Metalsgirl.com

For those of you out there who own your own business - what do you do to promote? In these economic times I am trying to be creative. I pride myself in putting out a product that is unique, well made, and affordable. I want people to be able to wear hand-made art without it breaking the bank. I want people to be able to choose hand-made instead of ponying up to the jewelry counter at WalMart. But people have to know you're out there before they can make that choice. So, got any tricks you'd like to share? I'm all ears.

Make it your own

Here's a little more info on the d I've been toying with for the past few weeks. I mentioned it in my last post, kind of a personal collection of words, colors, and meaning that each wearer might want. You can pick your words, your resin charms, and your semi precious stones in various sizes and colors.

Small semi-precious stones from pearls, to jade, to labadorite, to hemimorphite.

Medium semi-precious stones from lava rock, to faceted pear shaped pink jade, to citrine, to turquoise.

Large semi-precious stones from orange calcite, to ruby in fuschite, to turquoise, to leopard jasper, to big slabs of faceted blue quartz.

Look for these new necklaces (and bracelets) on a new Make Your Own page Metalsgirl.

Crave!

Several months ago I was contacted by someone putting together a book about Austin women business owners. The idea is part shopping guide /part women's empowerment hoo la la. I love the idea on several levels. Most important is the message - shop from the little guy not the big box store. Whether it's a man or a woman that owns the business I think we should all try to shop from the small business owners first. I for one am pretty anti Wal Mart. I simply will not go into a Wal Mart. The fact that Sam Walton's goal was to put all small, local business owners out of business is just disturbing. But I digress.

So, I am lucky enough to be one of the women featured in the Austin edition of Crave! It's pretty cool - each woman was photographed by local, female photographers (mine was the FABULOUS Casey Woods Maddeaux), we each answered questions about inspirations, favorite local hang outs, that kind of stuff. I for one am super excited to check out every one's thoughts and photos. I know I will be drawn to these crazy cool and local businesses.

If you aren't local I still think it would be a cool, inspiring book to have - and a great buy before a trip to Austin!! And there are other cities with Crave books - Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver are both out now...and one the way: San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Toronto, and AUSTIN! Look to buy the Austin version at http://www.metalsgirl.com/ very soon!