So I had made a lot of plans for the Miss New England Pageant. But the night before as I was packing and go through my inventory, making new last minute items everything just fell apart. The business cards and banner I had ordered never arrived. I don't know why I didn't look into things sooner. Turned out that my payment hadn't gone through. Color me surprised. I flew into a panic as I started checking my emails looking for something from the company telling me what happened. There was nothing. I only found out the payment never went through because they had sent me a tracking number when I had placed the order. I was so so angry.
The next morning I woke up with a full blown stomach virus. It was the day of the show!!! GAH! I woke up before the alarm and got violently sick. That's the shitty thing when you go through Cancer. My immune system is weak, so when I get sick it hits me hard and fast. I contacted Christine, the president of the organization that runs the pageants, and let her know that I wasn't coming.
So all that preparation and planning, promoting was wasted time. I had even created my Diva Inspired line JUST for the pageant.
Luckily Christina was kind enough to let me reschedule and come to the MISS ROYAL AMERICA pageant! It takes place the last weekend of April at the Bradley Airport Sheraton Hotel! A second chance!!! YAY!
I ordered NEW business cards and a banner. I have lots of inventory ready to go and am working on more (as always!) I am so excited to have this second opportunity to get it right!

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I am so excited! My first foray into selling at an event will be taking place this Sunday. Just a mere few days away! I will be selling my dainty jewels at the Miss New England Pageant in Windsor Connecticut. The Pageant will be held at the Sheraton Hotel inside of the Bradley Airport. Here is the website featuring some images form last year. Just click HERE
I am so excited! Did I say that already? Teehee.
So in getting ready for the show, I have started figuring out what I will and won't bring. My main focus is on rhinestone, crowns, princess stuff, things that seems like they would fit with a beauty pageant.
I started doing my table display. Here are some pictures of my "rough draft" table.



For the most part the final product for my display will look like this, except I'll have a small banner attached to the table and some business cards. So imagine those in there.

I'M soooooooo nervous and excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please give me some advice and ideas in the comments!

I recently started gaining a following on Facebook and Twitter. This is so exciting to me. People who really seem interested in my work, it blows my mind. So I thought how can I do something for people who are actual fans of my style and work. So I posted on Facebook and asked, what if I had a secret sale or give away for FB fans? Every Thursday? One person said sure, and I was off and running. (Sad, lol, I know!)

So thus begins my Thursday Secret Sale. It runs from midnight to midnight EST. It's open to anyone who is a Facebook fan of mine. ( http://www.facebook.com/JillianLyonsDesigns )Or a Twitter follower ( @JIanBoutique ). The way this works is you can go to my Etsy Shop or use the My Etsy Shop link on Facebook, buy and I'll give you the sale. For example,today my secret sale is buy one, get one half off. I will refund the difference via Paypal!

So what's my point? If you like me (and you should, I'm nice.) If you like my work, then you should Like my Facebook Fan Page, save yourself some money, get some great freebies and discounts. I want to do something nice for people who like what I do. Happy Thursday!

There are a lot of people out there who make jewelry. So when I decided this is what I wanted my focus to be on in my creating, I knew I was taking a chance. Jewelry designers on and off line are a dime a dozen. While everyone has different styles and prices it seems like you need a little something extra to set yourself apart. I spent a few weeks researching. I started following some of the top jewelry sellers on Etsy. How can I infuse my personality and creativity even more so into this business. I want my brand to be a reflection of who I am and what I love.

Hand made packaging. Hand stamped tags. Thank you cards I make and write something specificly to YOU in. When you receive an item from me, everything you get comes from me. I am putting all of myself into every detail. This is what I want people to see and remember when they come across my business or order from me.
You're paying for the best quality where everything down to the tag is handmade and unique.

I have always been good at beefing up resumes and shining during a job interview. I don't mean that in a toot your own horn kind of way. I have had a lot of experience as an employer and employee. This week I just landed myself a new job that I am super excited about. It got me thinking about people I love who have been having a tough time finding work. I literally just spent part of my evening helping my Mom learn how to attach a resume to an email. Over the summer I helped my Dad b y forwarding him job listings. A few weeks ago I even updated a resume for one of my managers.

So here is my advice to anyone job hunting, I hope it helps!
1) Over Do It From the Start! I mean it. If this is a job you are interested in then you need to be down right competitive about it. If there is an application, bring a resume, if it requires a call, make a follow up call. And if they don't respond, make them respond. Call, email and re apply. Persistence is key. The extra's show your attention to detail.
2) Dress to Impress. The worst thing you can do is go through all of that work and then walk in looking like you're next stop is the laundromat. Do it up right! Even if it is a cashier's job! No jeans, t-shirts, bar clothes, stretch pants, etc. At the minimum, dress pants and a button down shirt. If you don't own a good interview outfit, try Macy's. Their clearance items are usually for the season you are in and you can find some great things very cheap! Walmart carries a brand called George that also makes for great inexpensive interview wear.
3)Research! Be sure you know about the brand and business you'll be working for. Look for their website, reviews of the business and their product, and the product itself. Just about every business has a website and somewhere on that sight you will find some sort of About Us page.

Who are they and what do they stand for? Know what you are getting into. Be sure this is a business you'd be proud to work for.

4)Confidence and Enthusiasm. When you land that all important interview, confidence in yourself and enthusiasm for the job is so key. You have to believe that you are the right person for this job. If you doubt yourself, how can you possibly make anyone else think you can do the job? I always drink an energy drink and psych myself up before meeting with someone important. If you're excited, then they are excited. And more excited about hiring YOU.
5) Stay CALM. This is a tough one. Personally, I am a nervous person in general. So when I head into an interview I have to remind myself to fight my fears and stay calm and focused. How long can this take? It will be quick, and if they don't want me, then their loss. Getting a good night's sleep really helps! Try and think of this as a meeting and you are in control. Tough I know, but you can do it!
6) Interview Them Back. You are going to be spending like 50% or more of your time with the people at your potential new job. So bring a notebook and ask, ask, ask! Find out who they are. Doing this once got me a job I never thought I'd get. The manager was so impressed by my asking questions and writing down his answers that he called me and hired me as soon as I left the building.
7) Let Them Know You're Good! When you are interviewing, be open and honest. If you left your last job because you're manager sucked, tell them! There is nothing wrong with saying a job didn't fit your life or that you didn't like who you worked with. I left my current job because of health issues. In my interview for my new job, I said that. Well I got the job AND due to my health I can work this position from my home office.

Also, let them know you're a professional by following up your interview with an email to say thank you for their time and consideration of you. It's polite and extremely professional. Of course you're on top of things!

There was a point in my life where all I did was craft and work on making my business stronger and better. I was a full time artisan. Some weeks it was tough, living off a craft is certainly not what you do to be paid well. I tried my best but sometimes (most of the time)came up short. I was devoted. But suddenly I found myself getting tired all of the time. Sleeping more during the day, doing anything was becoming difficult. In October of 2010 the craft life stopped for me completely. I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

It completely knocked me back. I was moving along in life. I liked what I was doing and where I was going. This is me literally one month before I was diagnosed.
This is when I was living in a teensy apartment with three other people and working on my wedding favor paper goods business. It was physically taxing but I loved it and was getting somewhere.

Suddenly I am in the ER, I'm in pain, I'm nervous. They didn't know what was wrong with me. Two hours later I am quarrentined and being admitted. No one tells me what's wrong. A transfer to Yale and 24 hours later, a doctor explains to me that I have lung, breast and uterus cancer. What? Chemotherapy? I am drugged and spend my birthday in the hospital. My friends and family try to cope with me. My only joy is the cake of Scott Pilgrim that my awesome friend Sara at You've Been Cupcaked made.

So I do chemo. I lose my hair in 1 week. Here is me at my worst, before my eye brows fell out, then everything fell out.

I gave everything up when I heard the C word. My business, my life, my independence. My father took me to keep me in constant care. I had a nurse visit twice a week. My memory was shot. Talk about tough times! My only hope, the only thing that stopped me from crying at night was making little things. I would get up and knit for as long as I could. My kid sister modeled for me and became my crafty cheerleader. She always wanted me up and doing projects. That's how she knew I was feeling ok.

My friend Jenny strongly believes that art saves. And she is right. I yearned for a business again. To craft regularly. It was my motivation to stop feeling sorry and self loathed. Shut up and craft! Werk! And in the immortal words of RuPaul - how the hell you gonna love anybody else if you can't love yourself. My jewelry making today gives me that.
I guess this is my real story. The truth behind what I do and how it saves me from giving up. I'm not the best, never will be. But i will rival anyone on strength and passion!
Enough said.