oooooops!  i’m a little late with my monthly hors d’oeuvres!  better late than never.  and i love the delicious things i’m finding this month.  my theme is centered around the color GREY  - as i’m currently loving it as a neutral (instead of black) mixed with pops of color.

Enjoy!

 

1.  Zoe Chen:  applique swan dress.  my goodness!  what a darling, darling dress on it’s own.  then you add the swan and you have something amazing.  $72

2.  Katarina Couture:  gorgeous & charming felted wool cloche.  love cloches this season!  so feminine and mysterious.  i think the pleat makes it.  $118

3.  Mrs. Fat Face:  ooh!  love the bright jade on oxidized silver.  these colors are such a nice contrast of neutral and electric!  so pretty with a nice, basic outfit.  $32

some of you may have a slew of sales assoicates working for you – but some may be running the shop flying solo (that was the case with my former shop).  if you are running things on your own – there will be times when you need to lock the door and take a bathroom break or get a bite to eat or run an errand or two. 

when these times occur throughout the day, it is wise to leave a note letting your customers know when to expect you back. 

and aren’t these adorable from See Jane Work ?  I love that you use the clock to draw in the time and there’s a place for extra love notes.  also – they’re post its, so no need to scurry for tape.

 

of course, you can design your own as well.  i made a little purse out of paper and had a sign that peeked out the top that indicated i’d be back soon (when i was open – the paper turned around and read “welcome!”.  i hung the purse from a little plastic suction cup with a hook on the door.

this way, i didn’t have to remember to grab tape everytime – and the sign looked more polished than a scribbled note.

one other note for be-right-backers:  aim to either post a time (you can always write a little disclaimer if you’re not sure if you’ll make it!) or simply state that you’ll “be back soon”.  avoid writing “be back in X minutes!” – since no one will know when you left – and they could become frustrated after waiting much longer than your time indicates.

the retail experts over at Whizbang!  have generously offered their e-book, Five Years of Whizbang! Tips,  for FREE to the Proprietress readers!  (sweet).

normally the 5 volumes of books sell for $77  – but with the economy still on the mend and lots of small businesses struggling to stay afloat  – they thought this would be a good time to shell out some great advice that just might make the difference between makin’ it and breakin’ it.  out of the 260 retail success tips in the books, you’re bound to find quite a few gems that will meet your needs.   and you know me – i love little tips!

but downloadsoon (it’s an ebook) because the offer expires on September 30, 2009.

i know many of you are likely thinking about the holiday season (i hope it’s a realllly good one for everyone!).  i know i used to bring in more jewelry items – because men love to buy jewelry for the ladies (and the ladies like to buy it for each other and themselves).  no one has to worry about sizes and fit – and it’s romantic besides.

so if your cases are full and you’re looking for creative ways to display additional merchandise – here are a few tips:

1.  cocktail glasses.  use them from home, flea markets, goodwill or home stores.  they’re lovely for draping a necklace, hanging earrings or filling with pretty beaded things.  light shines through – so everything sparkles!  plus- the right sort of glass adds a festive touch to your displays.

(by the way – these earrings are from J. Balducci - i don’t know if she still makes these – but they’re fab.  check out the rest of her pretties!)

2.  picture frames.  i’m visiting my sister-in-laws in St. Louis as i type and of course i’m checking out the local shops.  i went in one yesterday that had a boat-load of jewelry and they had hot pink baroque frames filled with jewels by each designer laying flat on a table.  i thought this is great if you have the space.  also cute hanging from a wall.  you can use any style of frame that suits your look, paint it any color you like and use cork or canvas or mesh screen to hang your jewels.  cover in a paper for an original look (but try not to make it too busy – you don’t want the jewelry to compete with the paper).

here’s one from a cool site i discovered called Cut Out + Keep:

3.  plastic shapes:  i used to go to Tap Plastics and have them cut blocks of clear lucite into different sized squares.  Carlo – my window wonder man – taught me this trick.  Once you have your blocks, you can cut out paper to fit and tape on the bottom – you’ll see a hint of color through the top and lots of light will shine through.  then you can place one item or small groupings on top – depending on the size and shape.  i love a tiny square with one ring.  very chic, classy and modern.

 4.  beans and bowls.  if you go to your local grocery store, you’ll find a treasure trove of great jewelry display items:  dried peas, white beans, black beans, lentils – you get the idea.  simply fill up a bowl or tray and lay out your lovelies.

that’s all i have for now.  please share your great ideas for jewelry display!

my dear, talented and oh-so-fashionable friend, Annie recently started her own line, Sourdough, which includes the  Sleepytime Eye Mask.  It’s filled with a delicate whiff of lavender and sewn shut with cool vintage bark cloth. 

i admit – i never thought of myself as a sleep mask kinda gal…thought they were reserved for hangover prone women (alas, those days are long gone for me).  but when Annie sent me one – i realized how totally useful this item would be!  instead of being mildly irritated when my husband chooses to read a little longer – i snap on my mask and feel the sweet smell of sleep arrive on my light-blocked eyes.  yes – these are not just totally adorable – they can be used all the time!

uh – wow!

so – i encourage you to carry these in your store.  great gifts and wonderful for any woman who sleeps with someone who wants to stay up later than her.  and recently i was reading a really good book and was the one who wanted to stay up later…so my hubby decided to wear the mask!  it looks pretty cute on men too.

finally  – annie has the cutest line sheet and a fun opening order!  order an assorted dozen and you’ll get a 13th in a “surprise” fabric chosen by the designer.  the opening order is $150 – so an easy way to get started.  contact her at sourdoughsf@gmail.com to place your order.