Going Wholesale!

I've always been interested in doing wholesale, but have not had the good fortune like other artisans to be approached by businesses.  Back when I was going to school in OR, I did meet with one local business with all of my inventory and, to my surprise, she bought from me right on the spot.   Looking back on the meeting... wow, was I naive!  And while the experience was interesting, to say the least, it did get my feet wet (but boy oh boy I didn't know what I was doing!).

Recently, I learned how big a deal going wholesale really is.  That there's lots of paperwork involved on both ends of the transaction.  And then there's this thing called a "wholesale kit": line sheets, lookbooks, contracts, business terms, permits, etc.  Being overwhelmed/confused by this info is an understatement.  Feeling lost may be more accurate.  Hopefully my desire to do wholesale propels me to easily figure this all out (ha!).  Oddly enough, there really isn't anything out there on Google for doing it yourself, and I can't afford someone else doing it for me right now.  So perhaps, once I figure it all out, I can throw together a wholesale-how-to for newbies.  For now, this is one of the best, super simple resources I've found: by The Mother Huddle.

There are several great boutiques in the town of my grad school - the community is really rallying around emphasizing local and handmade, which is great.  I decided to muster up the courage (not sure if that's the right word, but it certainly took me out of my comfort zone because I hate doing anything where I feel unprepared or uneducated) to approach one of them via e-mail.  Because I don't know the technical/professional way to go about it, I spoke from my heart instead.  I was pinning my hopes on perhaps a small boutique owner being more sympathetic to my naivete.

Lucky for me, the owner said yes to an appointment!  She didn't specify whether I'd be a wholesale or consignment account, but I'm going in with samples of all of my jewelry line.  Seeing as she owns a boutique filled with unique finds, I figure my OOAK Chiyogami jewelry would be a perfect fit.  This morning I started some fresh samples, and below is a pic of my progress from about an hour ago.  My appointment is in a couple days.  I'm super nervous, but I'm going to try my best to be prepared.  Wish me luck!

UPDATE: The Wendy Williams Show

Just received word that the segment my ring is a part of on The Wendy Williams Show airs Feb 22nd.  Tune is to see how it'll be featured!

Newest Celeb Gifting: Earth Day Artisan Gift Baskets

This has already been a crazy year for my business in terms of who I am sending my products to.  My ring will be a part of an upcoming segment on The Wendy Williams Show.  (Psst.  You can buy it here!)

So here's the newest awesome news: Yesterday morning I booked an opportunity to be a part of Earth Day gift baskets full of handmade artisan goodies!  These will be specially delivered to 25 celebs and 5 press/bloggers.  So OF COURSE I'll be sending my amazing soy candles!  Come April, they'll be in the hands of: Hayden Panettiere, Ginnifer Goodwin, Edward Norton, Adrian Grenier, Kate Bosworth, P!nk, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rachel McAdams, Emily VanCamp, Woody Harrelson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Daryl Hannah, Malin Akerman, Ted Danson, Orlando Bloom, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Hartnett, Sting, Barbra Streisand, Alicia Silverstone, Courteney Cox, Cameron Diaz, Sheryl Crow, Mark Ruffalo, and Natalie Portman. This is also in addition to the Mother's Day artisan gift baskets that I'm in that will go out in May; the recipients of these will be confirmed later this month.

It's hard to believe that about a week ago my ring was featured on The Vampire Diaries! I'm also gearing up for my 4th Etsyversary (wow, can't believe it!) so stay tuned for those exciting details.

Abby Bennett (Persia White) Seen Wearing BKD Signature Ring on Episode 4.12 of The Vampire Diaries

Brianne Durkin, designer/owner, BKD Signature, Sacramento, CA, is pleased to announce her company’s “Boldly Poignant Poinsettia Ring” was worn by character Abby Bennett (Persia White) on Season 4, Episode 12 of “The Vampire Diaries.” The episode aired January 31 on CW TV.

Sacramento, California (PRWEB) February 07, 2013

Brianne Durkin, designer/owner, BKD Signature (http://www.etsy.com/shop/beegrl88), Sacramento, CA, is pleased to announce her company’s “Boldly Poignant Poinsettia Ring” was worn by character Abby Bennett (Persia White) on Season 4, Episode 12 of “The Vampire Diaries.” The episode aired January 31, 2013 on CW TV.

Watch a BKD Signature video.

The “Poinsettia Ring” is part of BKD Signature’s handcrafted Chiyogami line of glass tile rings, earrings and pendants. Each piece in the line incorporates handmade glass tiles and Chiyogami, a durable, yet flexible Japanese paper that blends the Japanese traditions of woodblock printed Japanese papers and a style of Kimono fabric known as Yuzen.

“For me, “The Vampire Diaries” has always brought to mind shades of black, purple and gray,” noted Durkin, a longtime fan of the show. “So I knew right away that for this gifting, I wanted to incorporate a particular black, purple and gray Poinsettia patterned paper that I had hidden away in my paper stash.”

The more difficult decision was whether to fashion a wide band ring, a style that has been wildly popular for Durkin since it was introduced in 2012, or a more easily seen on television pendant. In the end Durkin followed her instincts and went with the ring, a decision she is happy about today.

Leigh Leverett, wardrobe stylist for “The Vampire Diaries,” received BKD Signature’s “Boldly Poignant Poinsettia Ring” as part of a Stylist Gift Bag initiative spearheaded by art promotions and celebrity gifting company The Artisan Group (http://www.theartisangroup.org). Valerie Guerrero, founder of The Artisan Group, sent the gift bag, which included jewelry and accessories from 80 of the Group’s 600+ members, to Leverett in November. So far, Leverett has selected about 15 pieces from the bag for use in Season 4.

Every piece of BKD Signature jewelry is handcrafted by Durkin using Chiyogami paper, handmade glass tiles and handmade glazes. Durkin notes that because of the handcrafted nature of the work and the fact that no two pieces of Chiyogami paper are ever alike, each piece of jewelry she creates is unique.

“My customers can truly say the piece was made especially for them, and I absolutely love that,” smiled Durkin. “Who wouldn't want a piece of jewelry that only you own?”

Durkin, who has a minor in Studio Art and who is working on her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, founded BKD Signature in 2009. She has been enamored with jewelry design and fabrication since childhood and is pleased that her passion has turned into a professional endeavor.

BKD Signature jewelry has been gifted to Rachael Ray, Kaley Cuoco, Genevieve Gorder and Alison Sweeney as part of The Artisan Group collaborative gift bags, and will soon be on its way to Stana Katic (“Castle”). BKD Signature jewelry has also been selected for inclusion in a special The Artisan Group Mother’s Day 2013 Collaborative Gift Bag, which will be delivered to some of Hollywood’s hottest Moms, including Hilary Duff, Rebecca Gayheart, Keri Russell, Beyonce, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jessica Alba, Molly Sims and Sienna Miller, among others.

To learn more about BKD Signature, contact Brianne Durkin by phone or email. To shop BKD Signature, visit the Etsy Shop at etsy.com/shop/beegrl88 or Craft Café at http://craftcafe.co/shop/bkdsignature. Select designs are also carried at Red Berry Boutique in McMinnville, Oregon. You can also become a fan of BKD Signature on Facebook and follow it on Twitter (@BKDSignature).

About BKD Signature

BKD Signature (http://www.etsy.com/shop/beegrl88) provides the world with luxurious high-quality handmade products including its distinctive Chiyogami Asian glass tile jewelry and a line of eco-friendly soy candles. The company, located in Sacramento, California, was founded by designer Brianne Durkin in 2009. BKD Signature jewelry has been featured on “The Vampire Diaries” and is in the hands of numerous celebrities, including Rachael Ray, Genevieve Gorder and Alison Sweeney. BKD Signature is a proud member of The Artisan Group, as well as Unique Women in Business, Sampler Village and California Crafters Club of Etsy.

For the original version on PRWeb visit:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebBKDSignature/TheVampireDiaries/prweb10409668.ht
m

Review of Farm Hussy Scents Part II

Continued from the first post, here's five more new scents I've reviewed.  Like I said in my previous post, keep in mind not all sniffers are the same. :)

A Kiss Goodnight - Vanilla Amber, White Amber and Ginger, GingerFig

My review: Smells very similar to Bath & Body Works' White Tea & Ginger, except it smells a little more... sophisticated.  Hard to label what I'm thinking.  I see B&BW's scent as a good aromatherapy one, but Farm Hussy's is more of the perfume variety.  It doesn't have the sharp note of the tea and isn't overwhelmed with ginger.  But I'm not a big fan of ginger so perhaps I'm a little bit biased.  While it takes a few minutes for the warmth of your body to work its magic, the ambers take center stage and kick it up a notch.  I've always felt the ambers to be sophisticated, demure scents.

40 Winks - Satsuma, Sweet Orange, Vanilla Lace, Neroli

My review: Smells exactly like an orange creamsicle, stronger on the orange side than the cream.  If you love the smell of orange creamsicles, then you're definitely going to have to buy this scent.  This is for you.

Sugar Cyclone Waffle Cone: This impending storm of sugars, created with swirling notes of Waffle Cone, cake batter, maple syrup, marshmallow and a blast of buttercream will turn you into a real life Storm Chaser!

My review: In the bottle, the marshmallow and buttercream are very prominent notes.  Can smell a hint of cake batter.  Smells very similar to the Pink Sugar fragrance.  On me, the maple sugar note shines more.  While I normally like bakery scents, this one is too sweet for me.  I'm not a fan of the Pink Sugar scent, which this reminds me of, so I guess no surprise.  If you do like scents of the same sweet marshmallow variety, get this one.

Essence of Hussy: Vanilla Sandalwood, Satsuma, Honey Patchouli, and Tea Rose
My review: I was leery of this scent at first as I am usually not a big fan of satsuma or patchouli.  In the bottle, the satsuma and tea rose are very strong notes.  Once the scent had a chance to settle into my skin, the scent started to grow on me as the notes blended and complemented each other.  It reminds me of the late afternoon/early evening - around 6 - when I would be done with soccer practice in the fall, when the sun is starting to go down and the bugs are starting to come out and there's this orangish glow and scent in the air mixing with the musty linger of the leaves falling.

Gilded Lilies and Lilac - This isn't your typical Hillbilly hymn, this amazing floral melody brings together the best notes of lilac, ylang ylang sang with a chorus of jasmine, rose, lavender with a musk and chamomille crescendo.
My review: This is a custom blend inspired by a request I had so I was very excited to try this.  If you love flowery floral scents, this one is the ticket.  I thought it smelled more like star jasmine at first, but once it settled in, it didn't so much.  My nose picked up one note more so than the other - for some reason they weren't blending for my nose.  This one is definitely purely floral.

BKD Signature to Contribute to Exclusive Celebrity Gift Bag for Genevieve Gorder

Brianne Durkin, founder and owner of BKD Signature, in association with The Artisan Group, was recently selected to gift her premium handcrafted products in an exclusive collaborative gift bag prepared for celebrity TV designer Genevieve Gorder.  Ms. Durkin specially made Ms. Gorder one-of-a-kind pieces: a heart pendant necklace and a pair of rectangle earrings, assembled by Durkin using handmade glass tiles and beautiful Asian Chiyogami paper.

ABOUT BKD SIGNATURE

Durkin has been a huge fan of Gorder’s for many years.  “I first saw Ms. Gorder when I was twelve, while watching the first season of Trading Spaces in 2000,” explains Durkin.  “Over the next eight years, I crossed my fingers before each episode hoping that Ms. Gorder would be one of the featured designers.  I love her design style, and think she has an amazing personality.  I dreamt that one day I would have the opportunity of meeting her or somehow connect with her.  I am absolutely ecstatic that my dream has come true twelve years later.”  Gorder will be receiving a heart shaped glass tile pendant necklace featuring the Whimsical Bubbly Flowers in Red and Gray Chiyogami paper and a pair of rectangle earrings featuring the Blue Bamboo Shoots Chiyogami paper.  Ms. Durkin feels the bold and colorful palette in these papers beautifully reflects the vibrant and soulful personality of Ms. Gorder.

Through The Artisan Group, Ms. Durkin gifted actress Kaley Cuoco an one-of-a-kind Chiyogami heart pendant and a Blue Winter pendant from her famous Love in Bloom Collection in July 2012.  In April 2012, she gifted celebrity chef Rachael Ray her Love in Bloom Collection, Kitties in Love pendant, and a Birthday Cake soy candle.

To learn more about BKD Signature’s glass tile jewelry and eco-friendly soy candles, or her participation in The Artisan Group's celebrity gifting initiatives, visit her Etsy shop at www.bkdsignature.com, her Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/BKDSignature, or email bkdsignature[at]gmail[dot]com.

Brianne Durkin, BKD Signature's sole proprietor, is a resident of Sacramento, CA, but is currently spending her time in Chico, CA while attending graduate school at California State University, Chico.  She established BKD Signature in February 2009, but has been crafting her whole life.  Her work can be found on Etsy at www.bkdsignature.com and Craft Café at http://craftcafe.co/shop/bkdsignature/.

  

For press inquiries regarding The Artisan Group, please visit http://www.theartisangroup.org or email press@theartisangroup.org.

Review of New Farm Hussy Scents

I was recently asked to review some newly released and yet-to-be-released scents over at Farm Hussy.  Now, if you've been following my blog and Facebook, you'd know how much I LOVE to gush over her products.  They are simply the best lotions and lip balms I've ever tried.  I've got several boxes full to make up my stockpile.  I am always eager to share her good products, and have gained several new customers for her.  I don't have to do much talking because these products speak for themselves!  Therefore, obviously, I was ecstatic to leap at the opportunity to test out some new scents.


It is important to note several things when reading reviews about scents, especially in handmade items.  First off, my sniffer may be very different than your sniffer.  The notes that your sniffer detects may be different than mine.  It may detect some notes more strongly than others, which may be different than mine.  Secondly, my body chemistry is certainly different than yours.  It will most likely change the affect the scent in a different manner than yours does.  Thirdly, these are simply my opinions, just a little something to keep in mind when purchasing.  There are several notes I do not like (patchouli, for example) that may in fact be your faves.  Feel free to take what you want from my reviews - they're for informational purposed only.  The bigger goal is to achieve happy sniffing! :)


Flower Child - Lovin' everyone under the sun is your motto.  Fresh cut lavender infused with patchouli, sandalwood, ylang, amber, violets and powdery tonka notes create your themed summer scent you'll remember forever.
My review: This is a new fave of mine (add this to Cherry Cow Chip and Gift Hog).  This smells like sandalwood and baby powder/floral to me.  Sandalwood is one of my fave notes - it's actually a scent memory trigger for me.  Ages ago, my family and I went on vacation to Seaside, CA and stayed at Seascape Resort.  I absolutely loved that vacay.  Not only are all the bath and body products in the resort scented sandalwood, but the beachside cliffs are full of it.  Now, I always associate the beach with the scent of sandalwood.  Added to that, I don't know why, but to me, hotels smell like cleaning and sandalwood.  That's what this scent reminds me of and I love it.


Chevre Noir (Black Sheep) - This delicate fragrance stands apart from the herd, with its lime/citrus top notes blended together with lavender, rose, wisteria and hyacinth and a soft dry down of powder and green apple.
My review: This is definitely one of my new faves, too!  This evokes scent memory for me so of course I gravitate towards it.  This smells like that favorite grandma or aunt you love seeing at the family gatherings.  A gently classic scent that stands the test of time.  I normally don't like citrus notes, but in this case they are balanced beautifully with the floral notes.  No one note outshines the other, but they complement each other nicely, sharing the stage in a wonderful symphony.


Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Jasmine - *Fresh type Pink Jasmine Precious pink petals sparkle with romantic notes of sweet blood red orange, floral blends of white lilac, magnolias (not steel ones), peony, freesia and tiare flowers kissed with peaches and marshmallow.
My review: There is actually a Star Jasmine plant at my house so I know what the flower smells like and it can be very pungent.  In the jar, this has some very strong floral notes and I wasn't so sure about it knowing what the plant is like.  But I knew I needed to try it before my final verdict as body chemistry has influence.  The scent ended up settling in much more softly on my skin, not overwhelming like I thought it'd be.  I very true smelling Star Jasmine scent without the pungent-ness (yes, made up that word).


A Pocketful of Posy's - This soft rose scent is brought to full bloom with petals of lily, ylang, gardenias and a hint of sandalwood and musk to create the perfect posy for your nosey!
My review: In the jar, this smells like sunscreen to me.  For some reason, when gardenia and ylang-ylang are blended together, that's the scent my nose picks up.  I have no idea why.  It smelled much nicer on my skin as the sandalwood and lily took more prominent roles.  I can attest this lives up to its name, a nice powdery floral scent, but this isn't much of a fave for my sniffer.  If your sniffer is a fan of wildflowers, this is a good one for you.


Butterfly Garden - A summer flutter of fragrance, dusted with magic wings of cherries and strawberries, sprinkled of lavender and roses, hyacinth and violets floating on a cloud of soft musk.
My review: I was really excited by the name and had high expectations.  Unfortunately, my sniffer didn't find this scent to be what it wanted.  The hyacinth and violet take center stage with the lavender and roses trying to squeeze in.  I can't smell the cherries or strawberries, which kind of saddens me because I think those notes would add a nicely sweet twist to it to make it perfect for my nose.  My sniffer is not really a fan of this one either, but perhaps your sniffer will be.


{{I still have more scents to review, but wanted to publish what I had so far.}}






Discloser: The opinions in this post are completely my own.  I received the product mentioned above so I could try it out and share an honest opinion with you.  The best way to find out if these scents work for you is to buy some samples and try them out yourself! :)