Wallin & Buerkle | Personal Precious Timeless Jewelry Designs

Earring Donation to Abby's Closet Prom Dress Giveway

2011-03-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

Earrings for Abby's Closet

Here are the studio we have been keeping busy between our orders preparing earrings for Abby's Closet here in Portland, Oregon. The earrings will be a part of the 7th annual Prom Dress Giveway on April 2 and 3. This is the second year I have donated jewelry to this very worthy charity that provides high school girls with a dress and one accessory (maybe our earrings!) for prom for FREE! To me, it is the ultimate in recycling as each dress has been donated by someone in the community and those dresses will help over 2,500 girls this year to get ready for prom. Prom is an important event to many, getting dressed up, feeling pretty, and wearing something special....an event to remember for the rest of your life! We feel very happy to be involved in a charity that helps to create cherished memories for years to come!

Personalize with initial pendants

2011-03-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

Garden Decor by Earth Friendly
Sandals by N.D.C. Made By Hand

Created fashion look on www.shopstyle.com

2011-03-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

It's pouring down rain here and I am daydreaming of somewhere warm and then found this fashion look tool from shopstyle, mystylebook. Love going through all the catagories to see current fashion items to create my own wishlook! Of course I had to add one of my own jewelry items

Longsleeve Tops at Net-A-Porter
Sandals by Cole Haan

Put a bird on it!

2011-02-27T14:02:00.001-08:00

I recently returned from the east coast from selling at the wholesale spring trade shows and when I returned I learned about a new super funny IFC TV show called "Portlandia."

Well, having lived here in Portland much of my life, what can I say, the show captures all the quirks and independence that Portland fosters in a very funny Lorne Michaels (granddaddy of SNL) kind of way.

And you are thinking, what does this have to do with the jewelry business...When I was in NY, customers were asking me what were my best sellers and I had to keep showing them this necklace...most people were shocked...a bird necklace...hmm (there is a super funny skit in Portlandia were they go around and put a bird on everything)...and now it's a catchy phrase and idea about birds as art, a symbol of Portland and our best seller. Who knew that these things would collide. We ship this necklace all over the country and it sells everywhere, not just in Portland! Anyway, we just had this beautiful photo taken of it for the website by Portland photographer, Alexis from www.jasminephotography.com.

Spring is just around the corner!

Leather & Linen wrapped gem bracelets

2011-02-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

The Wallin & Buerkle studio just completed this wonderful selection of our linen wrapped leather gem bracelets for a beautiful boutique, Airlie Moon in Wilmington, North Carolina. www.airliemoon.com.
Shipped for Valentines Day, what a great way to show someone that they are loved! Thank you to Julie for finding my work at the Gift show and placing such a lovely order. It is a great pleasure to work with boutique store owners!

Ready for the NYIGF wholesale show

2011-01-24T09:07:00.000-08:00

Ready to leave for the New York International Gift Fair. I had a great show at the Atlanta Gift
show even with 4 inches of snow that shut the city down. After the first day, my friends and I were already redecorating the booth. New backdrop for New York and the crate is already shipped on a caravan to arrive at the Pier 92.
NYIGF
New York's Newest
Pier 92
Booth #32021
January 29-February 2, 2011.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there and meet new people too!

Be well,
Sharon

Spring Wholesale Trade Shows for W & B

2011-01-10T17:28:00.000-08:00

Spring...oh how I look forward to turning the corner for a new season! New materials and new colors=new jewelry samples! Today I just finished the last orders from December for Sundance for our heirloom engraved item...I felt so bad as I was engraving the orders and looked at the date that the catalog took the order but we oversold the item by 100 pieces and we ran out of parts, no control. Our suppliers were kind enough to make new parts and get them to us in 3 weeks which would normally take 6 weeks so I am grateful, and grateful that everyone was patient for their orders!

So onto spring...the trade show crate was shipped weeks ago to Atlanta and it arrived along with the posters and new postcards. Tomorrow we finish up the spring line and then Wednesday it's off to the airport to fly to the gift show!

If you are attending the show, come visit me!

The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market.

January 14-18, 2011.

AmericasMart Building 3, Floor 4, Booth 1023.

I am in the back corner which I happen to like...close to the restroom, coffee cart, and the chikfila for a lunch sandwich-all very important features when you are manning your booth by yourself! I really enjoy getting to see the owners of the stores and talking about business and life.

Alyssa will be here at the studio keeping it running and working on orders!

If you are going to the New York Gift show, NYIGF, come see me at Pier 92 at New York's Newest, Booth 32021 January 29-Feb 2, 2011.

Happy New Year to all!

Sharon

Heirloom engraved item in Sundance Catalog

2010-12-18T20:52:00.000-08:00

It is getting close to Christmas and it is Saturday evening and I am at the studio working on holiday orders! Just completed 90 engravings to be finished into necklaces and bracelets. Our items have 4-5 stars in customer reviews on the Sundance Catalog website and I couldn't be more proud!!!
I love the review for the bracelet that I engraved "twin", a gift for a twin sister and what the reviewer doesn't know is that I am also a twin and I would surely give one to my twin but I am going to be sold out!! So I have to send out a big thank you to all of the people who don't know who I am but selected my items. I get to be a part of their holiday and a part of the love that they share with family and friends with the gift of jewelry.
Happiest of Holidays to all!

Gratitude & Thanks

2010-11-24T12:39:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

So grateful and thankful to be busy, sending out jewelry orders to our stores!

Our studio is still super busy, we shipped 50 packages for Sundance Catalog yesterday that were all personalized custom gifts!

So to pass on our gratitude we are offering 25% off our retail website for the weekend.

Use code turkey25 in the paypal checkout.

www.wallinndbuerkle.com

Be well,

Sharon

Sterling Silver prices-Keep calm and Carry on

2010-11-14T14:13:00.000-08:00

It's holiday season and the trading price of all metals as a commodity is sky rocketing to higher prices than I have seen in my 10 years as a business owner. See chart above. Since I work in precious metal and buy quite a bit of silver parts for my designs, I'd of course rather hide my head in the sand and not look up but it unfortunately affects everything! I can do nothing to affect the trading prices and the ever increasing prices of my suppliers. It is a reality that whoever works in precious metal is faced with this on a day to day basis. I remember I used to check prices every month or so, not that often. Now I look everyday to decide to buy or not buy supplies! The current global economy is more volatile than ever, crazy to think that a jewelry artist has to think of these factors!

If the price stabalizes at a high and does not come back down to prepare the spring line, then my prices will be affected by this new reality. Ugh!

At the studio, we've come up with all kinds of funny alternatives to our current careers to try to take our minds off the silver prices and keep us going at what we do, making jewelry one piece at a time. Our fingers have been very busy knotting hundreds of linen knots with handmade beads from the island of Java, engraving leather straps cut and sewn in a factory in Ohio, and wire wrapping the most delicate silver chain into heirloom engraved pieces.

Most importantly, our jewelry is getting sent out to customers who are honoring another person, with their initials, or name, or family.

For that gift I get to share in, I am grateful so high silver prices go away, don't come back again!

Personalized Leather Bracelets for Sundance Catalog

2010-10-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

Hurray for the holidays!!!

Our 2 leather bracelets are featured in the Holiday Sundance Catalog. I have been doing personalized items for Sundance for several years now and I love knowing that each bracelet that I do will go to someone out in the world and was given to them with love.

I already have one been being overnighted for a very special gift!!! Thank you to everyone who likes my leather work. I am forever grateful.

Sometimes...you just need to make some changes.

2010-10-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

This says it all.

It has been a wild ride this year with many changes, and holiday is just around the corner! Some of the changes have been easy like, not happy in my studio, need to move...hmmm...and then one day as I have been driving by this warehouse/office building for 2 years was a sign..."10.00 square foot" I think Rudy and I almost passed out! So I inquired and we were moved in 10 days but it took me 3 weeks to reconfigure and decorate the space.

~ I'm in love with it now! Today we had a baby squirrel eat out of our squirrel feeder. Priceless.

The other decisions have had people connected to them, and those decisions are much harder. The name change has been great but need to rebuild the web business. All of this takes TIME. Sometimes my fear of whether I can afford food and dog biscuits get the best of me and I panic but my work for this month is to stay relaxed and all the bills will be paid. No worries. So I needed to create a card to send to all my wholesale customers that all these changes are good, so I decided to do quirky. Alyssa asked me why not our usual elegant professional look and again, time for a change, wanted something to better represent me... I did the little painting of Rudy and I one night in the studio when the voices in my head said...I can't do it, too hard to even try, it will never turn out...as we say in yoga "the monkey mind". The next morning I took it to the copy store and sized it down and then scanned it. I was amazed that I even got compliments on it! It felt so good.

~ Today as we are making jewelry by hand, using steel wool to create highlights on oxidized chain, hand tying knots of linen, I thought...how nice to be in our new space with endless creative possibilites.

~Happy.

Wallin & Buerkle is new business name for Big Girl Workshop

2010-07-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

New Keishi Pearl Charms

Sterling Silver Lockets

It's already been a busy summer and now we are starting to ship our new Fall 2010 jewelry!

Our new website www.wallinandbuerkle.com was just completed with our shopping section moving over from the biggirlworkshop.com website which automatically will forward everyone over to the new one! A little confusing but we are very much still alive and thriving and creating new things and don't want anyone to miss us! Soon we will get our new fall items up on our website so stay tuned!

If you are one of our wholesale accounts looking for us but missed us in New York at the fall shows, please call us and we will gladly send you out our new catalogs. So many changes but all is well! Happy summer sunshine to all!

2010-07-13T18:36:00.000-07:00

Atlanta Gift Show Summer 2010

I am off to exhibit at the Atlanta Gift show which is a "to the trade" wholesale show starting Friday, July 16 through July 20.
It is 3 13 story buildings filled with anything giftable and I love to spend time browsing the exhibit area called "high design", so many amazing companies. I exhibit in a juried area called "Boutique" which has special white carpet and exhibition display rules that must followed. I love the time that I get to talk to the Boutique owners and find out how things are going and what they need. If you are coming to the show...You'll find me in Building 3, Floor 4, Booth #1023.

Happy Summer to all!

Home from JCK Las Vegas 2010

2010-06-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

I launched my new business name, Wallin & Buerkle at the JCK Trade show last week. We survived the 108 degree outside temperatures, made new jewelry friends and loved showing our line there!

Thank goodness for the Vdara Hotel and spa that is a non gambling, 100% green certified, eco friendly haven. The only bummer was the swimming pool closed at 7pm and since I was working I didn't get to enjoy it at all and it was new and beautiful and super hot outside. Oh well.

I showed lots of new items including our carded collection and had many admirers to our displays. The creative team did a great job preparing the samples and getting me ready to go so the crate was sitting in my little booth when I arrived to set up. Now the crate is packed tight again and off to Georgia for the July Atlanta Gift show!

So now its finally sunny here in Portland and summer has officially begun. I have so many creative projects spinning in my head I can't wait to sit outside and carve new charms!

Happy day!

Wallin & Buerkle off to JCK Las Vegas June 4-June 7

2010-05-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

An exciting event is about to happen! Happily I am rushing around preparing to leave for a "to the trade" show that happens only once a year in Las Vegas. So many things go into getting ready for a big wholesale event and I thought I would share some of those things!

Well, first you have to inquire, find out if there is any booth space to acquire and be accepted. Many trade shows are juried to make sure that the mix and style of merchandise is what the company wants to promote.

Second, pay the fees. Find any advertising opportunities, and scout out potential accounts that may be shopping at the show.

Third, since this show only provides curtains, carpet, a waste basket, and a electrical outlet you have to figure out your displays!

I borrowed teal velvet curtains from my friend who owns Kiyomi sleepwear, Drove to Seattle (3 hours) twice to get little cocktail tables at Ikea... my Portland store didn't carry them, they didn't ship online and no the Seattle store wouldn't ship them even though I begged! Ordered a big Glass display case that will be in the booth when I arrive. Then by a fluke, Carol found a giant skyline shipping crate on Craig's list the night before I was supposed to pack all the props for a bargain so I didn't have to pack and wrap everything on a pallet (leads to breakage). So big shipping crate left to the warehouse, all 450 lbs of chairs, tables, jewelry props, posters, pens, screwdrivers, you name it to arrive a month before the show starts so that it can then be transported to the site without extra fees! Check. So now, designing new jewelry (photo above), rushing new supplies in as the creative team works on new items, mailed out postcards to potential accounts (right now I have none since this is the first show-always scary) , haircut, new sandals and jacket from the Nordstrom sale, Last minute artwork from graphic designer Amy and her husband delivered this morning, Run to Fedex office to have more marketing printed, more samples to photo and style number, and then hopefully by Saturday it will all be done! Yeah, go team!

I love all the details and planning and making it all happen!

Love to see anyone stop by at the Sands Expo Convention Booth #40014 in Las Vegas!

Believe in your life journey

2010-05-19T16:53:00.000-07:00

Thought for the day:
Here is one of my favorite quotes. I read it and it gives me strength everyday in my business and my life.

I began to have an idea of my life, not as the slow shaping of achievment to fit my preconceived purposes, but as the gradual discovery and growth of a purpose which I did not know. -Joanna Field

This came from a very beautiful yarn shop on Bainbridge Island called Churchmouse yarns and teas in the catalog that the owner publishes. I have had it pinned to my bulletin board for at least 5 years now!

May your day be filled with love and peace. sharon

2010-05-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Look at our awesome new business name and logo! I am so excited. Nine years ago when I started my business I would have no idea that the words "Big Girl" would become not so politically correct and that some of the retail accounts would not want the name in print. Ugh! So, we've grown up with a grown up name. Wallin is the maiden name of my father's mother and Buerkle the maiden name of my mother's mother.

A perfect combination to describe my inherited skills, my determination, and my family that I love and cherish.

We are going to launch our Generations marketing soon that includes many creative combinations of our initials charms and birthstones so that everyone can tell stories of their families and loved one, so important to me.

I am looking forward to this new beginning as summer is just upon us!

Launching our Esty supply site, 2times2

2010-05-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to announce that our Etsy jewelry and crafting supply website is up and running!

I have so many beads, and charms, and stuff that I have collected for the last 9 years that it is a 2 year dream to get this up and running and even more exciting is that we are already selling stuff!

Thanks to Hannah and Alyssa who work with me, we are getting things photographed and priced and loaded on the website. Go team!

www.etsy.com/shop/2times2

If you love to make jewelry or do crafty things, check it out!

More announcements soon!

Be well everyone, Sharon

Donations for Abby's Closet

2010-04-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

This past week at the studio we have been busy getting our donation ready for Abby's Closet in Portland, Oregon. I'm not exactly sure where I read about this organization but they give gently used prom dresses away to girls that might not be able to afford them for the prom. I instantly knew I could help by donating jewelry to coordinate with the dresses. This year they estimate that they will collect almost 4,000 gowns and giveaway at least 2000 dresses next weekend.

(See www.abbyscloset.org for more information.) Then the girls get to go to the accessory area and pick out one piece---either a piece of jewelry, a clutch or wrap. At the studio we are preparing about 500 pieces of pearl jewelry-bracelets, necklaces, and earrings to give away and help!

I could go on and on about why it is important so i will try to get it short. To be a girl, to feel pretty, to feel like you have an important place on this planet, to feel like someone cares about you, that is everything. Wearing something pretty, doing your hair, giggling with your friends, having something special like a dress or a piece of jewelry and you didn't have to worry about how you were going to pay for it. Well, that might be the best part of a year---that single moment. I am volunteering to work the event and help the girls find their perfect accessory-I can't wait to see their smiles!

So a big Thank You to the founders of Abby's Closet for making this happen! I am thrilled to be a part of it!

Be more curious than afraid

2010-03-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

Week 2 of designing/creating for a particular customer. The other night I was scimming through a book "Start where you are" by Pema Chodron and ran across a story that she was telling and this quote "He was more curious than he was afraid". Hmm...I thought---I need this!

Designing for others may seem like a dream come true but it is not without its own challenges. Being afraid in creating for a commercial business includes many left brained thoughts: Will it sell 100's of units? Can we produce it quickly and effectiently? Will the connections of the parts and quality be top notch so that we don't have any returns? Will anyone think it's cool except me? Can we buy all the parts we need to make it again and in a contrained time frame? Can I teach anyone how to make it?

These thoughts always get in the way and I admire those that are really creative all the time and are able to overcome the business side of the brain. Truly.

So yesterday, I had found some fashion tear outs and was looking around the web and checked out the ultra hip and ultra cool shop in France "Colette." Website- colette.fr. and was able to transport myself to their shop with their dance groove tunes streaming in from France via my computer. Then I started writing down all the music artists that were playing and started my own hip dance beat station on Pandora.com-how cool is that. Thank you Colette of France! And all the while I started being curious more than afraid with all the materials on my desk and creating all kinds of stuff!

So as the spring equinox is here, a time of creativity, new ideas, and new begininnings take a moment and think what I can be more curious about than afraid? Journey on!

Springing forward with design

2010-03-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

Officially it is daylight savings time. Daffodils in a vase, Butterfinger & Reese's chocolate Easter eggs in the candy jar, and new design materials scattered everywhere and hoping it is a day of inspiring new designs for holiday catalogs!

We spent 4 days in Tucson at the Gem and Mineral show at the beginning of February walking the acres and acres of tents filled with the most amazing collections of this year's newest gem material. Now it's time to put all that research and buying into development of new products. Designing and engineering new product is very very time consuming-Quite a challenge and rewarding when it all comes together. So I better get moving to the design table and tie this blog post up. So as I begin my design day I am reminding myself to believe...."The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"-Eleanor Roosevelt.

Happy Spring to all!

Buffing & the Workshop

2009-11-22T15:13:00.000-08:00

Well it's Sunday & here I am at the studio buffing my engraved bracelets ! Yesterday, I locked myself out of the studio when I went to the restroom so thank goodness for the restaurant downstairs with phone book and phone to call the locksmith...One hour and $134 later and I was back in my office and Rudy was waiting for me!

I was just happy that I was back inside!

Last Thursday was a drive to Bellevue, lunch at the new Wild Ginger and checked out the new super high end retail mall, The Shops at Bravern. Thank goodness for an Anthropologie and I went home with a raccoon Christmas ornament and some delicious cupcakes from Trophy cupcakes!

Then off to set up the "Chat with Women" fundraiser shopping event at the Embassy suites. We sold

lots of great jewelry, met really nice women and had fun in the free photo booth.

Back in Portland on Friday afternoon to ship more orders, do more engraving and savor the busy bustle of the holiday season!

Wishing everyone a day of reflection on Thursday as we give thanks for our families, loved ones, and every living being. Go Thanksgiving!

Getting ready to head to Seattle for Chat with Women event

2009-11-16T17:26:00.000-08:00

The Holiday season is always my favorite. We are multi tasking so many different projects. Right now I am engraving bracelets for the Sundance Catalog, we are hand stamping Crest pendants for another catalog, getting all our boutique orders out as quickly as possible before Thanksgiving, getting samples ready for our spring line and then the most fun is going out and selling our jewelry at a few retail events to help raise money.

On Thursday night, November 19 we will be at the "Chat with Women" Holiday event in Bellevue, Washington. Right now we are getting all our best jewelry organized and ready to sell, this is actually a big task and will take us 3-4 days to get it ready. I love going out and talking to our customers that may already know us from buying our jewelry at local boutiques and then there will be many we meet for the first time. It is always a great time and we also have another party event planned here in Lake Oswego on December 7.

So as I get my party clothes dusted off and ready to go, Rudy is here in the studio cheering us all on helping us get ready! Go Holiday!!!

Staying True & The New Economy

2009-10-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

These past few months have been interesting...2 very big corporate chains came calling and were interested in our jewelry line. I was flattered and can't say that I wasn't thinking how great the bank account would look with a big blast of money deposited in from a very large order. But the funny thing is, my intuition kicked in instead.

These difficult retail times have left everyone scrambling in search of new product to sell, not necessarily the product that the stores have just spent the last 100 years perfecting how to sell but new things to attract any customer who will buy and ring the cash register. It seems so unrealistic to compare today's economics with last year and beyond, so many different stresses and factors in what I am calling the "New Economy". For some reason, I didn't buy it.

I never imagined I would pass on two such opportunities...What I haven't mentioned is that growing so big so fast with someone that may not be financially sound could potentially collapse the whole. With much advice from others, it became the only possibility. Pass.

So today our motto is still the same-Stay true, keep growing slowly, and joyfully get all the jewelry shipped for the holidays for which we are very thankful. This photo is a sneak peak into what we have already started working on for spring! Happy day!