I have been so in love lately with chalkboard art. I think the Holiday West Elm catalog got me hooked! I think Dana Tanamachi is insanely talented. You can see her work on the February cover of Oprah magazine.
I was inspired to try it myself. I think I better keep practicing!
It will be a fun project for this cold, snowy, Minnesota weekend!
Whew! Where did December go? I can't believe it's January, let alone January 13th!
The first couple weeks of January I always go on an organizing kick, both at home and in the studio.
On the home front, my collection of plastic containers was overflowing. And I mean in a ridiculous way. They are like socks...I have a whole lot of mismatches and no idea where the other half is! This is just sad...and forgive the poor quality of the photo - I snapped it with my phone.
This is about the only time of year that the studio isn't a disaster. Usually the counter is overflowing with supplies, orders, paperwork, candy, diet Coke cans...you know, all the good stuff, right? I figured I better take advantage of it and take photos now!
The studio is divided into two spaces - the workroom and my office.
The workroom has long counters where we can spread out orders and have plenty of space to pack and ship. It's also home base for our production manager and office manager.
Vintage locker baskets high on shelves keep track of orders that are missing information or pieces.
We have lots of little bits and baubles that we keep hidden behind cabinet doors.
My office is usually overflowing with paperwork and samples, but right now it's all ready for 2012! I really need to get that "Only Speak Words" print framed - it's been on the shelf like that for 3 months. Funny how we overlook things like that until we see it in a picture!
Yep, there are a lot of photos of my kids around my office. They make me happy.
I have quotes, verses, inspiring sayings everywhere...
I love this vintage stainless steel thing-a-ma-gig that was used to hold orders in a diner. I use it to hold photos and other little snippets that inspire me. This was the front of a Boden catalogue from last fall. I loved how they personalized it just for me. So cute.
The tv isn't on in the studio very often...unless the kids are hanging around.
We have so many new designs that debuted earlier this week at the New York Accessories show. Watch for them to be online soon!
Happy weekend...
I love what I do. I love that these little baubles I make mean something to people. I love when they share their stories. It makes every long night worth every minute.
A few weeks ago I was shopping and noticed the sales person had on one of my necklaces...this one to be exact.
We visited for a little while and she said how much her necklace meant to her...she had bought it when shopping with her brother and he had helped her pick it out. A couple weeks after buying it he was killed in a car accident. She wears it almost every day in memory of him.
Stories like hers touch my heart and stay with me...every time I pack this little charm to send off to someone I think of her, and I am reminded again of how this business isn't just about earning a living.
Enjoy the little things today...
This Christmas shop locally and support small businesses.
90% of the stores that carry my jewelry are considered a small business, like me. I KNOW how important every sale is! Want to find a retailer near you? Shoot us an email with your zip code and we'll send you the name and address of a store in your neck of the woods where you can find our designs.
And for our wholesalers, we are offering a discounted immediate ship pre-pack for last minute holiday sales (or for January...as long as it's purchased in December you get the discount!). Call our wholesale team at Beth Bingham & Co. and they will hook you up!
No store near you? We've got you covered.
One of my favorite things to do to kick off the Christmas season is fill shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. It has become a tradition at our house and my kids love it as much as I do.
It is such a privilege and joy to be able to buy and pray for the children who will receive these. This year I was blessed to be able to share this with a class of 5th graders...we had so much fun organizing and packing the shoeboxes, and then praying for the children who will receive them.
We included cards that had a message of God's love for them, and each of the kids in my class prayed for the children that will receive the shoebox.
After we finished, we had fun with the camera (that involved me laying on the floor!):
Want to know more about Samaritan's Purse, the organization that sponsors OCC? Check out their website Samaritan's Purse. Not only do they sponsor OCC, they also have an awesome gift catalog where you can make a huge difference in someone's life for not a lot of money {$9 to feed a hungry baby for a week!}
Thanksgiving is coming. I'm blessed. I hope I never forget it.
Remember how I said I love Mondays? Fridays are pretty good too.
It's been a long week. Lots and lots of hours on the computer...it felt like a marathon ;)
November and December are my busiest months {no surprise there!} New designs, shipping orders for the holidays, shooting catalog photos, shipping samples to showrooms...throw in 3 busy elementary school kids and that pretty much makes for 1 very tired mama!
So how to refuel? Why good coffee of course! A triple shot peppermint mocha to be exact.
Throw in some good pizza {shrimp, spinach, tomatoes, and cream cheese topped with a ton of cheese} and you have a pretty good start to the weekend.
I love Mondays.
It's a fresh start to the week. A chance to get everything done that I didn't get done last week.
Don't get me wrong, I love weekends too...who doesn't?
This is a busy week for all of us at jennifer dahl designs. We are busy working on getting all the fun designs ready for our new website. We have tons of orders to ship. My kids have conferences and other activities that will keep me running.
Did you know we have tee's and belt buckles as well as jewelry? Yep. We do. They make great Christmas gifts. I can't believe I am saying Christmas already!
What do you love about Mondays?
We carve pumpkins every year. I'm not a master carver, but thankfully my kids don't care.
We have way too much candy at our house...and I don't have any willpower.
I think I'm going to donate it {shhhh...don't tell my kids}.
Picking costumes this year was a big deal. Olivia was sure she wanted to be The Mad Hatter, but the twins had a harder time deciding. {They chose to dress the same - I leave that entirely up to them.} Their uncle is the defensive coordinator for the NDSU Bison football team, so they went with Bison uniforms.
They went door to door around our small community and had a blast. I can't remember the weather ever being better.
Now if I could just stop eating all that candy...
I haven't been that good at blogging.
I think about it a lot...but that's all the further it gets.
But big changes are coming to jennifer dahl designs! So I need to be a better blogger.
We have so many new and fun things. I can't wait to show you!
AND...coming VERY soon...online sales! Here's a sneak peek of what's to come.
Look for our new and {improved} website to launch very soon!
I recently came across a Marilyn Monroe quote that seemed so poignant to me...
Everyone deserves to {SPARKLE} and {SHINE}.
New designs to come very shortly!!
