Sharma Designs - Behind the Scenes of a Handmade Jewelry Business

A Few Pictures

I don't have many good pictures yet but here are 2 that turned out okay. As you can see it was not a traditional wedding. No veil or fancy Bridal dress for me (of course a fabulous necklace though). It was also freezing outside hence the heaters and me on the wrong side (only 1 heater was working). It was perfect though.

Oh and I have clear braces on so that's why my teeth look like they are extra huge. lol.

This is me getting ready:

And this is the 1st minute of the 2 minute ceremony:

More soon I promise!

Posted in Getting Personal_

I'm Back

You guys miss me? For those of you who don't know, I was getting married and honeymooning in Maui for the last week. We had a private ceremony in a friend's gorgeous backyard with our close friends and family last Friday and then we took of for Maui the next day.

Maui was gorgeous. Perfect weather and just so relaxing. I have a new coconut syrup addiction. We saw a ton of whales and even took a whale watching tour. It was amazing. We also did a lot of snorkeling and got to see some sea turtles up close and personal. I LOVE turtles. It's a bummer to come back to pouring rain. Hopefully, we will get to return sometime soon.

Don't forget that this Friday I will be doing the Bliss Show. Hopefully, I will be ready in time. With being gone and moving and all the fun that comes with that I am a little stressed right now but definitely looking forward to the show. Hope to see you there!!

I will post wedding pics as soon as I get a chance.

Posted in Getting Personal_

New Jewelry Again!

I am so in love with each and every one of these pieces! If you like the sky blue jasper necklaces then be sure to buy them right away. Those babies fly off the website!

More great news is that almost all the category descriptions are up! They are so great. Which Sharma girl am I? Well, this description is me to a tee:

You flip through fashion magazines and yawn. You don’t care what shoes Famous Actress #1 has on, or what skirt Famous Actress #2 just bought, because by tomorrow the streets will be filled with women who are wearing exactly the same thing.
What you’re all about is original style. It’s as unique as your fingerprint. Girlfriends say you’re fabulous and funky. Men say you’re confident and sexy. You know you’re all these things (and so much more!), because you’re just being you.

What section is it? Click here to find out

Posted in Jewelry Previews_

Category Descriptions

Mei-Lynn has come up with the cutest wording for my different necklace categories. I am having trouble trying to figure out the best way to display the descriptions, so in the meantime here is a sneak peek:

You might be a Stunning Stone girl if....

You’re fully aware that a girl’s best friend isn’t just diamonds (how limiting!), but it’s any pretty, shiny stone that makes you feel oh so pretty. Although the right stone dangling from your neck can make you look like a star, people discover quickly that the stones you wear aren’t the only things about you that are stunning. Everything about you radiates and shines – from your smile to the mischievous sparkle in your eye. You don’t just look like a star, you are a star.

How I Stay Motivated

I know I say it all the time but I am one busy lady. I have a very active 1 year old. I also have a part time job where I spend 25-30 hours a week. Sharma Designs takes up the rest of the work week and every other spare second.

I love to be busy but I must admit that occasionally I experience burnout. Some days I sit down to bead and my mind is blank. I call it beaders block. I can't design a pretty piece of jewelry to save my life. The color combinations aren't working or the wire keeps breaking. I know that this is when I need to focus my "Sharma time" elsewhere.

I will usually spend time doing business research or making little tweaks to my website. I also love to take a trip to the book store and look through fashion and design books or magazines. Basically, I take a break from the beads and focus on the other aspects of my business.

In a few days I am re-inspired and back to work designing.

I have just come through a mini burnout. I have been sick and just really tired and I think it was really wearing me out. I know I made a few pieces of jewelry last week but I have to admit that I really struggled more than necessary to make the pieces. I was just spent. I took the weekend off. I surfed some of my favorite websites and thumbed through some great magazines. I also spent time with my favorite people.

This week I feel back on track. I have been hard at work and honestly, have a ton of tasks on my plate this week but I feel energized and like I can take on the world. I made some really great pieces of jewelry tonight and I can't wait to get them up on the site.

I think you just have to know yourself and know when you need a physical or mental break. Fortunately, I do. I also really really love my business. I love maintaining the website, creating the jewelry, the photography, the networking, etc. I think that really helps too!

What do you do when you lose motivation?

Posted in Business Babble_