I’ve come to a conlusion

So in all the educational tools I have either paid for or learned for free, they talk about collections. “You need to come out with new collections every season” “You need to have a cohesive collection” etc… And it just didn’t feel authentic to me.

“I am an item designer” there I said it. I actually don’t know why I was really fighting it. There are successful item designers out there like Chan Luu and Shy Siren. So I am not sure why I felt like less of a jewelry designer because all of my pieces didn’t fit together the way a collection should. Well that’s because I make items and not collections. I am finally ok with that. It is what it is, and I am who I am.

I am part of Flourish and Thrive‘s Laying the Foundation course. It’s super educational and it has helped me a lot. I took it last year and didn’t know what I was doing.  I am pretty sure I deleted all the pictures of the collection I tried to create last year to submit for review. So you won’t be seeing that “collection” anytime soon. When you sign up and pay for a class through them, you get lifetime access to it, so I am going through it again now. And it’s even more eye awaking than last year.

While I have a signature style as you can see by some of the pictures below, what I don’t have is a collection by industry standards.

 

Yes, I know I need to work on my pictures, it’s the bane of my existence…

They all have the same stones, Amazonite, but I just think it’s missing something as far as a collection goes. And again, I am ok with that. When you go to my website True Happiness Designs because you like what you see, my pieces can all be mixed and matched. And that just feels more true to who I am and what I want my brand to be. And that is to love yourself and be yourself always. Be comfortable in your own skin, because not being that doesn’t make anyone happy. And true happiness is what life is all about.

Personal Style

I’m trying to grow my business, it’s really really hard. On top of marketing myself the right way, which I don’t have a clue what the right way is, I am trying to really narrow down who my dream client is (in the hopes that finding her will make marketing a bit easier…) And I feel like I am trying to running into a brick wall so thick I’m never getting past it. I don’t even know why I can’t narrow her down. I feel like I am in China and don’t speak Chinese!

I know my jewelry is easy going, casual, classic, minimal, simple, all american, sort of boho and stylish. But finding the right woman who wears that kind of jewelry feels impossible. I don’t even know where to begin.

Here is a few pictures of my jewelry.

And here are a few pictures of the style I think my dream client wears…

First off, I am not really a fan of Kim K’s style, well her style now I think, she’s way too flashy and way too tight. I don’t really know when this picture was taken, but I pinned it many years ago, so I think her style has changed a lot. One would guess this was when she was only sort of famous. I mean no offense to her, that’s just my opinion, it’s not worth much. But the outfit she is wearing about is so great. It’s so casual and flattering.

But back to my dilemma, I have been searching on Pinterest and Instagram, but I still feel like I haven’t pinpointed who will love my jewelry and want to buy it all the time. I do know that my absolute number one style icon is Jennifer Aniston. I could write a whole blog post about how much I love her and secretly wish I was her… But that’s not the Eureka moment I was hoping for. I thought when I put her name in, all these other regular everyday people would pop up and I would scream out AHA! Didn’t work. I do have a private Pinterest board called Dream Client that has probably 100 or so pins on her style, but not really giving me much more info on where she shops. I am sure I can spend hours and hours searching and I will have a better understanding, but I don’t have hours and hours. But until I do, all this marketing that I am trying to figure out is time wasted.

So I guess is back to searching and I just have to tell myself that I will figure it, because I have too or I won’t be able to grow and be successful, and that’s all I have wanted, is to feel accomplished.

 

I am in love with these beads…

So a few years back I bought these gemstones on Etsy.com The description says “tricolor jade” I don’t usually go for pinks and reds. I almost exclusively use blues, greens and browns. But these are just absolutely gorgeous! Check them out.

They are stunning. I also don’t usually go for such bright colors, but I just can’t help myself. The shape are rondelles, like flattened circles. This is called graduated rondelles because I think “multi sized” rondelles doesn’t sound half as sexy…

I have a few beads left. But for about 2 years now I have been searching for more and can’t find them. I have found strands of round beads, and they are just as gorgeous, but rondelles are just more me, I love them and use them A LOT.

Probably my all time favorite piece, I wear it all the time. Here are a few more pictures of jewelry I have made using rondelles.

 

 

 

But I just have to keep trying, because I have looked on every bead site, contacted as many buyers as I can and still nothing.

Nothing!

 

Inspiration

Well I am sitting at my desk, some what wasting time. I am supposed to be coming up with a new spring/summer collection. And I have started…

These are going to be some earrings. I like the first drawing, just need to tweak the spiral a bit. But after that, I got nothing! I am trying to come up w/ fresh new ways to use my signature spiral but at the same time stay true to brand. I am having a very difficult time. I feel like my ideas are stale and if I don’t pay attention, I will create something that isn’t me just for the sake of creating something. I have many, many pieces and inventory for “ideas” that I thought would be great, and they were not great. They weren’t even good. I strayed from what comes naturally and it didn’t work. But instead of these grand ideas flowing away, I am wasting time looking at beautiful beaches and sunsets.

Like these, how nice would it be to be there right now, I don’t even know where that is!

Or this one,

Or this one,

It’s a good thing the sun is out here in Mass (even though it’s in the 30’s) or I might have to leave a note and hop a plane to anywhere warm. These beach pictures are not jump starting my inspiration at all. They are having the opposite effect, they are just making me sad. Maybe I should go shopping, that always works.

Have a great day, I am pretty close to some retail therapy…

I love these boots!

So I am super beyoned excited about these new boots I just ordered!!!

 

 

I love them so much, I can wear them with so many things, leggings, jeggings, boot cut jeans, cuffed jeans/pants. Anything! They look so cool and comfortable, the two things that are at the top of my style list…

Here is the link to them if anyone else is interested. Oh and by the way, they are only $27, yes that’s right, $27. I have never heard of this site before (I found them on Polyvore) but I will most definitely be checking it out again. And free shipping, I forgot to mentions that, didn’t I?

http://www.twinkledeals.com/boots/flat-heel-double-buckle-dark/p_618785.html

I will post pictures of my wearing them, once they arrive. I can’t wait!!!!!

One step forward, two steps back

So I don’t know if that exactly sums up what’s going with my jewelry right now, but it feels like it.

I’m in the middle of making a custom necklace for a woman who I met at a local farmer’s market. She also happens to be a manager at the PBTeen at my local mall. And I have gone in there a few times to meet with her to discuss her necklace. She is so great, I love working with her, and we are now partnering because PBTeen has a Featured Artist program (if you that’s what you call it) So I am scheduled to be the artist in mid November and again in December. Which is a big deal for me. It has huge potential and could be an excellent networking opportunity for True Happiness Designs. So right now, I am super happy and motivated for the holidays to come.

But then this has happened…

So this is my jewelry studio/room right as I type this. We have a leak in our house. It was there when we moved in, we knew what we were getting into. When we looked at the house for the first time, the ceiling in the family room in the basement had a sagging diaper look to it, right above the couch. Which is right below the first floor tub. Ok we thought, easy fix that my super handy husband can take care of with or without the help of my plumber cousin or our contractor good friend.

My husband cut into the ceiling and thought he figured out where the leak was, patched it all up and we were good to go. He put the ceiling back together and repainted it. That was about 11ish months ago ( We have lived in the house for 14 months) Two nights ago, we are watching America’s Got Talent (my children’s favorite show…) My son looks up for some reason and says “Oh Dad, it’s a diaper again” and points to the ceiling. I thought my husband’s head was going to pop off. It was probably a good thing that it was after 9pm and he knew I would not let him cut open the ceiling at that time of night. But before the alarm even went off yesterday morning, he was up thinking about it. Beyond irritated that it wasn’t completely fixed and we could end up w/ a mold issue in our still pretty new house.

Fast forward to today. The closet in my jewelry studio/room has a hole in the side wall that abutts our tub.The cover for said hole stays put by a couple of nails, not the best handy work I have ever seen, but what are you going to do. While my husband can’t for the life of him figure out why the hole was put there in the first place, it’s been pretty handy in this situation. He’s been in and out of the room 100 times today and he still can’t pin point where the leak is coming from. But at the moment, any jewelry making I was planning on doing today is on hold. Which is ok, except I had a bunch of ideas that are just swirling around in my head. AND, my head is full of so many other things in my life, there’s a good chance those ideas will disappear soon.

So thanks for listening, I’m signing off to go attempt to draw out my ideas before they disappear into the abyss like so many other thoughts rolling through my mind.

Have a great day.

Please check out my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest pages for more about the happenings of True Happiness Designs.

 

 

Be True to Yourself, Always

I know it’s been a while since I have posted anything. Don’t really have an excuse, just life in general. The kids are out of school and my husband has been working from home a lot. It kills my motivation and my productivity, I need to get over it if I am going to move my business forward, but so far it hasn’t worked.

Anyway, I did a Farmer’s Market this past Sat that was very successful, I am looking forward to doing it again in Sept. (hoping to give everyone that bought something from me, time to anticipate seeing me again…) But I was pretty busy the 2 weeks leading up to the market making some new things. I started out in my jewelry business basically making one of a kind things and not really keeping track of anything. Not the best business model, explains why I have been doing this for at least five years and have only grown a tiny bit. I revamped my website with pieces that I can produce many of, if and when people buy them. But I made some new necklaces and a few bracelets to show at the market. These are the first two I made

I made this one first. It’s Amazonite and Moonstone. I have had the Moonstone beads forever and was never quite sure what to do w/ them. I love this necklace, except it’s just a bit too short for me. It hit at a spot on me that is usually where I wear my necklines (especially in the summer time with t-shirts) It looked awkward on my neck. So I thought I would make another one.

I made it a bit longer and changed up the stones a little. Well I love this one even more than the other one. But I wasn’t sure if they would sell. I’ve got people who like my work and follow me, but I tend to create things that I love and would wear. Which is a double-edged sword…I either struggle with wanting to keep everything I make ( not making any money that way!) or I tend to question my taste, fashion sense and overall brand if a piece doesn’t sell. And then I try to make things that I think are trendy or other color themes, or styles that other people would like. Sometimes the pieces come out ok and they do sell, but for the most part, they don’t feel sincere to who I am or what my brand is about and I always come back to making things that I would wear everyday.

But these two necklaces I was okay with if they didn’t sell. I thought I would keep them both for myself and swap them around depending on what I was wearing that day. I have to admit, secretly I was almost hoping at least one of them didn’t sell. I like them that much! I do plan on making another one for myself now that they did sell, and wearing them all the time. But I still struggle with my self-worth when it comes to my work, I  have lots of conversations with myself about my brand and my products every time I make something new or have an event coming up. I believe in what I do wholeheartedly. And I am someone who also believes that I am worth it, I have never struggled with self-esteem. My parents always made sure I knew I was important to them. But I am also not the one in the crowd with enough confidence to sell myself to anyone. I was and am that person who does not like to draw attention to herself, I liked to fly under the radar, so to speak.

Well these two necklaces were the first two pieces I sold on Sat! Which makes me happy that 1) people are getting me and my brand and 2) my fashion sense is somewhat restored til the next new piece. I am doing something right, and hopefully soon many more people will get to see that. Always stay true to yourself!

So I think at least one of them will go on the website this week. I am now on the hunt for more Amazonite and Moonstone.

Thanks for listening. Hope you enjoyed this post? If I am lucky, you won’t have to wait another month or so for the next one. 😉

 

 

looking forward to spring!

Hello,

I am sooo looking forward to not being bundled up. To not have to wear shoes that won’t get ruined by the snow, or my ankles freezing because my shoes don’t go up to my knees!

I think my next spring wardrobe purchase is going to be these Tretorn sneakers

I do love the plain white ones

but I think the dark ones will give any outfit a pop of color. I am going to try them with jeans, camo pants and khaki’s.

I may just have to start taking pictures of myself, maybe…

suede boots

Sigh, we are getting more snow up here in the North East tonight. They are calling it a snow hurricane. WTH is that! It’s just more frustration really, let’s face it. More frustration about snow blowing, shoveling, the roof collapsing, the freezing temps, the inability to drive, wearing 10 layers, more dry skin…I could go on and on. But the most frustrating thing about this winter is not being able to dress as stylishly as I would like!

I just bought these wonderfully awesome suede boots (or booties I guess they are called nowadays)

http://www.amazon.com/Ivanka-Trump-Womens-Ithota-Taupe/dp/B00JPQFZU0/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dpcod_4M13ub15H5YV5_tt

They are so fabulously cool. I can’t wait to wear them!!!!!!! But I have to wait, even w/ leather protector spray, there is way to much snow to even think about wearing them outside. It’s back to snow boots for the time being.

SIGH