Trunk Show at Little Luxuries!

Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island will be hosting a trunk show feauturing jewelry by Just So! In addition to the line of Lilac Turtle pieces we design exclusively for Little Luxuries, a wide range of our popular Victorian*Charms designs will be on hand. Stop by and say "hello" to Nicole, the inspired owner and founder of Little Luxuries. Their site is at: www.LittleLuxuriesofMackinac.com.

A perfect Labor Day weekend destination!

Lilac Turtles at Little Luxuries

For the 2011 season, Just So! designed an exclusive jewelry collection for Little Luxuries on Mackinac Island. Little Luxuries is a wonderful boutique focusing on charming handmade and specialty items. Our line for Little Luxuries is called "The Lilac Turtle" and is named both for Mackinac Island's annual Lilac Festival as well as the Native American name for the island (which means "Great Turtle," a reference to the Island's shape). Shown here are sterling silver charm necklaces created from impressions of a rustic Latin American wax seal featuring a sea turtle. These large charms are accented with oval freshwater pearls and hung on Italian-made black leather cords. Handmade in Michigan with elements from around the world, these wear-with-anything necklaces are a mix of old and new with special Island meaning!

Gold Seals

Pictured here are two of my favorite Victorian Charm designs in 14K gold. The Forget-Me-Not charm is shown on the right with a pearl accent. My favorite design of all is the Philosophy charm. The large Philosophy charm is shown on the right with a .20 diamond bezel-set accent and a beautiful open link gold chain. It's a privilege to work with the wonderful 19th century wax letter seals and transform them into designs that are fresh and meaningful for today!

In the News: Editor's Choice!

I have a subscription to Gift Shop magazine (a trade magazine aimed at small retailers and boutiques). Imagine my surprise last week when browsing the new issue and seeing THIS photo! In an editorial piece on the trend in charm jewelry, Victorian*Charms from Just So! were featured along side two other jewelry lines I admire: Waxing Poetic and Grandmother's Buttons. We had no inkling at all that Just So! had been selected for this article. We are grateful to be chosen along side these wonderful national jewelry lines .... and for the wonderful wave of wholeseale requests that had starting coming in a faster-than-usual pace. Mystery solved ... and what a nice surprise!

Kathleen's Cookies: Impeccable Cookies and Giftware

On December 12th, Kathleen's Cookies celebrated its Grand Opening. This beautiful European cookie boutique is destined for great things. Kathleen McKay, the dazzling owner, is pictured here in her lovely store front and in the commercial kitchen (with me and my son, J.P.). The charming cookie boutique features a chic giftware selection, in an aptly named area of the store called "Let's Dish."

Kathleen's Cookies got it start as a internet store (http://www.kathleens-cookies.com/) and successful corporate gifting business. Kathleen was a participant in the FastTrac entrepreneurship course (a wonderful program offered through the Kauffman Foundation and the MI-SBTDC). I thoroughly enjoyed the invitation to be a business coach in the FastTrac program this year and, especially, meeting Kathleen (a real dynamo) and the truly amazing group of up-and-coming entrepreneurs in the Livingston County area.

Extending Our Stay on Mackinac Island!

Our Victorian*Charms trunk show has been extended through mid-September at Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island.

Located on Main Street by the Lilac Hotel, this treasure of a boutique provides a truly charming experience, with its focus on quality, handmade, natural and artisanal items for the home and for gifts.

Now at Auriel!

We are proud to announce that Victorian*Charms are now available at Auriel Fine Jewelers in South Lyon, MI. Visit Auriel and jeweler J. Joseph Repanshek for our most popular designs as well as Joe's breathtaking custom work in gold, diamonds and platinum.

For more information and hours contact:

AURIEL
108 North Lafayette Street
South Lyon, MI 48178-1929
Phone: (248) 446-0408