Sophie Grace Maui

Looking Back

2011-10-14T23:58:00.001-07:00

I realize that I'm pretty bad at keeping up with my blog. And it's not that I'm uninterested. The thing is though that I devoted this blog to my personal journey as a business owner, mom and wife. And "personal" can be hard to write for all to see. It was a very exciting time for Sophie Grace Maui when I put the blog together. Our Wailea location was doing record numbers, everyday there was more phone and Internet orders and on top of all of that my Mom wanted to invest in us and open a second location. I'm looking back on all of this now because it was this time last year that we signed the lease for Sophie Grace Paia.

Things are still exciting for our little company. But I have to be honest, it's been a long year. In fact when we first opened our Paia store we were extremely disappointed by the lack of business. It was probably the worst Christmas I have ever had. I was scared to death that I had just washed my Moms investment down the drain. And of course while I was busy building Paia my sales in Wailea suffered because of it. Thankfully, things have turned around. BUT it was still a very long year. I had a lot to learn about owning two locations. About making that much jewelry and delegating jobs to other people. About finances, choices and priorities. About working with my mom and my husband simultaneously because they are complete opposites. About trusting God. And about coming up with a real plan for our family. For awhile there I thought for sure I had heard God wrong. Now I know that I didn't hear God wrong but that I just didn't hear all of it. Like the part about it being hard. But hard can be good. That's how we learn. Obviously I wasn't going to know these things without doing them.

Anyway, back to my point. It's emotionally terrifying to jump on a blog and start telling the world about your business woes while you spend the rest of your day marketing yourself as successful. I studied PR. It went against everything I knew. If I talked like I was failing then that's how people would treat our business. But then I'm not being true to myself either. As I prepare for what can only be a better Christmas I will try harder to share more about the journey. To not put so much pressure on myself. And to trust a little bit more when things are hard.

This made me smile.

2011-09-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

I found this information flipping through the Costco Connection Magazine for small business owners. It kind of made my day.

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for having a lack of imagination and good ideas.

Thomas Edison's teachers said that he was too stupid to learn anything.

Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4 or read until he was 7 and was eventually expelled from school.

Notes from Fred Astaire's first screen test read, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little."

Surprise!

2011-09-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the last few months. immediately following my last blog Sophie started a new preschool, we had three sets of family visit, we moved and then we found out we were pregnant (surprise!). We of course told all of our family and friends through a series of phone calls, text messages and then followed up with a personal Facebook post just to cover our bases. But when it came time to tell my customers I was a little stumped. I feel like so many of you are my friends and I want to share this news with you. But announcing something like that on my website/fb page just feels weird. Just like it feels weird posting photos of Sophie which is why I rarely do. I don't really know the protocol here. So instead I'm going the round about way and blogging it. This is my safe place and I know only the customers I'm closest with will actually read it.

I'll admit that we were a bit shocked. Greg and I have known for awhile that no time was going to be the perfect time for us to grow our family. So instead of trying to plan it we gave it to God at the beginning of the year. And with each month since our life has gotten more chaotic. So imagine my surprise when God chose now to multiply us, right when I already felt like I was drowning. But isn't that when God works the best? Just when your convinced you can't possibly take on any more he asks you to let go and surrender. I realize now that this is probably the best thing that can happen to me. The business has gotten to the point that I can no longer do it all. It's time to hire help and start delegating. Something that has always been hard for me. But now I have to, especially if I want to keep growing and not drive my family insane. I'm so blessed to have my husband and my Mom to help me do this. It's absolutely a family business now and I can't wait to see where the next year leads us. Baby is due in March, so it's time to get to work!

Crush it!

2011-05-19T23:03:00.000-07:00

My brother in law recommended this book to my hubby for me. By page 3 I was hooked. The author, Gary Vaynerchuk, describes passion as this, " It means that when you get up in the morning , every single morning, you are pumped because you get to talk about or work with or do the thing that interests you the most in the world. You don't live for vacations because you'd don't need a break from what you're doing - working, playing, and relaxing are one and the same. You don't even pay attention to how many hours you're working because to you, it's not really work. You're making money, but you would do whatever it is you're doing for free."

That's me in a nutshell. Absolutely obsessed with what I do. I feel like it was written for me. What this book talks about though is how to harness that passion and get people exited about you and your product using social networking. I haven't been this excited about a book in a long time. Anyway, I'm only a few chapters in. But I will keep you posted on it's advice and how well it works. I even started tweeting again determined to give it another shot. So you knew it was coming, follow my tweets @sophiegracemaui.com (but bare with me I'm new).

Choices

2011-04-28T15:03:00.000-07:00

This month has really given me a huge dose of what it means to be a parent. What it means to put your child first, what it means to get down on your knees and pray for them and what it means to fight for their welfare everyday. And mostly, what it means to make difficult choices.

A few blogs down you can see the post about Sophie throwing temper tantrums. That was kind of the beginning of it all. A couple weeks after I posted that (and endured plenty more of those tantrums) I got news that her daycare was closing down for a week. I scrambled to find a daycare that would take her temporarily. Thankfully I found a great substitute with an interesting rule. No sugar. No sweets, no gummies, no fruit roll ups and NO JUICE. Guess what? The tantrums stopped cold. I all of a sudden had a different child on my hands.

I think that it's appropriate to insert a great big DUH right about here. I know, I know. I mentally chastise parents all day long for feeding their children shaved ice for breakfast while on vacation and then acting bewildered when those same children grow a second head by lunch time. But I guess that I never really put it together. Greg and I had already been considering a day care switch for reasons that had more to do with the price of gas. But the sugar thing was icing on the cake. It's hard to ask any daycare to not give your child juice when all the other children are getting it. I don't want my child to think that she is being punished because she keeps hearing "your mommy said you can't have that" all day long. So we gave a 30 day notice that we would be switching daycares. This was difficult because the person in charge has been a big part of Sophie's life. And we could tell that this person was and still is very much offended. I don't want to hurt anybodies feelings, but I have to-have to put Sophie first.

And if that wasn't enough we might be needing to make that same choice again with our living situation. Or at least enforcing some uncomfortable rules. Sophie has been saying nasty words and phrases to the other kids at daycare that I promise we never taught her. But I know who did and they live next door. And again that choice will offend more people.

So I guess that's what it means to be a parent. To unapologetically (not really a word- I know) choose to put your child's welfare above the desire of others. I'm in charge of raising the best daughter that I know how. That's my job and responsibility above everything else. I can only wonder what it will be like as she gets older and makes friends, joins clubs and plays sports. I pray that God gives me the strength to make the difficult choices for her and the wisdom to teach her how to make them for herself when I'm not there.

Help Wanted!

2011-04-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

Sophie Grace Maui is officially hiring. We are looking for somebody to work one to two days a week in our Wailea location but also be able to fill in once and awhile in our Paia location. We are looking for somebody with strong sales skills who is comfortable with customers. Somebody who loves people, jewelry and fashion. Somebody who is trustworthy, organized and able to communicate well. You do not need to know how to make jewelry but must be willing to learn. This person must be able to work Saturdays. The shift is from 10-5 and is outside by the pool. It does require setting up and breaking down of the kiosk. If this sounds like you then send your resume to jamie@sophiegracemaui.com. If you have sent your resume in the past and are still interested please send it again.

Happy Birthday Sophie Grace Maui

2011-03-24T14:46:00.000-07:00

My plan was to celebrate Sophie Grace Maui turning three this month. I was going to make a big deal of it on facebook and have a mini champagne toast at the store and make it special. But then as I was doing my taxes and looking over my old receipts from years prior I realized something. Sophie Grace Maui turned 3 weeks ago. For some reason I always thought it was at the end of March, but in reality it was in the beginning. So Happy Birthday Sophie Grace Maui, I'm so sorry I missed it!

I decided that the very least I could do was reminisce by posting the photos we took in the very beginning...

Still do this day lighting is our biggest dilemma..

Sophie Grace Maui, actually called Sophie Grace Designs, started as a little kiosk in Whalers Village Kaanapali. Notice that it's dark in the photo? That's because I used to be open 10AM-10PM all day everyday. I'm so glad that's out of my system. At first I didn't mind being there all of the time. But after a few months it wore on me. Greg and I used to have dinner there most nights, taking turns helping customers. And on the days that we got rained out we would pack up the beads and sit in our teeny tiny ohana/garage that we rented and make jewelry together.

God has been very good to us through our little jewelry adventure and I wouldn't change any of it (even the hard parts) for the world.

P.S. We finally had a photo shoot of the new store so I will be posting those next week.

P.P.S. In case you were wondering about my last post: Sophie is back to normal not throwing tantrums and not climbing out of her crib.

Kicking and Screaming

2011-03-17T22:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took Sophie with me to the post office on the way to daycare. We got there early so I pulled her into the front seat with me and she played with my iPhone apps as we waited. When the post office opened we went inside and she danced around the people in line making friends with everybody. On the way back to the car I found myself thinking what a lovely morning I had with her.

BUT then I tried to put her in her car seat and all hell broke loose. Oh my. I had never seen her throw a tantrum like that. Especially not in public. She flailed (is that a word?) her body around like a fish doing everything she could to not go in that seat. She screamed and cried bloody murder and I think she might have even smacked me. It became such a scene I finally had to go inside the car from the other side and shut the door so that nobody witnessed our struggle. Because honestly, they probably would have thought I was trying to kidnap her by all the kicking and screaming.

I was so shaken up by it that I didn't even notice until half way to daycare that my emergency brakes were on. When I got to daycare and pulled her out of the car I got a whiff of her diaper. So I of course blamed myself for being an idiot and not realizing that the reason she didn't want to sit down in her seat was because she knew what was coming. I did everything I could to hold back my tears of guilt as I dropped her off. When I finally got to the shop I locked the door behind me, burst into tears, and called my Mom.

The thing is though that the dirty diaper ended up not being the issue at all. Because apparently she threw tantrums for the rest of the day. And then this morning when she did it again I looked at her sternly and asked, "Do you want to go in your crib?". This line normally works like a charm. I can say it anytime of day no matter where we are and she takes me seriously. Even if we are in the car on the other side of town with no crib in sight. But this morning she just looked at me and said, "OK!". My jaw dropped. I didn't know what to do. So I said,"fine, in you go!" and in she went. When I peeked in a few minutes later I caught her with one leg swung over the rail climbing out and smiling with pride as she did it!

Two days ago I had a child that behaved. Two days ago I had a child that on the rare occasion she didn't behave I could put her in her crib for a two minute time out and everything was right in my world again. Two days ago my daughter was too small to climb out of the crib. Two days ago I thought I had this mother thing down.

I would love to say I came up with some parenting epiphany since then. That God whispered in my ear that everything would be OK. But even now as I write I can hear her jumping in her bed like it was a trampoline laughing at me and refusing to sleep. I am at a complete loss.

Tsunami

2011-03-11T15:03:00.000-08:00

When Greg called me last night and asked if I was watching the news I thought that he had caught me watching American Idol, something I promised I wouldn't do until he got home. When he started talking about Japan and tsunamis I started looking out the window to see if he was spying on me from the street. But then I turned on the news and realized that it wasn't a joke at all. It's at times like these that I am so glad I live upcountry far away from the ocean.

I immediately began calling all my friends who live in evacuation zones and offering them a place to stay. Most of them, including my Mom, hadn't even heard the news yet. Greg had the privilege of stopping by the store on the way home and standing in line for a few hours for some water and canned food. My stepson filled the cars up with gas (also a very long line) and hit the ATM machines for us. I turned the fan on full blast in Sophie's room to try and drown out the noise of the emergency sirens before they started. These are just some of the things that you do to prepare for a tsunami. And then at 2AM the news announced the wave heading our way had increased from 6 feet to 8 feet. So off Greg and Ty went to empty the Paia store of all the things I wasn't ready to see wash away.

I know that I'm very blessed it all ended up OK. I know that I'm very blessed to not be in the kind of situation that those in Japan are in. Dealing with death and loss on such an extraordinary level. I know that I should be feeling something different in my heart than what I'm feeling right now. But to be honest, to be really really honest, I'm struggling. Sophie Grace Maui has had some challenges these last few months that I haven't been able to really write about. And just like this, they were all because of events that had nothing to do with me. As a Mom trying to provide for her family I'm frustrated because I know that this too will effect us. Spring Break is our busy time, I bought supplies to gear up for that busy time. And now with the airports closed and tourism put on hold, I'm sad.

Please don't judge me. It took everything in me to admit that. In the grand scheme of things my little business is not important. I am very very blessed. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm feeling a little discouraged...

Hello There

2011-03-05T15:23:00.000-08:00

I realize that it's been 30 days since my last post. I haven't given up on my blog. Not in the least. But you know that post two posts down? The one that talks about increasing my payroll and stepping out in faith? The one that says it was going to be hard? Well it was, and still is. I'm learning that when you step out in faith there are many rewards, but also many tests and a few attacks along the way. I had barely hit "post" when the challenges began rolling in. I won't get too detailed as there are people I love who might not want their lives written about. But let's just say this, my business was almost uprooted by circumstances that had nothing to do with me and my household has almost doubled permanently (no I did not have a baby).

It might be a few weeks before I'm back blogging on a regular basis. BUT it's Saturday and I'm not working just like I said. Through it all I'm sticking to my decision to work less. And no, blogging isn't work. Greg is running errands and Sophie is napping. So for the first time in 30 days, I can do whatever I want!

Bohemia Boutique

2011-02-04T00:50:00.001-08:00

I posted on my facebook page last week that I have a wedding to go to tomorrow (congrats Lacy!) and that there was a dress I had my eye on for the event that I just couldn't realistically afford at the time. So I decided to try out Bohemia Boutique, a consignment store in Wailuku. And guess what? This is the dress I found while I was there. It's by one of my favorite brands, Free People. And I actually had my eye on it when it first hit stores last year. I was sad that I didn't buy it the first time I saw it so I was pretty excited that I found it for half the price this time around.

Now I'm not a huge consignment shopper. I've tried in the past but I just don't ever find anything that I like. However, my closet was filled to the brim with clothes that I didn't need. The first time that I went into Bohemia I was pretty shocked to learn that there was actually a waiting list to put your clothes on consignment! But the manager was so very nice, she emailed me an agreement to look over and called me a few weeks later to schedule an appointment. So very very professional. After I brought in my clothes she emailed me a detailed list of everything that I brought in and how much it was priced at and how much of that price would go to me. They even mail you your checks once things start selling. I have to tell you that I was pretty impressed with the whole arrangement. I've done this only one other time at a different local consignment store and the experience was so awful that I never returned. Not even to pick up my money! And besides being professional and courteous they also have great things. Designer things! So I encourage anybody who lives in Maui to check out Bohemia Boutique the next time your in Wailuku. I don't think that you will be disappointed.

Bohemia Boutique
105 North Market Street 101B
Wailuku, HI 96793

808-244-9995

Priorities

2011-01-30T18:01:00.000-08:00

Today is hopefully a turning point for me. As of today I will no longer be working weekends. This was never important before as Greg never had a Monday thru Friday kind of job before. But he does now and if I ever want to see him or be together as a family at the same time then this was something that I needed to do. My goal is to begin taking myself off of the schedule completely. I would like to run this company from a management position. Meaning that I would spend a few hours in each store during week days. But that I would have time to do things that I can't do when I'm required to open and close a shop everyday. Like finish our website, or sit down with our graphic designer to work on some much needed advertising pieces. Or better yet, make jewelry.

I'm hoping that my new schedule will begin to better me as a Mom and Wife first but also as a designer as well. I'm hoping that in the long run it will be a smart move from a financial perspective too. But right now I know it's going to hurt. Hiring a full time staff means doubling my payroll. Which means that it's time to start sacrificing certain spending habits. It means possibly moving into a smaller home and it means being more responsible with our money.

It's times like these I'm thankful that I don't own a home. I wouldn't have the freedom that I do now to make choices that benefit our company. Like cutting our rent in half. I'm also thankful that I have a husband that though he has his own career he is still very much a part of our family business. I'm thankful that he too is willing to go without a fancy car and home-owning so that we can build something bigger for our family. I'm also thankful that I have a Mom who was willing to jump into this boat with us. Without her I wouldn't be able to step away as I'm trying to do now. And lastly I'm thankful that the Lord has filled my life with very qualified people to assist me. I used to always have a really difficult time finding a staff. Even just one person. Now I have them coming out my ears. All in the Lords timing I guess.

I know that God gave me this little business. And I also know that he doesn't want me to continue working as I have been. I don't think I was making bad choices in the past. It's just part of it. But all the signs are there that it's time rearrange my priorities. So I have faith that my efforts will be blessed. But I'm also confident that just because it's God's will doesn't mean it will be entirely easy. So maybe keep us in your prayers anyways.

EMBARRASING!

2011-01-28T11:30:00.000-08:00

I'm a little bit frustrated with facebook. I'm not a junkie by any means. I rarely go on my personal page and when I do it's to post photos of Sophie for her grandparents to see. It's my business one that has me a bit conflicted. I was late to the facebook game. I thought it was evil and I wanted nothing to do with it. But my very smart social networking genius of a brother in law convinced me otherwise. So I thought that I would try it. I had been collecting email addresses for years from my various locations and didn't really do all that much with them. So I set up my facebook page. Or rather I had one of my employees do it for me since I was so clueless. She did and ran all my collected email address through the friend finder. Lots accepted my friend request so I was happy.

The thing is though that these email address were collected over several years. So some people who hadn't heard from me in a really long time or who didn't remember me denied my friend requests. Which is fine. BUT as far as I know facebook doesn't allow you to track that or delete those people. So every time I enter another book of email addresses that people willingly write down in my guest book I run another friend finder. And again, people from years ago decline my offer because I can't figure out how to separate those from the new ones unless I search them one by one. Which I guess is what I will have to do now in the free time I don't really have because facebook just put me on friend restriction!

I'm not sure if that's happened to any of you before. Probably not, or at least I hope not. The whole thing is kind of embarrassing. First facebook scolded me. Seriously! And then it made me read an agreement saying I wouldn't send friend requests to people I didn't know and THEN at the bottom it made me click a button with the words "I understand". I'm humiliated as I write this.

When I retold this story everybody thought it was hysterical and laughed at me. But I was really really offended. I went to bed angry and hurt! At facebook! Most people would roll their eyes and stop using facebook. But it's actually a really big part of my business. It pays the rent during slow months. So I can't do that. And I understand why they have these rules in place. And I'm glad they do. But I'm really not a creep! Oh well. I guess that I will have to get over it. But it honestly felt like JR High when the boy you like breaks up with you! It's a feeling that never really leaves you.

Read This Blog

2011-01-25T23:19:00.000-08:00

I blogged about my graphic artist a few months ago. A friend from high school that I reconnected with via facebook. She redid my logo and all of my packaging and marketing material. I love her work! Anyway, my friend Amanda has started a new blog that's worth reading. It's called, "My Year of Faith". She started it because she felt called to do so after her husband was laid off. On it she blogs EVERYDAY about having faith. Her husband is going on 53 days now without work and still she blogs each day about her faith in the matter. It's inspiring, and kind of addicting too. I find myself wondering each day about their situation and reminding myself to check the blog to see if their prayers have been answered yet. She also posts other people's stories of faith. I would encourage anybody who might need some inspiration to check out this blog. You will immediately feel connected to her and her situation. And if you know of anybody hiring in Southern California for a sales job then let her know! Check out the blog

www.myyearoffaith.blogspot.com

Relax

2011-01-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

Lately life has been a bit stressful. I've been going back and forth between two stores and my schedule has been less than ideal. I've been working almost everyday and not spending enough time with my family. On top of that Greg's job is taking up more time as well which has been hard to balance as he tries to finish things around the store. The bathroom still isn't working, the landscaping isn't finished, more lighting needs to be put up and the signs need to be hung. Every morning I would wake up just feeling this immense amount of pressure to get it all perfect. And then God reminded me that I have to relax. Which is funny because it's not like I found some quiet time in order to hear that. I've been pretty bad at that lately and I think God got tired of waiting for me to ask what he thought. But he loved me enough to tell me anyway. Relax. I'm new to Paia and I want our business to do well and to fit in too. I want to be accepted by the community of course. But I didn't build this store to impress the neighborhood. I did it in order to take care of my family. To do something with my Mom. To grow as an artist. To teach my children about life and faith. To provide. To enjoy what God has given me. If I forget to do all of that because I'm so worried of failing and what others think then what on earth was the point? So this is me trying to relax and enjoy the process of it all. Today I'm OK.

My Handy Man

2011-01-19T21:59:00.000-08:00

Here's to my husband. He drives me crazy sometimes but I know for a fact that I drive him nuts too. Especially when I ask him to build me a table for the new store ASAP. What boggles my mind is that he actually turns around and does it. And he does it with style. He didn't just build a table, he stained it, painted it, pickled it and distressed it for me in one afternoon. Thanks honey. It's the prettiest table ever.

Her First

2011-01-12T22:34:00.001-08:00

Maybe I'm paranoid but I feel like I need to address this now. Before anything else I'm a Mom to the world's most precious child. So if she is running a fever and I have nobody to work for me then yes, I will probably close for the day. If I miss her and need a Sophie day then I will probably bring her to work with me. And if on a day like today when the island is storming I will take my time getting her to preschool, open the store late and close early. And if you think that's unprofessional on my part then maybe your right. But then I really don't want your business anyway.

For Me?

2011-01-11T22:47:00.000-08:00

I have the most amazing customers. It's almost absurd to me how loyal and kind they are. The most loyal and kind ones are the ones that I met my first six months in that kiosk in Kaanapali. There must have been something pretty endearing about me, scared out of my mind trying to make my dreams come true! I'm still scared out of my mind. That hasn't changed. But I am a little bit more aware of how odd it is that these people keep in touch with me. For example, my friend Shriley. This lady bought a few starfish bracelets three years ago when I first opened. Those bracelets have reappeared in my life several times needing repairs. Once by mail, and the other time through some friends of hers on vacation. Both times I happily repaired them because that's my job, but kindly reminded her that maybe it wasn't a good idea to wear them EVERYDAY. Do you know what she did? She knitted me this scarf. Or crotchet? I'm not sure. But it took her 9 hours! And then she held on to it for a year until she was able to make it out to Maui again! I almost cried when she showed up in our Paia shop and handed it to me. I have more stories like this, especially once Sophie was born. And it just blows me away. So I just wanted to say thank you. I believe that God purposely puts customers like you in my life to reassure me that I'm not crazy. I think that he did it very often early on because I was an emotional wreck all of the time and needed the encouragement of strangers who would later become friends. So again, thank you. You know who you are.

A Day Off

2011-01-08T15:38:00.000-08:00

Today is the first full day that I have had off in over a month (with the exception of Christmas of course). Managing two stores is overwhelming. I know that it will get easier as business picks up and we have a regular staff in place. But for now it's overwhelming. If I'm not in Wailea then I'm in Paia and if I'm not in either place then it's night time and I'm in my office making jewelry. Thanks to my assistant I was blessed with a full day at home with my little girl. And let me tell you it was much needed. We haven't had one of these 'just the two of us' days in awhile and we really didn't have anywhere to be. So we did something that I always want to do but never can because Saturday is normally a work day. We went garage sale hopping. Maui is a pretty great place for garage sales. People either have generations of family here so they have a lot of really great old stuff, or they were only here temporarily and are now leaving the island so they have a lot of really great new stuff. I know that garage sale hopping with a toddler probably doesn't sound like fun to most. But with a child like Sophie who instantly bonds with every stranger she meets it can actually be a lot of fun. And since all the garage sales are in my neighborhood it was pretty convenient too. I didn't find anything for me but Sophie definitely scored. The pieces are old and will need a bit of fixing and granted Sophie doesn't have a doll house yet. But we can find or build that later.

It's been an amazing day. I will go to bed tonight at peace and reminded that next to her none of it matters.

Meet My Mom

2010-12-09T01:45:00.000-08:00

My mom, Sally, moved to Maui about 2 years after Greg and I did. We had just opened up the Kiosk in Whalers Village when she arrived. It has been so amazing having her here. She has been able to watch as we grew our family and our business. Not everybody is blessed enough to have loved ones so close. I think that most people know that from the beginning I wanted Sophie Grace Maui to be a family company. More than just Greg and I. I wanted my Mom, and hopefully our kids one day, to all be a part of it. At first though there wasn't a whole lot for my Mom to be a part of. It really was a one person operation. But now I am excited to announce that she will be my partner in the Paia location. I'm so relieved to have somebody that I trust by my side helping with the decision making and the execution of all things Sophie Grace. OK, maybe not all things! But lots of things, that's for sure. Owning a business can be a little lonely at times. It's nice to know that at the end of the day I'm surrounded by people who love and support me. Next time that you are in Paia please stop by and say hi to her! Opening day is just around the corner...

Dear Mom,

What a roller coaster these last few months have been! I promise that it won't always be this stressful. I feel like we really haven't even had a chance to celebrate yet. I've been up most the night making jewelry for our opening. But before I called it a night I wanted to make sure you knew how excited I am. Thank you for believing in me and loving me enough to attach yourself to my crazy world. I hope that you love your new store and that you can find the same joy in art and fashion and people that I do. I love you so much and am thrilled to call you my partner almost as much as I am to call you my Mom.

Sorry

2010-12-01T03:49:00.000-08:00

I have been and will probably continue to be a little MIA as we get ready to open the store. Lots of jewelry to be made! But I will be sure to announce opening day as it approaches and post pictures as well. We are shooting for mid December, in time for Christmas.

Inadequate

2010-11-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

A friend and fellow blogger had this to say last week about why she stopped reading everyone else's blogs.

"They were making me feel pretty inadequate. Every blog made me feel like I was looking at the perfect mother. Their houses are amazing and decorated beautifully, their kids are spotless and dressed to impress and they come up with crafty ideas EVERYDAY. Not only that but they have time to be witty, take their kids on the most educational outings and take pictures whiles doing it. Geesh!"

And I couldn't help but smile while reading it because that is exactly how I feel! So it got me thinking.

First of all, I wonder if that friend and fellow blogger knows that she actually makes me feel inadequate all of the time. She is a mother of three, the most creative person I know, and an amazing business woman.

Second of all, I began to wonder if I ever do the same thing to anybody else? I try to keep this blog more personal and less business. But let's be honest, do I really write about my bad days or my messy house or the fact that I let Sophie watch too much TV? Nope. I don't post pictures if you can see a pile of laundry in the background. And I really don't post photos if I'm in them and you can see the left over baby fat I haven't found the time to lose. So yes, maybe I'm a fraud too. So in an effort to free myself and stop the charade here is a little bit of truth about me.

I don't ever leave my house with a hair out of place. But that's because I'm insecure. I show up to work looking like I've got it all together but what nobody knows is that I left a small trail of chaos behind me to pull that off. I'm probably wearing the only thing that was clean. I probably would have shown up with it wrinkled if my sweet husband hadn't insisted I take the time to iron it. I'm always running late. My house is always a mess. I go to bed every night with the intention of getting up early to work out and read my bible but that rarely happens. I still haven't put together a photo album of Sophie. I forget my shopping list every time that I go to the store. I can't cook. I can't sew. I have frizzy hair. I enjoy Sponge Bob Square Pants. I'm a bit of a workaholic. In fact, I'm completely undisciplined in everything but work. And sometimes I let my daughter get away with too much because I find her defiance adorable!

That felt kind of good.

I'm a Genius.

2010-11-17T12:28:00.000-08:00

I'm not one to think outside of the box. In fact, if the most obvious solution isn't going to get the job done then that's it, I'm out of ideas. Like Netflix for example. I had accidentally thrown away a couple of the envelopes that you send your movies back in. For months I couldn't figure out how to send the two extra discs that I had back. Finally I googled it. Turns out you can put more than one movie in their return envelopes. Duh, I know. But still, that never would have dawned on me. Part of why I love my husband is his ability to think outside of the box. Granted, I'm probably really easy to impress. But at least he comes across as a genius at least once a week.

BUT this idea was all mine. My daughter is advanced in all ways but one. I'm honestly not trying to brag. She could hold her head up at birth and started walking at 8 months. And I don't mean like at the end of 8 months so really 9 months. I mean the day she turned 8 months so I could almost say 7 months. She is just freakishly strong and coordinated (which she did not get from me). But the one thing that she has trouble with is silverware. She loves it, wants to eat with it, is determined to learn but just horrible at it. The other day she was trying to eat her Cheerios with a spoon and was getting kind of mad at the whole thing. But as I watched I couldn't help but admire her determination. And as I'm thinking how much easier her life would be if they would just stick to the spoon BAM, I'm hit with a genius idea. All on my own too! Peanut Butter! Not a lot, just a little and she can wield that spoon where ever she wants.

Too bad Peanut Butter doesn't go with everything. Hopefully by the time she figures that out she will have a better handle on feeding herself.

Life Lessons

2010-11-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

Things that Sophie has taught me...

1. You only need a few words to get through life. NO, Please, Thank you, NO, Hey, More, Ouch, NO, Nice, Milk, Banana, NO. If you've got those down you can really navigate just fine.

2. Nothing starts the day better than Cheerios, Sesame Street and Dad's favorite chair.

3. A Binki (pacifier) dipped in Peanut Butter cures all.

4. Two of anything is always better than one.

5. Don't ever leave anybody behind-even in it's one of 17 stuffed animals and you're only going from the bed to the couch.

6. There is nothing more fun than being naked and running from your mother.

7. Pajamas are for the birds.

8. Ants really are fascinating.

9. You don't need music to dance.

10. Grandma is the funnest person of all.

Update

2010-11-15T23:13:00.000-08:00

We were really hoping to get the store open by Thanksgiving but I don't see it happening. I'm going to shoot for December 1st though. We signed a long lease so we just want to make sure that it's perfect. I've learned in the past that if we say we will finish a project at a later date just to hurry up and get the doors open, that we don't ever actually finish it.

Goodbye Friend

2010-11-14T21:36:00.000-08:00

My favorite necklace sold today. I know, I say that a lot. A lot of them become my favorite in one way or another. But I think that if you spend that much time nurturing anything that you are bound to get attached. However THIS necklace was different. It really was my favorite and I was very proud of it. Women would stop by and look at it everyday. And not once did I encourage anybody to ever it buy it. It wasn't that I wanted to for myself. I just really liked to look at it. So the moment that somebody would try it on I would just get real quiet. Awful, I know! But I really didn't want to see it go.

Today though a lady and her very fashionable mother fell in love with it. They were very careful as they made their choice. And even though the necklace was clearly for the daughter it was a joint effort in every sense. At the end of the sale I was happy to see it go to such a great set of shoppers. But I'm not going to lie, I will miss my friend.

Surrendering

2010-11-13T21:38:00.000-08:00

I can't really give the details. But something very important in my life was taken away. Even though I saw it coming and was prepared for the hurt I was still very upset. That night I cried in my husbands arms and we prayed about it together. And what God told me was to let it go. To surrender it and not to worry about it, that he had my back if you will. And so I did. Though it was hard it was also a relief. I was so tired of worrying about this happening that when it did happen I was just glad that it was over.

And so the next morning I woke up at peace with letting go of something I thought was so important. Too important really. And I heard God say, "This is going to hurt, but let me work." And work he did.

I was given back what was lost but under better circumstances. I know that is a promise in the bible but it was so rad to have it happen the way it did. I don't ever want to live outside of God's will. I don't ever want this feeling of total trust to depart from me. I know that in time it probably will. I am only human. But today the lesson didn't escape me and I am so thankful that I have a God that loves me and knows me and pays attention to detail. And I'm so thankful that he put people in my life that would fight for me.

I promise to try and hold the things of this world with a loose hand. And when something amazing happens to me, even if I can't share the details, I will share the lesson.

Failing To Do It All

2010-11-08T22:30:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. I'm a little sad. On the one hand I'm excited for the second location. From a business perspective it's a smart move. And from my perspective as a designer it's a necessary move. I need that space and that exposure to expand. But from a personal perspective I'm kind of a wreck. We were planning on adding to our family right about now. And though a second location was always in the works I didn't really think that it was going to happen right away. I know that I have all the love and support I need should I decide that I'm ready for another child. I'm just sad that I might not be ready. It's a lot to juggle even without children. How would I juggle it with two of them?

I know that the most important part of my life is my family. They will always come first. I just want to be able to provide for them too.

Halloween

2010-11-08T22:17:00.000-08:00

Poor Sophie didn't actually get to celebrate Halloween. By the time the day came around she had just enough of a sniffle that we had to keep her in. Thankfully I was so in love with her costume that I put her in it every chance I got before Halloween ever arrived. There are many more of these photo of Sophie going about her day dressed as a monkey. The only thing missing is the banana we were going to have her carry as we went door to door. Oh well, there is always next year.

Details

2010-11-02T22:35:00.000-07:00

So just a little advice to anybody thinking of opening a store on Maui. Unless you have the previous tenant transfer the electrical into your name, or allow you to transfer the electrical to your name, then you will owe the electric company a $500.00 deposit to get the lights turned back on. EVEN if you were a previous customer in good standing. So yes, I am now $500.00 over budget and I haven't even started yet!

And yes the chandelier is coming out of storage. My husband was thrilled to learn that he would have to remodel the ceiling to make it happen.

And the hard work begins!

2010-11-02T01:13:00.000-07:00

When it comes to commercial real estate it's always a game of hurry up and wait. I signed the lease over a week go but had to be patient while we waited for the previous tenant to vacate. It was weird signing the lease this time around. It's the first time that I have done that without Greg by my side. And it wasn't because he wasn't on board. It was just that we had already done this several times before and I didn't realize that I was breaking a tradition until it was actually happening. It made it kind of bitter sweet for me. From now on Greg will just have to be there no matter how busy we are.

So anyway, on Friday we were handed the keys and became official Paia tenants! We still have so much work to do but are trying not to rush ourselves. It's always been a push before to open by a certain date. But this year we don't have another rush until Christmas, so we have some time. So far on the list is paint the outside of the building, add a patio, plaster the inside, take out the drop ceiling, add some vintage wallpaper and make a whole lot of jewelry. Greg started on Saturday and is already exhausted! Thankfully though we are blessed to have friends willing to get dirty.

I won't post all the before photos until I have some after photos. But I couldn't resist this one of Sophie standing at the front door while we were doing the walk through. I hope that one day when she is all grown up that she can look at that photo and know that we were doing it all for her.

Almost There...

2010-10-23T13:34:00.001-07:00

I just got an email from the realtor with my new lease attached. 24 pages to read through. Hopefully I can get through them all and sign on Monday!

How On Earth?

2010-10-20T22:36:00.000-07:00

I'm a little bit overwhelmed with the idea of a second location. I'm not worried so much as curious how on earth I'm going to make that much jewelry? I think that it's time to start hiring reinforcements. I love the concept that I hand make each piece, I think that my customers do too. But I have to accept that at some point that is no longer realistic. I guess that my biggest concern is quality control. Each and every piece is a love affair for me. How can I expect somebody else to be that passionate or detailed with my designs?

Second Location?

2010-10-20T00:37:00.000-07:00

Actually a 'For Rent' sign is something that you don't see often in Maui when it comes to store fronts. Sure people close down just like every where else. But in Maui there is an astonishing number of small business owners and not enough retail space to go around. So somebody is always waiting in the wings for you to throw in the towel. And I'll admit it, I've been one of those people for the last six months.
It's not that I don't love my location now. I do, trust me. I can count off all sorts of designers who would love to see me close. But I've become very aware that if I want to grow a second location is the first step. So I became one of those stalking the streets for a store front. And let me tell you that it wasn't easy. Every time that a store came available I was sure that I was the first one to notice. I would track down the landlord, not an easy task either, only to find out that there was a waiting list before the previous tenant even gave notice. I think I might have even shed a few tears. But I've played this game before and knew that there was a perfect spot for me and that I would find it eventually. And I think that day might have finally come. I don't want to say too much yet. The security check has been delivered but I won't announce anything until the lease is signed. I will keep everybody updated, I promise!

Vakker Blomst Designs

2010-10-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite hair pieces by Vakker Blomst Designs!

My Glam Squad

2010-10-11T00:59:00.000-07:00

I recently was blessed enough to put together a photo shoot for Sophie Grace Maui. Don't worry, this isn't one of the pictures. This was taken by me from my phone trying to document the day. Which I later realized is silly when you have a photographer beside you basically doing the same thing.

I remember though that when I took this picture that I was thinking about how thankful I was to have so many talented people in my life. It surprised me when I realized that I already knew all of the people that I needed to help me to put this shoot together. I had met the hair and make-up artists, photographers, stylist and models through the years at different events and kept in touch. It can be really tough to be a small business owner and I think that it is so important to support and promote each other whenever possible. I'm going to mention more about the photographers and models once I'm able to share the real photos. But for now I wanted to say thank you to my glam squad and give them a little publicity. All of my soon to be brides out there, this is for you.

Make-Up: It doesn't matter if you're a resident or a tourist. If you need your makeup done then Camille Kozuki is the girl to call. I met Camille years ago when we were both working for Maggie Coulombe. She was born and raised in Maui but studied at the Cinema Makeup School in Hollywood. She is back on Maui working as a freelance Makeup artist AND STYLIST specializing in editorial print and weddings. In the past she has worked for Vanity Fair, Sport and Style France, GQ Germany, Victoria Secret and on the cast of Lost. Her email is camikozuki@hotmail.com and her website (which is under construction) is www.camiko.makeupmaui.com.

Hair: I met April when we were both pregnant. Her son is just a few months older than Sophie. When we realized that the two were soul mates we decided it would be a good idea to strike up a friendship as well. April is a natural at hair (she's quick too by the way) but she has taken it a step further. She is also the owner and designer of Vakker Blomst Hairpieces. Her small company is quickly becoming a must have in Maui. The model in the photo is wearing one. They are perfect for every event you can think of and weddings too of course! Keep you eye out for them as they begin to pop up in retail location and absolutely visit her online store.
www.vakkerblomstdesigns.com

Thanks to everybody who helped out with the shoot. More shout outs to come, I promise!

Thank You

2010-10-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

Have you ever prayed for something so hard that when it happened you were too shocked to properly say Thank You? That just happened to me. I won't go in to detail because I really think most people would find the story a tad boring. But it was a needed prayer that was faithfully answered. So today I just wanted to express my gratitude to my Lord and Saviour who never lets me down even when I constantly assume that He will.

Have Your Heard?

2010-10-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

I was recently talking to a friend of mine about starting a membership based jewelry (for lack of a better word) club. You sign up, pay a certain amount each month, and a piece of Sophie Grace Maui jewelry shows up in your mailbox. You could choose from a handful of items every month and if you don't like what you chose that month just send it back. You could exchange it or bank it or just skip that month all together. And because your a member the items are discounted. As I'm telling my friend about this fabulous idea she interrupts me and says, "you mean just like Shoe Dazzle?". Shoe what? I had to know more. I couldn't believe that I hadn't heard of this. Keep in mind my friend lives in the city and is very with it as opposed to me and my secluded island life.

So in the sake of "research" I signed up for Shoe Dazzle. It is exactly what I described above but for shoes. I LOVE IT! I highly recommend to check it out. There is one flaw however that I must bring up. If you live in Hawaii the shipping isn't free. Which becomes a nuisance when you don't like the pair you bought and have to send it back for a different pair. Then you end up paying for shipping 3 times, all of a sudden it's no longer a deal. At that point I just end up giving the shoes to my Mom or some other stylish person. Fashion is always a blessing! But for everybody else the shipping is free.

www.shoedazzle.com

Oh and for those of you who liked the Sophie Grace Jewelry "Club", I wasn't kidding. I promise to keep you posted!

Motherhood

2010-10-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

I have had the worst and best morning. And because I can't get past it I thought that it was better to write about what's on my heart than anything else. Besides, it says in my greeting that I would write about being a wife and mother too. So here goes.

It's 7 AM and we are busy getting ready for the day. Greg has a meeting in Oahu, Sophie has Preschool/Day care and I have class. Yes class, a jewelry class that I will talk more about another day. I'm excited. This is my one day off in two weeks and I have things to do. After Greg leaves for the airport I sit down and start making out my To-Do List. By the way, I love To-Do Lists. Nothing makes me feel more efficient than crossing things off of a list. Sometimes I even write stuff on my list that I have already accomplished just for the joy of crossing it off!

Anyway, as I'm writing down all that I have to do my phone rings. It's Greg sounding very apologetic and a tad bit scared. Turns out that he left for the airport with my car keys in his pocket. I hang up and BURST into tears. And I mean burst. You would have thought he called to say he that was leaving me by the way I reacted. It's not that I didn't want to spend the day at home with Sophie. Of course I did. But this always seems to happen to me. I work from home 2 days a week because it is impossible to get everything done at the shop while talking with customers. They are my days, without anybody around, to run my business. They are my days to cross things off of that list that I love. And I look forward to them the way most people look forward to a vacation. But somehow more often than not something interrupts them. Life? Or maybe God?

So as am sitting on the floor with my face in my hands sobbing I realize by the pitter-patter of little running feet coming down the hall that Sophie must have heard me. She runs over to me, gets down on her little knees, moves my hands, and looks up at my face. She gives me the sweetest smile that I have ever seen and starts to wipe away my tears. And in that moment I hear the Lord telling me to slow down and love every minute of my life. Even the ones that I'm mad at. This is the day, this is the moment that He wanted me to have. I can make up my class. I can apologize to the customer whose order isn't getting mailed out today. But I can never get that moment back with my little girl pouring her love on me ever again.

I once read a book by Author Robert Fulghum and he called moments like these, standing knee deep in the river and dying of thirst. I don't think that I ever fully grasped what he meant until just now. But I have a feeling that it's a lesson I will probably have to learn over and over again. And if I get to experience that kind of love in the process than I will gladly take the lesson that comes with it.

Star Noodle

2010-10-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

My husband and I were recently treated to dinner at Star Noodle in Lahaina. I'm confident that if you live in Maui you have heard of it and know their story. From what I understand it is owned by the same guys who own Aloha Mixed Plate and Old Lahaina Luau. This restaurant is in the worst location imaginable. It is on top of a hill (which makes for a great view) at the very end of a commercial warehouse district. You can't see it from the street and there are no signs directing you there. But none of that seems to matter. Locals love this place enough that they have spread the word in the small amount of time that it has been open. We sat down at 6 PM and half an hour later there wasn't a single table left. By 8 PM the bar was full as well. And this was in the middle of September. The facility was clean and beautifully done. Our server, LuLu, made us feel perfectly at home. And I can honestly say that everything on the menu was delicious. The reason that I can honestly say that it because we honestly ordered one of everything including dessert. Don't forget to check this place out the next time that you are in Maui. You will not be disappointed.

Congratulations guys! It couldn't have happened to a better group of people.

She Sells Seashells By The Seashore, Really!

2010-09-27T16:50:00.000-07:00

Introducing my newest creations. These aren't available on my website yet or even on Facebook. I just started making these so I only have a few available. Please contact me if you want one, or two or three! They are awesome stacked. The Sterling Silver adult ones are $65.00, and $45.00 for the baby size. The Gold Filled ones are $95.00 for adults and $75.00 for baby. By the way, Sophie herself LOVES hers! She is the whole reason I made the baby one to begin with, she kept stealing mine! Just send me an email if your interested. jamie@sophiegracemaui.com.

BOGO SALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-09-26T18:01:00.000-07:00

Bogo Sale!

From now through October 5th we are having our annual BOGO Sale. Buy one Starfish Necklace and get the second one free! Just enter maggie at checkout for your freebies.

http://www.sophiegracemaui.com/

Counting Blessings and Pennies Too

2010-09-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

Every year at this time our small island goes from crazy to quiet in a matter of days. It marks the end of summer and the beginning of what every retailer on Maui dreads, SEPTEMBER. It's one long month in which our economy literally stands still. And when I say stands still what I mean is all revenue comes to a screeching halt. Every year we say that we are going to put money away to save for this month and of course we never do. Instead my husband and I wait until September is upon us and then we start to panic. I think that I am handling it a little bit better this time around. God always comes through in one creative way or another and somehow our bills get paid. But it absolutely puts things into perspective. For 30 days we have to live without things we normally take for granted. No extras what-so-ever at all. And in a way I'm kind of glad. It reminds me of how very blessed that I am and how rich I am even if I don't have a dollar to my name.

But, if your a tourist who comes to Maui in September and us locals seem a little bit grumpy, now you know why!

Sneak Peek!

2010-09-13T22:57:00.000-07:00

First off I must apologize. I am aware that my website is seriously outdated. And it's not because I haven't come up with anything new. That has hardly been the problem. The problem has been that I have never been able to find a photographer that I both loved and could afford at the same time. Problem solved!

I have to be honest though. When my brother in law first suggested that I hire his wife to shoot the jewelry I did in fact squirm. I had never really seen what she could do with a camera except for families and weddings. I was aware that photographing jewelery was one of the hardest things in the world to do. And I was very nervous of some kind of awkward conversation that I would have to have with her if her pictures did not meet my impossible standards (Jen, I hope your laughing). But I sent her some jewelry anyway and told her to have fun and send me a few samples. And have fun she did! I was floored at how detailed and artistic they came out. Here is just a little sneak peek of the up and coming collection. It will be another month before it's all posted to the website. But if you like these then you will love the rest. Keep checking in for updates and make sure to wander over to Jen's website as well to take a look at her portfolio.

www.jennlynn.com

www.jenn-lynn-photography.blogspot.com

Meet Amanda

2010-09-09T23:06:00.000-07:00

When my husband and I started Sophie Grace Maui we had nothing to lose. Literally, nothing. I, with his encouragement of course, had spent every dime we had and didn't have on material. Our home was covered in metal, gemstones, chain and wire. So when it came time to design a logo I couldn't hire anybody to help me. I just picked my favorite font on my word program and that was that. I kept that design for a really long time because I couldn't find anybody who understood what I wanted.
And then one day I signed up for facebook. What an amazing tool for a business, but that is a whole other blog. I discovered old friends of course. But what I also discovered was an old friend who had started a business of her own designing the very things that I needed. She is now my go to girl for everything I need that I can't do. She did a fabulous job with the new logo, packaging and advertising. She also does announcements and invitations of course. I think that it is so important to support other small business owners so check her out! She is super affordable and talented, my two favorite things.

Amanda Elhaj
http://www.creativenestdesigns.com/
http://amandasfavs.blogspot.com/

Where am I?

2010-09-06T01:31:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I agonized over what my first "blog" would say. The idea of even having a blog, or a Facebook page for that matter, seems a bit strange. I've never been "completely with it" when it came to technology. I was the last person to have an email account and to own a flat screen TV and I'm ashamed to admit it but my husband and I STILL aren't wireless. So the fact that I am now running around filling orders that came in through my twitter account is very very unlike me. But now that I'm an official business three years running I think that it's time to get with the program. So here I am blogging away.

I know that I'm sending this out to a lot of customers who haven't heard from me in the last year. And a lot has happened since then. First, Sophie herself. Sophie Grace Shepherd is now 15 months old and a beautiful force to be reckoned with. She is hands down the most amazing and courageous person that I have ever met. Second , we have changed locations once AGAIN. After Sophie came into our lives I needed a store that allowed me to be a Mom, and I had to be home to do that. So when the Grand Wailea Resort and Spa called and offered me a location that I could close at 4:00 PM and I could still be home in time for dinner, I said yes! Now you can find me 5 days a week poolside at the Grand Wailea still making one of a kind jewelry. I'm very happy to be there and I hope that you visit me the next time that you are in Maui. Aloha!