Rachel Shoshana Jewelry

Cool thinks that are about to happen

I am a bit excited as there are two fun shows coming up in the next two weeks. On Saturday I will be at the rescheduled rain date event of Crafty Balboa. I am looking forward to it. I know a few of the other vendors and they are all so sweet I can't wait to hang out with them again.

I am also doing the craft show at B2 Cafe. It will be nice to be in the neighborhood and be able to sell my stuff.

I have been really hard at work to create a whole bunch of new pieces. I think a lot of them are really great and am really excited for people to see my new work.

So Lucky

I really lucked out with weekend and had a number of awesome things happen to me. The first would be on Friday. I got to hang out with my friend Sara who runs Girls Can Tell (an adorable hand-drawn and printed home goods and accessories company.) It was really refreshing to be able to hang out with another creative business owner. It sometimes feel like I are in a world by myself with are running my own company. So, to be able to spend time with someone who has already ironed out the same kinks I am working on now, was really great and refreshing. What I am most excited about though is some collaboration work we did.

A few weeks ago I had suggested a diagram idea of a cute diamond ring. For one it is perfect for Valentine's Day and two I love jewelry. ( I know shocker!) On Friday, we got to sit down together and I got to help in her creative process. It was awesome to see how her process is done and to be able to be a part of it was the best. I made her promise to hold for me some of the prints of that design. I love it 'cause it is like I am in some small way a part of her awesome company. It was really great.

She also became a lovely hand model for some of my new photos to post of my work. It is great to just have someone else around while I do all the mundane parts of the business.

Then, on Saturday I found out for sure that I am being kept permanent at Crate and Barrel. Considering I had to win the coveted spot from 20 other people it is almost as impressive as if I had won an immunity challenge on Survivor. Instead of winning peanut butter or something though I got to get a paycheck every two weeks. Totally a win for me!

Then today has been a quintessential relaxing Sunday at my parents house. I got to sleep late, had my dog walked for me and dinner made for me. It definitely ruled.

Tomorrow will bring some studio time and the potentially dangerous gem shopping as well. (I can never spend less then $100 just by walking into the store. I will try to work on this though tomorrow.)

I have to say so far 20-10 you are not disappointing.

What a great day in the City

I was rather bad today. I am supposed to be getting my jewelry ready for my upcoming shows at Crafty Balboa, September 12th and September 20th.

Today I spent with my dear friend, Susan. I love her! We ended up sitting in Rittenhouse people watching and making origami animals. (My flamingo is now on the fridge right now.)

A day like today makes me really happy. To have a great friend by me and a nice time to relax and enjoy the good weather. I know times like this won't last forever but I am just happy that I got to spend the day and really be thankful for it.

This too shall pass.

A great new job....that only pays in drink tickets

I am really excited to announce that Shmitten Kitten has announced me the official graphic designer of the site. I am honestly really happy about it. It is great to work with Anna. She has great ideas and I have fun making up these fun new fliers. It is really encouraging to be able to use my design skills to make stuff that goes all around the city. I couldn't be happier about all of this. Now I get to use that as a pick up line at Shmitten Kitten parties.

Here are my newest works for the site.

Here is a new poster for the Grunge Night Speed Dating Party this Thursday

A new flier for an upcoming party.

Productive day today

I was really pumped to have had the day off today. I have been getting down to the dirty part of my company redesign. I am excited for it as it is just like the world is open for me. I am definitely going to have fun with my new designs. I am ogoing to try some new things and really push what I am doing right now.

I am in the stage of buying new materials and next to come is the creative burst. It is like that point in Super Mario Brothers when you had to jump really high so you had to squat down until you were glowing. That is me right now. In the power squat...

What A Fun Show

I just wanted to drop a quick thank you to all the people that came out to Crafty Balboa today. I had a great time. I got to catch up with some of my favorite vendor ladies (Sara from Girls Can Tell and Chris and Kim from Rogue Theory) as well as do some holiday shopping. I always have such a good time meeting everyone who gets my stuff.

So a big thank you for schlepping out in the snow to come and get some great gifts. Let the Holiday season begin.

One more show this year...

I am starting to get really excited and nervous all at the same time. Next week will be my last show at Tattooed Mom's. While I love doing shows and being able to interact with the people who get my jewelry, they take a LOT of effort to do. I basically sit by myself all day smiling and talking. By the end of the day I am worn out.

I have been blessed this year in that the shows have been mostly good. I also have gotten the opportunity to meet great new vendors and make new vendor friends. I can always say after the show is done, in most cases, I am glad that I went there. All and all 2009 has been really great to me. I can't complain at all.

It is what 2010 has in store for me that is starting to get me nervous. I am going to be revamping the whole way in which I do business starting next week after my last show.

The changes to look for will include a two complete lines of jewelry for the year. (Spring 2010 being the first one followed by Winter 2010.) So gone will be the days of one of a kind pieces (I still may do them just to sell at shows or as a more exclusive collection but that will not be the bread and butter anymore). This will also mean that I will be cutting out all the beaded necklaces and earrings I make now. On to only sterling silver work, mostly with gemstones but some other natural materials would be great to add. It will for sure be new uncharted territory for me but I couldn't be happier or more excited. Get ready for more kick-ass Rachel Shoshana Jewelry. I can't wait for it at all!,

Stepping out

I just decided to upgrade my blog and make it a typepad blog. Yeh! It is really a pretty layout and with all the changes I have coming this year it is a better format for me. So this explains my new look. Nothing like stepping out in a new do. 

I also am really pleased to announce a new line of mine. This whole line is going to be called "hidden messages." The line features a sterling silver bar that has a great stone set on to one edge of it. At first glance the sterling silver just looks textured and slightly antiqued. The hidden message aspect comes in as the texture is actually writing in braille. This makes it a great hidden message. The stone also has special meaning to the message on the silver. So, below the horizontal necklace says LOVE in Braille with a rose quartz and amethyst. It is said that "Amethyst calms the mind and helps us to connect with our spiritual nature, while Rose Quartz soothes the heart, brings love into our life, and heals past emotional wounds.Together they balance Heart, Mind, and Soul."

This second necklace is BELIEVE. It is actually inspired by my mother. When I decided to turn away from my bio background and go towards my creative instincts, as expected I was very wary of this life change. In an effort to make me feel better about changing my  life direction my mother bought be a pillow that said "believe" with a card saying "I'm proud of you. If you believe in your dreams they will come true." Too sweet! Who doesn't love mom's.

So for this necklace I wrote believe out in Braille and put a moonstone on the bottom of it. Moonstone is "a stone of wishes, intuition, and balance. It  helps all be more comfortable with our gentler side. Moonstone brings to you all that is needed." I love this one! I am actually wearing one right now. They are aesthetic beautiful and have a great hidden meaning. What more could you want in jewelry!

 

My new computer

I am really excited as I finally bought a new computer. My lovely MacBook Pro that is about 6 years old has been freaking out a bit whenever I tell it to do design work. Then it spread to basically just shutting down when I would be on the internet listening to iTunes. No good. So after tons of recommendations from all my computer savvy friends I finally took the plunge and bought a new computer.

He is a little netbook that is cute and blue. (That is why I decided to name him Barry!) I can't wait. I am a little nervous as now I am going back to being a PC. (The good news is that I get to play a whole bunch of new internet games.) I haven't been on a PC in ages. I hope it all comes back to me.

It should be a good time. I will let you know if I can figure out how to make it work.

Holiday Shows

I have finally set up my holiday show schedule. I am actually incredibly excited about it all. Here it is:

November 22 - M'kor Shalom 11-2
December 5 - Crafty Balboa 11-5 at the Broad Street Ministry
December 6 - Craft for a Cause
(The money raised goes to Citizens for a No-Kill Philadelphia so help the animals)
December 12 - Traveling Wares Show : Sugar Mom's 1-6
December 13 - Traveling Wares Show : Dirty Frank's 2-7
December 20 - Traveling Wares Show : Tattooed Mom's 1-6

I am really excited about all of these shows. I also, already know where my other vendor friends are going to be to catch up properly. After all that is the best part of the holidays to see friends. The upside of that is that I already know how rad the shows are going to be. I can't wait!