Jolie Mack: Jewelery Designer & Shutter Bug

From West to East: a ridiculous journey.

2011-11-09T07:16:00.011-08:00

Wow. It's been a awhile. Last post was 2008. My photography has changed since then, so has my geological location on my continent.

It was time to move I guess - although maybe I was a bit hasty. But Vancouver is nutty and just too much for me to handle (the commuting is unreal and the population is borderline parasitic.) so, we kept moving east in our research until we stopped in Fredericton: the beautiful river city that is the capital of New Brunswick. Never once growing up did I ever think I would live in Maritime Canada.

The business has evolved with better designs, organization, photography and an overall larger profile. The jewelery has held its own even without my complete focus. Retailers have come and gone but the right ones are still there and I love them. BC still has a nice selection and London, Ontario has an exclusive boutique as well. Now it's time to break into Fredericton and the eastern region. The locals here are wary, but with enough perseverance and belief in my skill, I think I'll win them over. :)

As my adventures roll on, I hope to post regularly and bring readers along on my journey through this "new land." I have dozens of photos to show you and the blog may become less focused on the jewelery and more so on my various creative endeavours, from personal photography to a new book concept. Stick around, would ya?

Jolie Mack Photo © 2011 Looking West from PEI.

Solstice

2008-10-03T09:54:00.005-07:00

Fall has arrived. Can you believe it? Summer flew by, even though I'm still waiting for my summer holiday. Kids were crazy, the cat escaped a couple of times, neighbours were throwing rocks at the squirrels (bad neighbours!), the house almost flooded due to copper thieves, and I think I found one or two more grey hairs.

As for the business, it's been good. I have attracted more retailers like Rubi & Kino (Gastown), Narcissist (Main St.) and nextdoorstyle.com. I finished my Sundays at Portobello West Market in Vancouver and had great success there. The jewelery was seen at a John Casablancas fashion show and was reviewed by String online magazine. Good stuff!

It's a tonne of work, all of this networking, and I find that I do more online work than actually creating the pieces I'm to be selling - it's kind of silly! But, if I don't keep up with Facebook, blogging, emails and networking events, I start falling out of the loop and we can't have that now can we! The branding of the jewelery is intense and when one is doing it by themselves, its even more involved. Hopefully I'm making the right decisions!

So, on to Autumn and it's adventures. It's time to watch the leaves fall, get out my mittens (I do so love mittens!) and start crocheting - not necessarily in that order, though (can you crochet in mittens?) Fall fashion is fun and comforting and I have been enjoying creating jewelery to compliment the browns, greys, winter whites and subdued blues and reds of the season. With Christmas on the way, I will be working with flashier crystal colours to mark the party season - oh boy! Keep your eyes on the website and the Facebook Group for new photos of the designs up for grabs over the next few months.

"Golden Gate" from the Limited Collection is a beautiful cultured pearl necklace that glitters with champagne Cubic Zirconias, perfect for that pretty cardigan or vintage blouse.

http://www.joliemack.com/

just...too..busy...

2008-07-16T00:09:00.003-07:00

...even for punctuation haven't had time to clean the cats litter much less blog...

Oh, ah, sigh. phew. I'm serious - the kids are out of school driving me mad, the hubby is working a tonne, family coming for visits, football games, gardening (damn slugs!), and dishes (arg!) Shipments are piling up and I'm behind! Anyone know how I feel?

Business has been good: new retail stores, fashion shows and Portobello West over these summer months (June, July, August) have kept the interest high and has been driving traffic to the website. The income that it's generating is allowing me to design new stuff and that's super motivating. However, it all takes so much time and if the slugs would just bugger off, I would have more of it.

However...

Check these out! I call them "Cathedral" in Capri Blue and they are dynamite (if I can toot my own horn here for a second!) I'm proud to call these earrings mine! Vintage Swarovski Crystal and Sterling Silver are perfectly balanced to create this masterpiece of art deco glory. And the blue is out of this world. As soon as the dishes are done I'm going to start on the Rose version - hopefully in time for the party in September: kids are back in school, those garden pests are starting to receed and the husband will be home more to wash the dishes. Yes! Life will be good again.

http://www.joliemack.com

Madge and Me!

2008-05-28T12:38:00.007-07:00

Okay, so we got up early on Saturday, May 24th and waited for the tickets to go on sale at 10am...

This is an event that I just knew we couldn't miss - my assistant Janis, my 7 year old daughter Elayna and I just have to go! - so I wrote the date in my planner, put an alarm and notification beep on my new fancy cell phone and had a "countdown" application on my Facebook page to remind me. Seriously, when are we EVER going to have another chance to see Madonna??

We readied the stations: three PC's and walkie talkies to communicate. We were cued in line for 5 tickets and the anticipation of getting through Ticketmaster.ca was palpable! The cat was frightened and the husband couldn't take all of the "nonsense." He wasn't going, apparently.

Some people think that the show might be a bit much for Layni (being 7 and all) but I say to hell with that! By the time she's able to choose concerts for herself, Madonna will be too old to Vogue and her pointy bras will most certainly be traded in for full support. This is Elayna's chance of a lifetime to experience this Icon that influenced so many moments of her Mom's life. Mommy (that's me) has been loving Madonna since she was 8.

The momentous moment came and we became part of the Lucky Star's to get a bank of tickets together!! Apparently, only 20 minutes after the tickets went on sale, there were only "singles" left; after 30 minutes there were pairs of floor tickets on Craig's List for a grand! 60,000 tickets sold out for the show at BC Place Stadium for her very first performance in good 'ol Vancouver.

Husband almost fainted when he asked how much I charged to the Visa; Husband assured me that, for that much money, he will most certainly be coming along and it better be good.

The concert is in October, right in the thick of the new Fall '08 designs. I think I might choose these (sneak peek for you there!) to compliment my corset and fishnets - and my whip. Holiday! Celebrate!

http://www.joliemack.com

Silly, but necessary!

2008-04-25T16:38:00.005-07:00

Vancouver Fashion Week was a nutty experience and I needed a lot of wine to get through it! Here is my very first interview and a little peek at the exciting event! stay tuned for more photos...

BTW: Scroll down to the product slide by Slide.com and click the speaker icon to turn off the music! Then you can hear what kind of cacaphony I am spewing on the interview. Keep in mind that I was scared, tipsy, and feeling a bit like the proverbial Deer-in-the-headlights!

Seedlings, bulbs and sales people.

2008-04-02T23:25:00.011-07:00

So this morning, I knew I had lots to do: brats to school, tidy the kitchen, go to the gym. (oh yeah, and phone different merchant services companies to find out just how much they will steal from me so I can accept credit cards at shows and sales...) Well, the kids got to school and the kitchen was squeaky clean, but of course, due to long winded sales people, my cardio got the short end of the stick. And so did my brain, after hours of crunching numbers and trying to comprehend how these expensive "solutions" are going to be my solutions. They don't make it easy, let me tell you.

Anyhoo, by noon I was done and looking at the sweet sunshine outside, decided it was time to tackle the garden! It was satisfaction pulling up the weeds (some were not weeds - but don't tell my Mom...) imagining that they were the sales people from earlier. Not really nice, no.

My daughter and I planted Iris and Crocus, Cosmos, Sweet Peas and Scarlet Runners. Nasturtiums are my favorite and we updated the herb garden with Silver Thyme and Summer Savory. She did a great job, especially when she would suddenly break into ballet and narrowly miss falling into the newly planted bed or make a sculpture using the garden path's decorative stones and in both cases giving me a heart attack and simultaneously reminding myself not to ask her to garden anymore...deep breath. Gardening is truly relaxing, isn't it? Well, I forgot about the merchant crap, anyways.

So we stayed out there with the fresh dirt, rock sculptures and a pot of tea until almost dark. We realized it was time to go in when we didn't hear the squirrels munching on the peanuts anymore. They called it quits and rightly so - it was getting so chilly that I could feel my earrings in my ears! (How do you like that segway, huh?)

..."Japanese Garden" from the 2008 Limited Collection is perfect for this and other earthy adventures, whether dirty or fashionable. The hand decaled Tensha beads are paired with beautiful Carnelian and dangle so pretty from 14mm Sterling Silver hoops. Plant these in your ears and you will bloom, my Friend.

http://www.joliemack.com/

Look and Listen - jewelry for all your senses.

2008-03-22T20:17:00.002-07:00

This slide thing is soooo neat! My stuff feels so famous presented this way. One day, I think - a girl can dream, right?

Sensual Seduction

2008-03-10T01:09:00.005-07:00

Once in awhile, a song will come out that I can listen to over and over and over and over...well, I've just found one and I have listened to it 6 times in row just now. Oh no wait, seven.

I am a cat person. I have a cat and couldn't live without him: Jake is fat, furry and purrs me to sleep. But there's one Dogg that I can't resist and that's the one and only, Snoop to the Double G. When he barks, I listen. Woof.

Although he has a hundred children from 10 women, needs to eat a sandwich and he smokes waaaaay too much of the "fun stuff," Snoop is dope. (repeat song, number 8...)

"Sensual Seduction" is right up my alley, bringing Snoop and a dance beat together, all wrapped up in a seventies gift box complete with guitar-keyboard and Rick James. Take a look, listen and tell me if this little groove doesn't get you tapping your pimp boots. (nine times...got the chorus down)

Because of the strong influence this song may have on my designing over the next couple of weeks, don't be surprised if a whole (11 times...I'm rapping the lyrics now) line of Sensual Seduction pieces will be released. Until then, if I were to lie around in the buff wearing nothing but nude and Snoops song, I would accessorize with the "Black Beauty" earrings from my spring Signature Collection. Carats of glossy, black Cubic Zirconias shimmer and put me in the mood for some Sensual Seduction, fo sho Shorty.

And there's a dance version!!!

Sensual seduction, whoa oh-whoa, Sensual Seduction... "All the time, anytime."

Peace out. http://www.joliemack.com/

Party at your house.

2008-03-03T12:41:00.008-08:00

To a large degree, I am very shy and I always have been. All my life, I have been labeled snobby and aloof when really, people and public events can scare the beads right out of me. And now, I find myself staring into the frightening abyss of a jewelery sales strategy that you people will likely find fun - the Home P-p-p-party (sounds so scary, doesn't it?)!!

Most women love to be the center of attention but I would rather blend into the wall. However, when one has giant hair (like me) it's a bit hard to squish up real tight against the wall paper, so forced to chat with others and stay relevant in conversations, I inwardly wring my hands together and nervously twitch my eye...what if I spit when I talk? What happens if I stutter? Am I actually interesting? Crap! I forgot her name. There is something in my teeth, I know it! How entertaining do I have to be? Will these ladies like my designs?... This party endeavour will not only be a sales challenge but even more so, a personal challenge. So Women! unbeknownst to you, as you are confidently shopping, having a glass of Chablis and enjoying the little shindig that you or a girlfriend has thrown, I will be gaining courage, confidence and peeing my pants, all thanks to your participation. Somebody pour me a drink!

Using fashion and jewelery as my saving grace, I find that adding a sparkling necklace or elegant earrings will always boost my confidence. High boots will do the trick, making me 5'11 (intimidation is key ;)) as will a pair of good fitting jeans and a bit of cleavage. Once the ensemble is put together and deodorant is applied, I can usually get through a bit of lively banter unscathed and even more so after some gin.

Appropriately named, "Riveting" from my Limited Collection, are light capturing Vintage Swarovski Crystal and Sterling Silver ear threads which could be there at one of these personal parties. I am certain that, if a lady is a shy as me at times, donning these earrings will add the confidence she'll need to be not only the centre but the life of the party.

If you are local, within British Columbia's Lower mainland, and would like more information on how to plan a Private Gallery, please email me and let's brainstorm some ideas!

http:www.joliemack.com

Getting Traffic.

2008-02-20T12:15:00.014-08:00

Living in the Vancouver area, sitting in traffic is a way of life. It's funny how commuters have adapted to the time spent sitting in their cars, using the time for phone calls, email, relaxing (I have a bath, myself) or even napping (hmm...) Personally, I will do everything I can to avoid traffic no matter how badly my children need something (is that bad?) Having a home-based business, such as my jewelery design endeavour, means that now I can choose when the best times are for appointments and errands versus an employer telling me, then having to race - in traffic - to meet their demand.

How ironic then that traffic has once again become a large part of my daily existence, only this time I annoyingly NEED the traffic. Web traffic, that is. And without hard work, web traffic is as scarce as cheap gas. I'm hoping that through blog sharing, word of mouth and a bit of your personal investment into this blog and business, meaningful site traffic will prevail! If anyone out there knows the best web highway to take that is jam packed with traffic bottlenecks, honk your horn!

"Traffic" Signature Collection 2008 happens to be one of my most prized designs. It's large, in charge and will amp up anyone's personal style. The 144 baby Swarovski crystals are suspended within loops of Sterling Silver and they glitter madly. Available in many colours, these earrings will keep anyone who is stuck in traffic occupied by offering numerous activities like, counting the crystals and/or loops, staring into the sparkles or repeatedly looking in your rearview mirror admiring how beautiful you look when you wear these.

http://www.joliemack.com