So long 2012!!

I know it's been two entire months since my last post! Last time I came here, I presented my cat Misha, who is now almost five months old and turned out to be a very beautiful feline child. A home with a cat is, indeed, a joyful home... well, except for when it comes to cleaning Misha's mess. ;)

I hope you've had a wonderful winter holiday along with your family and most loved ones. Now, 2012 is coming to an end... but before we step into a brand new year (and a brand new chapter), there is still a small surprise. If you haven't been to my Etsy shop the last couple of days and/or if you're not following me on Twitter yet, perhaps you would like to know that ALL my items are 13% off until the end of February. This is the perfect time to get that piece you have enjoyed so much for a lesser cost.

Last but not least, I'd like to say thank you, to all of you my lovelies, who have supported and cherished me and my work during the last twelve months. 2012 has been a great year for Wilwarin Designs, with many conquered blessings, starting from winning Beadaholique's "Jewels of January" contest to the opening of my Etsy shop and international sales. And all of this wouldn't have been possible without you all. So thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! ♥

May 2013 bring you good fortune and perseverance in all of your life areas!

Happy New Year!!!

Meet my family's newest member...

He's cute, he's sweet, and he's a purring machine! He's Misha, our new whiskered baby. :)

I've been what they call a "crazy cat lady" since a teenager. In fact, my feline fascination is so big that my friends say I'll get old in a big country house bursting with kitties. Thanks to Wilwarin Designs and all the effort I've put into it, I've managed to save some pennies to sustain a furry buddy - and give it the best life it could possibly have!

Misha is only around 3 months old and he was available for adoption from a local street cat housing project (they're not really an association but more of a group of friends who share the same passion). It's amazing, the amount of animals which are daily abandoned and/or neglected. Knowing how much I love kitties, I just couldn't stand doing nothing about it.

Before finding Misha, I browsed so many adoption websites and replied to so many ads. I was initially looking for a longhaired buddy, because I'm so freaking obsessed with fluffy creatures and my last cat, whom I loved so much and miss even more, had this beautiful and oh-so-smooth long hair. But soon (after a dozen adoption failures) I realized that medium-long haired cats were the most sought ones because most people feel the same way I do (or just like to display them)... So, instead, I decided to put my 'greed' away and just go for a sweet kitty looking for love. And then, I found Misha.

I stumbled on this project's blog the other day and, as I browsed their list of homeless cats, this baby drawed my attention. When I picked up the phone and dialed their number, my hopes weren't actually high at all because I'd heard the sentence "that cat has already been adopted" so many times the last two or three weeks. But not Misha (he had another name before we adopted him but we find 'Misha' much more fitting) - and after a few questions, they let me stay with him.

Despite of not having the looks I was hoping for when I started searching for a cat, I'm so so far from regreting my choice. Misha is truly adorable! His adaptation in the new home and family was nice and quick. After just a few hours, he plays a lot, purrs on my lap, sleeps with me at night and, of course, messes everything up :)) He seems a very happy kitten - and I'm a very happy own- ...pardon me, slave!

He luvs to sleep on my lap... for HOURS if possible. Who can resist such cuteness!

Peek-a-boo :)

Misha staring mindfully at one of his favourite toys.

I'm now logging off to try to tire Misha, because it's bed time for me and he's still electric. I'm so screwed. :D

Have a great week everyone, and for my north american followers in the east, be safe and believe. "After a storm, a rainbow always appears". My prayers are with you!

Yours,

Ana

International Giveaway - by Wilwarin Designs & Ink and Iridescence!

Ahoy!

I know it's been a long time (again) since my last post; and that would thanks to my brand new "super time consumer": my Master's. A single week of classes was enough to make pull half my hair off as I realized it would be really hard to manage my routine and free time - because most of these days I simply don't have any. Although I looove to learn new things everyday, this course has been pushing me to the very limit, gifting me with many sleepless nights and too many hours of computer working (all landscape architecture and territorial development related). Thus, it's been a huge task to keep Wilwarin Designs and this blog updated. Anyway, here I am now. Right? :)

So this is a very special weekend for me, as one of my autumnal items is featured in this super, fantastic, truly delightful giveaway by the blogger Jemimah C. from Ink and Iridescence. I hereby invite you all to participate, as this necklace is one of my very favourite pieces and pretty much ANYONE in the world can get it... absolutely for free!! :) For a direct link to Jemimah's giveaway post, just click in the prize's picture...

Clicky clicky to enter the giveaway! :)

I personally would love to thank Jemimah C. one more time for this amazing oportunity and also for all the LOVELY feedback from her and all the other ladies who have already met my shop and work. I hope you all will enjoy your staying here and all my other pages. Good luck all!

Finally, I won't have to spend this weekend at college working, so I'll certainly dedicate some of my precious time working on Wilwarin Designs and updating my store (wee!)... so be on the lookout! :)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone,

Ana

Welcome Fall! (plus Apple Mabon Bread recipe)

"With the feast of Mabon, the fall Equinox, we acknowledge the balance of light and dark, life and death, growth and rot. We honor all those things that enable our world to grow and restore itself. On this holy tide, we hail the hunter and the hunted, the predator and the prey, the plough and the scythe, the blessings of growth and of decay. We honor our resources, and the frugality and careful planning of every ancestor whose careful household management got their families safely through the cold constraints of winter. Mabon is a time of remembrance and of culling away, of honoring what we have, what we need, but also what we can provide to others. It is a time to look clearly at where we are weak in spirit, where we are strong, and where we stand somewhere in between, a time to take stock of our portion of gratitude and blessings for the coming season."

~from Patheos.com, author unknown~

So this is it, Autumn has arrived! I'm a little too tired for blogging right now so I've decided to just leave this small yet wonderful excerpt for one to meditate on - which is better than anything I could try to write right now, really. I've had a very busy day with many college issues to manage. But still, I've had a little time for some crafting and even a little kitchen magick! :)

My first this year's Autumnal creations...

And my first attempt at the called Apple Mabon Bread; perhaps I should have added more apples and not so much honey... maybe a little too wet, still, it is delicious! :) Here's the recipe by CharmingPixieFlora right below for you to try it as well:

I'm now off to eat some of my sweet bread, sip on some ginger ale and meditate on what I'm thankful for... what about you; how are you greeting Fall? :)

Preparing for a new season

Ahoy!

Autumn is almost knocking on our door and I know lots of you can't wait to drink some delicious homemade apple cider and jump on crunchy leaves. Even I, a Summer creature, am really looking forward to it. Well, I've never tried to make apple cider myself but that's one of my goals for the next couple of months! :)

As the new season of the year takes place, so does a new season of my life. Finally, after a whole year waiting, I'll be starting my Master's on Landscape Architecture in less than a week. I must confess I'm a little nervous because it's been such a long time, but on the other hand I'm really looking forward to it and to learn more. Of course, and sadly, there won't be so much free time for crafting, so I've been spending a good part of my time organising my supplies and Wilwarin Designs itself (also as I wait for the rest of my brand new Autumn supplies to arrive).

Sneak peek... Boho charms, marine pendants and Autumnal woodland goodies... I love love LOVE gilder's paste so much and I wish I could afford more colors!

I have five new frequent customers, as well - as I like to call them. They're all really shy but oh-so-lovely. And they also have... whiskers! :) A young cat happened to give birth to a litter of four beautiful baby kittens near my home and, since we have the habbit of leaving some of our meal leftovers (safe food, of course) everyday in our yard for street cats, they slowly started sneaking around. It's been a couple of months since we saw them for the first time, however they've always been too fearful to let us get any close. They are quite used to our presence nowadays, but still won't trust us as I'd like them to. It's actually funny because they have the courage to stand right on our porch, even with the door open, staring at us as if asking for their meal, but will run like little rockets to the safety of the bushes everytime we step into the yard with a dish of cat feed or meat. They really like our little garden, although. :) Today they've spent pretty much the entire day sleeping and playing around the garden, while I did some cleaning, listened to Wicca radio and took sips of delicious forest fruit handmade tea.

Mama Kitty on the top (she's a really pretty tuxedo cat) and two of her babies sleeping on the grass. This was the closest I could get, afraid that otherwise I would disturb them :) 

The four baby kitties sleeping on top of each others behind our orange tree and belladonna lilies... it was so damn cute to watch.

The babies (well, they're not really babies anymore) are two black kitties, a grey tabby and a grey tuxedo. These last two make me believe that my missing cat, Simba, happens to be the father of the litter, since he used to be the only grey cat in the zone (he is/was a long haired grey tabby). Maybe that's why I felt so attached to them the moment I saw them. I miss my cat so much.

Summer is saying goodbye...

Image source: Tumblr (unknown author)

September has come and, however these few past days have been pleasantly sunny and warm, I can feel nostalgia taking over me already. I absolutely love Summer and I will certainly miss it in no time. I'll miss the heat and the ocean calling for me, wearing shorts and reading a nice book under the comforting sun... However, the next season is oh-so-inspiring to me. One can now notice the days going shorter and the fairies slowly painting the leaves red and gold. The time of harvest and golden woods is coming and, even though I'm a Summer creature, I admit I can't wait for stepping on crunchy leaves on the sidewalk and wear knitted sweaters and comfy boots in earthy tones.

As many people know, I am extremely and constantly inspired by Nature and Her wonderful manifestations in our physical world. As I stare at images like the one above, a thousand pictures and ideas play in my mind! I am now planning Autumn ahead and, as I wait for the results of my Master's Degree candidacy, I'm preparing Wilwarin Designs for the next few months. This is a crucial step as (considering everything goes as predicted) my Master's alone will be a huge time consumer. So, as my autumnal inspiration awakes, I've been ordering fancy new supplies and drawing pieces for my next Fall-Winter collections.

I have also been babysitting for the last couple of weeks. Taking care of my 6-year old niece makes it hard to keep working and creating in an appropriate pace, especially with such sunny days... but today the poor girl surprised me with a desire of staying home this afternoon, playing in the yard and watching cartoons, so I took a little time to finish bringing these new pretties into the world... they will be listed on Etsy later on!

Little Summer treasures from Nature to carry close to your heart! These feature a foxtail barley (Hordeum spp.) ear and a  lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) flowery stem, both hand collected and dried by myself.

Who doesn't love fairies! These glass vial necklace features capri blue fairy dust for good luck. A great gift for the dreamer girl. :)

  

Sick and wishful

My work has been kind of frozen during the last week and it breaks my heart that it is so. And why? Because I've been sick... I know, it sounds crazy. I haven't caught the flu for the entire Winter but I had to suffer a terrible throat infection right in August. I was immediately prescribed with these nasty antibiotics which have been really messing my entire body up. I haven't slept, nor being able to eat properly for nine days now. Not to mention that I got a second infection a couple of days ago - a fungal one, since the antibiotics seem to have exterminated most of my probiotic bacteria, leaving me exposed to all kind of other nasty things!

Obviously - and sadly - I haven't had the energy to work on brand new jewelry... but today, finally, I'm feeling better and decided I would update you with some stuff I had prepared. So I've just added new ocean inspired vial necklaces and a couple of two amazing, OOAK, natural sea urchin rings to my Etsy store. Be sure to check on them and also, don't forget that all items are 15% off until the end of the month!

Glass vial necklace with natural European cowrie conches, a starfish charm in antique copper and a Swarovski crystal. It is available for purchase here.

Adjustable ring with a big sized natural sea urchin skeleton in gorgeous dark green and purple tones. It is available here.

My deepest apologies for my low speed on proccessing orders and replying to messages. I promise I'll come back at full force soon enough!

Thanks for the understanding!

New collection: Whispers of Atlantis

Image from here.

With summer at its peak, the sea calls us all right? :) It is precisely thanks to this general mood that another jewelry collection is launched by Wilwarin Designs. Due to its aura of adventure, mystery and intrigue, the ocean has always been reflected in numerous legends and myths, from gods and fantastic creatures to the famous sunken continent of Atlantis. Therefore, "Whispers of Atlantis" is inspired by the great mysteries of a world that fascinates us so much, combining pretty little treasures and the oracular nature of the oceans.

Keep an eye out at my Etsy store for these and many more new pieces of jewelry! :)

My Medieval Journey

I've spent the last weekend at a Medieval/Renaissance Faire in Santa Maria da Feira (Aveiro, Portugal). I had been expecting it for so long! Although I've known the Medieval Journey faire for five years now, I had never visited it at night time. And my boyfriend and I have waited for the opportunity to camp during the event for quite of a long time. This year, we finally grabbed it. :)

Tent, sleeping bags, a change of clothes and fresh water and fruit was practically all we needed to carry in our trip (a long one since we have no car) to Santa Maria - and consequently to the 12th and 13th centuries.

Nowadays, the Medieval Journey is one of the events that most trill me each passing year (thanks to my boufriend and his mother :p) and, although I'm not a big fan of History, medieval times and its mystical character have always fascinated me. To me, being in the middle of the Medieval Journey means being surrounded by things I love: handicrafts, natural soaps and candles, incense, tea, crystals... and, also, in a big party! There's always a lot of music, food and drink, games, performances and many other unexpected surprises right in the middle of the street. And there is also a lot of... handmade jewelry! Amazingly or not, I can always spend a long time observing other people's work... and that is all I need to trigger my own inspiration. In fact, that's the best "study" method! :)

I can't forget to mention that Wilwarin Designs itself was also born of this same fantasy concept, associated with old, mystic times. Unfortunately, Wilwarin is still a too young business to have its own stall, but I hope someday some year I can bring my work onto a fair of this size.

Here are some of my best memories of this weekend:

Dramatization at one of the various meal areas; a young peasant is cheated in a tabern and forced to pay what he consumed with his own clothes. Very funny! :)

King D. Sancho I's royal paladin.

Visiting the Medieval Journey faire without yielding to a few temptations is not the same thing! Like this  forest fruits pie. Fancy a bite? ;D

Musical performance (artists unknown).

Birds of prey, always conquering everyone's hearts...

Nocture jousting show. Very entertaining!

The blacksmith and his forge, near the military camp.

Our tent right in the corner of the camping field. If only we didn't have to deal with the noise at night, the lack of a mattress (damn, my poor back), nor the slope which made us slide and "climb" the floor of the tent every 30 minutes of sleep! :)

Now I'm back to the 21st century, but having spent two entire days surrounded by so many things I love, I couldn't avoid bringing with me, besides the fantastic memories, some material souvenirs. Better show them another time as this post is getting too long already! ;)

Super Summer Sale!

Summer is already halfway from over but the best part is just about to come to Wilwarin Designs. Starting today and for an entire month, ALL items at my Etsy store are 15% off!!! :)

This super sale aims to clear my jewelry stock so that new collections and pieces might take place in the near future. So if you got your eyes on a specific piece of Wilwarin jewelry or simply are looking for unique handmade jewelry at a good price, this is the perfect time to check on my store and grab your favorite. All you need to do is to type the coupon code 'SUMMER2012' (also published at my shop's page) during checkout.

I have many unique and special pieces craving for an owner at the moment and I hope you will take a bit of your time to browse my work and store. Who knows what little treasure can conquer your heart. :)

Also, as some of my Etsy listings have expired in the last couple of weeks, be sure to keep an eye open for even more jewelry!

Much love,

Wilwarin Designs.

Future "Studio" & International Orders

Despite of being on vacation at the moment, I have to admit that it has been a little tricky to keep all my plans and certain obligations in perfect organization. So today I thought I should write a bit about my most recent experiences with Wilwarin Designs and what I have been planning for the next weeks.

My most ambitious project at the moment is to create a workspace (or a "studio" - it sounds cooler!) here at my home, open to all my local customers. I am currently putting almost my entire efforts (excluding for "obligations" of life, of course) in this small corner, to make it as comfy and cute as possible. There have been some obstacles, such as the fact that I've been working on this all by myself, or my half empty pocket, hehe. But grain by grain, the hen fills her belly, right? =) Between treating a ceiling and walls affected by dampness and remodeling a few old furniture pieces, this trip has been far from over now...

One of the pieces of furniture I have remodeled - the desk I shall start working on. =) Painted in aqua blue and with white patina for a more Shabby Chicm aged look. The pictures I took can't capture the real beauty of its new look!

Another thing which has been occupying lots of my time - and that makes me VERY happy... - is international orders. When I threw myself into the world of jewelry and crafting, exporting was far from being my main goal. At this point, I can say that it is, on the other hand and fortunately, one of the most important and time consuming parts of my small business. During the last few months I have met great people all over the Web, willing to teach me or even learn with me and, most of all, who trust me and in my (small) name, despite the distance... My Etsy Shop is one of my greatest passions, and I'll always keep on working on it whenever I can, so as to make it more friendly and inviting to fans of jewelry and crafting. Every time I ship one of my pieces to another corner of the world, it's like sending a piece of me to that place. How to describe this feeling?! =)

One of my Bird's Nest rings in the hand of Lisa, a north American customer. Thanks again Lisa for the picture!

One of my bookmarks featured at Lilyshop's homepage.

In the beggining of this week, I've had 3 Etsy orders in less than 48 hours, and one of the items sold in less than six hours. That's two personal records in a row! It is a wonder, to watch our own work maturing in such a way!

My three latest international orders, ready to be shipped in my brand new customized pillow gift boxes!

Over the last few months, I have worked to bring a little of myself into the world. As a result, I've seen my own little world growing. And none of this would have been possible if not for all of you, my dear friends, customers and followers. So today I take a little of my time to thank you all who have supported and trusted me. Wilwarin Designs has been a wonderful journey for me, like a seed that germinated to bloom. And therefore, I hope to make my passion grow even more, so I can keep on materializing my affection into my jewelry pieces - and thus bringing them to reality as food to your own fantasies!

Thank you so much! x

"Presentation is Everything"

The sun shines so brightly outside! The weather would have been wonderful around here if it wasn't for the strong, cold northren wind. It bugs me so much. But in the meanwhile - and hoping to be able to go outside later for a soothing sunbath - I've been working on many new features and items.

One of my greatest priorities right now is to develop a better and careful packing style. As international orders increase (and everyday I give thanks to that!), fondness and presentation are everything. Until today, most of my orders have been shipped in a white tissue paper wrapped organza bag, which I always tie with a friendly lavender bow. I'd also finish the paper wrap with one of my custom stickers resembling a wax seal (with a W). 

One of my Tree of Life necklaces inside a white organza bag, ready to be gifted (no shipping).

An order ready to be shipped internationally, wrapped in white tissue paper and finished with my custom 'seal', along with a 'Thank you' card.

Organza bags are pretty and really easy to find at local craftstores. But there were also a couple of times I shipped rings in these petit lilac paper card boxes I found for sale at one of my usual spots. Sadly, however, I can never find bigger boxes around here.

Despite of affectionate, I feel there is something about organza bags that simply doesn't work for me. I don't know if it is because of their fineness but sometimes I tend to also enfold the wrapped bag in bubble plastic - before I place it inside a BUBBLE wrap envelope for shipping. On the other hand, I find the little gift boxes much more secure and presentable (and also much easier to wrap and prepare for shipping). This is why I am in the proccess of changing all my packaging from organza bags to gift boxing.

Since PLAIN recycled paper gift boxes are so rare and hard to find in my country, I've decided to take a step ahead and start ordering them, at least for now. I have found this wonderful Etsy store, PaperAndPresent, which is all about packing and presentation. These are the pillow boxes and the tissue paper I've ordered, all made of kraft paper:

The pillow boxes, in small and medium size. They come flat but are extremely convenient and easy to fold.

Kraft tissue paper, 100% recycled.

So this is today's sneak peek, but I have many other plans and surprises to be revealed in due course!

Wishing a wonderful week *

Working on brand new surprises...

It's been a total mission impossible to keep this blog updated. In fact, I have so many pages to manage - main blog, Facebook page, Twitter, Etsy Store, Lilyshop, international website and so on... as I work alone on this little business, I've been struggling to reach all of those branches of my tree! As a result I have to put a few of my pages aside and freeze them until I have a few minutes to give them some of my (very required) attention.

But even though I haven't come to this little corner for a while, I have never stopped working. In fact, I am still replete of plans and ideas I'd like to materialize before the end of Summer.

- I could start talking about them but that would kind of ruin the spirit. ;)

Glass vial pendant necklace with real, natural dandelion seeds! A little treasure for Nature, available for sale here.

Promising to give news really soon *

An inspiration for loving yourself (for who you are)

Hi there! I know, it's been a while again.

I've been living the last couple of weeks in a literal race against time. There are just so many (way too many) things I wanna do with so much little time to spare. I have LOTS of plans for Wilwarin Designs, including two new collections to be launched this Summer (schhh, don't tell anyone I said that.) and, I hope, my very first jewelry show. On the other hand, I'm thrilled with my third Etsy sale; that makes three different sales in less than a month! It's such a wonderful feeling, I don't think there are words to explain it. Seeing these little treasures which were created with so much love with my bare hands traveling to the other side of the world... it's like sending away a little piece of me, to meet whole new places and new people. I cannot describe it!

My latest international order, fondly packaged and ready to ship. 

Wilwarin Designs aside, I have also been preparing myself for a little change, as I am always eager to learn new precious lessons and grow as an individual.

There is actually someone who's been inspiring me very much lately. A girl - a CUTE, talented girl - who's only a couple of years older than me, but with so much to show and to give. She appears to be such a wonderful person, never afraid to be whoever she is, and everybody loves her just for that! I'm talking about Lindsey Stirling, a young violinist from Utah, USA. If you are from the States, then probably you've heard about her, most probably from America's Got Talent in 2010 (quite a long time ago, but oh well!). Her violin skills are amazing and you will be thrilled with her performance and personality, which can be enjoyed in her many videos. She often posts new ones, be it original songs, covers or medleys, live performances or even talkative videos about her life and her best moments. This is one of my very favourite songs of hers:

"The greatest value comes from loving yourself for who you are. I've been teaching this idea to myself for years so I hope that by showing what I've learned, others can find the same freedom and joy I have."

~Lindsey Stirling~

I, too, have been teaching the same to myself for years now - with the difference that I've actually been struggling a bit... Since the day I came across Lindsey on Youtube some months ago and, thus, her wonderful personality, she serves me as a reminder of a simple way to be happy.

I'm looking forward to bring you good news and more, great updates on Wilwarin Designs. In the meanwhile, be sure to enjoy Lindsey's music and my Mother's Day Sale, which has been extended until May 13th (23:59 WET aka GMT + 1). Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Mother's Day Sale!

It's been a while! Sadly I've been quite busy with other matters during the last few days and I don't have much time or energy to create and write. However, there is a very special day coming, and I wanted to start this current week in a great way; starting today and until May 6th, ALL ITEMS at my Etsy store are 10% off!!!

All you need to do is to type the coupon code 'MOTHERSDAY' (also published at my shop's page) during checkout.

I have many unique and special pieces craving for an owner at the moment and I hope you will take a portion of your time to browse my work and store. Who knows what little treasure can conquer your heart. :)

Order now to ensure delivery in time of Mother's Day!

Much love,

Wilwarin Designs.

Wilwarin Designs keeps its name

After 3 days open for voting and opinion sharing, I've decided to keep my small business's name. In fact, most of the people asked me to just keep it, each one giving great and valid reasons. Their interest and will to help made me reconsider the mistake I was about to do!

I feel blessed for all the support from Wilwarin's friends and customers. I believe I went into a mad phase of instability towards my brand's personality. But these people made me realize I should not take all my decisions based only on some awkward situations and bad reactions!

So Wilwarin Designs keeps its name. :)

"Wil... what?" - a plea to all followers

Dear friends, clients and followers,

Today I appeal to you about something which keeps tormenting me for days now: the name of my "brand", Wilwarin Designs. Without going straight to the point (because I really like the rambling), I'll start by explaining the meaning of this name.

"Wilwarin" is a word invented by JRR Tolkien, author of "The Lord of the Rings", a story that has conquered so many of us, not only for what we've seen in the movies, but also for this gentleman's great imagination and devotion. Tolkien had a great passion for languages ​​(he knew about 16 languages​​!) and drew on his knowledge to create whole new tongues ​​and writing systems. Nowadays, his most famous are the Elvish languages​​: Quenya, based on Finnish, and Sindarin, based on the Welsh tongue. Well, "Wilwarin" is a Quenya word. It means "butterfly" and is the name of a constellation in the world of Arda (Tolkien's "secondary world", which features the famous Middle Earth). This constellation was created by the Queen of Stars to welcome the Elves when they first came to the world. It is presumed to be related to the constellation of Cassiopeia, perhaps because of its shape, which resembles a butterfly flapping its wings.

"Rivendell", an illustration by John Howe.

The butterfly, in turn, is associated with the spiritual nature of Man as a symbol of the soul, lightness, transformation and new beginnings. As the caterpillar is born to later become a butterfly and live a whole new life, flying and watching the world from a completely different perspective... We too go through certain situations in our life that provide us opportunities for learning and inner growth, letting us go further.

It was precisely this symbolism that inspired me to name my "brand" and fan page. But the mere word "Butterfly" sounded too trivial to me, and I could not find any related expression which pleased me. So I turned myself to Quenya (not that I know the language! :P) and decided to use the word "Wilwarin" for its imaginary and dreamy aspect - just like my small world of jewelry. It was a whimsy word, different from most I have seen, and I simply like(d) it.

However, something I had never thought of has happened... Initially, my small world started to grow and expand, far beyond my expectations. It was no longer the "little corner" it used to be in the beginning... people started asking me what name I used and what was the address of my blog; and everytime I answered "Wilwarin Designs" I would always get an answer which sounded like "Hmm... excuse me?". Especially from my portuguese clients and followers, because we don't even use the letter "W" in our language... so the word "Wilwarin" can be really hard to read sometimes. A small knot began to pinch my chest as I saw myself more and more forced to spell this name, letter-by-letter. And, truth be told, I have reached a point where I shudder at the thought that tomorrow someone might ask me (either for the first or fifth time) how to spell the name of my jewelry business!

I came to the conclusion that "Wilwarin" is indeed a beautiful, different word, with a wonderful meaning - but a complicated one. It was a good word when I used to work more for myself than for others, never thinking that someday I would go so far... if you know what I mean! ;) But now that I've reached the "small business" level, I find an original and, simultaneously, appealing name extremely important. So now I'm considering a simple (or not!) alternative: a name change.

Considering the pros and cons, a name change at this date may eventually bring some (if not quite) confusion for those who are already accustomed to see this site as "Wilwarin Designs." It would involve some boring changes like changing the address of this blog, closing my current Etsy shop to create a new one (since Etsy does not allow store renaming), a new e-mail. Finally, my biggest dilemma would be my Facebook page, in which case URL changes are not permitted either (although I can rename the page itself) - but frankly, that page means too much for me to simply delete it and start all over.

On the other hand, I believe that my small business needs a name that has to do with the business itself and not just me. The name must be the face of the jewelry I create and not just simply mine... so I'm considering the following name: Belladonna (Designs).
 

"Belladonna" is featured in the scientific name of the belladonna lily, Amaryllis belladonna. It is a bulbous plant that can bloom more than once a year and is closely related to virtues such as pride, elegance or grace. It also features a wordplay in portuguese, since "bela dona" means "beautiful lady". In the end, I believe this word conveys what Wilwarin Designs is all about - the natural elements (since we're speaking of a flower) and the exquisite Vintage flourish (related to the symbolism of this plant and the wordplay itself)...

Amaryllis belladonna. Photography by Dmitry Baranovskiy

Therefore, and since this business is not only about me, nor my jewelry, but about all of us, I send you this plea. Until the evening of this Wednesday, the 25th, I'm open to your opinions and suggestions. I've created a poll on Facebook where you can reply directly to the question "Keep the name 'Wilwarin Designs' or change to 'Belladonna Designs'?". You can also post directly on my page's wall. If you do not own a Facebook account, feel free to send your opinion by e-mail or simply leave a comment on this post (do not forget to sign up!).

By helping me with this small "dilemma", you will be qualified to win a 10% DISCOUNT coupon for a future purchase! As an acknowledgment, after the decision is taken, I will award 10 coupons via the website random.org, from the names of those who give their contribution (portuguese and foreign alike).

I therefore hope you'll take a moment in the coming days to reflect on this (long) text you've just read so patiently ;) and the meaning of both names which are in dispute over here. A thank you in advance!

Much love,

Wilwarin Designs.

A stirred week

I believe the title says it all huh?

It's been in fact a very tough week and I've seen it pass so quickly. Last weekend brought me delightful news of my very first international order, via Etsy. Needless to say that I've spent like 2 days totally ecstatic about it. ;) It is a pure blessing to see people following your small business and trusting it enough to give it a try.

"Selfless Love", a vintage inspired ring in antique silver & rose quartz, now departing to the United Kingdom! Thanks again to the buyer. ;)

As I waited for the order's transaction to be processed, I've worked on brand new thank you cards (Photoshop'ing can be pure slave labor at times, I tell ya!) and started searching for gift boxes for packaging. I usually send my orders in pretty organza bags tied with a bow, but in this case with such a long trip, I was afraid the bag would not be enough to protect it. Of course my country is not towards the most simple things like plain kraft gift boxes, unless I make orders of 100€ or more - well ye, there's nowai I can afford that. So after hours of searching through the portuguese web and catalogs, the simplest solution comes again to my head: Etsy. Damn, that place's got everything. And so I shall start improving my packages' presentation soon enough. :)

Sadly I haven't got much free time for creating, but I've managed to add some pretties to my Etsy store since Easter. Feel free to have a look if you haven't yet. In the meanwhile I plan to spend some quality time this weekend, playing with my beads and ribbons and cabochons...

"SILVER MOON", a fabric flower brooch made out of silver satin ribbon, with fluffy grey natural guinea feathers, a silver-plated stamping and a grey freshwater pearl. It is for sale HERE.

That being said, I'm off to rest, longing for the weekend beading. Have a nice weekend!

Much love,
Wilwarin Designs