5 Surprising Things I Learned After Quitting My Corporate Job One Year Ago

I left the corporate world over a year ago - October 13, 2013 to be exact. I had a great career in the software industry for 25 years, starting out in aerospace in the early 90's, golf throughout the 2000's, and finally high-tech for the last 7 years. It was a rewarding phase of my life and I wouldn't trade the valuable learning experience and people I've met for anything. However......

I became quite dissatisfied with my career over the last few years. I'm a bit idealistic and play a terrible game of politics, so it stood to reason that I was easily hurt by typical work place theatrics. Also, I'm an entrepreneur at heart and fiercely independent - two qualities not normally valued when trying to move up in the corporate world.
I started making jewelry 7 years ago just as a hobby and then started selling on Etsy for 'fun'. Little did I know when I listed that first handmade piece, I'd be hooked on the concept of running my own business. Once I realized that this was my true passion, I spent far too many hours calculating in my head how many pieces of jewelry I would need to sell to match my corporate income. I was literally obsessed.

After 6 years and many tears, I did quit my job. And I haven't looked back - not once.
Here are the 5  most surprising things I've learned in the past year.

1. I'm not alone.
When you live in the corporate world, you don't see how many people are living the entrepreneur life. Once I started attending networking events and perusing internet sites related to business topics, I was amazed how many different businesses there are being run by people just like me. It truly opened my eyes that this independent lifestyle that I had craved for so long was right in front of me the whole time. There are countless industries that support solo and small business owners.
Once the cat was out of the bag and I started telling people that I quit my stable, secure income for jewelry making, I was shocked how many people gazed at me with a dreamy look and admitted that they wished they could do the same thing! I thought I would receive the dreaded blank look and a silent, sympathetic nod, but instead I heard story after story from people that had the same dream I had - mostly from my fellow corporate colleagues.

2. My journey has changed from my initial plans.
I really thought all I wanted was to hang out at home, make jewelry, and live a relaxing, simple life. After all, wasn't that the whole reason to leave the corporate rat race? But now I dream about hiring employees, growing the business to the next level (and then the next level, and so on). My creative juices have now morphed into photography, blog writing, marketing, SEO, etc. I devour business books and podcasts. While I still really enjoy designing new jewelry pieces, I have been so surprised that my real passion is now more in running my business rather than making jewelry and hanging out in my backyard reading a good book whenever it suits me.

3. My lifestyle hasn't changed even though I make far less money.
My income has definitely taken a nose-dive since leaving my job. I was a software manager making 6 figures. But, for some reason, I still live the same lifestyle and I'm saving money. How is that?  Well, my husband and I were able to refinance our house and rental property to save a significant amount of money. That helped a lot. But, I think the main reason is that my expectations have changed so my lifestyle changed without me realizing it. I no longer need 'shop therapy', pedicures, take-out food, and weekend getaways - all previously needed so I could endure the coming Monday 9-to-5 blues. I am so happy with my life now that my needs are simpler. I also don't need stuff like I did before. Weekly Target trips are now reduced to once every 3 months.

4. It's not necessary to go too far out of your comfort zone to be successful.
One piece of advice you hear over and over is that you have to go out of your comfort zone to be successful. I agree with this - to a point. However, taking this advice too literally can lead to burnout and unhappiness. After all, I left the corporate world to live a more comfortable life - not to stress myself out even more. I'm an introvert by nature, so I tend to enjoy my alone time and feel the most productive in a quieter environment. I also enjoy selling my jewelry on-line for this very reason - I'm not cut out for the type of business where I would feel the need to call on potential customers and knock on doors to get my jewelry sold. I once followed a piece of advice about attending a specific networking event - I was told this was absolutely necessary for me to 'grow' as a business. That was the most miserable event of the last year! I was completely out of my comfort zone and unprepared for the type of networking that I needed to conduct. Not only was it an absolute failure, I didn't enjoy the event and I'm sure it showed to anyone I spoke to. So, I went back to my home and now only run my business in the way that I enjoy, and therefore, have more success (and fun!). While it's great to stretch your limits, saying no to conducting business that is not in your true nature is okay too!

5. Friends, Family, and Fans don't necessarily overlap.
This was the most painful lesson I learned. I have received so much support from people that I don't know very well and a lack of support (at least visibly) from some friends and family that I thought would be cheering me on the most. Over the last year I've learned to not take it personally - business and friends don't always mix. I know my friends and family all want the best for me and are probably cheering me on from the side lines, they just don't share my obsession (haha!). Just because some of my good friends aren't fans on my Facebook business page, doesn't mean they don't support me - they're just in a different mindset and don't realize that for me, business and pleasure are now intimately intertwined. I admit it was painful at first and my feelings were definitely bruised. But, I'm now happier than I've ever been in my life and my relationships are better because of it.

This has been a tremendous year of growth, both personally and professionally. I look forward to getting up everyday and living the dream that I used to think was out of reach. I would love to hear from you - have you quit your day job or still dreaming about it?

5 Reasons I Buy CAbi Clothes

I look forward to the new CAbi collection that comes out each year. I am not a consultant for the company and I don't have any family members or even any good friends that are consultants, but I am crazy for their clothes!

Here are the top 5 reasons why I continue to purchase CAbi clothes each season (almost exclusively):

1. Their clothes coordinate very well together - season after season.

This is my number one reason why I buy CAbi. I started out buying their clothes about 4 years ago, just a few items here and there while attending shows. I soon learned that the blue pants I purchased at my first party still match CAbi clothes I'm buying today. And even better, those blue pants still look brand new, even though they've been washed over and over. In spring 2014, they had a coral pair of jeans that I absolutely had to have.  With CAbi, I easily justified buying them because I was also able to purchase 4 blouses that matched and I see there are items in the 2015 spring line that will also wear well with these pants. I love that a color doesn't go out of style and I am building up my wardrobe over the years.

2. My CAbi consultant is experienced.

I only learned recently that all CAbi consultants have to go through specialized training and attend CAbi conferences before they are allowed to open for business. Most network marketing companies just sign you up, get their money, and have no concerns how you are selling their products. CAbi has a lot of stringent rules in place in order to insure their consultants are top-notch. So when I'm shopping at my consultant's house, I'm getting an experienced fashion consultant that helps me look my best. She knows how the clothes need to fit, what size I should wear. I've never had to return a single item yet due to wrong sizing or low quality. Plus, I always learn new ways to coordinate my outfits. She helps me put together colors and pieces that I would never have thought of on my own.



3. I hate shopping.

Ugh, I have so many other ways I'd rather spend my day than shopping. There was a time when shopping was fun and I could literally spend the entire day at the mall. Not any more. Plus, wading through piles of clothes, not finding my size when I actually find something I like, waiting for a dressing room, and then wondering where the clothes have been that I'm purchasing have been before - yuck!
If you want to get really grossed out, read this article about how Victoria Secret's resells returned, dirty underwear:
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/fashion/news/a34545/stores-selling-used-underwear/

4. I always have something to wear.

Seriously, I no longer look in my closet and say to myself that I have nothing to wear! What a concept. Truthfully, I now look in my closet and ask myself what do I want to wear today. With less choices (because I finally got rid of the clothes I never wear!), and with all my CAbi clothes made to wear together, I have so many more options than I used to have when I would buy separates from different stores at the mall.

5. I actually save money buying CAbi.

I have never had a CAbi party (although I keep toying with the idea). I buy my CAbi clothes at retail, which is not something I do very often. But for me, it's worth it to go shopping once, pick out the clothes I want, and then budget over the span of a couple of months to receive my new items. Because I'm no longer aimlessly walking around the mall, picking up clothes here and there, I save quite a bit of money by purchasing my go-to outfits from one designer. As I mentioned above, the clothes all coordinate so I always have lots to wear for any occasion and I no longer need to run to the store to pick up an outfit for a special occasion (which I always end up with something I don't really like and never wear twice).

I honestly do not have any financial interest in this company. I truly love their style, enjoy shopping with my CAbi consultant, and am a loyal customer. Here is their website to check out yourself:
http://www.cabionline.com/

Simple Jewelry Photography - My 3 Secrets

Simple Jewelry Photography Secrets

I'm often asked about my secrets to taking good jewelry pictures. I've been selling on Etsy for 6 years, and as you can tell from my before and after pictures, I've learned a few things along the way.

I would never refer to myself as a photographer and I have constantly struggled with my photography over the years, but with a lot of research and practice, I now feel like I've gotten a good handle on it. Here are my 3 top 'secrets' that I've picked up over the years.

1. The Right Camera and Lens

Have a good camera with the proper lens! Sorry, but this really is essential. The iPhone just won't cut it, at least not with jewelry. Jewelry photography has its own set of challenges and to get the fine detail that is needed, a good camera with the proper lens is important. I happen to have the Canon EOS 40D which works very well. But, here is the real secret - the 100mm Macro lens. Unfortunately, it can cost between $300 to $500 just for the lens. But, if money is an issue, the 50mm lens also works very well and you can get it for around $100.  These lenses allow you to get really good detailed close-up shots. 

2. Natural sunlight. 

This isn't as hard as it sounds. I still shoot indoors but next to the window (see the video link below for my 'perfect' location). Shooting next to the window allows me to get the natural sunlight that gives the best effect. I add 2 lamps on either side and I get a beautiful, natural setting that works for any color jewelry I photograph. Even better, with this setup I have no need for a light box. I've tried light boxes in the past with inconsistent results.

3. Wear White.

I went years without knowing this great secret. When you are taking pictures, the color bounces off of your clothing and wearing white makes you a natural reflector - cool huh! Wearing a different color shirt can create an off-color cast on your images, making the background color look dull or unnatural. I had always wondered in the past why some photo sessions turned out all wrong. Once I learned this secret, I've always had consistent photography.

Here is a video of my photography 'studio' setup:
Theresa Rose Designs - Jewelry Photography

I hope these 3 tips help you. Please leave a comment if you found this useful and/or you have additional tips to share.

A Simple, Effective Facebook Contest That Will Gain You More Fans

Running a simple Facebook contest

I frequently run Facebook contests, but last week I ran a contest that had a twist. I actually found this idea from a Facebook account that I follow. Instead of just asking people to comment in the post, I added a new requirement - each entry had to tag a friend. Both the entrant and their tagged friend would win a sterling silver bangle.

It worked great! By requiring entrants to tag a friend, I had much more engagement and exposure to new people that have never seen my page. My current fans appreciated being given the opportunity to help their friends win jewelry - it was a win-win all the way around!

I highly recommend trying this yourself. And please comment below and let us know how it worked out for you.

3 Things Many Sellers Don't Do Before Opening a Store on Etsy (and Should!)

Do you want your Etsy shop to be a hobby or a business?

Etsy will take you through the steps to open your Etsy store, but besides knowing how to functionally set up your account, choosing your shop name, etc., here are the 3 things that I believe are vital to have completed before opening your 'doors'. However, I consistently see new sellers that start selling without completing these 3 things, and it leads to frustration, a bad experience, and in many cases, an early close to the shop.

1. Create a professional shop appearance.
Before listing your first item, you should have your bio, about page, and policy page completed.
A policy page is so important and a well designed, informative page can save you plenty of headaches down the line. Here is where you enter the following information:

• Return & Exchange Policy
• Payment Options
• Shipping Information
• Additional information such as custom order policy, wholesale offerings, etc.

I personally think your profile picture should be a picture of you, not of your product or even your logo. Other people may differ, but I believe it adds a personal touch and people like to see who they are purchasing from. Especially in the handmade world, when a customer can see the designer/owner, it adds to the experience.

2. Have at least 20 to 30 items made and photographed.
This will ensure that you are starting out strong and have a full shop right away. I personally will not purchase from a shop that has only a handful of items displayed. It doesn't give the appearance that the owner is serious about their business. Granted, there are some shops that are highly specialized and only make custom pieces. Then it is understandable that they can only list a few at a time. But, those are the exception. You also want to start off with a good momentum, and having 20-30 items ready to list immediately will get you on the right track.

3. Know how to ship your product and have the supplies already on hand.
This may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many times I've seen the question in the forums with the title 'I've sold my first item. How do I ship it?'. Before opening your shop, make sure of the following:

• Determine your shipping method - Etsy shipping, Paypal shipping, Stamps.com, or good old-fashioned stamps.
• Purchase appropriate envelopes, boxes, shipping labels, stamps, packing material, etc.
• Practice at least once shipping an item. You can even ship it to yourself or a family member. It may cost a couple of dollars, but knowing how the procedure works ahead of time is well worth it.

I have to admit that I wasn't prepared in this area, which is why I emphasize it here in this post. I didn't expect to sell my first piece of jewelry within 1 week, so I hadn't purchased the bubble mailers yet. So when I woke up to my first sale, I had to rush to Office Depot to purchase (very expensive) envelopes. I then made a mistake creating the shipping label and had to cancel it, and start over. Learn from my mistake!

Here is a good Etsy article regarding how to set up your shipping profiles:
Etsy Blog - Create Shipping Profiles

So, while there are other areas that are extremely important before setting up shop, I chose these three to discuss because I believe they are ones that are overlooked more often than others.

Remember, you want to have a professional shop - this will go a long ways to ensuring your success!

May Giveaway - $20.00 Gift Certificate

It's the end of the month and time for my monthly giveaway! This time the prize is a $20.00 gift certificate for my shop.

The contest begins today and will run through Friday, June 6th.

Please read the following before entering:

1.  This contest is open to U.S. entries only.

2.  Only one gift certificate will be awarded and is only valid at www.TheresaRose.etsy.com I do not take any responsibility for lost or misused codes. Once the certificate is redeemed, no other certificates will be re-issued.

3. Invalid entries will be deleted. I will check all entries before picking a random winner. Make sure you fill  in the correct information required for your points. Otherwise, your entries will be invalid for the drawing.

4. Winners will be notified via e-mail with certificate code.

Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

How To Prevent Sterling Silver From Tarnishing

Preventing Sterling Silver from Tarnish

Preventing sterling silver from tarnishing is a question I often receive as a jewelry designer. It's so disappointing to go into your jewelry case for that beautiful piece of silver jewelry that you may not have worn for a while and see it darkened from tarnish. You wonder how it happened and can easily assume it's the fault of the material. However, you may be surprised how many different ways your prized pieces can tarnish.

Sterling silver is comprised of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals. The other metals, while comprising a small part of the component, is what makes sterling silver tarnish. All sterling silver contains copper and it reacts to moisture and sulfur in the air. Silver tarnishes faster in high humidity and air pollution. Chemicals such as perfume, lotions, hairspray, etc. also contribute to the tarnishing process.

Here are some simple tips for preventing tarnish:

• Minimize sterling silver’s contact to chemicals. For example, if you are wearing a sterling silver necklace, don't spray perfume on your neck, spray on your arms instead. The same goes for body lotion. 

• Jewelry should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you remove. Spray your perfume and hairspray before putting on your jewelry. As soon as you get home, take off your jewelry. This will prevent you from accidentally exposing it to household cleaners.

• After taking off silver jewelry, clean it with a dry soft cloth before putting it away.

• Store clean, dry sterling silver in a dry airtight container, like a ziploc bag and store it away from sunlight such as a drawer or jewelry case. Sunlight will speed up the tarnishing process. If you want to take an extra step, purchase anti-tarnish strips and place those in the ziploc bag for extra protection. They are inexpensive and can be found at most jewelry supply stores.

• Don’t leave silver jewelry in the bathroom or by the kitchen sink - any area that is regularly exposed to moisture. Do not wear it the shower, swimming pool or hot tub. Remember that humidity is not your friend!

• Do not use rubber bands to bundle jewelry because when rubber bands age, they release sulfur that causes tarnishing.

 I hope this list helps!

Day 20 - New YouTube Video - Sizing for Bangles

 Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

- Carl Bard

I have to admit that I think YouTube is going to be one of my new favorite social media sites! Yesterday I uploaded another video to my channel.

This new video is titled 'How to Size for Bangles'. My sterling silver and gold filled bangles are very popular and I get a lot of questions about sizing. It's going to be so much easier to refer people to my video rather than trying to type the explanation - the visual is much better!

YouTube Video

I still haven't figured out why this blog can't link straight to the video (that's a project for another day).

Day 17 - Starting an E-Mail Newsletter

 The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

- Steve Jobs

If there is one thing I've read over and over, it's that having an e-mail newsletter is important to a thriving business. In fact, some people believe it's their number one sales avenue. After reading a lot about the benefits of e-mail newsletters, I decided that this was a definite step I needed to take if I'm going to grow my business.

A couple of main reasons I want to start a newsletter are:

1. Keep a database of customers that are interested in my products. This is especially important if anything were to happen to my Etsy store. I need to be able to communicate with people on my own and not rely on Etsy.
2. I want to offer loyal customers discounts and specials. Not everyone has a Facebook account, and currently, that is the only platform I use for offering my coupon codes and contest announcements.

Setting up a newsletter service
I chose MailChimp for my newsletter service. One main reason is that it's free for the first 2000 subscribers. I figure if I get to 2000 subscribers, I'm doing something right and I'll be happy to pay for the service! I really only need a basic service at this time and they get good reviews.

Just some of the reasons for using a newsletter service include:

1. Pre-approved to send bulk e-mail. Not all e-mail delivery systems are the same and can cause a huge headache when you try to send out a bulk e-mail. Having a service takes care of this potential issue.
2. Analytics and statistics. They provide special tools to separately track how many emails are received and how many are actually opened. You can even see who opened and who clicked through and what was clicked. Plus, you’ll receive reports on unsubscribes, bounces, etc.
3. Formatting. They will verify that your email complies with standards and will display correctly across all modern computers, web browsers, and email systems.
4. They will host and manage your list. They will manage unsubscribe requests and “bounce-backs” from recipients whose email addresses are no longer active. You can even separate lists into multiple groups.

Signing up with MailChimp was quick and painless. I was able to create my first list and signup form within a half hour.

Here is my first sign up form:
Theresa Rose Designs Newsletter Sign up

The next step is to get the sign up form up on my website, Facebook, and blog. I will cover that subject in the next blog post.

Are You A Business Or A Hobby?

Whenever I have an issue and I'm unsure of the course of action I should take, I always first ask myself this one important question "Am I a business or a hobby?". The answer to that question is, of course, a business. Usually just that one simple reminder gives me the right course of action to take. If you were a customer, what would you expect from a business?

I see sellers on the Etsy forums all the time asking questions that show they clearly haven't yet made the mental leap from hobby to business. For example, I see this one issue come up time and time again - the package that got lost in the mail. Usually, the Etsy seller will come on the forum and ask what they should do. Often times, the tracking shows that the package has been delivered, but the customer is stating that they haven't received it. This does happen from time to time. It has happened to me a handful of times in the 5 years that I've been selling on-line. If you consider yourself a legitimate business, the answer is obvious - you either refund the customer or send another package. Do you lose some money in the process? Yes, you do. But, that is the cost of doing 'business'.

However, this does go both ways. I also see Etsy sellers coming to the forums because they are being 'bullied' by a customer. A customer is making unreasonable demands and threatening to leave bad feedback if the seller doesn't comply. Again, you ask yourself if you are a business or a hobby. A business doesn't allow itself to be bullied by going against their own policies just because a customer threatens them. It's always good practice to bend your policies to give good customer service as needed, but it's not necessary to always succumb to demands that are not core to your business values. We all want good feedback and should always strive to deliver the best product and customer service, but one bad feedback isn't going to ruin your business and you must always trust your own judgment. It's ok to say no and risk losing a sale when it doesn't feel right.

Next time you are faced with a difficult situation, first ask yourself if you are a business or a hobby. That will usually lead you to the correct action.

The Purpose of This Blog

I haven't posted to my blog for quite a long time (as my daughter pointed out to me a couple of weeks ago!). I have a few posts partially written, but haven't had the motivation to finish them. I've struggled with this blog, wondering what to write about that may be interesting to other people - then I realized the answer has been so obvious all along. From now on I'm dedicating my blog to running my own business. Truth be told, one of the reasons I haven't been writing lately is that business has really taken off in the last month. I spend the majority of my day making and selling my handcrafted jewelry, exactly what I want to be doing! So, I feel like I'm really living my dream.

But, there's always been a pull for me to continue this blog and I now know why. I've always felt like my jewelry business has been part of a path to something more. I've never known what that meant, I just felt it deep inside of me - until a few weeks ago. I finally figured it out and it all makes sense. This is what I will continue to blog about.

There's so much I want to share and write. I want to help other people realize their dream of running their own business. There's a good reason why my business is suddenly growing and if I can help other people achieve their dreams, then it has served its purpose - and so have I.

I will be writing regularly about the changes I'm making - what's working and what's not working.

If you are reading this and want to be successful in running your own business, I highly suggest purchasing the book 'The Success Principles' by Jack Canfield. I am currently using this book and it is highly effective! My blogs will often be centering around the concepts that I'm learning and utilizing straight from this book.

My next post will be about how I found my purpose in life. I know that sounds a little dramatic, but it's actually what set this whole thing in motion - and I truly believe it's exactly what you need to do to be successful. The book actually shows you how to figure out your purpose and it can be very eye-opening. It's not always what you think.

Until next time...

Your Etsy Shop and Social Media - Part 1

I'm starting a blog series about how I am using social media for my Etsy shop.

I see a lot of posts on the Etsy message board regarding the value of social media, especially having a Facebook Fan page. I admit that I've straddled the line for a long time, but I'm now diving in head first and have really seen some amazing results in my first month! I want to share these ideas with you and maybe they'll help you in some way. For every idea I've implemented, I have 5 more that are on my 'to do list', so I hope to make this a regular blog series while we navigate this new territory together.

In a previous blog post, I wrote about the importance of having your own website, even if you do all your selling on Etsy. I do believe it is so important for your branding to have an on-line presence in as many areas as you can conceivably handle. The obvious choices are:

• Your own website
• Etsy
• Blog
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Twitter
• Google +

I haven't dived into Google+ as I have my hands full with the others. You may choose only a few of these options - it's entirely a personal choice. Most of my blog posts in the coming weeks about social media will be centered around Facebook as that is where I'm going to concentrate my main efforts for now.

Exactly one month ago today, I had 298 Facebook Fans. I now have 353 (as of this writing). So, in one month, I've gained 55 fans - an approximate increase of 20%. And it didn't cost me a dime - no advertising at all.

So, for this post I am going to list 5 super easy things you need to do first to get yourself going with your Facebook Fan page. I'm going to assume you already have a page and that you're just sort of neglecting it because you haven't really seen the value of maintaining it - that's the way I was for the last 2 years. :-)

The main thing to remember about Facebook is that it isn't about making sales today - it's about creating a community with your fans and current/future customers. This is all about long term connections. You may not see sales coming directly from Facebook for a while, but it's important to have the presence and to update your page on a fairly regular basis.

Here is my Facebook page:Facebook.com/TheresaRoseDesigns

1. Creating a professional FB page has to be your first step. This is the first impression your future fans will have of you and it shouldn't be a picture of your cute kids, dogs, or where you spent your last vacation. Create a cover photo and profile photo that is professional and showcases your product(s). Here is my cover photo:

    

2. Change your Facebook personal profile 'work' to your business page. This way anyone looking at your profile page will see the link to your business fan page. 

3. Categorize your fan page as a Website. That way you can enter a direct link to your Etsy store. You want people to get to your products as easily as possible. To categorize your fan page, you need to edit the 'About' section. Click on the 'About' link that is displayed directly below your profile picture. Then on the 'About' page, place your mouse pointer over the big white 'About' section:

The 'Edit' box will pop up - click on it. The 'About' Edit screen will display. This is where you will select your category and sub-category. In the 'Short Description', enter your website link. Select 'Save Changes' at the bottom of the page.

Now on your Facebook Fan page, the link to your website will automatically be displayed underneath your profile picture. Nice and easy for anyone to find and click!

4. Add your Facebook Fan Page URL to your e-mail signature for all electronic communication. This includes the thank you e-mails that Etsy sends when you make a sale and the shipping notifications. Not to mention, you should also have the URL to your website (or Etsy site) there too!

5. Add your Facebook Fan Page URL to your business cards. Why not! People expect to see these links now and it doesn't hurt.

My next post will be about two specific things I did to start gaining fans.

Please feel free to comment with any suggestions or questions!

Made Now Carrying Theresa Rose Designs

A quick shout-out to the newest store carrying Theresa Rose Designs!

You can now find my jewelry at Made on Mass. They are a modern handmade shop located at 737 Massachusetts St. in downtown Lawrence Kansas. They carry locally made items, along with items from regional and national artists.

See more great products: Made

Spring 2013 Color of the Year - Poppy Red

I can't believe that March 1st is only a few days away! Daylight savings time is only 2 weeks away and spring will officially kick-off in 3 weeks. Spring is one of my favorite times of the year and with the weather a balmy 70 degrees today in San Diego, I feel it will be an early and warm one this year.

I'm really excited about the new spring colors for 2013. They are soft, yet vibrant. Another great color this spring is Poppy Red. While many of the colors for this year are soft and pastel, the poppy red 'pops' out and is sure to bring a lot of inspiration to my designs this year.

I found this great red sweater at Anthropologie. Black, white and red is going to be hot, hot, hot this year. and I love this combination! This sweater inspired the darling little gold wire wrapped earrings in my shop.

To see these earrings in my Etsy store for $8.00 each:
Red and Gold Teardrop Earrings

Creating Your Own Website Without Hiring a WebMaster

Creating and maintaining a website doesn’t have to be a monumental task. I think one big mistake people make is that they look at big company websites and are immediately intimidated by the scope and grandeur of these sites. For most of us, it’s just important to have a presence on the internet that contains pertinent information and links to our product offerings on our shopping site.

While I maintain a successful Etsy shop, I also have my own website. This site shows my latest jewelry products in a slideshow and then has links to my Etsy shop, blog, facebook fan page, twitter, and pinterest. There is also an ‘About’ page and a ‘Contact’ page. It took me one week to create and I used all free code found on the internet! I can modify it at a later date as my needs change. But for right now, I have all my important information on one site.

I found a great site on the internet called Free Website Templates. I browsed through their templates until I found one that had the style I was looking for. One caveat -  there are some templates (usually the best ones), that do not allow you to download the code. You can only edit and publish from their site. I quickly dismissed those. There are still many free downloadable templates to choose from. 

Once you download the code, then it’s just a matter of replacing their logos, images, links, and text with your information. Fortunately, I used to be a windows programmer, so I do have a lot of comfort in coding, but html code is very straightforward and anyone can edit it in a simple text editor. The source code is not cryptic and one can usually decipher it readily. If you’re stuck on a piece of code, just google it! You’ll find all the descriptions you need.

The most difficult task was replacing the main body picture with the slideshow pictures. I found a great site on the internet that gave me the free code for the slideshow – with all the instructions needed to integrate their code. There’s even a discussion board to help!

The company is Dynamic Drive and their website can be found here:

http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex14/fadeinslideshow.htm

Once I edited the files, cleaned up my images, I copied all the files onto my hosting site (I use hostmonster.com) and I was instantly on-line! It was a great feeling to type in my website and see my jewelry on the internet.

I’m happy to help anyone who may have a question regarding what I discussed today. Please feel free to leave a comment and I’ll help any way I can. I realize that programming can be a bit daunting, but it is so worthwhile to have your own website!

Here's the link to my site: Theresa Rose Designs

Natural Products - San Diego Bath and Body

I love it when I find a great product that is:

• Local company
• Owned by women
• Natural
• Organic
• Vegan
• Handcrafted

If I find a product that supports local, small businesses (especially run by women), then I've hit a home run! San Diego Bath and Body Company is exactly the type of company I love to support. It's run by environmentally conscious Christy Bartlett and her husband Steve Blake.

All of her skin care products are natural, using only real ingredients that you can actual recognize and pronounce (there's a new concept!). Ingredients such as coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, olive oil, lavender, eucalyptus.

I've been using the French Lavender Body Lotion religiously since I purchased it a couple of months ago. Not only does it beautifully moisturize, it lasts forever! A little goes a long way, which I attribute to the natural ingredients that Christy uses when making this lotion. All of her products are handmade by her, so I know I'm getting a quality product.

You can find her at local craft shows in San Diego and purchase online.

Why It's Important to Have Your Own Website

I've been selling on Etsy for over 4 years and have been very happy with the traffic and sales I receive on their site. People are always asking me if I have my own website and until recently, I never gave it much thought. I did sign up for my domain name - TheresaRoseDesigns a few years ago, just in case. I tried to create my own website but was overwhelmed with the task, so it went years wasted.

I have finally gotten my act together and launched my website and it only took me 1 week from start to finish! I'm so glad I finally completed this task and wonder why I didn't tackle this sooner. The reasons are so numerous why it's so important and I spell out the main ones here. Hopefully, this will get you motivated to do the same.

Here are the main reasons to have your own site, even if you are selling successfully on Etsy:

1. You own your brand name. TheresaRoseDesigns is my name, forever. As long as I pay my $10 or so every year, no one can take that name.
2. Your entire online presence can be accessed from one location. From my main site, you can link to:
• Etsy Shop
• Blog
• Facebook Fan Page
• Twitter
• Pinterest  
3. Increase your web exposure.  The more places you have your name, the more you will be found.
4. Complete control over content. While I love the way Etsy looks, I do not control the picture sizes, color, or logo. I want the first look a customer has of Theresa Rose Designs to be the image that I want to project.
5. SEO, SEO, SEO! I can drive customers to my site via SEO (which I'm still learning). I can't really do that on Etsy. 
6. Credibility. Having my own site shows that I'm serious about my business. If I'm invested in my business, then that builds trust with potential customers. It shows professionalism and legitimacy.
7. What is the future of Etsy? I'm pretty sure that Etsy will be around for a long time, but if anything happens, I'm positioned to link to a new store. If Etsy disappears and that's my only on-line presence, I disappear.

Your website doesn't have to be a massive undertaking. I have a couple of pages. I use it mostly to link to my other sites at this time. Once I realized that this was the way to start, the task didn't seem so daunting and I was able to get to work on it. In a later blog post, I'll explain how I was able to design and complete my website in only one week - for free (that was the best part).

Theresa Rose Designs

February Birthstone - Amethyst

February's birthstone is Amethyst. It is an interesting stone that has a history I'm sure most people don't realize:

Amethyst Gemstone Meaning
Crystalline quartz in shades of purple, lilac or mauve is called amethyst, a stone traditionally worn to guard against drunkeness and to instill a sober mind. The word amethyst comes from the Greek meaning "without drunkenness" and amethyst is believed to protect one from poison.

Power Stone
It is used as a dream stone and to help insomnia. Put an amethyst under your pillow to bring about pleasant dreams, or rub it across your forehead to offer relief from a headache.

Protection Stone
Ancient Egyptians used the amethyst guard against guilty and fearful feelings. It has been worn as protection from self-deception, as well as a protection against witchcraft. The amethyst has long been used to open the spiritual and psychic centers, making it one of the power stones. It is also used as a meditation aid when worn as a necklace.

Whether you are wearing it for protection or power, its beauty is always fashionable!

Amethyst Cubic Zirconia and Gold Earrings

Pantone Spring Color Trends for 2013

It may only be the beginning of February and winter still has its grip on the northern hemisphere, but our friendly groundhog has predicted an early spring and I'm already looking forward to warmer weather. Granted, I do live here in San Diego and snow isn't on the ground, but 50 degree weather is a bit tough for us softies here in the Southwest.

I'm really excited about the new spring colors for 2013. They are soft, yet vibrant. One of my favorite stones is amazonite. The pale green colors with specks of browns, cream, and black are a perfect accompaniment to any outfit. They are definitely one of my best sellers and just so happen to be the same color as one of this spring's trends - Greyed Jade.

Looking through one of my favorite online shops (J.Crew), I see ALOT of this color - they call it mint, and I think I like that color name better. It's absolutely beautiful and feminine.

This color goes with silver or gold, as seen in these two pairs of earrings I offer in my Etsy shop - perfect for spring!

To see these earrings in my Etsy store for $12.00 each:
Amazonite and Hammered Drop Silver Earrings
Amazonite and Hammered Drop Gold Earrings

J.Crew top is on sale right now for only $19.50!
Perfect-Fit Long Sleeve Tee

Letting Go.... Moving Forward....

It's been a long time since I've looked at my blog. Over 2 years in fact. In those two years, our family has endured cancer, our daughter going off to college, and a whole lot of other changes. But, the biggest change came last week - we sent our 20 year old daughter to Florence, Italy for a semester in a study abroad program. While she is dining on pizza, pasta, tiramasu, and having the time of her life, I sit here and am simultaneously proud, jealous, and very weepy. This is so different from sending her off to college. SDSU is only 20 minutes away. I could hop in a car or pick up a phone and be instantly connected to her. Now she is half way around the world and a 9 hour time zone difference. She's also, for the first time, completely on her own. During her first two years at school she lived in the dorms and then her sorority house. There was an adult on the premises at all times - a comforting thought for any parent. Now she lives in an apartment in the 'city center' (to quote House Hunters International) with 5 other college students. They are completely responsible for the cooking (iffy), cleaning (yeah, right), and locking the door (praying). She is now a grown-up. Gulp!

However, this change has also brought another surprising emotion - excitement. I, for the first time in 20 years, am on my own to pursue my passions. Yes, I'm still married to a wonderful man and still have to clean the house, cook dinner, pay bills, etc. But, I have a new sense of freedom in how I spend my days to pursue my jewelry business. I have to admit that it feels very liberating. I literally jump out of bed in the morning, my mind filled with new ideas and inspiration! It feels great!

Hence, this is what brought me back to my blog. I expect to post at least 2-3 times a week. It will give me the opportunity to reconnect with my customers, let people get to know me a bit better, and give me another avenue for communication. I'm somewhat limited in how I post photos and information on my Etsy site, so I hope this also allows me to showcase my jewelry, answer questions, and post tutorials on the creative process that I go through.

I leave this first post with a favorite photo of mine. This is a picture of my daughter and I on the morning she left for Italy. While I'm so excited for her and look forward to hearing about her adventures in Europe, I do still get teary from time to time. But, it's time to let go and move forward to a new, and equally, exciting chapter in our lives.