Shop is on Vacation!

Lush Boutique might be on vacation-mode on Etsy, but I'm sure not. I'm busy packing up our tiny apartment for our move to Boston. You'd think that an 800-sq-ft apartment could not hold a bunch of stuff, but it looks like it has exploded.

Anyways, Lush Boutique will be back in business at the beginning of May. If you have a jewelry emergency or just miss me (haha) please email me, tweet me, facebook me, or send a candygram (preferred).

Thanks!!!

Clearance Sale!

Since Lush Boutique (aka me) is moving to Boston in three weeks (yikes!), I'm throwing a huge Clearance Sale starting this Friday!!! Discounts of 25-90% will be taken on every item in the store...

Visit Lush Boutique here.

If there is something you have been dying to have, let me know asap and I will reserve it for you!!

Future of Lush Boutique

I'm writing this blog post so you all will hold me to it. And so you will give me advice. I need advice.

A few months ago, my husband let me quit my job to start my jewelry business. I sell on Etsy. On Etsy, I can hide behind my pretty pictures and cute descriptions, and I don't really have to go out there and actively sell my products to customers. My biggest hurdles in this business have been complacency and fear – I’m too scared not “ready” yet to sell wholesale, or “business on Etsy will pick up soon, there’s not too much I can do about it.”

Now, my husband has been accepted to business school and we are moving from Sacramento to Boston in six short weeks. I’ve been struggling with the fact that I will be the only one with an income, and I will have some huge decisions to make regarding my employment and my business. My Etsy shop is definitely not providing a decent income right now, as much as I hate to say it.

I've decided this morning that for the next six weeks, I’m going to work like HELL to get those wholesale contracts, get my jewelry into shops, and get my name out there. It’s make it or break it time!

-gulp-

Triple Threat

The fabulous Diane tweeted me the other day saying she loved my jewelry and wanted me to design a custom necklace for her. She wanted a three-tiered necklace with three different charms. She wanted it to be elegant, simple, and easy to wear.

Isn't it fabulous? I absolutely fell in love with her idea of what she wanted. I love simple - yet stunning -necklaces.

Ebates

So I just discovered EBATES today.

HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS BEFORE?!?!?!

Basically, you get a cash rebate when you shop online. You just sign into ebates, search for the store you want to shop at, and ebates redirects you to that site.. and then a month later they mail you a check for a percentage of what you spent.

AND these aren't crappy little stores that no one has ever heard of. iTunes, Apple, Nordstrom, Overstock, eBay, Delta, Hotwire. There are thousands... and I've been missing out on serious cash. Oh well.. guess better late than never, right?

Sign up here and we both get $5: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=WRY9GarIH53kWrKNJgjrlQ%3D%3D

Rock Star Giveaway...

There's a sweet giveaway going on right now on my friend Natalie's blog.

Click here: http://mormoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/

She's giving away one of my bracelets, The Rock Star.

Have a happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Jealousy...

I got this tweet today from one of my fave tweeters, @cris0809..


"promised you I'd take care of your necklace... so I took it to the Caribbean :)"

JEALOUSY. EXTREME JEALOUSY.

How to make a Heart Pendant

1. Take a class. Spend a fortune on supplies. Take home the pattern. 

2. Yell at that pattern, because you have looked at it eight times and just now realized it isn't all in English.

3. Watch a youtube video to try and understand the pattern

4. Put the beads, string, and needle down.

5. Put them down now!!!

6. Watch the video again

7. Don't get upset that your heart is not as nice as that bitch from the video (sorry, I’m sure she is a lovely lady)

8. Make cupcakes

9. Eat all of them

10. Check your email again for the 1,000th time in order to avoid the heap of destruction and beads covering your floor

11. Put your mangled heart down again and work on something you are already good at to make yourself feel like a better person

12. Treasure the heart pendant you made in class because you're obviously never making one again.

Gumball Jewelry

When I was a kid, I could NOT get enough of candy necklaces. My neck was permanently stained different candy colors, and I would constantly be crunching on the delicious goodness.

Image courtesy of Michael Weinberg Photography

I was THRILLED when I found these pastel jade beads - they look just like gumballs!

Wedding Season!

I got an email from the lovely Shannon who is getting married in May. She was looking for jewelry for her bridesmaids and loved the Brentwood necklace, but wanted something that would go with their dresses and shoes. Her colors are light pewter and shades of yellow.

So, we changed the brass change on the Brentwood to a gunmetal, and Voila! (I'm not french, am I still allowed to use that word?)

I can't wait for her to get her five jewelry sets! Congrats again Shannon, and send us pictures of your beautiful wedding!