1928 Vintage Inspired Jewelry

The words timeless & vintage immediately spring to mind when you hear the name 1928 Jewelry. For over 40 years, the 1928 Jewelry Company has drawn on a wealth of designs discovered in many unique, unexpected places. From the vaults of rich European capitals to the antique laden attics of old American estates, we’ve created modern replicas of the most beautiful, exquisite vintage jewelry ever made.

For an online catalog e:mail: www.lydiarep@yahoo.com or call 714-381-1661

A BRAND NEW LINE

ANNOUNCING THE ADDITION OF A WONDERFUL NEW LINE

OLD RIVER ROAD

Products are handcrafted by amazing artists who take great pride in their work.  Nothing is mass produced, each item has its own unique nuance, something that can only be obtained by the human hand and spirit.

From cookie cutters to cake plates with cloches, cutlery, serving pieces, trays, and much much more!  Take a look at just a few of their beautiful pieces.  

For an online wholesale catalog call or e-mail Lydia: 714-381-1661 or lydiarep@yahoo.com

Lulu LaRock Rocks!!!

MAGGIE McFARLAND DESIGN ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF HER NEW LINE OF CUSTOM ART NOTE CARDS AND COASTAL COASTERS UNDER THE BRAND NAME OF

 LULU LaROCK

Maggie, long known for her creative endeavors, is marketing her new lines for release.   With a design background, she has for years dabbled in art, and is known for her colorful work as well as landscape design skills, working with shape color and texture.  Maggie is also the former owner of Pink Lemonade Boutique once located in Corona del Mar, California where she resides.  It was known for both children’s and women’s clothing with a little bit of everything else thrown in. 

Her line is a symbol of everything she holds dear; nature, children, sea life.  Also breaking into the children’s illustration world, Maggie is painting many of her illustrations from a child’s perspective, or the child in all of us. 

I recently had the opportunity to interview Maggie.

1.     How did you get the idea for Lulu LaRock?

Lulu was inspired by an illustration of a mermaid I painted, she was sitting on the rocks.  I just thought it would be a cute name.

 Is this your first business? 

No, besides always doing something creative, I had a small boutique named “Pink Lemonade” which carried women’s and children’s items as well as gift items.

3.     How did you finance your business?

Fortunately, because it is art based, it has mainly been cost of materials.

4.     Where do you get your inspiration?

My inspiration comes from nature as well as anything I might notice from a photograph, magazine, etc.

5.     Do you work full time or part time? What does a typical workday look like? 

I work part time for my school district.  After work I try to make time for my art, dogs, housecleaning, and getting to school as I am in a graduate program right now.

  

 What are the crucial things you've done to grow your business?

I try really hard to network on social media, get my items in the shops, and give my art as gifts.  It is hard though without a lot of time or money to pursue it.

  

7.     Do you have any plans for expansion?

If things pick up, I would love it.  I have made it easy to get things done quickly and efficiently to get the product out there.

8.     What has been your most effective marketing strategy?

It has probably been word of mouth.

What 3 pieces of advice would you give entrepreneurs starting out right now?

Don’t quit, love what you do, and have confidence in your product or service.

New Luray Hankies Tea Towels

You will love these vintage look tea towels, runners and napkins.  They all come with a cute ruffled edge in pink, green and white.  To get more information e-mail me at:   lydiarep@yahoo.com

                                             

This is a very informative article from Entrepreneur Magazine.

4 Tips for Using Pinterest to Market Your Startup

Just because you ditched email for Facebook long ago or you were one of the first tweeters around doesn't mean you're not perplexed by Pinterest. You know what it is -- a social network that acts as an online bulletin board for your favorite images -- and maybe you already use it personally. But are you using it properly -- to promote your startup, that is?

Using Pinterest as a marketing tool for businesses that sell products and services is a great way to boost traffic to a website and, more importantly, convert that traffic to sales. Despite that potential business bonanza, the various ways of using Pinterest for business aren't all effective to the same degree.

Here are four tips for using Pinterest for your business:

1. Consider your options.As mentioned, not all marketing strategies for using Pinterest are as effective. Here are three ways companies use the social tool:

• Mavens -- use images that are not their own and pin from elsewhere on the web.
• Connectors -- don't use their own materials but insist on re-pinning images from others on Pinterest.
• Showcasers -- post their own images from their websites or blogs.

2. Customize your chosen strategy.From these options, the “mavens” tend to receive the most clicks and re-pins and the best overall results, while the showcasers received the fewest, according to a June study conducted by Pinsights, a Pinterest analytics provider.

Does this mean that showcasers should start using the other people's images? Not necessarily. But it does show that instead of showing your company name and its wares, you might try to pin more than just your offerings alone.

That's what big-brand mavens like Kate Spade do, according to Pinsights. On average, they pin over 50 images to two dozen different categories a week. Out of all of these pins, only 30 percent of the images belong to the brand.

3. Be efficient.
Many brands who have been successful in Pinterest have also decided to integrate Twitter into their social profiles. When they pin something to Pinterest, they can send out a Tweet at the same time, therefore making the most of their time and maximizing their exposure.

4. Pin all-around likeable images.Because it's image-based, Pinterest has different rules of marketing than other social networks, which is why the maven strategy works best. Users think of re-pinning as identifying themselves with that photo, video, image, or infographic. It's not the same as re-tweeting through Twitter or liking something on Facebook. Consumers are more careful with being identified with images that are not what they believe in.

This means that any company that wants a presence on Pinterest must use graphics that their customers can relate to. It's not about getting the products out there; it's about pinning something for others to identify with. If that can be achieved then more clicks and re-pins will follow.

How are you using Pinterest for marketing your company? Let us know in the comments section below.

This story originally appeared on Young Entrepreneur.

MERCURY GLASS GOURDS AND PUMPKINS

Beautiful mercury glass gourd and pumpkin

Inquire about making one or more of these yours.

MY FAVORITE THINGS INTERVIEW

I would like to introduce you to Tina Haller, creator and owner of My Favorite Things.

After opening her gift shop “My Favorite Things” in 2005 in Nevada City, CA. Tina focused on creating one of a kind items to sell in her shop as well as selling her hand glittered cards and hang tags wholesale to share with other boutiques in California. In 2007 she opened “Glitter Girl Studio- a place to create, inspire and sparkle” behind her shop and loves having a creative space filled to the ceiling with wonderful craft supplies. The studio also works as an Open Studio for customers to create their own treasures and celebrate birthdays and friends. Tina also spends her time in the studio as a licensed figurine artist for ESC Trading Company and cannot let a single day go by without creating in some way! She resides in Nevada City, California in her 1870’s Victorian home along with her husband Zach raising their 5-year-old daughter Addison.

 How did you get the idea for My Favorite Things?

  I've always been a crafty girl, so along my snowboarding path I also always dreamed of opening a shop to share my art and be a part of a community. I fell in love with Nevada City and knew it was going to be my home and a perfect place to open my shop.I also opened an art studio behind my shop called Glitter Girl Studio. It's open to the public so people can stop by to craft or take one of my classes. 

Is this your first business?

This was my first gift store, and you could say my first business. I had never worked at a gift store or had any experience with retail, so I learned along the way. I came up with the name My Favorite Things -creative gifts and treasures with the idea that whatever I was passionate about in my creating or in my buying that it would always fit in my store, because it's all of "my" favorite things.

How do you come up with new ideas? What is your creative process?

I go to flea markets and antique shows to get ideas. I grew up going to garage sales with my mom and dad, so treasure hunting is part of me! I'm also inspired by old clip art photos from old postcards etc. 

 Do you focus or pay attention to trends?

 I do walk the shows and keep in the loop on trends. I get ideas from window displays or products that I love and try to make a new version of it that are more my style. 

What does an average workday look like for you?

 I'm usually running to fed ex, with a stop by the craft store for more supplies or more clay. Then to the shop with my lasted sculpture that I baked in the oven that morning to paint and add finishing touches at the counter. My customers are always curious to see what I'm making when they come for a visit. It's usually off season because I'm working way ahead of schedule. I get crafters daily that come to use my studio so I help them get started and then I'm back at the counter crafting away. Glue gun is always hot!, Return phone calls, fill orders, sneak in a quick lunch then Addison my daughter arrives after school to be a shop girl with mommy. So the crafts at the counter turn to a collage project for a 5 year old and then we close up covered in glitter and head home for a family dinner!

 What is the most important thing you've done to grow your business?

  Choose unique items mixed with my handmade items. Anyone can shop at target, or the mall for a gift, so you have to give them a reason to stop by and see what you have to offer. keep it fresh and new all the time. I'm more and more inspired to carry hand made items, there is just not enough time in the day! 

What are your plans, if any, for expansion?

I'm going to start offering online workshops for my customers that do not live near by that would like to take one of my classes. 

What three pieces of advice would you give an entrepreneur starting out right now?

  Test the market, do your research, and location location location!


                 

Romantic Homes 2012 Commemorative Ornament by artist Jenelle Van de Mortel

This beautiful ornament was created and painted for Romantic Homes Magazine by artist Jenelle Van de Mortel.  It has a fleur de lys hand painted on one side and personalized with Romantic Homes 2012 on the back. This is the first ever Romantic Homes commemorative ornament.

You can purchase by clicking on the sidebar at the right.

New Lines at J. Johnson & Company

The LA Mart Gift Show

J. Johnson & Company #342

We had a wonderful show and I was able to see

a number of my favorite customers.

Here are just a few new things in the showroom

I am honored to have a wonderful new candle line to represent, Kringle Candle Company.  Developed by the same creators of the original Yankee Candle.

Not long before Christmas 2009, the Kringle Candle Company was born. And our new home is less than twenty miles from Yankee Candle, on the very same state highway. I’m proud that the company my Dad created, Yankee Candle is so close by, and that we offer a high quality product and visitor experience as well.

The ultra-fragrant Kringle Candle line unites the best of the traditional and the new, with exciting candle products designed to mesh with virtually any decor. We’ve worked hand-in-hand with the industry’s finest perfumers to select an array of robust, realistic candle fragrances. Our all-white candles not only blend perfectly with all backdrops, they emit the purest, brightest light possible.

 

Maryland China and custom too!

Maryland China does custom decorating!!  Since 1910, Maryland China Company has been offering the finest white porcelain and ceramic items to porcelain artists, commercial decorators, restaurants, caterers, gift shops and consumers.  Maryland China Company's dedicated custom decorating department can customize any of their items with your artwork, logo or design.

This mug was customized with Paris in a Cup's logo

 Below are just a few pieces in the Maryland China line

Introducing Vintage Gardens - a great new line!

I am so excited to be representing Vintage Gardens again.  It's like going home.  I met owners, Mike and Christy, at Country Roads years ago and was privileged to represent their line for quite a long time.  I was so happy when they called and asked me to represent them again! Not only do they have wonderful products but Mike and Christy are genuinely two of the nicest people I know.

Here are a few of their framed prints.

    

They also make swings, trellis benches for all sizes, step stools, store fixtures and so much more!