It’s been quite a while!

Life took an interesting turn in December where we were forced to bravely start our own Advertising Design and Marketing Agency. We have been doing design and marketing for my jewelry company and when we worked at other firms, but it was finally time to jump. And yes, jumping is scary! We basically started a business from zero or negative numbers. But what we have is many years of valuable experience and skill to offer to other small businesses that want to have professional branding and online marketing work done to make them look as good as any Fortune 500 company. So, we’re five months into this adventure and so far, so good. I think we’ve gotten past the first hurdle to starting out on your own. Fear! It’s a biggie. I’m not going to say I’m never scared. Quite the opposite. I’m a girl who’s careful with my money and I’m used to growing up with parents who worked for large corporations and had their insurance and retirement needs taken care of. Well, that’s just not the way the world turns now, is it? You have to keep reminding yourself to be brave to fight off the urge to freak out. That’s where we are. We have several great clients, we’ve gotten three websites up so far and have taught them about the values of social marketing via Twitter, blogs and Facebook for business. And it’s working! I spend a lot of time learning from webinars and blogs and when you put this information into practice it’s great to see it actually work for your clients. Because in the end, I don’t want to sell them on hiring me and using newfangled tactics to get clients. I want to increase their bottom line and attract new clients to their businesses! Check back, I’ll discuss the good, the bad, and the scary!

Turkey and stuff

I love Thanksgiving. I love making everything. I tell people that my Mom is smart. She let the big day go from my Grandmother to me. That’s smart. It’s a lot of work and hassle and I love it. Does that make me crazy? I still make some of the things that Granny did. Makes me happy to have them and I understand why she got happy feeding us. It’s nice to make food and have people enjoy it. Kinda rewarding. Business is moving along, slowly but surely. Nobody seems to be buying jewelry. Odd. I see that online sales are way up. Not in my world! I love two work related things. Meetings where I feel like the client loves my ideas, and making and selling my own jewelry. Love it. Today I had a good meeting. Sometimes that’s enough to make you feel good! Happy Thanksgiving!

Not so sure about those pumpkins, but my mint!

Since my last post I’ve been to a very sad, unexpected funeral of a friend that was way too young. The burial was in the hardest rain storm I’ve ever been in, complete with the sadness of a bagpipe playing live. The same week ended with another friends’ wedding in Key Largo! And I wonder why I was worn out.

And the pumpkins seem to be blooming beautifully, then disappearing. I know sounds crazy, and I’ve looked and looked, but don’t seem to see anything. I’m new at this pumpkin farming and maybe it’s too late, even in Sunny South Florida. My grandmother used to refer to “frost on the pumpkin” and although there’s certainly no frost, it’s not summer anymore. The good news is my mint is still thriving. I’ve never successfully grown mint, so this is exciting! And, okay, it’s Miami, and I do love mojitos. In fact, I think of them as a diet food. I know, sounds crazy, but I use White Rock club soda and it has zero calories and zero sugar and zero fat and no bad taste like some of it does. A half a lime, a handful of mint pulled from the plant and rinsed, an appropriate amount of white rum, the club soda, and a teaspoon or two of sugar or simple syrup. yum. so the calories come from the sugar and white rum. So it’s approx 116 calories. yum. Want to make it even healthier? Mull some blackberries with it. double yum.

Business is quietly coming to life. It will happen slowly and take work, but I feel it coming.

Did I mention my salsa or pesto gardens? Next time. I have to get back to work!

When life gives you pumpkin seeds

I’m trying! I swear I am! It’s been a long, tough year. And we’re trying. We have to keep our spirits up, keep trying, try different things and keep going until something works!

I can’t help it if the most gratifying thing right now for me is my pumpkin patch in a pot. I’m awfully proud. I planted them from seeds. I’m in Miami, which makes planting and growing things like pumpkins even more challenging! We’ve got heat, bugs, too much or too little water. But I, miraculously, have pumpkins! Well, pumpkin babies. And yes, you may think, it’s a little late for pumpkins, but that whole, cool nights thing doesn’t exactly happen too early in sunny Miami! This is the first in a series of pumpkin updates along with business. Let’s see if they can take off together. We have a lot of great experience and creativity and business savvy to offer the right companies. Let’s track the pumpkin growth and see if our Branding Agency can grow as well. I fertilized the pumpkins yesterday, and today I’ll put extra effort into the business too! Have a great day! Stay tuned for the blooms!

You gotta go!

There are things you just don’t feel like going to. Maybe it’s raining (check), maybe you’re feeling insecure (check), maybe your still riding a bummer from your family members’ illness all year/summer (check). But sometimes you get the nerve to just go. Maybe the promise of free drinks and food (check) at a great restaurant in Coconut Grove (guilty). Well, sometimes it’s worth it. Maybe. I’ll let you know. Sometimes it doesn’t feel worth it, or awkward or whatever, but if you’re lucky, you have someone in the car with you, and you muscle through it together (embarrassment?) and you just show up. Okay, it was a networking event, the food and drinks were so far beyond awesome, and we might have just met people that we will work with and change our direction. You never know. Just go!

I love Fall!

You have to understand that I’m in Miami, and it’s very subtle, fall, that is. But it’s breezy today, and you’d almost believe it’s cool out, until you go out and realize it’s still muy caliente out there! Oh well, at least it looks cool.

I love Fall. I guess it’s all about how you grow up. The fall always meant back to school, which to a girl, means new clothes and shopping! Then there is my birthday, more shopping, and football season. Then the fun three. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Love Fall.

Making new fall jewelry. Gold leafed glass balls. Soooo pretty. here’s a photo:

Enjoy the Fall, I know I will!

Such a nice gallery!

Okay, I admit it. As a Virgo (I know, horoscopes are goofy, but some of the profiles are right on!), I’m usually a pretty careful kinda gal. Well, a while back, I had a gallery in Conn contact me to work with my jewelry on consignment in a Gallery in Essex, Connecticut. Normally I wouldn’t have been thrilled to to consignment, not to mention, out of state (I’m in Miami), with someone I’d never met. Well, they caught me on a good day, and I agreed enthusiastically. Not until a few weeks after my jewelry arrived in their shop did I see photos of their gallery on their facebook page. I must say, it’s beautiful! It looks like a nice gallery in a great town, and I wish I was there! Not to mention they sold three of my pieces the first two days! Yahoo! So far so good! Looking forward to a meaningful relationship with Left Bank Gallery in Essex, Conn! Here’s their link:

blog: http://www.leftbankgalleryessex.blogspot.com

facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Essex-CT/Left-Bank-Gallery-Essex-LLC/121613344537350?v=wall#!/pages/Essex-CT/Left-Bank-Gallery-Essex-LLC/121613344537350?v=wall&__a=44&ajaxpipe=1

Gold, etc.

I bought a great metallic gold purse a few months ago and have since been wearing more gold than silver jewelry.

They seem to predict that gold is coming back every season in the fashion industry and it never quite does. I suppose that with the economy’s problems and the spike in the price of gold, either people will want to wear it to show that they still have money, or people might shy away to not be too showy.

Either way, I’m stuck on gold right now! In fact, one of my friends is getting married this weekend, so I ordered gold (filled) chains and wire to come up with something spectacular to wear to the wedding.

So happy for him. He’s found a great girl that brings out the party animal and spirit in him and I’m so very happy for him. Can’t wait to celebrate with my friends. (and my new necklace! haha)

Does everyone who designs jewelry buy clothes with necklines picked out for the purpose of showcasing their pieces? I certainly do! I’m wearing a black sheath dress with a v-neck that will be the perfect frame for a sparkly fabulousness of a necklace.

Now onto the designing! I’ll add my new creations to my etsy account!

Creativity

Some days it comes so much easier than others. Lack of coffee? maybe. i know that once you start, it gets easier. so that’s it. i should just start. i love to design new pieces, but the jumping off point. i guess if you could see the bazillions of stones i have to choose from you’d understand how too much choice is sometimes too much! so what am i doing instead? making a batch of granola. yum. so easy, and good. brown sugar, water, pecans, walnuts, and oats.  if you want the official recipe, i’m happy to share. what’s up with people who want to die with their recipes? so old school and quite frankly, crazy. granola’s easy. hardest creativity choice is raisins or no raisins. not that i can’t make a choice, but i emailed my hubby for him to decide! argh. once the granola’s in the oven, i’ll be creating a beautiful necklace. i swear.

Spring has sprung

Okay, so I’m in Miami and it’s raining. But this too shall pass! It will be a beautiful day tomorrow and it was a gorgeous weekend. Next weekend, it gets serious. 85 degrees both days! ick. Too much too soon. It’s been way below average temps this year and we love it in the 50’s and 60’s but we had too many 40 degree nights and even some in the 20’s and 30’s which is unheard of in Miami.

So here’s to spring! My favorite tree in Coral Gables is about to bloom it’s head off. It’s a huge pompom tree (probably not the scientific name, but mine) and it has blooms that look like a long acorn and pop open with a feathery hot pink bloom. so gorgeous!

Happy Spring! Get out and enjoy the little signs before the summer gets here!