My First Jewelry Party!

So my first ever jewelry party finally happened last night, and it was AWESOME!! As I suspected, all my stress was for nothing, because the night was tons of fun, I sold some jewelry, and I got to hang out with my friends at the same time!

It was a relatively small crowd, which was absolutely perfect. Every single person there was a close friend, which made the entire night a lot of fun. It also made me realize how lucky I am to have such wonderful, supportive people in my life! Who all wanted to come out to the East Village last night and help Imprint By Eileen celebrate its first anniversary in style :) I briefly considered the idea of buying Imprint By Eileen a birthday cake for the party, but I ended up with a plate of pink and white meringue cookies, which were great. At the last minute I almost scrapped the idea of sangria due to the time crunch of making it, but in the end I made it happen--I ended up making a white and a red, which were both equally good! I used Juli Raja's super special and super secret sangria recipe, which was absolutely delicious. I think I will spend the remainder of the summer making pitchers of it for myself and Nick--partially because it is a delicious beverage, and partially because we now have about a dozen bottles of wine in our fridge! Which is a pretty great problem to have :)

Nick helped me do so much last night--I was so grateful and happy that he was able to be there. He also wins the gold medal for the night because after everyone left, he stayed up and washed every single dish. And for that, he is awesome!! You can also see a few pictures here of the beautiful jewelry displays he helped me set up all around the house. I didn't take very many pictures, mostly because everyone was out in our backyard most of the time. And the backyard was lit with exactly three candles, so while it was a perfect place to hang out, it was not a prime place for photography to happen. So this is the best that I got! You will just have to trust me that the party was awesome and beautiful :)

I am already thinking up what I want to do for next year's anniversary party....

12 Lions Ladies Night!

Last night, I was supposed to go straight home to set up for the jewelry party I'm having later tonight. But I ended up getting sidetracked in a major and really fun way by the 1st official 12 Lions Ladies' Night, hosted by the lovely Rose Berger of Yoga Twins Jewelry. You can see a sampling of the delicious things that we ate for dinner--spicy peanut noodles, heirloom tomato salad, fresh figs from someone's backyard, kale salad, and spiced potatoes. I thought I was going to stay less than an hour, which quickly turned into four! It was just so nice to all sit down at a table together, without having to worry about watching our shops at the same time. I was the only asshole who didn't bring a dish to share--but I will bring something extra delicious to make up for it for next time! And there better be a next time, because this was really fun. It's so nice to get an interesting and fun group of women together!! It happens all too rarely in my life--so this was a really special night.

Then I went home around midnight and did a drunken jewelry party set up at my house! But luckily everything at my house really does look great (I double checked it this morning!). So I am excited--and ready, finally!--for my party tonight. Wish me luck!!

Family Time

I just got back from a visit to North Carolina, where my parents, brother, and sister live. I flew down late Sunday night after work, and I got home about an hour ago (just in time for work tomorrow!). It was a quick trip but a GREAT trip. I really needed some quality family time, and I am so happy (and impressed!) that we made it happen.

It was also a great opportunity for me to get away from NYC for a couple of days, and a chance to reexamine the stress I've been feeling lately around my business--especially my store. My wonderful dad spent many hours with me over the course of those three days helping me reevaluate my marketing plan and brainstorming some creative new options for my business. He helped me look at everything with fresh eyes--I got a major and much-needed perspective change, which I am very grateful for. I am so happy to have come back to the city tonight with lots of new ideas and excitement--the opposite, really, of how I was feeling last week. Things at my store haven't been working well lately for a variety of reasons, and because I spend so much time there, it can easily feel like the store is all that matters in the world and all that is important to my business.

But as my dad very rightly pointed out this week, that just isn't true. My business is online too, and there is plenty that I can do to make that part of my business better. I am going to be making lots of changes to my website this week, which I am excited to try (and excited for you to see!). I am also planning another look book shoot for sometime in the next two weeks, and I will actually be printing them this time (and even doing a mailing!). I am so glad to have these things on my mind now--things that have nothing to do with my store and how good or bad my sales numbers there are on any given day or week. I really do need to help myself take the pressure off all of these slow summer weeks, and I need to start getting myself ready (and excited!) for fall. I'm on my way!!

And finally: Thank you! Thank you so much to my wonderful family and my wonderful friends for everything you have done and everything you continue to do to help me on this journey. I've said it before & I'll say it again--a small business like mine just can't happen without the kind of ongoing, loving support that I am lucky enough to have in my life. So thank you. I really do know how lucky I am. And one day, I will find a way to pay it forward...

The Best Bead Stores in NYC!

As promised, today I am going to write reviews of my four favorite bead and jewelry supply stores here in NYC. There are plenty of stores around that don't make my list (and a few that I think should be on a DO NOT SHOP list somewhere!), but I have shopped just about everywhere over the course of the past year, and these are the four that I think are the best. Illustrated, of course, with pictures of the jewelry I have made from each store's supplies. Ok, here we go! In alphabetical order...

Fun 2 Bead
1028 6th Avenue (b/w 38th & 39th St.)
This is one of the first bead stores I ever went to when I first opened my business last year, and I still go here all the time. The first thing that impressed me about them is that they stock jewelry soldering supplies--solder, flux, copper tape, and soldering irons. It can be really hard to find all of these components in one place. Actually, I can't think of another place that does! So that is awesome. Also, they have an excellent selection of sterling silver and gold filled chain. They have the best style options as well as the best prices (trust me, I've looked). They also have a great--and overwhelming--selection of beads. They have a huge wall of crystals, which is impressive, but I am more into gemstones. Which they have a huge wall of too! Sometimes the beads are a little bit pricey, but they run two major sales (at least!) every year where you get 50% off all strands of beads. When that sale happens, the prices are the best in the city. Otherwise, if you're a regular, they always give you little discounts, which really add up. The staff at this store is also seriously awesome, which really makes a difference in the way you think of the store. They never, ever rush you out the door--even if it's after they're supposed to be closed, they will stay open as long as customers are looking.

Genuine Ten Ten
1012 Ave of the Americas
(b/w 37th & 38th St.)
A big part of the reason that I love this store is because of the huge wholesale discount that I get. The more you buy, the bigger your discount is. Often, I get 30% off (or slightly more). So if you have a Tax ID, definitely bring it to this store! I have to also admit that the first time I went here, I did not have a good experience. I felt like they rushed me out the door--it was near closing time, and they nearly refused to sell me the beads I was trying to buy. I didn't go back in for months, but when I did (and every time since), I have had a really good experience. A lot of the beads here do not come cheap, but don't be intimidated by the high price tags. You have to look around a little bit to find the good deals, but they are there! They always have a sale selection towards the back right, and there are always some great finds in that. Also, don't be afraid to ask the staff for help--they are very nice and always willing to help. Just, ahem, don't go close to closing time! (which is 7:30, I think?) They also have some really unusual gemstone beads that are really worth buying, if you're into that sort of thing (like me!) And, of course--they have the most extensive and best selection of geode and druzy stone components in the city (not always necessarily the cheapest, but the best selection nonetheless). You can see the earrings I made from a pair of their sparkly druzy stones (quartz crystals that grow over another stone naturally). They have a huge range of geode and druzy pendants and components in glass cases in the center of the store. They are not cheap but they are AWESOME. You have to ask them to pull out the trays so you can look, and I highly recommend doing so! A trick I learned is to ask for the extra trays in the back--they might only display 15 of one kind of pendant, but in the back they (usually) have lots of extra stock that they are always happy to pull out for you, so you can choose your perfect stone(s).

Lavaliere Sterling & Stones
1006 6th Avenue (b/w 37th & 38th St.)
Lavaliere is a store I discovered when I was desperate to find unique and interesting charms in either sterling silver or vermeil / gold filled. I had no idea how difficult that can be! Seriously, if you need precious metal charms, you have got to go here. The selection is the absolute best, and the prices are good. You can spend a lot of time looking in those cases, trying to find the perfect charm(s). Which you always do! The prices are also excellent if you're looking for other gold filled or sterling silver components. There's a lot of choice, so be sure to look around! They also have good deals if you want to buy in bulk--you can get 50 sterling silver jump rings for about $10. The beads are not cheap, and some are downright expensive. The selection, however, is great and it includes some things that you really can't find anywhere else (like the gorgeous green onyx I used for the earrings you see here). And they always do have some sale stuff, some of which is great. They also have a selection of geode, druzy, and gemstone pendants in the section at the center of the store. The selection isn't as wide as it is at Genuine Ten Ten, but the prices here are always better (at least $3 better, if not more). The staff at Lavaliere is also always super friendly and helpful, which really makes a difference. The staff members always remember me too, which means a lot and means that I always want to go back!

Leekan Designs
4 Rivington St. (just East of Bowery)
This is the only store on this list that isn't located in Midtown West. It's in the Lower East Side, and even though it's really not close to any other supply stores, you have got to go check it out. This store has a lot more to offer than just jewelry supplies--they stock unique finds from all over Asia and beyond. They have antiques, an impressively large selection of gongs, beautiful Buddhist statues, lamps, home decor, fabric purses, and more. In the back of the store are all the beads, and there are endless options to choose from. Again, if you have a Tax ID, you should definitely bring it here. They have great wholesale prices--I usually get 50% off most of the things I buy (but in fairness, I always buy a ton of stuff). This place is all about exotic, unique, and amazing beads and gemstones. I buy a range of metal beads here that I use in my line of memory wire bracelets (like the one in the picture!). The beads all come from as far away as India, Kenya and Ethiopia, among many other places. I also buy lots and lots of gemstone beads here--you can see the combination of two strands of beautiful ocean jasper beads in the bracelet pictured above. They sell everything from $6 strands of hematite to $200 strands of fine silver beads, and everything in between. If you're looking for something but can't seem to find it, make sure to ask the staff. Somebody knowledgeable is always there to help and they will often make suggestions. It is easy to spend an entire afternoon poking around this store, and I highly recommend it!

Final Thoughts
I have to say it again: If you have a Tax ID, you should always bring it with you to any supply store you go to! (Or at least bring it the first time, so they can add you to their system). You should give it to them before they start ringing you up--at the least, you don't pay sales tax, and at the best you get other, awesome discounts and other fun perks. Something I realized recently is that a lot of these stores (here in NYC and in other places too!) also make jewelry for customers--I know for a fact that Lavaliere, Genuine Ten Ten, and Leekan all will create a necklace or bracelet for you with supplies you purchase from their store, often on the spot. They all offer really reasonable prices too, so if you're not a jewelry designer but want to help design your own piece(s), you should check that out! All of these stores are small businesses, and many are family operations. I know a lot of designers who shop mostly online, but I never have. I would really miss the human element that comes with physically going into the stores--I really like getting to know the staff at each store I frequent, and I always feel good about giving them my money, because I know exactly who it is going to! So, go out and support your local small businesses! I know firsthand how much it means :)

So what do you think? Did I miss the best stores? Did you have a bad experience at one of the stores I mentioned?? Let me know what you think in the comments!


(PS-Some of these stores also have websites, but I didn't include them because the way that you will find the best selection at each place is by physically going into the store. If you'd like the website for one of the stores, you can easily google it yourself, or message me and I'll send it over! Happy shopping!)

My First International Order!

Today was a fun milestone for my business--I shipped my first ever international order! I have offered international shipping on my website for awhile now, but my friend Cindy is the first person to take me up on it.

Cindy is a girl I knew back when we were about 14. We rode the same van together for a year--no, not the bus, it really was a van!--to our small Catholic high school back in North Carolina. Reconnecting with Cindy is the kind of thing that really makes me appreciate Facebook. A few months ago, she saw a post about my jewelry on Facebook, and we reconnected through that. She has since become a regular customer, which is an added bonus. Plus, I haven't seen her since we were 14 and now she's getting married!! Very cool. And so today, I filled out my customs form at the post office and shipped a necklace off to her in Spain. All thanks to Facebook too, I guess!

Hopefully this is just the first of many international orders to come :)
Also, thank you Cindy! I hope she likes it!

Jewelry for Your (and my!) Hands

Can you tell that it's been another slow day at my store??? I have been creating a lot of new pieces lately, and I have been especially interested in thinking up some fun new ideas for hand jewelry. This is partially selfish--I really wanted something cool to wear on my hand today that was more interesting than a usual ring or bracelet, so I made myself something! Well, something for my right hand--on my left hand, I'm wearing one of the cool double rings that I made yesterday. Oh, the perks of being a jewelry designer...

This was also a good project because I have had tons of extra chain laying around for months now, just waiting to be put to good use. Some of that chain finally got used up today in the creation of a few of these ring bracelets. I am currently wearing the one above, that's made of turquoise and brass. It's super comfortable and looks really pretty. Not too delicate, not too high maintenance. I am totally keeping it for myself!

Also, I really wish that there was a better name for these things--"ring bracelet" sounds awkward, but I can't figure out a good alternative. I have seen them sold as "slave bracelets" before, but that is literally the most offensive name for a piece of jewelry I have ever heard. I am always going to err on the side of not using the word "slave" to describe any of my jewelry, EVER. I guess I am stuck with "ring bracelet" until something better comes along..... I'm not sure whether I will add these to either my boutique or online store, but for now I at least have two new pieces for myself!