Whew... It's Finally Over!!

Well, I pulled it off. The trunk show that I hosted at my home on March 19-21 is finally history. All of the planning and preparations have been completed, the house is (almost) back to normal and I can get on with real life.

Don't get me wrong... I love opening up my home to show friends and customers my latest designs and offering a fun, relaxed way to shop. However, there is a ton of work that goes on behind the scene. I spent a lot of time doing production, promotion, cleaning and cooking. Setting up an attractive display takes time and making arrangements for the kids is no joke either.

Just over 300 people were invited, and less than a dozen showed up. I had nine actual customers. Luckily, those nine made big purchases and the show was profitable. I was disappointed in the turn out and more so in the number of folks who said they were coming but didn't. I know that the biggest factor is the economy... but does that mean that I put everything on hold until the recession is over?? I'd love to hear feedback on what others think.

Planning My Next Home Show

For all of you who haven't heard, Mama Mayborne Designs has recently turned five years old!! I cannot believe that I am still making jewelry and how much my product line has grown during a half decade.

During the past five years I have made hundreds of items, shown at several places (including the Milwaukee Art Museum) and created an online presence. I'll never forget how it all began with the desire to make a few Christmas presents and my mama's relentless sales pitches.

Now I am planning to do one of my favorite things with my work... show it in my home to family, friends and 5-year's worth of customers! And to do that, I've been very busy with planning and preparations, making lots of new items and figuring out a way to display it all.

Also new for this show will be a giveaway. My first 30 customers will receive a free pair of pink Swarovski crystal and sterling earrings. Just my way to say thank you for helping me celebrate five wonderful years in business as Mama Mayborne Designs!

What Happened to February?!?

Ok, this isn't even funny. It feels like I merely blinked my eyes and a whole month flew by. What happened to February 2009?!?

Today is March 1st and I am frantically trying to determine what exactly I did during the shortest month of the year. I hope that I didn't waste too much time on seeking heat and watching Days of our Lives!!

There is only one way to figure out what I did... and that is to make a list of my major accomplishments (obviously posting to my blog was not one of them!!). So, during the month of February 2009, I did the following...

1. sold a whopping FIVE items from my Etsy shop, making February my best month ever!!
2. set a date for my 5th anniversary trunk show.
3. booked a flight to NY to attend my sorority's 20th anniversary.
4. designed and ordered new cards to promote home trunk shows.
5. became an international seller by filling an order placed from Austria.
6. learned how to Twitter and joined the Etsy Twitter Team.
7. announced the winner of my first Facebook Fan contest.
8. donated three items to silent auctions for charity.
9. had a very successful two-day "earring only" sale at my husband's office.
10. hosted a non-English speaking family of four for three nights!!

The Bold and the Beautiful

I was pretty productive this past weekend. Partly because it was too cold to go anywhere. Partly because I woke up from a dream about making a ring!! Well, I made the ring of my dreams and a few other pieces to go along with it. I'm calling the trio Bold and Beautiful because that is what they are. All the pieces are made of sterling silver and are guaranteed to make a statement of their own.

The ring I made is a size 8, has a domed shape and is slightly hammered on the surface to reflect a lot of light.

The pendant is made of a two inch disk of sterling silver with a shiny satin finish. It has a bail that is 3/8 inches wide, making it perfect for placing on almost any chain or strand of beads.

Finally, make a bold statement on your wrist with a bold cuff bracelet. It also has a shiny, satin finish and a slightly domed shape. A little charm from my Graphic Collection gives a little extra appeal.

Making My Own Hang Tags

Just a quick post today for those who have ever been puzzled with hang tags for jewelry or other small items.

I have tried everything from the fold-over sticky tags (aka shark tags), the cheepies from the office supply store (you know, the ones with that loooong flimsy string), ones that had been done by the local printer (only to have the ink run off) and business cards which look way too big on jewelry.

Well, last year before a show, I decided to pull my look together in a more professional manner and in a way that would be lasting. I created my own logo that is just my name spelled out in a simple, hot pink font. Now I use that branding on everything and it reminds me of how much I love the simple things. It is also a great reflection on my art, which will remain simply beautiful.

Anyway... the hang tags. Rather than going the same route, I decided to make my own. I designed a one inch square tag in Microsoft Publisher that had my logo and a matching border. Next, I printed several per page on the color printer and cut out each row of tags. Then comes the genius part. I covered each row of tags with clear packing tape on the front and the back. This keeps the ink from bleeding and makes the tag extra durable.

After that, I cut out each tag by hand and punched a small hole in the corner. Using silver elastic thread, I made a tie to loop on the piece of jewelry. Whew!! A little work, but basically free and well worth the effort!!