Two Little Words

Thank You (Grazie Tanto)

Two little words but they mean everything to me today as I reflect on the past year and look forward to a new beginning in the next one.

One can never pay in gratitude; one can only pay “in kind” somewhere else in life.

Thank you for your kindness, advice, compliments, encouragement and respect. Thank you for your patronage and referrals.

Grazie Tanto….no matter in what language they are expressed, the words mean the same as I try to extend them with a full heart and excitement for what the new year will bring.

Best wishes for a Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. I wish I could reach out personally to all my family, friends and colleages to embrace you and extend my well wishes. Until we meet again in 2011, I send you all my best regards.

Ciao,
Anna

Holiday 2010 Trends

Most of us are out shopping for holiday gifts and/or festive clothing this month (or letting our fingers do the walking in Cyberspace). Here’s a brief summary of the hot jewelry trends for this season.

Classic
One trend that continues to stand the test of time is traditionally elegant styles. Pearls and rhinestones with an antique feel give an heirloom look to jewelry styles. Update the look with satin or velvet ribbon, or even lace embellishments. The vintage feel of this lady-like jewelry captures the nostalgia of holiday times past. Lady-like purses are all the rage right now and so is the classic jewelry look.

Edgy
Another hot trend this year brings a somewhat dark and mysterious element to jewelry. Multiple or messy chains, gunmetal components and objects with a slightly macabre feel are all popular choices. Talons, daggers, black lace and velvet give an air of Edgar Allan Poe-like intrigue to holiday designs. This trend might incorporate marcasite, black onyx, antiqued metals and blood red garnet.

Glamorous
A holiday party is a great excuse to layer fabulous oversized sparkling jewelry. Give special occasions a festive feeling with rhinestone brooches, shoulder duster earrings, cocktail rings and sparkly cuff bracelets to set you in the holiday mood. Think crystal and cubic zirconia in jewel tones and sequin and crystal sew-on embellishments for affordable elegance in eye-catching designs. I use Swarovski Crystals whenever I can in my holiday jewelry designs……nothing sparkles like these except Diamonds…..of course.

The sweetest things in life are free…….it’s the upkeep that is expensive.

Thick Hair and It's Benefits

Most of us find it difficult to name our best features or say what we like most about ourselves. I have always loved my thick hair. I often think that if I could, I would share some of it with all those poor souls that have thin, limp hair….like one of my favorite aunts.

I’m not bragging….just being thankful for having lots of hair and its thick texture. This week I found yet another reason why I’m thankful. It takes me a good 25-30 minutes to blow-dry all that hair. In those minutes that I’ve often cursed (who has an extra half hour to spend on their hair?), I discovered that I have some of my best ideas….both in a personal nature and business. Personally, I think about my chores for the day, or gift ideas for family members, or fun things I can do in my spare time (okay…not lately). Business-wise I come up with some great marketing ideas, strategies to try, ways I can help my customers, networking opportunities, new designs for my jewelry, jewelry-making classes I will take (okay….not lately).

I figure thinking about all the positive things in my life and making plans while I’m blow drying my hair is a lot safer than doing that while I’m driving and rushing to my next appointment. It’s also a good thing that I get totally immersed in my jewelry making, or who knows what crazy designs I’d come up with.

Followup about my last post - Customer Service

I've been so crazy busy (all good) that I never posted the outcome of my dilemma to speak up or not about my experience at the spa. Here's what happened. I had my meeting but didn't say anything because we met in an open area where employees would have heard the conversation. It just wasn't an appropriate time or place to let the owner know what happened and how I felt. I did get the business....yeah...and will be setting up there next week. If in the future the occasion arises to say something I might or I'll just have to let it go. Thanks again for your thoughts and opinions.

Venting about one of my Pet Peeves

I experienced a situation concerning one of my pet peeves this week and I really need to vent about it. I’d also love some feedback on how you think I should handle the situation.

I had the pleasure of hearing Kim Richmond of Richmond Marketing & Communications speak at my Women Owned Business Network meeting. The topic was “The Power of a Personal Brand.” I got a lot out of the presentation, but one of the biggest points she made was how your brand represents you personally. She spoke about defining your brand message and asked, “what are the things that make you unique?” Of course, I feel my jewelry designs are unique, and I strive to give my customers good value for their money, but the thing I’m most proud of is my excellent customer service. My pet peeve is not getting this excellent customer service when I’m the customer.

So….here's what happened. I had two treatments at one of the spas in my area. As I was checking out, the total for my services was $19 more than I expected. I had received a coupon in an email from the spa, but I didn’t bring it with me. I explained this to the gal and she said she was sorry but that I had to bring the coupon in to receive the discount. I told her that I hadn’t been told that when I made my appointment and that I didn’t remember the email stating that I needed to print the coupon and present it. I told her she could look and see that I was on their mailing list. She said she could see that I was but that they track the coupons. She was very sorry but she couldn’t give me the discount without the coupon.

I think coupons are great and I’ve used them myself as a marketing tool. Rules are rules, and policies serve a purpose, but you know what? Sometimes rules and policies can and should be broken. In this case, to satisfy a customer and make her happy, I know what I would have done. If one of my customers is not happy with a piece, they can return it for a refund or pick out another piece. If I get a customer order to design something and it’s just not perfect, I will go back and rework it until it’s perfect for that particular customer. I will do just about anything to make the customer happy and feel that I gave them excellent customer service.

I didn’t want to make a fuss, partly because that’s my personality (after all, it was only $19) but also because I had planned to ask to speak to the owner about selling my jewelry in her spa. So I paid the bill. I did meet the owner, and we have an appointment next week. Now I’m trying to decide if I should tell her about the coupon situation. Today, I was getting ready for another appointment and had to actually stop blow drying my hair and come vent about it by posting this on my blog. I guess I am more upset about it than I thought and that’s what pet peeves are all about. They are situations that just don’t sit right with you.

I need to go to my appointment but I will think about this some more before I make my decision. What do you think about it? Should I discuss this with the shop owner or just let it go? I would love to get your feedback.

Recycling gift cards

We should all try to be as "green" as possible. With gift certificate season approaching, I found this article on recycling plastic gift cards very relevant. If you get the chance, please read how you can recycle yours: http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/recycling/stories/recycling-plastic-gift-certificates

I'm Back from Italy

As some of you know, I've just returned from a trip to my hometown of Belmonte Mezzagno, Sicily. I had a wonderful time with my mother and oldest son, Michael. I've posted a photo journal on my facebook page if anyone is interested @ http:www.facebook.com/AnnaChinniciServati#!anna.servati.

It took me a while to get back on track with my Ciao Bella Mia Jewelry business.....that's always the case after an awesome trip, isn't it? Now, I'm heading into my busiest season.....my Fall Schedule is listed below. I hope to see past, present and future cutomers at these events.

If anyone is interested in hosting a homeshow, please contact me ASAP as my schedule is filling up quickly. I still have some prime dates to host a show and earn free jewelry.....and who doesn't love FREE?

October 9 – Nazareth Academy HS Craft Show, 4001 Grant Ave., Philadelphia; Sat 9am-4 pm

October 10 – Whitpain Parks & Rec 15th Annual Community Harvest Festival, (only if rained out on Sat, Oct 9); Wentz Run Park in Blue Bell, 11 am-5 pm

October 17 – Father Judge HS Fall Craft Fair, 3301 Solly Ave., Philadelphia; Sun 9:30 am-2:30 pm

October 30-November 28 – Victorian Boutique, 53 N. Main St, Telford, PA; Saturdays 10-5, Sundays 12-5, Mondays-Fridays 10-8, Closed Thanksgiving Day

November 6-7 – Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School Holiday Craft Fair, Doylestown PA; Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday 10 am-4 pm

November 10 - The Event (open house) at Barb Cooper’s, 403 E. State St., Doylestown,PA 7 pm-?

November 14 – St Rose of Lima Christmas Bazaar, 428 S. Main St., North Wales, PA; Sunday 8:30 am-2 pm

November 17 – Corpus Christi Holiday Shopping Extravaganza, 900 Sumneytown Pike; Wednesday 5:30 pm-9 pm

November 18 – Gwynedd Mercy Academy Shopping Night, Sumneytown Pike, 6-9 pm

November 19 – Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Christmas Shopping Night; Upper State Rd, Montgomeryville, PA; Friday 7-10 pm

December 5 – La Salle High School Christmas Shopping Spectacular, 8605 Cheltenham Ave, Glenside, PA; Sunday 12-5 pm

Let's talk Shoes.....My Favorite Subject

With the Fall season just around the corner, shoes go from colorful to nude, edgy to Ladylike. Pointy-toe heels are still around although I've never been a big fan. Although I used to love the 3 inch heels, these days I prefer the shorter kitten heel.....much easier to walk in at my age. While shopping for shoes last week, I noticed that strappy is in high fashion along with platforms for extra comfort. The short booty is still around....I'm happy to see...along with higher boots that have buckles or other hardware for a tougher, edgy look. Nude hues complement the earthtone clothing colors of the Fall season along with black and grey. I'm leaving for a two week trip to Italy next week. I can't wait to see the Italian shoe fashions. I don't think I've ever gone to Italy without buying at least one pair of shoes.....I'll report my findings and spending at the end of the month, when I get back. Ciao

Clickjacking Problems on Facebook

Facebook has recently won a court case against some hackers from what's called a "clickjacking" virus. It has come from several directions...Those notifications you get about a video or the flirting pages you get redirected to is the virus. The virus downloads into your Temp files when you open a window. So be careful not to click on the "like" buttons for those adds to the right on FB for now until it is resolved. Since the win for Facebook, the hackers have been all out full force trying to "clickjack" computers. You can read more about it on blog sites such as PCWorld, Social Media Examiner, and Mashable. I know people are blaming FB but it's not them causing the mess.

I met with one of my great customers yesterday. I actually met her when I was having a test done at the hospital last year and now we have become friends. She bought some pieces to give as gifts and treated herself to a new bracelet. While we were chatting, she mentioned that she didn't think she could wear big, bold jewelry pieces (she's a tiny, petite thing). I told her that I used to feel that way too until I realized that you don't need to be of a particular physical stature to wear bigger statement pieces. You just need the right attitude and a smile, because people will turn to admire the eye-catcher you are wearing. When I started wearing bigger pieces, I found that people started complimenting me on them and now I feel more confident when I wear them. As long as there is a sense of balance and proportion (length is very important) then you can enjoy the big bold pieces that are so popular right now. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Garnet is the official birthstone of January.

The deep, glossy red color of garnet resembles the juicy seeds of a pomegranate, which is perhaps why its name is derived from the Latin word for pomegranate seeds, granatum. In Greek mythology, a pomegranate was often given as a gift of passion and associated with eternal love. In ancient history, travelers wore garnet gemstones because they were believed to light up the night and provide protection from nightmares and accidents.

In the middle ages, garnet was commonly believed to guard against poison. Royals would often drop a garnet gemstone into a glass of wine to ensure they were not poisoned to death. Garnets were also worn by the crusaders as an aid to safely find their way home. Eastern European folktales speak of garnets being worn around the neck to guard against night-wandering vampires.

Garnets were also used in burial jewelry and carved signet rings to proclaim royalty during the Bronze Age (300 BC).

Garnet symbolizes a quick return to a separated love, fertility and feminine life force. Legend states that Hades gifted a pomegranate to Persephone before she left his domain to ensure a speedy and safe return. When she did return, the fruit transformed into a handful of the red gemstones.

A garnet stone is often gifted to a loved one before they embark on travel. Garnets are commonly believed to aid in the healing of broken bonds of love. Garnets are also known to aid in the treatment of melancholy and depression by acting as a heart and blood stimulant.

Garnet is thought to be extremely beneficial in the realm of business. The stone can attract people to the wearer, which can help provide personal and business success. It is especially beneficial to people wanting to start home businesses.

Garnets are found in metamorphic and igneous rocks. They form under extremely high temperatures and pressure. Garnet deposits are found in Africa, India, Russia, South America, Madagascar, Pakistan and the United States.

Clean garnet stones with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Rinse the stone well after washing it. Ultrasonic treatments may be used for most garnets, except the demantoid variety. Steam cleaning garnets may cause color changes from the heat.

Protect garnet from sharp blows, extreme temperature changes and harsh chemicals.