Snail Symbolism: A Reminder to Slow Down

Snail Jewelry — A Reminder to Slow Down and Move With Intention

This little garden friend reminds us that it's okay to move more slowly in this life and with intention. Our snail collection, like our handcrafted snail pendant, is inspired by this very lesson.

The story of our Snail Jewelry

"Nwod wols."

I have a piece of art framed on my desk. I see it every day. It’s a dark mustard block print of a snail, with the inscription "nwod wols" swirling around its spiral shell.

Before I explain that, let me take you back to 2023.

I was in Texas at a creativity retreat, remembering how to slow down and make things for the sake of making. One of the exercises was gelli printing. You cut out designs, letters, and use found things like leaves and seeds to build layered prints. I’d never done anything like it.

I was missing my kids, so I decided to make them something, their names, so they could frame them for their rooms.

Making art at Creativity Retreat in Texas

In a rush to make it happen, I cut out the letters, picked the colors, and started printing.

I held up my masterpiece and read: “elilil.”

Wait. That’s not my kid's name.

My brain glitched. How did this happen? Where did I go wrong?

Speed. Got me again.

In my rush to pick the right colors and textures and get the scale right, I completely neglected the most basic detail, spelling her name correctly. Oh, and flipping the whole thing so it didn’t print as a mirror image of what I intended.

Slowing down is like a software update I’m too busy to install. It would make all my old programs run more smoothly, but I just can’t seem to find the time to do it.

Until something crashes.
Until something glitches.
And I’m reminded all over again.

"Nwod wols."

Sterling Silver Snail Pendant on a Bed of Leaves

What Does MIMOSA's Snail Jewelry Symbolize?

This Snail Collection is my wearable reminder to slow down. To move with intention. To savor. To enjoy. And maybe, just maybe, prevent a few of those crashes and glitches along the way.

Shop MIMOSA Handcrafted's Snail Jewelry Collection

The Snail Jewelry Collection is available in bronze, sterling silver, and 14K gold. Request gold pricing.

Snail Jewelry and Turtle Jewelry: What we can learn from our slow and steady friends

We're letting these shelled garden friends guide us through the rest of winter (and beyond).

A close up photo of a snail

They say "slow and steady wins the race," and, these days, that feels more true than ever. There’s a deep knowing in the slow and steady determination of a turtle bound for its destination. The kind of knowing that represents eons of hard-earned wisdom aimed at survival.

Almost as if he knew we'd been searching for the perfect way to launch the Turtle Collection, this little friend wandered into the yard one afternoon, totally camera-ready! Our photos with him are now some of our very favorites.

Kindred spirits, the snail and the turtle. Each little wax turtle from our cuff got a visit from a familiar garden friend.

Similar in their teachings, we're following their lead for the foreseeable future. Let our Snail Jewelry Collection and Turtle Jewelry Collection help you carry their lessons with you, too.

Designing the Snail Jewelry

Bringing the spiraled shell of our snail jewelry to life. For our snail jewelry Madeline hand carved the original pieces in wax. MIMOSA uses the ancient art of Lost Wax casting to create all of our pieces of our snail jewelry.