New Things To Come

Here is what's to come at Elizabeth Showers.

 

A couple of years ago, I found myself searching for something deeper in my work.  My jewelry was still popular and selling well, my personal life was abundantly blessed, and something was missing.  For the first time in 19 years, I decided to take a step back in my career.  I then had our "End of an Era" sale in the Fall of 2015, which was successful and fun, as I personally directly connected with more customers than ever before!

Since then, as I reflect on my career, I see that staying in the world of jewelry is where I want to be.  I have a passion for creativity, love the art of making jewelry, love rocks and gems, and have 22 years of jewelry experience.

 

I am midway through yoga teacher training, and while my original reason for it was to improve my practice, the culture of this particular training has inspired me way more than I expected.  It has re-emphasized my desire to create a culture of giving back in my business.  Not only does this mean financial giving, but also giving through service.

Alongside this training, I have recommitted to daily meditation and inquiry, giving me more inner space for creativity.

My first tagline was "adorn yourself".  A few years later, I uncovered my purpose of "empowering all women to feel beautiful," shortened to "feel beautiful."

As I relaunch my business, "beauty within" is the new evolution for Elizabeth Showers.  My intent is for this message to remind you of your beauty within yourself, that is already present in the here and now, not found in some future plan, nor in a beauty product, not through your significant other, not through any thing, activity or person outside of yourself.

 

The beauty of my jewelry is to serve as a reminder or symbol to help you remember what you have always known:

your beauty is within.

In supporting this message, we will involve more philanthropic projects with our brand.  In the coming months, you will see I am back with so many amazing new things on the horizon.

Thank you all for being a part of my journey.  I look forward to writing this next chapter with you!

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours

 

My Christmas message to you is very simple:

"Feel beautiful" means that my ideal for you is to realize your beauty within yourself, your beauty that is already present in the here and now, not found in some future plan, nor in some beauty product, not through your significant other, basically not through any thing, activity or person outside of yourself.

The beauty of my jewelry cannot make you know you are beautiful.  These beautiful small art objects are here to help you remember what you have deep down always known:

your beauty is within. 

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to you!

and here's to your best new year yet!

Going Rogue

I went rogue. And I'm so glad I did.

Last September, I decided to take a plunge I'd been fantasizing about for years.  After some sleepless nights, many heartfelt conversations with my partner, Tommy, and close friends and family, and a Netflix binge (I highly recommend these 2 comedy series:  Silicon Valley and Grace and Frankie),
I dissolved ties with most of my retailers and focused on selling direct to customers via my website. I held my breath and jumped in, readying myself for any outcome.  It was a relief - to say the least - when I sold 75% of my inventory.

After a lot of worry and uncertainty, the decision to focus on direct-to-consumer sales was the right move after all! I can't tell you what a good start that made for 2016. I've felt such a renewal of energy, optimism, and excitement about the future.

It could not have come at a better time.  After 20 years of designing jewelry and running a business, I needed a career shift - especially since I'm already living a new personal life with a soon-to-be-husband and stepchildren (Harley and Ethan). 

So many changes!

Oh, and did I mention that Tommy and I are working on having a baby?

We have an unconventional timeline for the things we want to do, but it works for us. For example, we finally scheduled an engagement party for late September, and we've been engaged for a full year already!  We'll figure out a wedding date soon. (Note: my "soon" is different than my mom's "soon.") 

It's been such a period of joy and transformation that it has taken awhile for me to recognize what lies underneath all this hectic excitement:  fear of the unknown.  Particularly where my career is concerned.

Some days I feel like I'm waiting for a burning bush to tell me what's next. But the reality is that I have so many burning bushes right in front of me:

• I have built a brand over 20 years with an important, life-affirming message:  reminding women of how beautiful and precious they already are.
• I have amazing customers who enrich my life. I truly love, adore, and appreciate all of them. ;)
• I have a vast and beautiful portfolio of jewelry designs from the past 20 years....and fun, exciting ideas for revamping them.

•   I have so many really cool loose gemstones, with an opportunity to design one-of-a-kinds with each of them.

• My mom - Jan Showers - and I designed a jewelry collection two years ago, which exists in renderings only right now. She is so well-regarded in her interior design world, and it could be quite an adventure launching a collection together.
• Some smart and talented ex-employees do contract work for me, and they are available to help move the business to its next stage.

So while I haven't found the singular "burning bush" I was seeking, I am rich in ideas, but it may take some time to know where all this exploration is leading. I know I am not alone in this - many of us struggle with decisions every day. I would love to hear how you make decisions when options are plentiful. How do you know which one is right?

Even though I lack a crystal ball, here is what I am sure of:

       I am 100% certain that I am soon going to offer a small handful of my bestselling styles of jewelry online (and keep in stock), and offer them at a new retail price that is below the previous store prices. (there are already some available on the site now)

I am 100% certain that I am going to roll out a special order business of my 100 bestselling styles from over the past 12 years.  I already have special orders from many of you for jewelry styles that I haven't carried in awhile. (We actually just uploaded a handful of bestsellers for special order that are now available on the site. Check it out!)  

I am 100% certain that very soon I will launch my Itsy-Bitsy Hope Star collection that includes several precious NEW Hope Star styles that I think people will love.

The most exciting part comes now, seeing which burning bush has the biggest fire, and what will happen next. I hope you'll stick around to see!

You and me together, we could do anything, Baby! (We're engaged)

Meet me at The Modern

Tommy invited me weeks in advance to a photography exhibit at The Modern in Fort Worth for 4pm on a Friday afternoon.  When I tried to reschedule with him to meet with one of my best friends visiting from Canada, he said you can't change our plans (Tommy is typically more flexible in changing plans.  I knew something was up). 

My favorite view of The Modern Museum.

The Ruse

While I did suspect he was going to ask me to marry him on this night, I had absolutely no idea of how and when he would do it. A museum guide approached us to say she was getting her certification to be a docent, and needed more practice in the process, offering a free tour. I said, "of course!" --not even thinking of any connection to Tommy's proposal. (it was all a ruse!)

Surprise!

The museum docent-in-training gave us a short tour, of which I asked a lot of questions (and Tommy later told me he was anxious for me to quit asking questions). Then she led us around the corner outside the museum to "show us Richard Serra's tall sculpture, Vortex." I turned the corner to see an adorable blown-up photo of the two of us, and I still didn't realize what was happening!
 

AH! At this point I realized what was up....very quickly Tommy was on one knee and asking, "Elizabeth Showers, I love you very much. Will you marry me?"



"YES!" I said!



At this point, I still had no idea that there was a photographer capturing all of this.





I love Tommy. He is such a good man and the perfect partner for me. We are perfect partners for each other.







Tommy found this ring on Etsy to use as a placeholder ring until the Love Monkey Ring that we designed together was complete.  I love this ring--it's an infinite row of ampersands, to symbolize all the things we will do and create together... and and and and and and....



 The rain was exceptionally beautiful on that day.









He had champagne glasses made to commemorate this wonderful day.

Engraved on the bottom of each glass is one of our favorite songs from the Dave Matthews Band:

"You and me together, we could do anything, Baby!"

I look forward to soon sharing with you my engagement ring that Tommy and I designed together.

Remember how beautiful you are,

Elizabeth

Catch Me While You Can

I've got big news for all my customers and friends. I'm preparing for a new incarnation by stepping back from business as usual as of January 2016. I am hitting the reset button on my designs and inventory, slowing down to create the space to reinvent.

I am not yet sure the meaning of "reinvent" for myself... this could be in the world of jewelry or not. I took an aptitude test recently that said I would make a great engineer, surgeon, architect, and alas, a designer!

I am happy and gratified with the work I have done as a jewelry designer and entrepreneur over the past 20 years. Since I have been in this field, the landscape has become more crowded and in some ways less diverse. At the risk of sounding too self-congratulatory, I'm proud to say that most of the jewelry styles I've designed (and have in my inventory) still strike me as beautiful, versatile, and amazing.

However, I am ready to move to a new phase in my career. We are dramatically discounting almost everything in my inventory. 

Now and throughout this fall season, we are rolling out and putting ON SALE 400-500 unique jewelry styles many of which we only have one or two left, which means if you really want something, buy it now.  These jewels will be at our lowest prices ever. 

Celebrate with me by shopping this once in a lifetime sale event, and let me remind you of how beautiful and precious you already are!

It’s an End of an Era at Elizabeth Showers.

Catch me while you can!

Vintage is Back

Before my blog post, I have some REALLY FUN NEWS! Though it has been years since we at Elizabeth Showers Studio have sold our Vintage Collection, that’s all changing this Thursday, when we will begin offering a few styles from our classic collection online for a limited time.

During our (incredibly successful) moving sale event last month, my staff was thrilled to uncover a treasure trove of our beaded Vintage Collection!  What a surprise!  Customers ask for these designs all the time, so we were so excited to find them. We hope you’ll be excited about them too.

Be sure to pop in to elizabethshowers.com on Thursday to check out the Vintage Collection!

It’s been great looking back through this collection that meant so much to my career and development. Holding these pieces in my hands really got me thinking about the history of my business, its humble beginnings and its not-so-humble aspirations.

The necklace I have on below (at age 26) is the first necklace I ever made, all the way back in 1997.

Okay, this is actually the first unique necklace I ever made. 

I made my first piece of jewelry in 1996—an anklet made of super-cheap round, smooth amethyst beads. It was nothing special, but it was enough to get me hooked.

That first unique necklace was made of 24kt gold leaf Venetian glass beads, which I popularized in the late 1990s. At their peak, I couldn’t design enough styles using Venetian glass gold leaf and silver leaf beads.  Although very simply constructed, they were so popular and distinctive. If only online shopping had been mainstream then!

I started my business at age twenty-four, driven by a mostly-unexplored talent, blind optimism, and a passion for designing and selling jewelry. Like everyone starting out, I was a portrait of youthful naiveté and cluelessness about how to build a successful business. Though I didn’t have anything approximating a sales strategy, nor anything so straightforward as a written business plan, I possessed an incredible surplus of focus, time, and determination.

My first mission was to make my mark with unusual materials that others weren’t using. When I discovered Venetian glass beads, I understood right away that I had found my breakthrough. Specifically 24kt gold leaf Venetian beads in clear (my favorite) and in colors stuck out like magic in the jewelry scene of those days. They were so distinctive and fresh. I knew I was at the beginning of a fun adventure.

I started selling wholesale at Carol Quist showroom in The Apparel Mart, and southern US retailers started writing orders for my jewels right and left. I was a real designer!

Tootsie’s in Dallas was the first retailer to sell in my hometown. Susie Calmes, the buyer there at that time, is a friend of my mother. She called me and said, “When do I get to see your collection?”

I said, “I need more time to prepare for you. Maybe we could meet in a couple of months.”

She said, “Okay, I will see you this Tuesday.”

It was totally nerve-wracking. It would be an understatement to say that Susie has good taste and high standards.

Tootsies in Dallas

Naturally I was terrified of her reaction to my work. But I’m still so grateful to Susie. I’ll never be able to thank her enough for pushing me to be ready before I was. I showed up with my jewels in Ziploc bags with no price tags, and she bought almost everything I took with me that day.  What a life-changing and affirming experience! It really was an occasion to remember.  Thank you, Susie!

All that was just the beginning of the uncertain road that eventually led to my selling at Neiman Marcus, and onward down the path to a lasting business. 

Some of those early pieces I still love as much as the day I made them. In some others I can see the beauty and the good instincts, but they don’t represent me in quite the same way. But all of them are a part of me, part of the work that has led to this moment in my trajectory.

This is me modeling my jewelry!

I’ll talk more about the progression and development of my business in a future post.

In the meantime, please remember to stop by elizabethshowers.com on or after this Thursday to take a look at the pieces that started it all for me.  You just might find the perfect thing you didn’t even know you were looking for!

Feel Beautiful!
Elizabeth

From Me, To You

I’ve been delaying my reboot of this blog for a couple of reasons. First, because of some internal, self-generated pressure that before I proceed it has to be perfect. And besides, everyone has a blog these days, so who’s going to read it anyway, right? 

 

E.B. White says:  “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.”  Thank you E.B., I needed to hear that.

 

Maria Popova’s Brain Pickings’ Blog

 



I recently finished reading “Share Your Work,” a short book by Austin Kleon recommended by my beloved cousin Drew. Thanks to Austin’s words of encouragement, regardless of what the future might bring, I feel it’s imperative that I write this, and begin to “share my work,” even if it’s imperfect.

 

Get 'Share Your Work' Here



From the outside, my work appears to be as a jewelry designer, and yes, jewelry is a result of my "work." But my truest, most important work -- and my purpose in this life -- is to simply remind you of how beautiful you already are. You are precious, regardless of your outward appearance or any piece of clothing and jewelry you could ever put on your body. 

 

wearing my jewelry to serve as a reminder of my preciousness in this world

I need a daily personal reminder of this, especially on days when I didn't get a solid night's sleep. Fatigue inevitably turns up the volume on that awful internal critic of mine, and alas, the temptation to dump coffee/caffeine over my wearied self tends to work in the inverse.

 

Thank the goodness in this world that I have fantastic solutions for getting out of a less than optimal mental space since simply going back to sleep isn't always an option.

 

Here are a few ways I drown out the critic: going for a run, reaching out to an uplifting friend, offering help to someone, listening to an educational podcast and escape into learning (like James Altucher's Podcast here and Tim Ferriss' podcast here), sharing my work through posts like this (ah, yes, last night was one of those less-than-six-hours-of-sleep nights), creating a way to enter into the “zone” on a project at work,

 

a sneak peak of a custom jewelry project we're working on

 

sitting in meditation (Sharon Salzberg is a great guide), eating healthy foods ("Eating on the Wild Side" was recommended to me by my friend, Krista), yoga, consciously smiling and relaxing the muscles in my face (a natural facelift!), wearing my jewelry to serve as a reminder of my preciousness in this world, consciously recognizing negative thoughts and turning them around to be positive...

 

yoga clears my mind for a fresh perspective and
Exhale is one of my favorites in Dallas

 

These are just a few solutions that help me disengage with the critic and remember my preciousness, to feel beautiful.

 

Plus, they remind me to focus on seeking progress, not perfection.

 

graphic compliments of Patti Murphy Designs

 

My company’s mantra this year is TO ADD VALUE to the lives of anyone I can reach. I personally want to see, read, experience, and learn things that add value to my own life, and it has become even more important to me to ensure I am doing the same for you.

 

Email me with your favorite quotes, stories, books, podcasts, or any other inspiration that reinforces your confidence.  I would also love to hear from you if you are simply feeling stuck or challenged.  I am committed to fostering a community that lifts each other up!

 

 

Feel beautiful,

Elizabeth

It has been a whirlwind since my last blog post! We have had so many great changes around here. With the biggest change being an additional sales person, Michelle Mims.

My other salesperson of 3 1/2 years, Karen Bates Novakowski, took maternity leave for 3 months to focus on the arrival of her little girl, Eva, and just returned this month.

Personally, I have been busy designing Fall 2011. I took a trip to Tucson in early February, and had quite an amazing adventure. It was unlike any experience I've ever had shopping for gems. Something new has switched on within me, and I am nerdily becoming obsessed with rocks and fossils. If I could use dinasour bones in my jewelry I would. I just haven't figured out a feminine way to do it yet, but I'm sure I will. I went into a trance while shopping and became lost in it. It's truly incredible what comes out of our Earth! These are just a few things I found during my trip. I cannot wait to incorporate some of these beautiful stones into some of my one-of-a kind pieces!

My designs for Spring and Summer are so feminine, like these clothing styles for the season. Our gemstone choices are the perfect fit with the current color pallette. Rather, I should say our gemstone color pallette not only fits "now", but also will remain lasting options moving forward...that is to say, while they work with the current trends, they are not "trendy"!

On a recent trip to New York I spent time with my mom and sister. We are now making an annual trip together. Here is Susanna and my mother at The Waverly Inn.

I'd been wanting to check out the Waverly Inn, especially since I'd seen, "Public Speaking", a Martin Scorsese HBO documentary, which examines the life and work of author Fran Lebowitz. It was filmed almost entirely in "her booth" at The Waverly Inn with Martin Scorsese interviewing her. I highly recommend this film. To say that she is quite hilarious would be a gross understatement. Her favorite thing in life is basically being asked for her opinion on anything.

After my mom and sister left New York, I worked for a couple of days meeting with editors in the city, so this put me in New York on Valentine's Day....so in aniticipation of wanting a dinner date on Valentine's Day night, I had called my sure-to-make-me-laugh friend, Ray Griffiths (a fellow Jewelry Designer who in his previous life designed and hand-crafted tiaras in his homeland of Australia. Yes, that's what I said, tiaras!). We ate a yummy dinner at one of his favorite restaurants, Almond, on East 22nd and 5th Avenue.

I am leaving for Thailand in just a few days to finalize our Fall 2011 Gold and Silver Collections. We are testing a form of making gold jewelry that is new to me and my company--I am excited about this new adventure.

To be continued upon my return....