Finally!

Shipped out my earrings for the Golden Globes! Now off to start my jewelry for the Oscars!

Display Necklace For GBK Productions Golden Globes and Academy Awards Gift Lounges

White Keishi Pearls with Teal Czech Crystals, Aqua Quartz Briolette and Grade A Rhinestone Beads

Guess The Celebrity!

Guess which celebrity will receive the necklace and earring set I designed, pictured above?  I'll give you some hints.  She's gorgeous, brunette, young, loves to accessorize in red. She recently cut her long hair into a pixie and looks even more gorgeous! She's starred in such movies as "He's Just Not That Into You", "Beezus and Ramona" and "Something Borrowed".

YES IT'S...

GINNIFER GOODWIN!!!

Another fabulous opportunity afforded to me through The Artisan Group! I hope she likes it!!

Here They Are! My Golden Globes Gift for The Swag Bags!

I have been so blessed with the opportunity, as I have mentioned in previous postings, to participate in the GBK Productions Golden Globes Luxury Gift Lounge through the wonderful organization, The Artisan Group.  The Artisan Group is a prestigious group of juried artists, and I am so proud to be a member!

I've had to put alot of hard work into the product and packaging, (remember I have to handmake 100 of these), and here they are: My "Asian Moonlight Earrings"!

You may want to scoop these up before the celebs do! They can be found at http://alexisstudiodesign.com or at http://etsy.com/shop/alexisstudiodesign.

There Must Be Crack In Zucchini Bread

If you utter the words Zucchini Bread at my house, you'll start a stampede reminiscent of those old Westerns in the movies. My children will come running down the stairs so fast, you'd think I said "Here's the latest IPhone!".

Even I have to admit, zucchini bread is delicious. I mean like, addictive delicious. Like, is there crack in this bread, delicious. I originally made it as a way to sneak in vegetables in the diet of my bambinas, but it has become a family favorite. I found my recipe at http://www.allrecipes.com. Here it is...

Zucchini Bread   

Original Recipe Yield 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 255 | Total Fat: 13.1g | Cholesterol: 26mg                                        

Golden Globes Press Release

We’re excited to announce that Alexis Studio Design, L.L.C., in association with The Artisan Group, will be featured on January 13-14, 2012 at a luxury Gift Lounge hosted by GBK Productions at the L’Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, in honor of The 69^th Annual Golden Globes Awards Nominees and Presenters.

Our “Pearl and Gemstone Cascade Silver Neckwire” will be prominently featured on display at The Artisan Group’s Exhibit,  and all attending celebrities will receive  our “Asian Moonlight” earrings in their swag bags.  This event will also be attended by over 75 media outlets.

To learn more about Alexis Studio Design L.L.C. and our products, or our participation in GBK Productions’ Gift Lounge, visit http:// www.alexisstudiodesign.com, call 914-262-9791,  or email alexis@alexisstudiodesign.com.

Alexis Gopal M.D., Alexis Studio Design’s sole proprietor, is a resident of Bridgewater, Connecticut.

For press inquiries regarding The Artisan Group, please visit http://www.theartisangroup.org or email press@theartisangroup.org.

She Works Hard For Her Money...

In my former life, I was a busy Internist, working 75 + hours a week.  I was, and still am, a single mom, who at the time, literally never  saw her kids.  Never, ever?  That's right, never ever.  I would leave early in the morning, the nanny would arrive, and they'd be asleep.  I'd come home late at night,  and they'd be asleep.  This went on for way too long, until one day, I was in my office, and I received a call from my younger daughter's teacher. My girl was crying, because she hadn't seen mommy in five days.  Five days!!  It couldn't be!  But I sat down, and did the math...she was right.  Then I was in tears. What on earth was I doing?  Why bring children into the world if you can't raise them?  Several hours later, I handed in my resignation.

Now, I'm a work at home mom, and my children have blossomed. I don't regret my decision for one minute. Working from home has allowed me to spend more time with them than I had their entire lives. Plus, I was able to volunteer at their school, which they loved!  Their faces would light up..."There's my mom!". We played together, baked together, really had quality time together.

And now the flip side. Money was tight...really tight. Tighter than Spanx. I went from a physician's salary to a WAHM jewelrymaker's salary, receiving child support. Thank goodness I had a creative side,
because it took alot of creativity to make this work financially. Alot of garage sales. Budgeting.

The one thing that helped trim my budget, that I actually felt good about, is when I made my household "Green".  I stopped buying paper towels, straws, plastic water bottles.  I also installed a water filter.  There's a nifty website called http://reuseit.com, where I was able to purchase environmentally friendly replacements for many disposable products, that saved me money in the long run. That was just one step towards making my dream possible:) More next time...

http://sweetstellas.blogspot.com/2011/10/she-works-hard-for-moneybloghop.html

Logo Motion

A really great logo is an important part of branding your business.  I ought to know...I've had a couple that were 'eh, so, so.  They were designed by people who didn't quite know how to translate my vibe into a logo. Either that, or I was just sending out the wrong vibe. When people see your logo,  it should automatically evoke your business style, ethics, look...Think Target's red bullseye.

I'm in the process of having two new websites designed,  LexiBeads.com and alexisstudiodesign.com, and I decided to rethink my whole brand issue.  I tend to be a spiritual person, but nothing about my brand in the past reflected that. The lotus flower has alot of significance in eastern philosophy. So along comes Ashley Berthelot, owner of Fancy Designs in Louisiana, to help me achieve my goal.  We corresponded by email, which at times is challenging, but the result was worth it. Let me introduce you to my new business logo.  Drumroll please....

The Artisan Group Steals The Emmys!

Holy Twitter, Batman!  My heart swells with pride as I read all the tweets about how amazing the GBK Emmy Award Gift Lounge was,  especially the contributions by The Artisan Group! Celebrities like Nia Peeples, Penny Marshall, Rico Rodriguez and many more fell in love with the fabulous products handmade by my TAG peeps.  And it couldn't have happened without the fabulous Valerie Propst Guerrero and Nikki Cutro, the founder and managing partner of The Artisan Group.  Their enthusiasm and dedication at the event itself was incredible! Although I personally did not participate in this event, I felt so emotionally invested...we're like a family.  The amazing TAG members who did participate were: Valerie Guerrero of The BeezKneez Designs (The Artisan Group’s Founder); Nikki Cutro of 13 Black Cats Designs, (Managing Partner); Amy Croushorn of Make It Mine Parties; Ashley Berthelot of Fancy Designs; Autumn Bradley of Autumn Bradley Jewelry Design; Crystal Evans-Pradhan of Little Free Radical; Deb Soromenho of AWE Jewelry; Denise Mancuso of AJ Sweet Soap; Diana Pelliccia-Mueller of Bellaroma; Gary Hirsch of Doodle House; Heather Sennabaum of Re-Zip It!; Ilene Price of Ilene Price Design; Kristal Lee and Jennifer Lee of Atutudes Handmade Tutus; Lindsay Van Cleave of LCVintage and Company; Lindsey Afton Dufoe of Afton Dufoe Photography; Lisa Howath of The Lonely Pixel Photography; Lisa Sieczka of Elle Moss Photography; Mandy Bryant of The Light Fantastic; Michelle Bousley of OC Styles Creations; Michelle Reynolds of Aromatic Health; Natalie LeBlanc of Papermuse Designs; Pamela Petry of Seeing Is Believing Artistry; Sarah Mercer of Geekgirly Photography; Shannon Moyer-Szemenyei of Sweet Stella’s; Sharlene Maher of Stranded Treasures; Shawna Ziemer of Wags and Wiggles; Tamecka Sandifer of Honeyprint; and Tina Dean Allen of Tina Dean Designs.  (Taken from the TAG press release).
I know where I'm doing my Christmas shopping this year, before these guys get too famous!!  Congratulations!!

Please Vote!

I'm not talking about the presidential election, although you should definitely vote in that as well!!  I'm talking about my poll, which asks about your preference in necklaces...Do you like bold, statement necklaces?

Or more understated, delicated necklaces?

Now, keep in mind, I'm not necessarily talking about the necklaces pictured here...these are just examples.

I'd really like to know your opinion! It will help guide me in making my next collection!

The Saga Continues...

The kids are back to school, so things should be a little easier, right? Wrong!  My youngest has just started high school, and left her middle school friends behind to go to a private high school. She's miserable...translation: I'm miserable.  I know it takes time, but, poor thing is stuck with my personailty...painfully shy. Unlike her older sister, who is the polar opposite...I sometimes call her  "The Mayor".

So, my mind is elsewhere these days, but at least I've ordered and received my shiny, new business cards which will be included in the gift bags at the Golden Globes and Oscars. I ordered them from vistaprint.com, and they're not too shabby. What do you think?

Another exciting development is that a friend of mine, fashion writer Vivian Kelly of thefashionexaminer.com is wearing one of my cuff bracelets to New York's Fashion Week, which she is covering. Who knows, maybe someone will notice it? It's a polymer clay/ribbon wrapped cuff:

So off I go to make more jewelry, see how my girl's made out in school, and just ponder life in general. Tomorrow's my birthday. I want to have fun:)

Preparing For The Golden Globes and Oscars...Decisions, Decisions...

No, I'm not attending...lol...but I do need to prepare 100 pieces of jewelry for each awards show, plus 10 pieces for the press. That's 240 pieces of jewelry. Handmade. By me. Oh Gosh.

I would love to make one of my more elaborate pieces, and make different pieces for each show, but let's face it...it's easier for me to work assembly line style if I make the same piece for both. Time is of the essence, but I still want to put forth my best effort!

I decided to make earrings...so in reality, that's 480 pieces of jewelry! (But who's counting?)

I've had a couple of different styles of earring cards designed for me in the past, but I don't want to use them.  I've outgrown them, and I want to design my own, and make them myself. I really want this to say handmade. Handmade, not amateur though.

This is what I came up with...and I'm sticking with it!

Yes, I signed all 240 of them:)  To be continued...

MIA

I know, I know...I haven't posted in a while...It's been insane, preparing jewelry for the Golden Globes and Academy Awards Swag Bags, keeping up with my two Etsy shops, trying to design two new websites for these shops, in addition to keeping up with family life. Needless to say, it's been a loooong time since I've had a manicure, or a haircut for that matter.

This is the time when I need to remind myself of the philosophy of personal coach, and author Cheryl Richardson...self- care is crucial. If mama ain't happy and healthy, neither will the business or the family.

So off I go to do yoga, and give myself a well needed mani/pedi:)

School Supplies Are Out Already?

I can't believe I see back to school displays everywhere I go these days!  I was just scraping ice off my roof!  Is it just me?  What's next?  Christmas sales next week?  I'm just not ready. Maybe I'm too slow...or maybe I'm getting old. I like to live in the present...

It's even harder to focus on those things yet when I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to make for these award shows!  I'm working on prototypes day and night and I don't like any of them!! I've already ordered packaging, which I don't know is dumb, because I don't know what I'm making yet, or smart, because alot of the ones I'm interested in are out of stock!  By the way, if any jewelry artists need a place to find great jewelry packaging and wrapping paper,  go to www.nashvillewraps.com. Awesome site!

I'll keep you guys posted on my progress the next time I come up for air! Now I have to go buy school supplies!

The Artisan Group Gives Back

The Artisan Group gives back to the community...read all about it! http://theartisangrouporg.blogspot.com/2011/07/artisan-group-gives-back-big-brothers.html

The Artisan Group

Etsylush.com  (http://etsylush.com) is a website where the creme de la creme of Etsy is selected to be featured for the world to see. It is a juried process, and a very stringent one for jewelrymakers in particular, since there are so many.  I'm proud to say that one of my necklaces, La Primavera Necklace, was on the front page of Etsylush this morning! This, I couldn't have done without the help of my colleagues at The Artisan Group, who guided me through some photo formatting issues, and in general are just a wonderful, supportive group of artists. I call them the "SWAT" Team,  because if a member has any issue or question, they swoop in and help you find a solution. An amazing, very giving group of women and men. I feel very fortunate to be part of the gang! Also, if it weren't for them, I would never have been part of the Swag bags for the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards! A toast to the Artisan Group!

Winner of LexiBead's Online Free Giveaway

Congratulations to Nikki Futch for winning the LexiBead's Online Free Giveaway! Nikki chose the Chrysanthemum Cabochons as her prize!

Someone Pinch Me! The Oscars and The Golden Globes!

You guys know that in addition to LexiBeads, I also own Alexis Studio Design LLC, where I sell my handmade jewelry creations. Well, guess what? One of my pieces will be in the goody bags given to the celebrities at the 2012 Golden Globes, and the 2012 Academy Awards! Someone pinch me!

I started ASD in 2006, and I gave you it's history in my first post, but it's only recently that I've started networking like a crazy woman, and that led to this opportunity. I don't know what exactly will come of this, but I hope it will prove to my daughters the mantra I've been repeating to them, over and over for years, ad nauseum..."Do what you love and success will follow."

I have no idea which piece I should submit...any thoughts?
Check out etsy.com/shop/alexisstudiodesign and let me know what you think?

Adding an Element of the Exotic to Your Designs

Browsing through jewelry shops, either online or in person, makes me feel like a kid in a candy store! So much variety! Different styles, colors, techniques.  I'll see beautiful Victorian jewelry, with brass filigree, cameos, and beautiful stampings. There's wire wrapped jewelry, with sumptuous gemstones wrapped in either gold or silver wire, to make pendants or rings. There's statement jewelry, from bib necklaces, to large cocktail rings, to long, elaborate chandelier earrings.

One style, however, always seems to catch my eye. Tribal, or ethnic jewelry...It has a primal energy to it, and raw beauty. Some pieces are very colorful and elaborate. I'm particularly fond of Moroccan jewelry and East Indian jewelry. Moroccan jewelry with it's gorgeous motifs, and Indian jewelry, with it's use of colorful gemstones, rich, 22kt gold, silver, and elaborate designs. Truly wearable art!

LexiBeads carries exotic beads and components that allow a jewelry designer to add a unique flavor to their designs...

Free Giveaway!

LexiBeads is sponsoring a free giveaway!  See http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=219079354797471  for details!

Gifts from Nature-Agate Slices

Sometimes, the most beautiful components of a jewelry design are found in nature.  Agate slices are one of my favorites! They lend a piece such an organic flavor, with their irregular outlines, beautiful muticolor bands, sometimes resembling a landscape, or a beach. They can be found in a multitude of colors, and make stunning focal pieces for necklaces.

My Latest Listing on LexiBeads!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77162626/16-inch-strand-of-lavender-freshwater

The Optimist Creed

These are words I try my best to live by...The Optimist Creed by Christian Larson. Copies are posted all over my home...


Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.
To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

Pearl Necklaces Aren't Like Grandma's Anymore

I love working with pearls, particularly freshwater pearls. They come in many shapes, and their imperfections add to their charm. They can be dyed just about any color, and the scope of their use in jewelry design is vast!  Keishi pearls are my favorite...they're so beautiful, and uncommon. Freshwater pearls also come  shaped as coins, branches, diamonds, rectangles, squares. Either alone, or combined with beautiful crystal or gemstone briolettes, pearl necklaces today are far from the traditional pearl necklaces of generations past. Freshwater pearls are also relatively inexpensive, so you can have a variety of shapes and colors to work with.

The Challenges of Running a Small Home Business

A bit of history...before LexiBeads, there was, and still is,  Alexis Studio Design LLC. It started out as a home business where I made jewelry, lampshades, sachets, and other small gifts. In 2009, I made the fatal mistake of opening a brick and mortar store...what a nightmare!!!  Buying furniture, painting, a new sign, permits, marketing... Still, I went in with a positive attitude, and I actually fell in love with the final product! My store had a Zen, Asian feel to it, with an aqua/ brown color scheme, lots of plants and bamboos, my personal Buddha collection and a beautiful waterfall. All that despite the fact that a well meaning friend hired an interior designer as a gift for me, and this designer, in keeping with my Asian theme wanted to add her homemade Christmas wreaths above my waterfall, and blue fishing nets in the store window! (True story!!!) Unfortunately, the store was in a terrible location, with no foot traffic, and I ended up closing the doors one year later. I look at it as a learning experience, allbeit an expensive one.

So, back to working from home. I did a few craft fairs, home parties. Some of my work was in galleries and boutiques. However, my website failed to pull in any business, despite the beautiful design by a web designer. So, I opened shop on Etsy, and later added LexiBeads.

As a single parent, who suffers from chronic migraines, it ain't easy running a business from home!!  My two children are at an age where they have an active social life, and lot's of activities, and need to be driven everywhere! And every doctor's appointment, dentist appointment....you get the idea. I have no family nearby, and although I try to carpool with other parents as often as possible,  the chauffeuring eats up a big chunk of my time!

Then there are the migraines. I have them almost daily, see a neurologist, and a bevy of medications aren't helping. I'm now trying biofeedback.

So, then there are the businesses.  I'm the type of person who needs structure in their day...there's the shipping, the marketing, the blogging and twittering (tweeting?), the photographing...when the hell do I find the time to actually make the jewelry???  My stock and inventory are finding their way into every room of my home...even my bedroom.

Etsy is a fabulous community of artists, I really love it, but my sales are slow...there's alot, I mean ALOT of competition out there! It's a challenge to find a niche that will make me stand out!

I would love to hear from other small home business owners! Any thoughts, solutions, funny stories? I always feel it's easier to deal with these challenges with others who are going through the same...

Peace
xoxo

Acrylic Beads: Cheap and Tacky or Smart?

One of the things that drives me crazy about chandelier earrings is that they are so darn heavy. I feel like they can rip through my earlobes with the slightest movement. Another pet peeve is that sometimes you want your jewelry design to have lots of "bling", but your customers are unable to afford above a certain price point, which is understandable in this economy.

I've always thought of acrylic beads as cheap, and reserved for lampshades and other home decor, but recently I have been very pleasantly surprised at the quality of acrylic beads out there. Using lightweight acrylic beads would solve the problems I've mentioned. There are some that are so high quality, you would swear they're real crystals. They're worth searching for, and unfortunately, many bead stores don't carry them.

I've been on a quest to find these types of acrylic beads, and have been successful. I will be selling them on LexiBeads. If you flip through fashion magazines, you'll see that many upscale jewelry designers like R.J.Graziano use acrylic beads in their designs often! Be on the lookout!

Etsy Treasuries

Etsy treasuries are fun to make, and exciting to be a part of. Choosing a theme, and then, meticulously seeking out beautiful items from among thousands that not only go with the theme, but are aesthetically pleasing, colorful, and varied.

My Sherbert Necklace was recently featured in a treasury on Etsy...

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTA1NjYxMjN8MzQ0ODU0NTA3/summer-sorbet

Alternative Metals

With the price of gold and silver skyrocketing, alternative metals such as brass and copper have become more appealing to jewelry designers. Not only are they less expensive, but their rich colors add an intensity and interest to their pieces.