The New Studio is Finished (well almost)

So the new studio is finally finished. On the outside that is. We will have to wait until spring to pour cement and finish the inside.

And lest you think the large area to the left of the photo is the studio, look a bit to the right. Yup, the small building with the windows is the studio.

But it's not that small. It's 1200 square feet. Lots of space for the office, shipping, and studio all in one space.

I'm so excited, I can't wait until late spring when we can move in. I know the rest of the staff is excited too. Alas, I don't think it'll be done in time for the Mother's Day orders to be made from here, but I'm good with that. I'd rather it take longer and have the perfect set up, than rush it and not have what I want. I do spend a lot of hours in the studio, so I want to love it as much as I love making jewelry.

The New Studio

The new studio is coming along quite nicely. The framing is up and tomorrow the steel arrives. The exterior will be finished within the next week or so. The interior will take a bit longer. We have to wait for temps above 50 for at least 3-4 days in order to pour the cement.
The studio will be 30 x 40 feet. It's attached to a larger building for storage, but it is fully self-contained.
I'm really looking forward to doing the interior in a bright and airy design. More pics to come. I know my staff will be thrilled to move in, even if they dread the move.

Gearing Up for the Holidays

This is the first year I've ever made image changes for the holidays. I'm having fun with the sites this year. I'll be adding new items as I have photos, and I have some great new ideas in the works.

I'm still working on the wholesale section of the site, but please if you are a store, don't hesitate to email or call. We welcome your inquiries.

I hope you are enjoying the changes as much as I am. I really enjoy working on the web site and trying to keep it changing and updated.

I even changed the home page logo to reflect the bright colors we represent.

I hope your holidays are happy and fun.

Jamie

Behind again on Blog Posts

Wow, I can't believe it's been two months since I last posted here. Craziness. A few changes here and there, but I've got to take a call from my wonderful publicist this afternoon, so I'll catch up later.

Have a great Halloween weekend.

Times are Changing

I've been working on new designs for weeks now. I'm not quite ready to give all the details and sneak peeks, but soon.

Also, we have updated completely to Jamie's Studio on our web site. I hate changing names in mid-stream, but Jamie Livingston Designs was always Jamie's Studio. That's the name I started with, and the only name that doesn't leave a bad taste in my mouth.

It's really too bad that some things end badly. But know this, ALL changes, whether sales reps, designs, web site, etc., are made so we can better serve our customers at all levels. When money becomes more important than my customers it's time to make changes and move on, and that's what 2010 has been about.

I'm sure you will love our new sales repping company, LBB Reps, because they are all about the customer. We will be showing at Beckman's West, and Seattle Gift with them this year. So excited. And, instead of waiting for you to come to them, Scot and his staff will come to you.

Really looking forward to new things, including a great new publicist for the later half of 2010 and into the future.

"Don't let yesterday take up too much of today. As today is a gift to be enjoyed."

All the best,

Jamie

Calling all Bloggers

Calling all bloggers who want to gain friends in the blogosphere and build links at the same time –  BC Bloggers 3 is now open.  To join just visit Mommy Diary, read the requirements, and fill out the Application Form.

Letting Go

Letting go of the past to claim a brilliant future can be difficult. It's so much easier for our brain to process the negative for some reason. But today we move past excuses.
"I am no longer a prisoner of my past—past regrets, earlier traumas, pain and suffering. I believe in miracles and a joy-filled future. I gain the courage to let go! I let go. Of everything. Period."

Remembering - Memorial Day

When I was a kid I saw photos of my dad in uniform. He was in the Navy during Vietnam. But his service and his military career was never spoken about in our house. Heck, I don't even think I understood that there was a war, and that my dad had been there. I was 25 before I ever heard my dad talk about serving. And he was talking to a boyfriend of mine who'd been in the Army.

That was just before Desert Storm in the early 90s. I was in college and sharing a house with 2 other girls. We lit candles and put them in the front window so all who drove by on our busy street could see we supported our troops.

Then in 2001 when we invaded Afganistan. I had trained all year to run a marathon in Ireland. It was for a cancer benefit. And on the last day of my major training (before tapering down my miles) I came back from a 20 mile run to find out about the war, and that our trip was cancelled. That was when I gave up running and started making beads.

In March of 2002, one of our former employees left the US for the first time in his life, to invade Iraq. At that time we tied huge yellow ribbons around our trees and made red, white and blue beads to send in packages to our troops. We wanted them to know they were loved, and that we remembered them. Thousands of beads were donated by 100s of beadmakers. It was awesome.

Back then, we never imagined our troops would still be in those foreign lands, fighting and dying for their country (or what their country asked of them).

I can't imagine anyone is pro-war, and if they are then shame on them. But as I write, I hope that all the soldiers who work for our country, and fight for what we so often take for granted, understand that we only hope the best for them, and want them back safe and sound. We also want there to be no more war, so they can come home to their families knowing they will never have to go back.

Freedom comes at a very high cost when there are those who resent our way of life. But you can guarantee that when they are in trouble and need help, they will turn to the US and our soldiers to help them.

God bless our military past and present, passed away and alive. And don't forget the military of other countries who sacrifice for freedom too, as they all work together to preserve what we call freedom.

The Official Start of Summer

Traditionally, this is the time when our business at the restaurant is hopping. But the jewelry business slows a little. Instead of helping out at the restaurant, I'll be working on getting ready for the trade shows coming up, and getting in line with a bunch of great new jewelry. I'm excited to have the time to actually to make real jewelry out of the sketches that I make all year. I always keep a notebook handy in case and idea comes my way.
The funny thing? So far business hasn't slowed for the jewelry, but that just means I'll need to find more time to design.

Credit Card Scam

New Credit Card Scam - Not Writing Related

This wasn't me, but I'm passing it along:
NEW SLICK CREDIT CARD SCAM
This really happens. I got the call on my work credit card after making a purchase online with Amazon.

Fortunately, I didn't give them the number. Instead, I called the Visa number and they cancelled my credit card on the spot and re-issued another one for me. Man they are getting slick!!! New Credit Card Scam Snopes.Com says this is true.To verify see this site: http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp <http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp>

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information,except the one piece they want. Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it...This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & Master Card Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.*

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from 'VISA', and I was called on Thursday from 'Master Card'.. The scam works like this: Caller: 'This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497..99 from a Marketing company based in ?'

When you say 'No', the caller continues with, 'Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?' You say 'yes'. The caller continues - 'I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800 -VISA) and ask for Security.' You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?'

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says, 'I need to verify you are in possession ofyour card'. He'll ask you to 'turn your card over and look for somenumbers'. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, 'That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?' After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, 'Don't hesitate to call back if you do, and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our card. Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account.

VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a 'Jason Richardson of Master Card' with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening.

Please pass this on to all your family, friends and neighbors.

By informing each other, we protect each other. Neighbors helping neighbors; always the best policy!

Another late night of revamping my web site and social networking sites. Crazy trying to give them all the same look and feel. I hope you like what you see, because this is the last time I'm doing this for awhile.
I've added new jewelry to the shopping area of my web site, and completely changed the look of both the retail and wholesale areas.
And I'm calling it a night.

It's all new!

We love new things. And here at Jamie's Studio we have a new Twitter page at www.twitter.com/jamiesstudio and of course a whole new blog look.
We are getting ready for a fun summer party with Twitter, the blog and Facebook. I can't wait to reveal the details.
Also we will be featuring a retail store that carries our jewelry. Each month we will introduce you to a new store. And give you a sneak peek at how they got started and what our jewelry looks like in their store. So stay tuned.

How Lucky I Am

It's not often that a person finds their passion in life at an early enough stage to enjoy it. And to be lucky enough to make money while pursuing that passion is even more rare. Me, I have both.
First, I love to write, and for several years I was paid to write articles for a crafts business magazine. And it paid well. I love writing, and I learned from the articles I wrote.
At the time I was writing, I was making glass beads and selling them at bead shows and on my web site. I used what I learned to move of from just making beads to making jewelry and selling at art shows. I had quite a following after a few years.Each December I'd get to spend a week in Chicago (one of my favorite cities), and go to the theatre at night and see my loyal customers in the day time. Yes, the show days were long, but I loved working directly with my customers.
Then I once again used the research I'd done for my articles to move my jewelry business in another direction. I now sell wholesale. But in selling wholesale I had to learn a whole new lifestyle. I'd never done production work, and I had to come up with my own market niche to stand out from all the other jewelry. And I did.
I used sales reps to show my line and pretty much just worked in my studio.
But in all things, we move on. And I missed the personal relationship with my customers. So I'm selling retail and wholesale, and I'm selling my line myself. I mean who else is going to know my line as well as I do? And who would have more passion? Not that sales reps don't try, but with 20-50+ lines to rep, how passionate can you be about one line?
I just have my line to be passionate about, and I am. I love what I do, and I hope to never lose that enthusiasm. I thought it was lost, as I was burning out. But I realize I wasn't burned out, I was left out. I wanted to be a part of everything, and I missed the interaction with customers.
This year we have 4-6 trade shows planned, and I'm really looking forward to meeting current and future customers. And I hope I can give something back, by helping my customers better sell my line and therefore better their bottom line.
It is with utter passion that I built and designed this current line of jewelry. And as an artist that loves to draw and paint, I'm hoping to find a way to add that passion in a new line someday. For now, I'm happy. I've never been happier. I'm so very lucky.

As 2010 comes around I'm reminded of things that kill us slowly. And one of those things is GREED. GREED is one of the seven deadly sins, and for a very good reason. Wanting money, a nice car and your dream house are the reason we work. And working for your money, profits, windfall is not greed, that is unless you prey on unsuspecting individuals or groups.
I want the American Dream too, but I'm not willing to grovel near the pits of hell to get it. And I believe people who prey on others for money, or fame, whatever, are doing just that. How can that person feel good about themselves, and do they even have any friends? Because if money, or prestige are the only things that are important, you'll sacrifice friendships, and possibly family to get there.
In my life I've worked hard, many hours each week, to get what I want. I've never preyed on the weak, or less fortunate. I'm the one who digs in my pocket for change to help someone out. I'm the one taking the hit in my pocketbook, so my customers don't have to. Though many don't even know it. Because in my life, I've only strived to be a good person, be a good business owner, and earn the money I make honestly.
I pity those who prey on others. It must be a lonely life when in the end all you have is your money to keep you company.
So remember in your daily life, and in business, do what's right. I mean do what's right for the other person, because KARMA is a very strong energy, and when it comes back to you, all will be good. When you go to sleep at night it will be with a clean soul. And in the end, not only will you have prosperity, you will have family and friends who love you. Really love you.
In my life, I'm lucky enough to have an abundance of friendship and love. And for me, as long as I treat others fair, that is more than enough.
When I go to sleep at night, I sleep well, knowing I lived well that day and didn't harm anyone by being greedy or unjust. I think that's why my business keeps growing, my customers are long term, and my friends and family are always there for me.
Live well my friends and do no harm. If not KARMA can be a bitch in the end.