I've gone PRO!

So, you can now add 'Professional' in front of my Jewelry Designer title ;0) I am SO EXCITED to say that some of my JenLove Jewelry is currently selling at a local, high-end Vintage and Antique store in Virginia Beach! The boutique is called Vintage Revival and talk about the PERFECT place, right? I've recently had such a love for vintage style jewelry, it only made sense.

I walked into this boutique one day to do my usual Vintage shopping. If anyone's read the novel 'A Vintage Affair' by Isabel Wolff, I would imagine this is the closest I would get to Phoebe's Vintage Shop that she opened in Blackheath, London. It's crazy to think that my handmade jewelry is being sold in the same store that sells vintage items by Gucci, Halston, LV, YSL, Hermés and more! The clientele that comes through have a real appreciation for classic fashion and are not worried about the changing seasons and latest trends. That's me! For YEARS I've been thinking about what kind of boutique I would want my jewelry to be sold in, and I've found it.

I've been referred to other stores in the area in the past but they were all too trendy and not my jewelry style. I also felt like I didn't want to commit to a store unless I knew I had all the time in the world to consistently make jewelry when needed. One of the worse things you can do is get a store to carry your jewelry, then realize you don't have the time to keep up with season changes and their demand for newer styles that in the end, your jewelry ends up getting pulled out from their store! Looks bad on you as a designer and your name.

Now my goal as a Jewelry Designer since I've left nursing is right where I want it. I'm able to make jewelry at home on my own time. When I feel the need, I can go to Vintage Revival [or any future boutiques I may sell at in the future] and change or add pieces when I want. The few jewelry I have on my Etsy account are just more for show. I don't really depend on that site for sales, more for doing online transactions. I'm over the phase of pushing my jewelry on friends and family over that a loonngg time ago and now can just sit back and enjoy. Don't have to worry about all the work for applying for local vendor shows and setting up just to showcase my jewelry along millions of other designers. I always love being a spectator of those things but was never a fan of being part of them. I can focus on making jewelry for VR and when the itch comes.. have little Jewelry Parties or Shows on my own, with select people in mind and of course, my loyal JL customers. My jewelry at VR are currently being sold from $70-$180 a piece. It's been hard but I've done so good at not depreciating my work. Yeah.. you can say I'm living my dream right now.

These 2 photos below are from Vintage Revival's Facebook Page. Visit them and 'Like'!

Carved Rose Set

A popular set I've recently made with a combination of antique bronze with green and teal colors. The colors worked so well together and I love the filigree rose pendants.

Vintage Rehab

Here is the second necklace that is going through Rehab. The only part of this that I really loved were the light blue flower bead caps. I was trying to work with the ivory rock pearl-like beads, but in the end I couldn't find a place for them. I thought the colors were different and I liked it so I kept the color scheme the same. This is what I came up with.

I not only kept it a 2-strand necklace but also made a matching bracelet with it. I added turquoise circle beads and white pearls and light pink crystals. It looks fresher and but still has the same elements of the original. It was a fun re-design and I love how it turned out.

The Carved Rose set is currently being sold at Vintage Revival. I may also add this re-design set to the collection!

THE SKINNY: Taking GREAT Photos

I know we've been a victim of it all. The overuse of filters, blurry shots and taking pictures in the dark. Well, I'VE never taken any jewelry photos in the dark. I see too many horrible photos of jewelry out there. When I first started taking photos, they were pretty bad. Not taking shots in natural light. Using a bedroom light thinking it would make it look decent. Looking back at all of those photos, it's pretty embarrassing. Here are some tips I've came up with for taking better photos. Photos of your work is SO IMPORTANT. Jewelry is eye candy and if you don't shoot it right- it can make the jewelry look cheap and, let's just say.. not very pretty.

• ALWAYS use natural light. Photos show up crisper and less chance of having shadows (but not too much sun). It also gives you light without changing the colors of your jewelry.
• Stop using your phone for good quality photos. If you have a website where you're actually selling jewelry, you need to have great quality photos. Sending photos to friends is okay for using your phone camera, but not for showcasing your jewelry online. Yes, that means more work so don't be lazy. Well, you can be lazy but it will show!
• Experiment with different angles. I think always taking a picture the same way all of the time can get boring. It's always better to take photos with a slight angle. Try different styles and see what works. 
• Learn some basic Photoshop tricks. Learning how to edit whether it's cropping, brightening and re-sizing photos makes a huge difference. I was a graphic designer back in my days so I'm very familiar with editing many of my jewelry photos. Learning the basics is pretty easy so take some time to do that. You'll be surprised at the difference of your pictures with the before and after. 

Of course doing all of these things takes time but if you're putting money and any real effort in making jewelry then you need to take just as much energy showing it off. One of my biggest peeves are seeing bad photos of jewelry from people who just rush to get a picture out after a night of making jewelry [yes.. you can totally tell. It's very obvious]. So take your time and don't make immature decisions because customers notice and it can make the difference of making a sale or not.

NFL Themed Bracelets & New Treasures

I went vintage jewelry shopping this past weekend and found some great treasures! My first findings were a matching necklace and bracelet set. It's a beautiful ivory color and each bead is carved to look like a flower. I love every part of this set and don't worry- I won't be putting this through Vintage Rehab. The only thing I plan on doing is changing the clasp on the bracelet to something a little more secure. It's such a beautiful set!

As I was browsing the shelves of vintage accessories, my eyes stopped at the cutest pair of Disco Starburst earrings. I not only love the design, but the color is so fun and I had to buy these.

NFL Custom Charm Bracelets

So it all started with this Washington Redskins custom charm bracelet for Jackie. I've made sports themed bracelets before but this was the first time I made one for a NFL team. I use official NFL charms and add a little of that JenLove touch. The chain is sterling silver and I used burgundy and gold beads. Added DC in letter beads and white and clear beading to fill in the rest. This was such a fun bracelet to make and it opened doors for other football fans.

This New York Giants bracelet was made for Joy as a surprise birthday gift from her brother. I will point out that I am a NYG fan so I did have a little extra happiness inside of me while I made this one. Once again I used official NFL charms and added colors of the team and I decided to add a cute birthday cake charm just so she'll always remember this as a birthday gift. I also added my JenLove heart tag at the end. Made with love!

Here is a second New York Giants bracelet made for a fan who recently became a licensed CPA and will be given as a gift at her surprise party. I changed it up by using the pink NFL charms along with the team colors. 

I'm really liking the pink logos. I used ab beads to blend the pink and blue and added a little silver. Looks like I'm gonna have to make myself one before the football season starts again! 

If you're interested in having one made for yourself, please feel free to contact me. NFL themed custom charm bracelets range from $100-$130. Handmade and so much love put into it. Design and charms are entirely up to you, I just put it together! Thank you Jackie and Joel for giving me the opportunity to make these fun pieces. Ironic it happens to be a Redskins and Giants bracelet, yeah?  =)

The Skinny: What Does 'Custom' Really Mean?

I feel like I need to write (type) about this more for the buyers and customers than for other jewelry designers. I started off making custom bracelets when I first made jewelry so I have been making unique pieces for awhile. Now it seems that anyone making jewelry is calling almost every piece custom. Well, yeah technically it can be... but is it really?

Some people don't realize or appreciate the idea of handmade jewelry and I get that. My jewelry isn't for everyone and neither are the prices. One thing I ask when it comes to my charm bracelets is do you think you can walk into any store, mall or boutique and get a custom charm bracelet designed exactly how you want? If you do find one, I promise you it will cost hundreds more than mine. The more you customize anything whether it's jewelry, clothing, decor, etc. it will cost more. If you're paying for custom jewelry, you better hope that the jewelry designer isn't making anything else exactly like the one you're paying for. If not, it's not a custom piece and you shouldn't be paying extra money for it.

I've made many wonderful bracelets for my customers in the last couple of years. One thing I can say about them is that each of them were made with so much detail and great ideas and thoughts of each buyer, no one will ever find anything even close to it. Whether it was an anniversary gift, birthday surprise or just a sweet charm bracelet for a sister or daughter, each is original and made for that special person.

So as a customer don't let other designers fool you into getting more money or making you think they're making you jewelry that is really custom. Don't be afraid to ask them "How is this custom and what process goes into it?". Just keep this in mind when you're looking at other handmade jewelry and amazing artists who have a talent for really making great pieces. Hopefully you can also understand pricing a little more. There's nothing wrong with buying jewelry that's currently in style or the latest trend. Just do your research and if the price doesn't seem right, then don't buy it. If you are thinking about investing a lot of money and buying handmade jewelry, make sure it's something you're happy with. It's going to be something you or someone else will be wearing so as long as you put some real thought to it, you really can't go wrong.

Below is a perfect example of a custom piece I made for a enthusiastic Twilight fan. I've just added my section of Custom Charm Bracelets on my site, so to see more of my work visit

Custom Charm Bracelets

Happy Friday!

Welcome to the weekend! I have many custom charm bracelet requests I'll be working on the following month and I still have these 2 pieces of Vintage Jewelry that need to go through Rehab. More work to be seen and I will start to gradually show many of the charm bracelets and sets I've done but haven't posted yet. Happy Beading!!

Vintage Rehab: Royal Gold

My infatuation with Vintage Jewelry usually brings me to vintage shop weekly to some of my favorite local stores. I visited B Original in Virginia Beach and found some great vintage jewelry on sale that will be going through some Vintage Rehab! I'm excited for the 3 items I've bought and will soon transform. Here is one of them that I've already sent to Rehab.

I fell in LOVE with the chain. It's in perfect condition and style is classic. I knew I would have to change out the clasp and although I loved the white eccentric beads, I felt I wanted to change the style of how they hung. We definitely need to keep the beads to keep that 'vintage' style. 

So the next step is, what direction will I take? Do I want to just add to this original style? Should I add more chains and layers? Maybe I'll just link these beads up separately. Add some color? Leave the colors?

I started off by pretty much taking the whole things apart. As I said earlier, I'm in LOVE with the chain and I decided to clean it up a bit and add some shine by using a q-tip and dipping it into basic jewelry cleaner. I used the q-tip to clean in between the links. It wasn't covered in dirt or anything but I just wanted it to pop out a little more.

This is my idea. Linking up the original beads separately and figuring it out from there. Maybe I'll add a little pop of color. Here's how it turned out..

Now with a peak of deep blue, I've added small ceramic beads and an oversized clear crystal like pendant in the middle. It almost has a nautical feel to it. I used a toggle clasp in the end and made matching wire hoop earrings with the leftover beads from the original necklace. I've turned this piece into a modern set, adding pop of color and still keeping the original, classic look. Vintage Rehab a success!

I haven't decided if I will sell this or keep this set to myself (because I love it that much!). If you are interested, feel free to email me. I have more pieces of vintage jewelry that I'll revamp so check back weekly.

The Skinny: What is a Jewelry Designer?

I can go on and on (along with other fellow designers as well) about the definition of a jewelry designer. I consider being a 'jewelry designer' is making unique and original jewelry that is not mass-produced or available to the public. It's designing and making higher quality work and more for the individualist. Handmade. One-of-a-kind. I would say most of everything I make is 'art jewelry' because of the variety of materials I use. My pieces may have similar styles but are never duplicated. 

I don't think there's anything wrong with keeping up with trends and making jewelry that a thousand other people can easily make. We all have to start from somewhere, right? I also do not consider myself the best jewelry designer ever. I will say I've been making jewelry for over 4 years and that may not be long to others, but I am just NOW comfortable with giving myself the title of 'Jewelry Designer'. 

I have so much respect for real designers and artists out there who put so much time, money and quality into their work. Some people (clueless customers, wannabe designers) don't see the difference between a piece of jewelry that someone has put so much planning, thought and manual work into. Comparing it  to taking beads, putting them through a string, tying a knot and calling it a day. That is what makes the difference between calling yourself a jewelry designer and.. let's just say.. someone making jewelry. 

Just some thought. I'm sure I'm not alone in this. I use to be a Makeup Artist full-time and even to this day I may freelance occasionally. I had to deal with the same problem. It's frustrating to see customers who don't do the research or know any better than to spend money on a service or product from someone who just gives themselves a title from a hobby. 

But it's okay. In time the hard working and passionate ones will always stand out. I know in this world of social media it's so easy to give yourself titles and make your own blog, Facebook page and take photos of your 'work'. Most attempts of which I see fail to keep up with within 2 months of coming out. Just remember to keep doing your thing and stay focused because if you really love what you do, it will show. And if you're lucky, other people will love it too =)

Here are links and to some of of my favorite and inspiring jewelry designers.

Zinab Chahine

Emidesh

Kei'co

Aisa Marie Corrales

New Packaging. New Look. New Life.

Besides what's inside, what my customers love the most. Personalized ribbon, tags and boxes.

Hello there. I apologize for my longest absence EVER on the site. Totally uncalled for but let's get back to business. I've been one busy designer lately. Above photo you can see I've personalized my boxes and now have custom JL❤ ribbon that is the icing on the cake when it comes to my package & design. Replenished cards from Love Inspired and a whole new set of business cards that are ready to be sent out. 

Jewelry cards by Love Inspired Designs

My new and exciting addition to detail are these JL❤ heart shaped charm tags that I now attach to every custom charm bracelet and some selected jewelry pieces. These hearts have the word 'JenLove' engraved on it and are Sterling Silver. Just another detail showing that my jewelry is handmade with not just love but originality.

Photo above are new sequince bracelets that I've been recently getting into. Hand sewn myself and attached at the end are my heart charm tags. More details about these bracelets I'll post soon and will eventually be for sale.

Another photo of my heart charm tag attached to one of my favorite charm bracelets, Frence Memoire.

Not Just A Hobby Anymore

I've recently left the world of Nursing and VERY EXCITED to now have the time to be with my family, catch up with friends, travel with no worries and be a wife to my loving husband. Of course, I would of never of left if my inspiration for jewelry making wasn't taking over. It was only a matter of time and now I'm eager to expand and begin my new ideas. I'd say I was doing pretty well in the past considering I had another job and other projects going on, but yeah... now I guess I can officially give myself the title of a Jewelry Designer. Like the saying goes...

It's been awhile...

No excuse for my non existing posts lately. I've been busy putting together some new styles and doing my usual custom charm bracelet orders. The Holidays aren't exactly going to help much but I promise I will update this blog asap! Very excited to show you some new styles and what I have upcoming for 2013! Stay Tuned!!

One Last Bloom

Let's just say.. I'm in denial that summer's over. One Last Bloom charm bracelet & earring set is me just trying to keep flowers and butterflies alive before winter takes over. This pink and blue collection includes Marchesa Notte Organza Ruffle dress with bow, Matthew Williamson modal & cashmere blend scarf, gold bridal clutch inspired by Alexander McQueen, OPI limited edition Minni Mouse inspired nail polish, Mellow Yellow Ballerines, Cath Kidston Hampton Rose iPhone case and amber green suedette peep toe platform heels. 

I'm a huge fan of gold and color. I was always a silver chic but blending golds and bright colors is my favorite thing right now. Oversized charms of a butterfly, hummingbird and flowers. Pink and blue polymer clay flower beads, green pearls and light pink and tan crystal beads. Available for purchase at Etsy One Last Bloom

Bridal Party and Etsy Items Reduced!

In less than 2 weeks I have one of my close friends getting married and working on her bridal party jewelry. Very excited on working with Peacock colors and can't wait to show the jewelry when I'm done. I've also reduced some of my jewelry sets on Etsy so if you've had your eye on any previous work I've done, check out the site and you may get lucky! This week I should also be receiving my business cards and I've kept some classic pieces on and added some new ones. I use most of my custom charm bracelets requests as a photo on the cards so it's always a treat to show customers that I've used their design on my business cards!