People learn this and assume I’m super into anime because of course I am, right? Eh, not really. Truth is I was just an eighth grader who needed to pick a foreign language for high school and Japanese looked cooler than Spanish, French, or German. I liked the little pictures. My 13 year old brain thought it was cool that 山 says “mountain” and 川 says “river” (you see it, right?) and that changed my entire life.

I did well in my high school classes, took a couple semesters in college, and that gave me some very misplaced confidence that I knew some Japanese.
Graduated college and the job market was awful, so I taught English in Tokyo and learned real quickly I did not know Japanese. And my English was questionable too. 🤣🤣🤣 I’m slightly better at Japanese now, but still まだ上手じゃない。

But oh my goodness, that was the best experience of my life. I’d never lived outside Indiana and used my life savings for a one way ticket to Tokyo. My first time using a passport and I stayed a year.

(Yet this photo is Alabama, not Japan.)
#日本 #日本語

14/02/2025

Love is in the air. 💕

11/02/2025

Do you ever have so much you want to do that you can’t seem to do anything at all?

That is my day. Although it is so cold and rainy and just ew today that I may make some tea, cuddle with my Gator, and try again tomorrow.

Although one thing I did accomplish, despite many technical issues, is paying for my Columbus Arts Festival booth. See you in June, Ohio!! ❤️

📸: Hocking Hills State Park. Neither the photo nor the pendant truly do this scene justice, but I tried my best. Such a gorgeous park.

09/02/2025

The Superb Owl.

$265, message for invoice.

07/02/2025

Today’s hike….yeah, not the best.

I woke up with a terrible headache and decided to just go anyway—it’s a 2.5 hour drive to Table Rock, so I figured coffee would work its magic while I drove and I’d be fine when I got there.

Didn’t work.

So I started hiking anyway. I made it like halfway and I’d had enough. It was SO HOT (yeah. Hot. In February.) and my head was pounding and…. sometimes you just need to know when to fold ‘em.

Win some, lose some 🤷‍♀️
But why is it so hot out there!? I thought I was in for a nice cool day. Because, you know, it’s winter. Yeesh!

Tiny hiker necklace, $52 shipping included. Message me for an invoice.

住所

Tosashimizu-shi, Kochi