Per Diem: Bonnie Crotzer

Per Diem is a series that profiles interesting people's everyday jewelry and the stories behind it. Bonnie Crotzer is the Founder of the fascia-focused movement method, The Floss, and a yoga instructor at Sky Ting and Beautiful Nomad. 

“I am from the Santa Barbara area, I was lucky to grow up hiking in mountains and playing in the sea below. My folks always kept a garden to grow herbs, tomatoes, and zucchini, and I worked on a farm as my first job, so valuing nature and health seeped through my skin and into my soul at a young age. The most formative part of my life was my love of dance. I knew in my heart that I would be a professional dancer, and I’m so grateful I had that opportunity. Dance brought me to NYC for a season but it was the work I learned about fascia that brought me here for the second time - almost 7 years ago. Here I am, still obsessed with this city! Anything can happen in NYC at any moment. I still believe that.”

“For about 10 years, I danced professionally while also teaching yoga on the side. I never meant for my dance career to end, but as I was on a journey to care for my body to sustain my career I met a man named Bob Cooley, who is a genius at manipulating fascia and he taught me how to help heal people through this particular technique. After studying with Mr. Cooley for 6+ years and combining it with my other movement background of dance, yoga, pilates, etc, I developed a movement method and platform The Floss to educate people on the often overlooked source of health - our fascia network. I call it Fascia Flossing because we are attempting to resculpt the body’s fascia by causing an internal exfoliation, subtracting densified fascia to change our foundational structure. I also was a co-founder of Ghost Flower active, a beautiful active-wear brand that helped people learn the key pressure points of Chinese Medicine. We made beautiful clothes but the Universe said excuse me, and put me back on the healer’s path. I have tried to escape many times but clearly I am on this planet to help people in their movement and body journeys.”

“My love of jewelry that is simple yet precious is inspired by my mom. She has a very classic and simple sense of style. I remember I used to love peeking in her old jewelry box. We are Italian on that side of the family. I would pull out her crystal blue rosary from a tiny drawer at the bottom of the box, and just admire it, like I had found buried treasure. My first jewelry piece that I can remember was the 90’s black choker with a droplet pearl, that was everything. Praise be that the choker is making a comeback!”

“If I was going to sum up my jewelry style it would be heirloom centric and less is more. While also into a single statement piece too! I always keep my auntie’s 24k gold band on my middle finger on my right hand, sitting next to another thin gold band on the ring finger; it reminds me of Santa Barbara and the formative years of my twenties when I couldn’t buy myself much on a dancer’s salary. Around my neck, I most often wear my Italian horn necklace. It was my mama’s and before that, my grandmother’s. The Italian horn - “cornicello” - is worn to bring good fortune, and historically to promote fertility, virility, and protect from harm. "They can even be fabulous and magical when thought of with the mystical unicorn," Christina Cipolli, an Italian jewelry designer says. My mom used to say the superstition is that the horn keeps away the evil eye, some say it dates back to the Neolithic era and is prominently found in the Campania region and Southern Italy, where my great grandparents were from.”

“If I am going out, adorning myself with a few extra pieces feels special. I feel like wearing something that is precious and therefore reminds me of my innate preciousness. Getting dressed to go out on a date or meet my girlfriends to see a dance concert is a celebration. On these occasions I might choose a chunky necklace, usually made of an alternative to metal, because I am allergic to most metals (excluding high quality gold lol!). I think I would be an earring fanatic, but due to my allergies, the two times I tried piercing my ears there was a major skin rash situation. Talking disaster. Fortunately, I have been able to find hypoallergenic clip-ons! Which is so fun for me, it feels so special to wear something on my ears. Recently I have been on a hunt for vintage classy clip-ons and found quite a few at the outdoor markets in Mexico City including some mother of pearl mega ovals. So if you have an allergy to metal, I feel you. My suggestion is to get a nickel blocking lacquer (like clear nail polish) to create a barrier between your skin and the metal. If I do have a reaction, I will use calendula oil to soothe my skin. Just some hot tips from a girl who wishes her ears were pierced.”

“Most of my jewelry has been gifted or is a family heirloom. From my Dad’s side, I inherited a set of clip-ons with a pressed gold embossed button with our family initials. These came from our Native American side of the family. There was a ring to match, which was my most cherished treasure, but sadly it tore when my hand got stuck in a door jam. My Dad (good with a welder) tried to repair it but the top was ruined (Oiy! My fault should have taken it to a jeweler). So Fewer Finer, if you come across an embossed gold button ring, holler at me first! Most recently, my dear friend Kyle DeWoody, who has the most exquisite taste, bought me a gorgeous Mary MacGil bracelet that I cherish. I wear that for special occasions too. At high school graduation my mom gave me a gold and silver tiny diamond tennis bracelet that only comes out at the most special occasions. Gifted jewelry is so special and is often something you wouldn’t pick for yourself, but you end up loving it more and it reminds you of the love that extends through the gifter. Thank you Fewer Finer for curating the most stunning pieces, I love knowing you are giving vintage pieces a new life.”