Happy 2011 Everyone!!

I've decided to post the rest of my Holiday requests after the New Years. I would love to dedicate this last post of the year to all my customers, businesses and major clients who have helped me succeed. Can you believe it hasn't even been a year since I've started? It's only been 9 months and up until 2 months ago, I was juggling making jewelry on the side, freelancing as a make-up artist while also finishing up Nursing School (which I have FINALLY finished!!). I've scrolled down and started to look back at all the custom charm bracelets I've made in this short amount of time and it's estimated over 55! That doesn't even include the other pieces of jewelry I've made. It makes me so happy and I even get a little emotional when I look back at all the work. I honestly never would of thought I've accomplish this much so far. Who knew all the years of working in retail, daydreaming about fashion and staying up late at night being a computer nerd trying to teach myself basic coding and a little graphic designing would all pay off someday?! Somehow all those things have helped me along the way. Strange, but believe me it does. I know I'm not the only person making jewelry out there, but I know I have proven to everyone else how hard I work on EACH piece of jewelry I make, the detailing I put in it and especially how much thought goes into each bracelet. I think there's a quote in a verse of a song I heard, "You gonna be hot for awhile, Imma be rich forever." Oh man, I definitely just quoted Kanye West (please don't hate me for that! haha). My point is I'm not just trying to do something that's "in" at the moment or finding a new hobbie. I'm here to stay and I know my work speaks for itself. A huge part of what my jewelry line has become are from the ideas of my customers. They always have so many great ideas and challenge me to the fullest. I would like to end this post with listing everyone who has helped me in 2010 and a photo of my boldest piece of the year. Thanks to Michele. THANK YOU everyone and I'm so excited for all the new things coming up for the New Years. I love you guys!!! I've also realized I've rambled all my thoughts and crazy words into one big paragraph so thank you for taking the time to read it! ;0)

Business

• DCPG Photography
• Miss Virginia USA
• Cousin Corporation of America
• Bra-Ha-Ha Organization of Hampton Roads
• Hampton Roads Magazine
• Relay for Life
• I.M.P.A.C.T. Athletes
• Honor & Remember
• Love Inspired

Social Icons

• Kim Iverson
• Aubrey Aquino
• DJ HeavyGrinder
• Sophia aka 'Fashionista804' Beauty Video Guru on Youtube

Designers

• Krystal Rae
• Michele Kirkpatrick

Although I have no limit to how far my work goes, I would like to give a special shout out to Hampton Roads and the people in this area who have helped me because this is where I currently live and where I want to make the most of an impact! I've had many small and big businesses help me locally and helped me get noticed! Also, to all 950+ fans on Facebook!!! 

All of these people and organizations who have helped me have official websites. If you would like to visit any of them, just find them under Labels on the right side of my page and click on their post and you should find a link to their site within the post. Thank you again everyone and I hope I didn't forget anybody!! Have a safe New Years with no regrets! Happy 2011!!!

My Version

The Original

Oscar de la Renta Pearl Bib Necklace priced at $1,150.

My gift to close friends and one to myself

The 2 bracelets above were made for gifts for Deedee and Hieu. I also made matching earrings. They both have that similar cluster style and I think they're perfect to wear with a dressy outfit or even a nice sweater and jeans. I kept it light and simple, but still added a little sparkle and pearl. The black & silver bracelet have these great glass beads with a gold and glitter design in it and the neutral bracelet have these flat circled ivory colored rock beads that kind of remind me of marble. These styles fit my friends perfectly!

My Gift to myself

So these last 8 months have been me making a lot of jewelry for other people. I realized looking at my collection I only have 1 true charm bracelet to myself! I decided I deserved my own matching bracelet and earring set and wanted to make a pair that went with most of my outfits. My wardrobe lately consist of mainly grey and blacks but if I'm not wearing that color combination, I'm wearing neutral browns. So I wanted a look to wear with both. I used a bronze and rustic like chain in combination with neutral, white pearls, grey and silver beads. I'm usually not into huge heart pendants, but when I saw this one I knew I had to make it into a bracelet. Maybe I'll make a matching necklace?

These are the matching earrings I made and I just love the antique look created by the earring hooks. I have long hair and I wanted these to stand out so I made them long with a little sparkle. Maybe this will open a window for more styles like this? I love my new set and can't wait to wear it! ;0)

My gift to myself!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!!

Program for the Miss Virginia USA 2011 Pageant 

This is the front cover of the program I received for the Miss Virginia USA 2011 Pageant that was held in Virginia Beach VA on November 6, 2010. Not only was JenLove Jewelry a proud sponsor, but it was also my second year working as a makeup artist for this event. This was such a busy and fun weekend and something I always look forward to yearly. I'm very thankful to Kim Johnson and Steven Reeves for helping me out and giving me this great opportunity. My jewelry line and site is currently listed on the official Miss Virginia USA website as a sponsor for the whole year!

JenLove Jewelry ad featured in the program book.

Happy Holidays

I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure this will be my last post before Christmas so I just wanted to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone and thank you for supporting me. I just finished up the last of my Christmas orders today and I've already received email requests for late Christmas orders that will go into the new year.  I leave you with some photos I took of my sister's Christmas tree. Everyone be safe and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Michele's Closet Catalogue Fall/Winter 2010 & More!

I'm almost done with all my Christmas orders but still have a growing list of requests beginning the New Years!! Above photo is Marisa's second request of pansies & orchids! A beautiful flower themed bracelet with an antique look. See full details in my Custom Charm Bracelet Requests. 

Dirty Santa!!

So Rachel is the lucky girl who received one of my charm bracelets as a Dirty Santa gift over the weekend. It was a bronze & rustic style with brass colored flower and bird charms surrounded by tan, dark brown and green beads. I never had the chance to take any close up photos of it but I have a great picture of her wearing it! 

Michele's Closet:

Fall/Winter 2010 Catalogue

Model: Margarita Karižskaja  Photographer: Marius of InfluEssence Studio

Here are just some of the GREAT photos that will be in Michele's Closet Fall/Winter Catalogue. If you recall, back in September I made her a  necklace to wear for her Fashion Show for her opening launch of accessories. She's doing big things in Germany and I wanted to share some great photos she's recently taken of some of her couture pieces with photographer Marius of InfluEssence Studio. *Note* The accessories are only for sale and not the clothing.

Models: Margarita Karižskaja & Thomas Reinert  Photographer: Marius of InfluEssence Studio

Models: Chris Ricks & Jacqueline Grubbs  Photographer: Marius of InfluEssence Studio 

I love these photos and her couture pieces are great! Hopefully you will see more projects of us working together soon. Her necklace is the most challenging piece I've made so far and I can't wait to make more. Congratulations Michele on your success and here's to a great 2011! 

Designer Michele Kirkpatrick of Michele's Closet with husband Lavor on the Red Carpet.
Necklace by JenLove♥ Jewelry.

Michele's Closet

Antonette's Fanciful Bracelet & Holiday Gift Cards by Love Inspired

Antonette's charm bracelet request. Arriving just in time for her birthday, this bracelet tells a story of an owl, an angel, a pair of lips, a lightning bolt and a baby dragon! A request for an array of colors that brought together a whimsical and artful look. See more details in my Custom Charm Bracelet Requests section.

Love Inspired

I worked together with Love Inspired designer Jerrhelyn Madridejos to come up with some designs for gift cards for my customers. She currently lives in Richmond, VA so all of our communication and ideas were through emails. I gave her one or two ideas and the rest was up to her. She came up with 5 different designs and even included my logo inside the cards. They all measure 2"x2" which will fit perfectly into my gift boxes. 

She has a great talent for crafting and her work goes well beyond gift cards! Check out her Etsy page to view her other designs that are ready for purchase. These are GREAT ideas for anyone else who is an artist, sells homemade crafts or yes, even the inspired jewelry designer! Of course it's also for the person who loves to add that extra touch to gifts and presents all year round. I've already sent out my cards with customers for the Holidays and I'm sure this isn't the last time you'll be hearing about Love Inspired Designs. THANK YOU again Jerrhelyn for these designs and I can't wait to see with what else she comes up with in the future. View her Etsy page to see her recent work!

Love Inspired on Etsy

Skulls, skulls, skulls!!

You really can't get enough of them! Here are photos of Crystal wearing her new 'Skully Blue' bracelet and pink & blue skull earrings. I admit- it looks great on her! 

I didn't intentionally make them thinking they were going to be worn together, but of course Crystal makes it work! These pieces fit her personality and unconventional, modish style. She always finds some way to pull it all together.

Now if you love this style, I do have one more left in the bracelet and a couple of skull earrings still for sale! All are on sale at My Etsy store along with other great styles. Visit the links below.

My Etsy Store

Skully Purple Bracelet

Great Changes for the New Year!!

So with the New Year coming, I feel like I need yes, another change. Make that CHANGES. Nothing too crazy but look out for more creative jewelry blogging and ideas, a new look to the site and there's still a big announcement about a new client I'll be making jewelry for coming on to 2011! I know that a major part of my success with this site is not only the content or the jewelry I make alone. I always have to keep up-to-date and keep my readers intrigued and always wanting to come back for more! I think I've done a good job in the last 7 months since I've published and it's only going to get better. I put so much work and detail into JenLove Jewelry, nothing's better than finding other people who adore jewelry just as much. I enjoy the emails from fans whether it's input, requests or a simple "I love your site and jewelry!". I have so many ideas and projects in mind and I CAN'T WAIT to share them with you.

Charm Bracelet Requests!!

This is a photo of one of Marissa's request. This is her daughter's bracelet with all of her favorite colors, hobbies and even a request for a purple hippo! A resin photo charm of her daughter completes the finishing touch to this bracelet. To see the full story, click on the link below.

Marissa Custom Charm Bracelet

It's not just for the Holidays

Hand painted boxes and homemade jewelry tags.

My jewelry tags have a new look! Set on a soft pink textured paper, simple black border and a very cute heart shaped punch out in the corner. I designed, printed and cut them out myself. They're more durable than the previous ones and they just go perfect with the pink & black boxes. Remember, all purchased jewelry is gift wrapped regardless if it's the Holidays or not. I'm really big about presentation and like I said before- it's just the little details that sets me apart from the rest! 

Cousin Corporation of America

I would like to thank Cousin Corporation of America for linking my site on their Facebook page yesterday and giving me a great shoutout and mentioning the gray pearl bib necklace I made for designer Michele Kirkpatrick with their products. I received fan emails and numerous visits on my site just from the shoutout alone! It took me by surprise and I just wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU and I still continue to use their great products with my jewelry. Add them on Facebook & take a look on their official Website. They always have great projects and helpful ideas for the creative jewelry designers out there!

Cousin Facebook Page

Cousin Corporation of America Website

Rustic Looks and More

Dusty Pearls and Gilded Blossom. I love these 2 bracelets I made last week. I've always been a fan of the rustic look when it comes to jewelry especially when combined with lots of pearls and a hint of color. The details in these styles include shiny and bronze colored charms, different shades of pearls, a little bling and one of my favorite parts of the bracelet- embellished brass stackable flowers. The antique look is very popular and also one of my favorites. You can find both of these items at my Etsy store.

Twisted Pink. A matching 2-strand bracelet and earring set. For the person who isn't afraid of color. I used purples, hot and soft pinks, black and silvers. A classic style that I like to use a lot with a slight twist to it!

Feeling Lucky!

Back when I made Aubrey Aquino's 'Lucky Charm' bracelet, I just thought of it as another themed bracelet but little did I know I'd be making 4 more in a similar style! Joanne really liked the Lucky Charm idea and wanted 4 made for her own and for gifts. It just shows that customers ideas are just as helpful for me than for others! 

DCPG Photo Charm Bracelet:

I've finished Jaime's charm bracelet that was part of a DCPG & JenLove Jewelry Promotion. A simple 3-strand bracelet with a photo of her son included.

Jaime's Charm Bracelet

Resin Rings & Custom Charm Bracelets:

I will be making those back orders of the customers who requested some styles of resin rings I made awhile ago. Custom Charm Bracelets are also ALWAYS in the works! I will have my own little workshop set up for the Holidays and getting everything done for my customers. 2010 is coming to an end but 2011 is going to bring in even better things and bigger news!!