Summer is here, and we’re so excited for what’s to come. June was a busy month for us in the Valley as Jillian has officially made the move to the quaint Borough of Naugatuck, Connecticut! July currently has us adjusting to a new home office space that has a home for all three JLD brands. Aside from the move, business has been booming!

Jillian Lyons Designs has now become it’s own separate entity, working exclusively with small businesses of all sizes, helping them to market, brand and build their social media presence. We are pleased to announce our newest member of the Jillian Lyons Designs team, Ashley Taylor. As our Administrative Specialist she works hard on helping to create our marketing, posting to our social media, and helping to keep our office up to speed and our deadlines met. She possesses a great interest in both vintage and contemporary fashion as well as blogging. We look forward to seeing what creativity she brings to JLD and it's sister brands, Valley Vintage and The Red Queen.

We have also recently teamed with the film Aaron’s Light, a film about one Autistic man’s journey to reach his dreams, all the way to Yale University. Donations are currently being accepted for this groundbreaking movie that will be filmed entirely at Yale. Please consider making a donation to this film, we strongly feel it will make a difference for people with disabilities.

Valley Vintage is pleased to announce that last year’s beloved Summer sale is back! That’s right -- The Magical Summer Sale -- from July 18th, until August 15th, 2016, save 40% on all festival wear, denim, groovy 60s fashions and summer inventory! Continue to check ValleyVintageLLC.etsy.com regularly for updates. Find some of your favorite Vintage Summer pieces now! We will be featuring new inventory daily during our sale.

Our newest brand, The Red Queen, has now officially started to feature its latest products at The Mad Hatter & Co. shop in Bennett Square at 41-D Main Street South in Southbury, Connecticut! Our latest items are brought to you by Mystic Knotwork, Designer Dwellings, The Red Queen brand and more to come! Be sure to keep checking out our Facebook page for updates and new items and local brands available through The Red Queen! We’re so excited and hope that you are too!

All of us from the Valley thank you for your loyalty, support, and your business. If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to email Jillian directly at JIanBoutique@gmail.com for more information.

Have a wonderful Summer!
-- The Jillian Lyons Designs Family

No, I don’t want no scrubs – a scrub is a kinda guy that can’t get no love from me. Hanging out of the passenger side of his best friend’s ride, tryin’ to holla at me! Remember that song? You probably do, since it was on the top of the charts for four weeks straight! Released in the mid-90’s, hip-hop group TLC’s single – No Scrubs – has been streaming through radio stations for twenty full years. So in celebration of their success, let’s journey back to the 90’s and see how T-Boz, Left Eye, and Chilli redefined fashion of their reign’s decade!


Back in the early 1990’s when the group first formed, trends were already beginning to rapidly change. Flashy prints from 1980’s no longer existed, and people began filling up their wardrobes with flannel shirts and ripped up jeans. It was all about the grunge, punk-rock look inspired by singers like Kurt Cobain and fellow Seattle rock gods. But with heavy influence from the hip-hop and rap music industry, artists like Destiny’s Child and Snoop Dog pushed for hip-hop outfit trends that TLC heavily influenced later on. TLC was known for drastic, bright block print colors, baggy pants, over sized t-shirts, and denim, denim, denim. Every appearance of the trio sparked controversy as their styles constantly changed, yet stayed coordinated with one another. So let’s take a look at what they brought to the table.

Valley Vintage has begun thriving as a business. With our official one year anniversary as a business happening this month, I have no doubts that VVLLC will continue to grow and be something I will continue to love curating and running.

Jillian Lyons Designs on the other hand, has had a very troublesome year. Sales had progressively gone down. On top of this I had burned myself out last year from crafting. I took a break for a while. I had very little inspiration or drive. I think this is something many artists go through at one time or another. To make matters worse, I hurt my arm and wrist for a prolonged period of time at the height of the Holiday season. When 2015 rolled around, my precious JLD started to feel like it was dead in the water. I toyed with the idea of closing it. Putting all my eggs in the vintage basket seemed like what would eventually happen. But it hurt me deeply to have to publicly say my inspiration is gone and so is JLD.

Then Marissa at Sassy Mouth Photography tapped me to use some of my angel wings in a Victoria Secret inspired series of photo shoots. As I said in a previous post, I HAD to say yes. She was practically magical! I admired her work. So off I went.

Seeing her finished images moved me. I was finally ready to make wings again! The flood gates opened and I started creating. I also started posting new items to Jillian Lyons Designs for the first time in a year. It felt so good. Like an awakening of my authentic self.

Soon enough offers came my way. PopUp55 offered us the use of their wonderful pop up shop space for a 2 week run with a Spring theme. Assuming they meant Valley Vintage I started curating bright Spring colors in my mind. Then a surprise. Elinor Slomba, my contact at PopUp55 and New Haven's Project Storefronts said no. She was actually looking for Jillian Lyons Designs to bring in the Spring. I was surprised, nervous, worried. Even though I had new product, I wasn't sure if JLD was enough for the PopUp55 shop. or it's New Haven customers. I negotiated for both vintage clothing and my costumey accessories to have a presence there. Elnor said ok, but let's say Jillian Lyons Designs @ PopUp55.



So that brings us to the present. I have just wrapped up my two week long pop up shop event. What I learned from this, is that people liked Jillian Lyons Designs. I sold both old and new products. The things I felt weren't my strengths did just as well as the things I thought were shoe ins. AND the vintage clothes weren't the huge success I expected them to be. They did EQUAL business.

I learned many valuable lessons about working with a staff, what works for me in person versus online, how to better market myself in all respects. I learned so much that the powers that be from PopUp55 / Project Storefronts have invited me to share my experience and Etsy marketing tips at a workshop. So on April 23rd I will be at The Haven Collective giving a little talk about all of these things. This is happening from 7:30 - 9pm at 938 State Street New Haven. You can find more info HERE.

In my next post I'll be adding some of the gorgeous shots from our Pop Up Photo Shoot on the streets of NHV! For now you can find a few in the I Love New Haven blog, courtesy of Mr. Chris Randall.

You know what never ceases to amaze me? The small business brands that come alive in and around New Haven. I think the area attracts the best and brightest of Connecticut to come and share their passion. It's pretty fantastic.

The Haven Collective hosted a 3 hour event to welcome just such a brand, Cinder + Salt. Owner / designer Rachel DeCavage creates low impact printed t-shirts, ties and totes with unique graphics and slogans. I was drawn to a tote that had Makin' Moves emblazoned on it in hot pink lettering. I couldn't resist!



Cinder + Salt with Vintanthromodern Vintage create a unique marriage in The Haven Collective. The main focus has been put back on vintage clothing. But Cinder + Salt sprinkle in modern appeal with color and vibrancy. It also lends more men's oriented products to The Haven Collective's inventory. These skinny ties for example are ridiculously cool. Look at the spaceman! Love!




So if you happen to be in the New Haven area or are  looking for some new duds, hit up The Haven Collective! You're bound to find something with such diverse pickings in a trendy boutique setting.

I am convinced, if Andy Warhol were alive today he would have not only loved, but like INVENTED Instagram. It's the ultimate most self serving form of Pop Art. Instantaneous gratification. Play by plays of the Factory. Constant modern art uploads by Warhol. Andygram could have been amazing.

I recently went through a creative rut. I started focusing on my newly formed Valley Vintage business and spending time building it. But in that time my little personal bank of ideas was just empty. With Halloween on it's way, one of my very favorite times of year, I felt like I needed to do something to motivate myself. Jillian Lyons Designs was kind of depending on it. So I decided to challenge myself to use the awesome power of Instagram and post a picture a day, every day, no exception. It's been 9 days so far. Doing a picture a day has forced me to get off my ass and make art in some way. I'll tell you, the flood gate of ideas is open and flowing.

It's been amazing so far! No matter where I am, if it pops in my head I pull items together and make it happen. It's also forced me to use things around me to make these things happen. Things I've made. Stuff around the house. Random things around me. It's forced me to get out more into the world when I want to do something more nature involved. Creative on the quick! I highly recommend it.

So in less then 2 weeks. My own Andygram (Jillygram?) has snowballed into the creation of two photo collections I am hoping to create prints from. 1) Dia de los Muertes which feature Dick Dangers & myself modeling masks I made. I am hoping to create a story from these images. And 2) Valley of the Dolls, which will feature me (again!) and hopefully other friends, fam or models, recreating famous images and scenes from my all time favorite book and camp classic flick - Valley of the Dolls!

Some exclusive images just for the blog from my Insta-shoots are below. You can see my actual Instagram feed here. I'm also using #apictureaday as well! Follow me to see my new image each day. My goal is to do it for a month. (Maybe even pushing it further to do it for an entire year!)

Antonioni's 1966 BLOW UP

Made in Bridgeport is located at 1001-2 Main Street in Bridgeport inside of the Bridgeport Marketplace. New stores are cropping up as well! Go take a gander.
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Brought to you by me! Jillian Lyons Designs!

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!

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 been in this ridiculous cycle with my phone company to try and get my phone fixed. While visiting the store I began day dreaming about being in other stores. Enjoying myself, shopping. What did I want to shop for? Ooh, beads. No, old jewelry. Something I can take apart and play with. It dawned on me, Goodwill is just up the road! AND in an effort to get my boyfriend to clean his car and kinda failing, I could donate a big bag of close I had left in the back seat for just such an occasion!
As soon as my phone treachery was over ("Just wait for FedEx to mail you a box, then put your phone in the box and bring it to FedEx and you'll have a new phone in two more weeks!")I was on my way to shopping bliss!

I made out like a bandit! My trash to treasure hunt was everything I hoped it would be! I found a silver frame for my kid sisters picture, a copy of one of my favorite books, and three pieces of vintage jewelry I loved! Lastly and BEST of all, I got a big bag of broken, weird and old jewelry for $5.99! When I got home there was soooo much usable stuff!

My first project became the restoration of these great vintage Christmas clip on earrings. I started by taking the backs off. One of the earrings fell apart, so I had to clean it and put it all back together.



Last I cleaned everything and shined it all up! This is the first time I have ever done any kind of restoration. It was incredibly exciting. I could not believe this was from a junk Goody Bag! Here is the final product.

Stay tuned for Goodwill Part 2: Two Rings from One!

Well hello there you savvy blog reader you! My name is Jillian, I am a bit of a serial blogger. This one in particular has a focus on some of my personal life, but mostly my creative work.
I am a knitter and a jewelry artist. I strongly use the word artist. What I do is create new jewelry from old pieces as well as new jewelry supply. I occasionally will reconstruct an original vintage piece and try and give it new life.
My method of crafting is a process. I will get an idea in my head and start putting shapes together. I'll search online and off for pieces to put together. Etsy.com, flea markets, Goodwill, tag sales, all of these are shopping with purpose. It can take me any where from a few days to a few weeks to get a piece together.
Sometimes I am able to create from what I already have. I sit down and plunk everything in front of me and look for things to come in together.
Below is a sample of some of my work over the past two months.