We love the rings our new friends Maggie and Jorge chose to represent their love. They found a designer named Tamara McFarland who custom-made their sustainable, eco-friendly jewelry – a moissonite engagement ring and a wedding band with lab-created rubies.
Pictures used with permission from Tamara McFarland from McFarlandDesigns.com
Turtle Love Committee: What is your favorite place in the whole wide world?
Maggie: The beach. Any beach. Preferably one that occupies the same space as 80 degree weather!
TLC: Childhood ambition?
M: I had an opportunity to study abroad in Siberia when I was in high school. Ever since then I’ve been determined to see as much of the world as I possibly can.
TLC: Current ambition?
M: In one and a half years I’ll have completed my course of study for licensure in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. My goal is to make Chinese medicine affordable and accessible to as many people as possible.
TLC: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
M: I’d pay off the student loans that my husband and I have accumulated over the course of almost twenty-five years of schooling. I’d also invest in organizations and institutions that are promoting health care accessibility, holistic care, and sustainable health care practices.
TLC: Who is your partner?
M: My partner is a healer, a gentleman, a hunk, a romantic, a comedian, a scholar and my husband.
TLC: How did you and your partner decide to get married?
M: We couldn’t imagine life without the other and we wanted to share our commitment with our friends and family.
TLC: What does your wedding/engagement/commitment ring look like?
M: They’re beautiful, simple, honest, ethical and eco-friendly! My engagement ring is a moissonite set in recycled sterling silver (moissonite is a stone that was originally discovered in a meteorite; it’s since been replicated in a lab and is similar in hardness to diamond) and we affectionately refer to it as my “space diamond!” My wedding ring is made with lab-created rubies also set in recycled sterling silver.
TLC: What do you think about your ring(s)?
M: When we knew we were going to get married we considered not exchanging rings at all (for a variety of reasons). It was challenging to find a local, eco-friendly jeweler, so we were pretty excited to discover Tamara McFarland’s work. She created a custom design based on our input and her style. I was so thrilled to have such a unique ring that really represented who we are as a couple.
TLC: What’s your favorite color?
M: This totally depends on the context, although pumpkin orange is always a safe bet.
TLC: Pets?
M: We live in a small apartment in San Francisco which doesn’t allow pets, but we’ve already named our future cat (Bubbles) and our future dog (Meatball).
TLC: What are you passionate about?
M: Healing. Travelling. Love. Baking. Lists (although I’m trying to wean myself from them). The beach. Creativity. Art Nouveau. Coconuts. Elvis.
TLC: What is the last book you read?
M: “The Time Traveller’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger.
TLC: Favorite beverage?
M: Coconut milk, hands-down!
TLC: What is your favorite physical feature?
M: I don’t have a favorite physical feature, but in terms of my personality, I’m grateful for my ability to see the positive aspects in any situation. I think I inherited that from my grandfather.
