My logo and brand is being professionally designed by the wonderful and talented Amber Mabe, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with! Additionally, my new web site will be going live in the next 2 or 3 weeks. It will include a new blog and a self-contained shop, as well as all sorts of fun new information and photos. I’ll be focusing more in the future on craft shows and home parties, possibly extending to wholesale as time permits, but will definitely continue to offer online sales of my products through my personal website and through etsy.

I’ll be posting on this blog once more to announce the new website launch, and then Poiema Designs will be put to rest. I can’t wait to share all of these exciting new developments with you! I’m thrilled to bits about the new website and brand, and I know you’re going to love it, too.

We've come to a fork in the road.

As a new business, Poiema Designs has naturally gone through several large changes in the past few months. Many new ideas have been excitedly begun, and eventually scrapped in favor of much better ones, as we go through the learning process. And now it’s time for an even bigger change — Poiema Designs desperately needs to re-brand.

The name Poiema Designs was originally chosen in a fit of frustration and impatience. It’s hard to spell and harder to pronounce. It isn’t memorable or catchy. It doesn’t lend itself to personable branding. Worst of all, it doesn’t say much at all about who we are, or even what we offer. And all of these things were intentional, because it was never meant to be a permanent choice. It was intended as a sort of “practice name” which would give us room to grow, and under which we could begin our business and make plenty of mistakes before finally establishing ourselves. We needed to develop, to determine who we were really going to be. We needed a personality, a target market, and a mission. Now, we feel that we’ve found those things.

Our mission is to be the “little black dress” of accessories — those items that form the simple, elegant, sophisticated and attention-getting staples of every woman’s wardrobe. Our items should be able to accessorize every outfit — from jeans to a work suit, from a summer skirt to an evening gown — just as that ubiquitous “little black dress” is a fitting choice for almost any occasion. We aim for universal appeal, combining simplicity of design with plentiful opportunities for customization. We desire not to upstage every woman’s natural beauty, but instead to compliment it with clean lines, uncomplicated color schemes, and just the slightest touch of attitude. We are passionate about the details involved in our handcrafted pieces, and are committed to offering jewelry items that are constructed of only the highest quality, heirloom-worthy materials. These are the things that define us, and we need a business name that reflects who we are.

This is where you come in. As customers, friends, and family, you know best what names and ideas resonate with you. We want you to be personally involved in this process, to have “ownership” in a sense of the direction we choose to take. So, with that in mind, do you have any suggestions for suitable names? Personally, we’re leaning toward a name that revolves around the “little black dress” idea, but are having a hard time coming up with something that has the right feel. Perhaps you can help? Leave any suggestions and ideas in the comments section: we love and appreciate your feedback!

My wonderful husband took several hours out of his valuable vacation down time to build me a new storage unit:

Super Awesome Supply Storage

I’m in love with it! The top two shelves are tiered, and each hold 3 rows of the spice bottles I use to store my beads and gems. The lower shelf holds several foil tins (purchased at any grocery store) for storing works in progress, items that are finished but haven’t yet been photographed, items ready to ship, etc. Underneath the lower shelf hangs a simple dowel rod, on which i’ve hung a few sets of shower curtain rings. I put all my wire, chain, and findings in ziploc bags, label the bags in the upper left corner, punch a hole in the top middle, and hang each bag on a shower curtain ring. Ta-Daa!

Lovely tiered bottle storage

Currently, I’ve just got the bottles up there arranged in general sorts of “types”. My next project is to go through with a set of small sticky labels and label them all, and then arrange them in whatever way seems the most intuitive, perhaps alphabetically. The tiered effect was easily accomplished by simply attaching 3 large square lengths of wood to the top of the shelf. These bits even came pre-cut at home depot to exactly the length we needed!

Hanging bag system

The hanging system works great for things like chain, wire, and findings. I’ve organized my wire by metal and then hung it in order according to gauge, so i can always find what I need when I need it. You can even get different colored shower curtain hangers to differentiate between categories if you like. My husband simply added a small piece of scrap wood to the underside of the shelf on both sides and then screwed little hooks into the bottom of these pieces, allowing the rod to hang low enough to leave room for the shower curtain hangers.

Want to make one yourself? You’ll need the following:

• Wood Glue
• small hand saw
• screwdriver
• clamps
• 3 lengths of wood that are 2′ wide and 7″ deep
• about 8′ of railing
• 12′ of square dowels (we used ones about 1.5 inches square)
• 3 6″ brackets
• 2 screw-in hanging hooks
• 1 dowel rod (make sure the rod is the right size to fit in the hooks you’ve purchased)
• 1-4 sets of shower curtain hooks (depending on how many bags you think you’ll want to hang
• 5 6″ baking tin

Underneath this storage unit I’ve placed a nice storage bench that hides all my tools, so everything is in one convenient location and ready for me whenever I want to use it. It’s wonderfully easy to find what I need for each project, without having to pull out and sort through all sorts of things I don’t need in order to reach them. It’s fantastic!

What other storage solutions have you come up with to make your life easier? Post them in the comments so that we can all benefit from your ingenious tips and tricks!

Anyway, in celebration of the month of January (and its birthstone, which is Garnet), I’m offering you (and only you!) a special deal for the entire month!

Hammered Teardrop Earrings -- Gold and Garnet

JANUARY GARNET SALE! For the month of January, take 15% off every Garnet item in my shop! This includes custom items, so if you see something you like, order it with garnets to save big! Visit Poiema Designs’ shop now to take advantage of this great offer!

Here’s how it works: if you see something you like, contact me via etsy and mention this blog post. I’ll set up a custom listing for you to purchase the item at the discounted price.

Prasiolite and Copper Flower

Prasiolite and Copper Flower with Pearl

Any suggestions?

Hammered Teardrop Earrings in Gold and London Blue Topaz	This stunning version of my Hammered Teardrop earrings consists of 14k Gold-Fill components and incredible large London Blue Topaz briolettes. These stones are currently the “HOT”, popular item, and are very pricy and difficult to find.
Everyday Cuff in Gold and Peridot	The foundation of the Dress Up Jeans Collection is the Everyday Cuff — simple, streamlined, and gorgeous. It will go with almost anything, couldn’t be simpler to put on and take off, and won’t get in your way. Available in a variety of metals and gems, this example shows the Everyday Cuff in 14k Gold and Peridot. The Peridot rondelles are wire-wrapped in a simple, elegant pattern around a simple hammered gold cuff.
Chunky Dangle Bracelet in Gold and London Blue Topaz	This deluxe version of my Chunky Dangle Bracelet utilizes this seasons current “HOT” popular stone: London Blue Topaz. Pricy, sought after, and hard to find, these little stones definitely take this design to a new level! A gorgeous London Blue Topaz briolette, delicately wire-wrapped in 14k gold, hangs from a hammered 14k gold bangle. The bracelet fastens with a handcrafted and lovingly detailed fishhook clasp, allowing this piece to fit any wrist comfortably.

Alas, there’s no rest for the weary. I already have several items piled up awaiting their turn under the camera, so stay tuned for more of this giant rollout of new material. Phew!

I hesitated over whether or not to post this question yet. After all, I’ve only uploaded a tiny portion of my new pieces. I’ve got so many ideas and projects in progress — shouldn’t I wait until my friends, family, and customers can all see everything I’m currently developing before I ask them what’s missing?

The answer should probably be yes, but I’m impatient. And I can justify it by considering that if I need to alter course a little bit, or if there’s a great idea out there that I’ve not yet considered, then better that I know that now while it’s still so easy to adjust, right?

So, I put it to you: What would YOU like to see in my shop?

Is there a particular style you love that’s missing? I’m developing a few new collections: “Southern Charm” (involving lots of copper, pearls, and turquoise), “Celtic Love” (involving wire knotwork designs), and and one as-yet-unnamed collection (involving natural tones and leather cords). Do you have a suggestion for another one?

How about a specific piece of jewelry that I’ve not explored? Rings? Hair accessories? Anklets? I recently received a request to try making hair forks. Do you have other ideas for new items?

Is there a gem you’d like to see more (or less) of? My current favorites (among the stones I have in stock) are Prasiolite, Citrine, London Blue Topaz, Smoky Quartz, Peridot and Garnet. Do you really dislike one of those? Am I neglecting your favorite?

Consider materials: I’m planning a few pieces that integrate things like leather and silk ribbon into my work. Is there another material you’d like to see used?

What am I doing right? What am I doing wrong? What would YOU like to see in my shop? Click the link at the top of this post to toss in your two cents!

Of course, the process of taking, editing and uploading photos and writing product descriptions is a long and painful one, especially during this season when free time is such a rare commodity. I’m going as fast as I can, but while I’m at it I couldn’t resist giving my blog followers a bit of a sneak peek at what’s to come. I’ll be adding photos to this post as I go, so check back often for more tantalizing hints!

Everyday Cuff in Gold and Smoky Quartz	The foundation of the Dress Up Jeans Collection is the Everyday Cuff — simple, streamlined, and gorgeous. It will go with almost anything, couldn’t be simpler to put on and take off, and won’t get in your way. Available in a variety of metals and gems, this example shows the Everyday Cuff in Gold and Smoky Quartz. Matching hoop earrings also available!
Dainty Drop Earrings in Silver, Citrine, and London Blue Topaz	These Dainty Drop earrings are part of the Dainty collection — fun and feminine! This example shows the earrings in Silver, with cheerful faceted Citrine rondelles and large London Blue Topaz briolettes.
Dainty Dangle Earrings in Gold and Garnet	My new Dainty Dangle Earrings are made to match my Dainty Dangle Bracelet. This example shows the Dainty Dangle Earrings in Gold with tiny faceted Garnet rondelles. Deliciously rich color, and perfect for Christmas!
Chunky Dangle Bracelet in Silver and Citrine	Part of the Work and Play collection, this gorgeous wire-wrapped citrine briolette is suspended from a hammered silver bangle. The handmade clasp with detailed binding work allows this bracelet to fit any wrist comfortably. This design is available in a variety of metals and gemstones — leave a comment here on the blog or contact me through etsy to set up a custom listing!
Hammered Teardrop Earrings in Silver and Citrine	These stunning earrings feature rich, vibrant Citrine briolettes wire-wrapped and framed within hammered silver teardrops and hung from handcrafted french earwires. These little beauties have been oxidized and polished to bring out the warm glow of the silver and highlight the texture of the hammered metal. Part of a set! Matching pendant available. They also work wonderfully with the Chunky Dangle Bracelet in Silver and Citrine.
Hammered Teardrop Necklace in Silver and Citrine	This delicious necklace features a slightly larger Citrine briolette that has been wire-wrapped, framed within a hammered silver teardrop, and hung from a delicate oxidized sterling silver chain. The necklace fastens with a lovingly detailed sterling silver fishhook. All silver elements have been oxidized and polished to bring out the warm glow of the silver and highlight the texture of the hammered metal. Part of a set! Matching earrings available. This also works wonderfully with the Chunky Dangle Bracelet in Silver and Citrine.

To that end, I’m about to do a large redesign of my shop and inventory, and you, faithful blog followers, get a sneak preview! I’m really excited about this redesign — I think it’s going to make the selection in my shop less overwhelming, and help me streamline the creative process for myself. Behold, the new jewelry lines from Poiema Designs:

Work and Play Collection	Work and Play This collection is defined by chunky, organic metals, stunning gemstones, and clean lines. The simplicity of this line allows it to wear well with a suit during the day, then transform into the perfect companion for your little black dress at night.
Dainty Collection	Dainty This collection captures the essence of feminine beauty. The line features both cubic zirconia stones and other natural gems, arranged with understated elegance. A lot of sparkles, a lot of dangles, and a lot of girly fun!
Dress up Jeans Collection	Dress up Jeans This collection is designed to be your everyday wear, and adds just a touch of glamor to your ponytail and blue jeans. Minimalist is the key word here — nothing to get in your way as you carry out your daily tasks.
Sparkle Collection	Sparkles Already a prominent collection in my shop, the Sparkles line is getting it’s own spotlight. These pieces are unashamedly glamorous — huge, sparkly, and full of life. This statement collection will absolutely not go unnoticed!

As a part of this redesign, a lot of new items will also be appearing on the site. In my honest opinion, the pieces that are about to go up represent some of my very best work, and I’m thrilled to share them with you! So check back here and at the shop often for new goodies. I’m so excited about the direction Poiema Designs is taking, and I’m glad you’re along for the ride!