store displays... or it's good to be green!

It is always a challenge to find new ways to show off merchandise in my store. I try to keep it an interesting store visually with unusual displays - I hate the ordinary "retail" looking things, though they are also necessary. Another qualification... cheap. Cheap is really good! I am creative, but sometimes even creative people need a jolt of inspiration now and then... and I got some back in July from a cool artist in Texas.

While at market and looking for something cool, unusual, not too pricey and just fun to add to my little shop, I met Sandy Parker. She's the artist behind a cool line of pendants made from Dominoes called (of course) Phenominoes! I had to have these - they are remarkable and oh so hip and beautiful. So I'm asking her whether she has any recommendations on displaying them and she mentions that she thinks they would be cute hanging on some old vinyl records! Fun idea!!!

I decided to make the display to hold all of the pendant lines I carry (I also carry Pick Up Sticks and my own line of crazy pieces). My husband, Lee, the studly "Mr. Sparkle" and genius idea guy, added to the idea by suggesting that I use the 45RPM records in my collection as the holders for the suede and silk cords I sell alongside all my pendant lines. Perfect!

So here is what I came up with...

I

I used a heavy duty puncher called a Crop-a-dile purchased at Hobby Lobby to put the holes in. Works great but it is TEDIOUS! Used craft wire to connect everything and then create the hooks to hang the pendants on.

And because I know you want to know... here is a list of the albums and 45's contained in the display... (don't judge... you probably had some of these too!)

The Albums:
The Grease movie soundtrack
The Xanadu movie soundtrack
Styx - Cornerstone
The Police - Synchronicity
The Sugar Hill Gang - Rappers Delight
Funky Favorite from Ronco
The Stray Cats - Built for Speed
Abba - Greatest Hits
The Stray Cats - Rant 'n Rave
The Story of Star Wars (yes, really...)
Olivia Newton John - Physical
Air Supply - The One that you Love
The Partridge Family - The Partridge Family Album
Walt Disney's Merriest Songs

the 45's

Grand Funk Railroad - the Locomotion
The Village People - In the Navy
Charlie Daniels - The Devil went down to Georgia
Yo-yo - The Osmonds
Babe - Styx
My Sharona - The Knack
Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
Maniac - Michael Sembella

I have had a few people take issue with the fact that I put holes in vinyl, but you know, they aren't taking up space in a landfill and I am finally getting some use out of them. The display is also a great conversation piece which I love!

Nice when you can do something that is cool, cheap and also good for the planet!

~m

Keeping up is hard to do!

So... about the time I resolve to completely keep up with this blogging thing I completely fall behind and the longer I wait, the harder it seems to be to get started again.

I am now resolving (again) to update at least once a week with something. Anything.

So it might get interesting here... or it might not. Let's hope its the former!

~meg

In praise of Stephenie Meyer

Have you ever had a vivid dream? The kind that sticks with you after you awaken... the kind you think about for days and seriously want to go back to sleep to experience more of? Imagine having a dream like that and turning it into a series of novels that touch millions of people all around the world... while remaining a wife and mom of 3 little ones... and also a really nice, sincere person.

That's what Stephenie Meyer did.

In case you live under a rock somewhere, Stephenie Meyer is the author responsible for the very delightful and obsessive Twilight series of books. (Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse) The books revolve around Bella, a wonderfully normal, clutzy, somewhat insecure teenage girl and the boy she falls in love with, Edward. Edward is no ordinary boy, however. He is a 100+ year old vampire in the body of a seriously beautiful 17 year old boy and he is madly in love with Bella. These books have it all - adventure, romance, humor, heart pounding tension and profound sadness. They are a roller coaster of emotions so excruciating that there is really no way to just read them once... you have to go back and experience them again... and again.

I could go on and on about the books and the stories contained but what I really wanted to talk about it the author herself. You see, I first became aware of Meyer and her books when I was just beginning a dramatic new journey in my life - quitting my 18 year career and starting my little downtown jewelry boutique. I read Twilight at the urging of a close friend and loved it. As I was learning more about the author I was intrigued to learn that the idea for Twilight had actually come to her in the form of a vivid, lovely dream. In fact that dream is fairly well preserved within the book as Chapter 13, Confessions (one of my faves!).

What I love and admire so much is that instead of having this lovely dream, thinking about it for a few days and then moving on with the day to day life she had already established, Meyer began to write. She had written only a few stories previously and nothing in a long time and was a happy wife and mom. But she found the time - spare moments when the kids were asleep and other times. Bella and Edward became a part of her, speaking to her. She shared her new "hobby" with her sister who encouraged her to pursue it. It is a lovely story as told by the author herself on her own website here but the end result is that in 3 months she had the first draft of Twilight complete and in another 3 months she had a book deal.

Re-read that. 6 months from a lovely dream, she has managed to change her life, and arguably many other people's lives, forever.

Changing your life in this way is scary. There are always parts of your old life you miss... it may be the quiet moments that no longer exist - I have seen the book tours wear on Meyer and feel certain she sometimes wonders if the madness will end! In my case, the lack of security, constant learning curve and , oh yeah, the investment of my life's savings in my business give me many moments of fear and angst. Still, there is so much more to gain by literally chasing your dream and Stephenie Meyer is a great role model for that.

Throughout 2007 as I was putting my store together, I was thrilled to watch as Meyer's popularity grew... as the books continued to sell more and more building to the great release of Eclipse which knocked the final Harry Potter book off the top spot on the bestseller's list. I saw Stephenie at a book signing and again was in awe of this woman. Remarkably down to earth, funny and just normal - she is the epitome of "every woman" except that she had simply chosen a new path one day and never looked back.

Her example inspired me on days where nothing went right (her book was rejected many times before her eventual deal - I would hate to be the names on those letters!) and all the times I questioned my decision to chase what I wanted to do over the career that I knew would support me. And her stories helped me escape now and then when I needed it as well.

I am now 6 months into running my shop and things are going remarkably well. We have had very positive feedback from our customers and we continue to grow. I am enjoying learning new jewelry making techniques and seeking out other great artisan jewelers to introduce to my customers. I am loving almost every minute of it and the good by far outweighs the bad. In a way I feel like Stephenie along with Edward, Bella, Jacob, Alice and all the other wonderful folks of Forks, WA have been along with me for the ride and I will always remember this journey as being intertwined with them.

I recently introduced a new fun line of jewelry - charms made from a variety materials including paper, crystal, metal and resin - that capture some of the fun and joy of the Twilight 'verse. You can check them out here. My favorite, by far, though is the one I made specifically for Stephenie. It says "It all started in the meadow" which was the location of that first dream. To me, it's a tribute to what a person can achieve if only they just do it and my way of saying "Thanks for the inspiration, Stephenie."



Meg

Remember to Sparkle whenever Possible!

Don't Forget Mom!

Mother's Day is May 11 - don't forget!

Sparkle! has lots of great gifts just right for remembering your Mom on Mother's Day! Want something inesxpensive and simple? For less than $20 you can purchase a Crystal Nail File with a beautiful dichroic glass accent, a Key Keeper so your Mom can always find her keys, a cool Pick Up Sticks Pendant, a beautiful gemstone Anklet, a Flat Wallet or a fun and funky Neckfluff!

Between $25 and $45 you can give mom a gorgeous sterling silver cross from the Cathedral Collection, fabulous handcrafted earrings from many of our talented artist lines, or a beautiful beaded purse!

Want to splurge on Mom this year? How about a fabulous bag from Doodlebug Dezines or Sisung-Callura, an amazing chain maille bracelet from Silver Box Designs or one of our new handcrafted rosaries?

No matter what your style or budget, Sparkle! has a great gift for Mom... and as always, gift wrapping is free!!!


Remember to Sparkle! Whenever Possible!
Meg

Focus on: Sisung - Callura Designs

It is such fun meeting new people - and you never know where a chance meeting will lead! A couple of weeks ago, while at a breakfast meeting, I met a local gal who works at my bank . A few days later she was browsing in my shop when I noticed the cool purse she was carrying. She told me her friend made it and makes lots of great purses that she sells. She took my card and told me she would let her friend know about my shop.

Before I knew it I was face to face with this fabulous and talented lady, Kathi, who is the star behind Sisung-Callura Designs. It didn't take me long to realize I needed to carry this brand in my shop!

Some info from Kathi...

Sewing is my passion and a means for me to express how utilitarian objects can be both beautiful and fun to use.

Designing on a whim and thriving on change, my one-of-a-kind decorative creations are inspired by eye-opening color combinations, the unexpected use of prints and patterns, and a variety of textures. Attention to detail goes into the careful construction of my ever-changing pieces, insuring that each stands up to daily use.

It thrills me to create appealing objects of art that provides others with a way to express their own individuality.

The Hobo Bags made by Sisung-Callura are fun and functional with a cool designer flair... at a much better than designer price! They are fully lined - some have some heavier batting inside the sides and bottom and some don't - just depends on how much give you want! There are great pockets on the inside of these bags and here's the really cool part... they have a drawstring feature that doubles as backpack handles. They also come with a great shoulder "sling" strap and a smaller strap for hanging or holding by the wrist.

Check out Chloe with her hip Sisung-Callura Bag!




The large bags are 12" wide by 19" tall... perfect for someone who has a lot to haul around day to day, for that trip you are planning this summer, or for that shopping trip (to Sparkle??!!).

The smaller bag is 10" wide by 13" tall with all the same cool features. Many of the smaller bags feature amazing patchwork designs as well! No two bags are exactly alike!




I've added some of these great bags to my online store... and of course they are available at our retail location also. Come check 'em out!!!

Remember to Sparkle! Whenever Possible!

Meg

Small Business Perils

So apparently I haven't been all that good about blogging...it's been awhile! I even set up a friendly little Outlook reminder for once a week... but I have hit snooze on it more than I ever have my alarm clock!

When you own a small business, everything is your responsibility. From the big things like purchasing, merchandising and sales, accounting and marketing to the little things like cleaning the floors, sink, windows and shelves (where is all this dust coming from???) and making sure we have enough trash bags, ink and paper. Somewhere in the midst of all of this comes managing the website and blogging which, while very important, seems to be easy to hit the snooze button on!

So I will try hard to make this a priority once again... and for those of you reading right now, thanks for sticking around!!

Meg

New and Amazing!

I'm so excited about three new lines I picked up at January's Gift Market in Atlanta!

The first one is Pick Up Sticks. This is a fun and whimsical line of pendants created by a couple of cousins in New Mexico. The vintage look and girlie feel are simply wonderful whether you are 15 or 50. If you like several, just stack 'em! I have great sterling chains as well as suede and silk cords that these are fantastic on! The large pendants are $16.50 and the small "word candy" ones are $12.50. I have more than 35 different designs in stock!

Next we have Robin Goodfellow Designs. This designer makes the most delightfully sweet beaded necklaces! Wood Sprites are dainty little beaded drops on a pretty nylon necklace. The dragonflys are incredible and ornate with sparkles and iridescent wings and the pixie necklaces are simply adorable with their renaissance flair. These necklaces are affordable and like nothing you have ever seen! Wood Sprites are $20, Dragonflies are $28, Pixie necklaces are $44

Finally... Zulugrass is here!! This is an incredible line of jewelry with a wonderful story. The jewelry is handcrafted in Kenya by the Maasai women. After a terrible drought in the area, the people of this region were devastated. Philip and Katy Leakey, who live among the Maasai in the Kenyan bush, wanted to help their neighbors and to provide work opportunities without changing their culture. They came up with an imaginative idea that would utilize the excellent beading abilities of the Maasai women, and it used grass, an available sustainable resource, as the primary element. Read the rest of the story here.

The jewelry is amazing - colorful, sparkling and versatile. Each piece can become a necklace, a bracelet, an anklet, a hair accessory and so many other things. Pieces can be combined for dramatic color effect. You can use your own pendants with this line or purchase one of the adorable clip on pendants/charms to go with your pieces. You are only limited by your own imagination!! Click here for all the ways you can wear this remarkable product! Zulugrass is $9 per strand or 5 strands for $40.

Come check these great new lines out in the store when you can! I hope to get a few pieces in the online store sometime soon as well!!!

Meg

Valentines Day Specials!

Don't forget your special someone on Valentine's Day! Sparkle! has lots of items online and in our retail store that will let her know you care without breaking the bank!

Online specials - Use code Vship for FREE shipping on any purchase made online OR use code Vneck for 10% off any necklace item. Both offers good through Feb 14. Your purchase will already come in a box, ready to wrap. Need us to wrap it for you? No problem - just send us an email and we'll wrap your gift, free of charge!

In store special - get 15% off any "heart" item you can find in the store. If it has a heart on it, it's part of the promotion! Gift wrapping for your Valentine's purchase is free! Special is good through 2/14.

Don't forget to use the wish list online or the Honey Helper cards in the store to make sure your special someone knows what you like!!!

Remember to Sparkle! Whenever Possible!
Meg

Upcoming Events & News

I'd thought I'd let you know some of the things we are doing here at Sparkle! to help spread the word about our cool new shop!

The Gwinnett Ballet Theater has their annual gala fundraiser this weekend and we have donated a $50 gift certificate to the shop which will be part of a large "Downtown Lawrenceville" raffle prize package. This will be held at the Historic Courthouse and should prove to be a really fun and interesting evening!

On Feb 9 & 10 I'll be at the Gwinnett Civic Center with the great folks from the Gwinnett Daily Post. The event is called Family Fest and usually has a pretty large (10K) attendance. For a few hours each day we'll be helping kids make free beaded necklaces and handing out flyers and discount coupons for the shop.

The Aurora Theatre has a special Valentines Canteen on Feb 14. They have put together some great Valentines packages with add ons from various downtown merchants. You an add on dinner at a variety of restaurants, candy, flowers, a massage and of course a gift certificate for Sparkle! We are also currently advertising in the Aurora Theatre programs for their current show, Dial M for Murder.

In Feb 14 a group called 4:4 No More, a ministry of the North River Community Church is sponsoring a Wedding Vow Renewal event. They have put great packages together from donations from the Downtown Lawrenceville merchants including Crafty Confections, Huff's Flowers, The Aurora Theater, Hair Riddle's, Body Boutique and The Window Shoppe. The great packages include a vow renewal ceremony at Crystal Crane Bridal shop and a great gift basket which will vary based on the price paid for the package. For the large baskets Sparkle! has donated two beautiful sterling silver heirloom charm bracelets with a sterling heart shaped photo charm and two sparkling Swarovski crystal hearts. We have also donated 10 of the Sterling heart photo charms for the smaller baskets.

Of course we continue to put flyers out in various locations and we also send them home with our happy customers who have volunteered to spread the word! We appreciate each of you who have done a little something to let someone know everything that Sparkle! has to offer!

Remember to Sparkle! Whenever Possible!

Meg

Focus on: Doodlebug Dezines

I just spent the better part of the morning cropping and putting photos together for this fabulous line of handcrafted purses that I carry in the shop.

For the uninitiated, Doodlebug Dezines is the pseudonym/label of Laurie Wright, an amazing artist and all around talented lady who resides in Auburn, GA (just down the road!). I met Laurie through a lady who attended one of my jewelry shows in the early days and I am so grateful!

Laurie is funny and warm and genuine and so modest about her insane talent. Her humor is evident in the fun touches she puts on all of her purses (check out the cute button on the back of this purse!) She has a great eye for color, loves trying new things and just bubbles with enthusiasm. I am always excited to see what she will come up with next!

Here's Laurie's "bio" that I have posted in the shop:

"I began tinkering around with sewing as a child by hand sewing dolly dresses from the rag drawer. When I married, my motivation to sew was to save money on curtains and have matching bedspreads. My CREATIVE outlet was pencil drawing. After my first sewing conference, American Embroidery Conference in Atlanta 2004, I began to seriously sew for the fun of it. My creative outlet became making purses. I attended a Babylock conference in October 2005 and purchased an embellisher after a class with Paula Scaffidi (see Fiberella.com). I’ve enjoyed merging all the creative aspects of machine sewing with my enjoyment of pencil drawing. I work full time and have 4 boys (This number includes my hubby because he is a big kid, too). I’m never bored! LOL! Some places you can see my work posted....

http://www.fiberella.com/html/visitors_gallery.html

www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/d/doodlebugdezines/

sadiasews.com/blog1/2007/04/11/fiberarts-and-machine-embroidery/

So anyway, I spent some time going through the purses I currently have in stock and listing them on the website so that more folks can see the specialness that is Laurie's work. I had a lot of fun looking at each piece with new eyes as I described them for our online customers! More than once I thought, "I should just buy this one myself!"

Each piece has been made with such attention to detail! The fabrics chosen for just the right contrast, the little embellishments - buttons, crystals, ribbons, chain, beads - that make each bag literally "Sparkle!" and scream for attention, and the artwork, my heavens! I never knew that it was possible to "draw" with a sewing machine but sure enough, she can do it.

If you are in the market for a really special gift - or just want to carry a new bag that will have everyone green with envy since yours will be a ONE OF A KIND, check out the cool bags I have available from Doodlebug Dezines.

Meg
http://www.sparkle-ga.com/

Website updates!

I've been busy, busy, busy these last few days adding lots of new things to my online store! This may seem like a simple task, but those of you who have managed an online store in the past know it is most decidedly NOT!

The thing I struggle with the most is the photography. I have a great little Kodak camera with a zillion megapixels and all sorts of features that I don't know how to use. I also have a "light cube" (basically a fabric box that helps diffuse light), a tripod, and a newly discovered great place in my shop to take pics. I also need natural sunlight to get the best shots, something we have been lacking lately.

Once all the planets align and I have the time AND it's sunny, I take as many pics of the jewelry as I can and then upload them onto my handy dandy computer. Then I have to reboot. I don't know why. I wish I did. But every time I upload pictures onto my store computer, I have to reboot before they will show up!

Then, once they are there, I have to open them in my photo processing program (I use Photo Impact, which I do like very much.) and crop and resize both for the full size photo and the small thumbnail. It's usually at this stage that I realize that there was too much glare, not enough light, some wierd shadow or some other problem with the photos and I have to start over!

And that isn't even the half of actually loading each piece in the store, describing it, etc. Suffice to say it is a days long ordeal to get these items presentable for all you cyberspacers! However, the good news is that after much perseverence (and some slow days due to inclement weather!) I have been able to upload 4 product lines to the store.

You'll now find great jewelry from Austin Alexander, Bora, Vida Dulce Imports and Xovo in the Sparkle online store. More will be coming soon, I promise. I'm just waiting for another sunny day!!

Remember to Sparkle Whenever Possible!

Meg
http://www.sparkle-ga.com/

Sparkle! loves our customers!

I want to share some fun things we are doing and have planned for our customers in 2008!

Sparkle! has just launched our new Customer Rewards program. Each customer will receive a Reward card with every purchase and the card will receive a punch for every $10 spent. There is no expiration or time limit on receiving punches. Once the card is filled (10 punches) you receive $10 off your next purchase!! That's a 10% rebate of sorts as a thank you for shopping with us!!!

We also just launched our "Honey Helper" program. This is basically a wish list. Just come into the shop and pick up a Honey Helper card. Then write down all the wonderful items you really really want! You can either take the card with you and give it to your special someone or leave it in the shop and take a few of the Honey Helper reminder cards to give to anyone who might be inclined to purchase a gift for you. This way, you know you'll get something you like and your gift givers will be saved the stress of trying to figure this out for you! Plus, they get free gift wrapping! Cool, right?

We are also planning some great Sunday Sidewalk sales in the spring where every week great items will be discounted out on our balcony area for that week only. Every week, new items will be included in the sidewalk sales and the discounts will vary. We will also be featuring many of our artists as well as new artists in trunk shows on our balcony on many weekends beginning in the spring! These special events will feature items you will not find in our store and also give you a chance to learn from folks that are making and designing great jewelry!

Come check us out!!!

Meg
http://www.sparkle-ga.com/

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my Blog! I'm Meg and I own Sparkle!, Lawrenceville Ga's newest jewelry boutique.

Above: Our front window just a couple of days before opening!

This blog will be used to highlight new and fun items in the shop and online, provide news about things going on in downtown Lawrenceville and showcase some of my favorite creations.

My shop is located at 178 E Crogan street in downtown Lawrenceville. We are in a building known as the "Honest Alley Exchange" though we still do not have any signage that would let you know that. I am hopeful that our landlords will get this up soon!

The renovations on the shop took a little (well, a lot!) longer than expected and we were not able to get open until Thanksgiving day 2007. See my "brick and mortar" page on the website for details and photos of the renovation process!

Since then, we've been greeted very warmly by the good folks of Lawrenceville! Lots of folks received Sparkle! gifts in our signature organza bags and purple boxes for Christmas and many more discovered us on New Year's Eve during the fabulous Lawrenceville Rings celebration. If you haven't checked us out yet, come on by and plan to spend a little time. We have much to see!!

Above - an overview of the shop a couple of days before opening!

Sparkle! carries well over 20 lines of artisan jewelry in many many styles and price points. Some of the lines we carry are from local artisans such as Gwendy's Gems, Silver Box Designs, Agape Gems and Doodlebug dezines. Of course, I also make a line of jewelry under the Sparkle! label. We also carry jewelry from Accessories by M, Xovo, For the Journey, Owen Glass, Neckfluffs, Bora, Austin Alexander, Vida Dulce Imports, Pink House Imports, Kharmic Creations, Fox Lane, Cathedral Collection, Rustic Attitude and many others! We also carry storage solutions such as jewelry boxes by Longolines, hand painted earring holders by the Earring Holder Gallery and wonderful pouches and travel cases by Jazz'd. You'll also find great gift items, purses and so much more! Coming soon we'll have jewelry from Pick up sticks, Zulugrass by the Leakey Collection and Robin Goodfellow designs!

Each month I will plan to highlight one of the lines we carry and give you lots more info about the artists and the jewelry.

Thanks for checking us out and stay tuned!!!

Meg

www.sparkle-ga.com