Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwaanza & More

Southern Snow!  About the best we can do here!

A big thank you for all your support throughout the year. Look for new announcements and products plus redesigned website in 2018. 

 And, don't forget about jewelry repair services offered on costume to fine jewelry!  Quick turn around on restringing, Repair, sizing, resetting and redesign services!

We are your full service jeweler!  Shop at Etsy.com/shop/anitaroks, use coupon code FAVORITE for extra discount!  Still shipping for Christmas delivery!

AHH! Springtime will be here soon!

Our spring fashion colors are related to the great outdoors! 

 According to Leatrice Eiserman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, "Reminiscent of the hues that surround us in nature, our Spring 2017 Fashion Color Report evokes a spectrum of emotion and feeling.  From the warmth of sunny days with PANTONE 13-0755 Primrose Yellow to the invigorating feeling of breathing fresh mountain air with PANTONE 18-0107 Kale and desire to escape to pristine waters with PANTONE 14-4620 Island Paradise, designers applied color in playful, yet thoughtful and precise combinations to fully capture the promises, hope and transformation that we yearn for each Spring."

As jewelry designers, it is important that we pay attention to these top fashion colors, in order to coordinate our fashion jewelry to complement this theme.

If you are shopping for jewelry, or making jewelry yourself, select bright colorful stones that compliment your clothing and accent your outfits.  Add natural features to your jewelry, such as feathers, leaves, seed pods, sticks, flowers, trees, birds that are fabricated in metal,   Depict the sea in your design themes, with waves, beach elements, birds, beach glass and pottery shards.  Add some color with resin, enameling or alcohol inks.  

We are moving away from the petite jewelry, back to statement jewelry, so do not be afraid of larger pieces, layered necklaces, big earrings and bracelets.  Single long theme based earrings are in style, as well as asymmetric earrings.

Leather is still a major component in men's jewelry and more casual women's jewelry.  Stamped designs in leather or metal overlays are popular, with lettering content and etching.

Enjoy shopping for new spring jewelry, or making it yourself!  I'll be rolling out new spring designs in the next few weeks. Watch for them on Etsy and in M&F Casuals.

Wishing you a mixture of Vitality, Relaxation, and Enjoyment of the Great Outdoors!

Happy Spring!

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanza, Peace, Love, and Joy!

Thank you for your support!  Many times we are working so hard to gain new customers and business that we forget to thank the ones whom have supported us throughout the years.  Without you, my business would not be here.  You have brought me joy, friendship and love!

May you have a happy and prosperous New Year, and most of all, PEACE!

Anita Park-Rosenbaum

The following is an article from Andy Andrews which I believe can be helpful to everyone!  I just had to share it!  It applies to personal and your business relationships.

May 12th, 2016

The Big Misunderstanding About Forgiveness (And What It’s REALLY Costing Us)

As adults in our society today, why do so many of us carry regret?

We’ve done so many things we wish we hadn’t done.

We’ve had so many intentions we didn’t fulfill, promises we didn’t keep, goals we never reached.

Many of us are usually more disappointed in ourselves than we’ve ever been with anyone else—even those who may have wronged us.

But do any of us ever stop and actually think…

Why?

What I mean is…

What’s the point of holding onto feelings like these?

Do they serve a purpose? Do they somehow help us?

Instinctively, we know the answer is no.

Holding on to pain, anger, or resentment—whether it’s directed at other people or yourself—serves no purpose.

Not for your spouse, your children, your employees, your clients, your coworkers, or yourself.

Too often, though, we focus only on the internal cost associated with pain, anger, and resentment. It’s easy to see why. After all, we’re the ones in pain.

But in addition to the internal cost, there’s an external cost we largely overlook.

The External Cost of the Pain, Anger, and Resentment We Hold Inside

Just like dogs can sense fear in people, people sense bitterness in other people.

They don’t always know what they’re sensing, but I’ll tell you this:

• They don’t do business with it.
• They don’t stay married to it.
• They don’t invite it to dinner again.

People avoid those in whom they sense bitterness. So if you’re wondering why you can’t seem to get ahead at work, or why your partner is unhappy, or why you can’t attract more clients—or any type of opportunity—perhaps you should examine what you’re carrying around inside.

The 2 Options You Have for Dealing with Negative Emotions

There are two choices for dealing with the emotions that lead to bitterness and the external consequences we just discussed.

1. The Traditional Route: Anger Management

You’ve likely heard of anger management. The American justice system has made a fortune for someone by promoting the concept. Quite often, people are actually sentenced by our courts to attend an Anger Management course.

Effective? Not long term. Ridiculous?  It depends upon what one wants.

If a person wants to “manage” their anger and learn how to keep rage and resentment bottled up inside them forever…anger management seems designed to do exactly that.

However, if your goal is to get rid of the anger all together, then there is an alternative…

2. The Solution That Actually Works

What if, instead of “learning to live with” negative emotions, we learned to let go of them altogether?

Forget Anger Management. You want Anger Resolution! Why manage it when you can get rid of it?

“How?” you ask.

It boils down to one word: forgiveness.

Forgiveness is THE RESET BUTTON for your mind and heart. And you can press it any time and as many times as you need. Know this: Forgiveness is a decision—not an emotion. Most of us have treated it like an emotion for most of our lives, which is why thoseFEELINGS seem to drag us around like a dog on a leash.

Remember Psychology 101?  There we learned that emotions follow decisions. Yes, it may require us to make the decision again. We might have to make the decision six or seven times. Perhaps even seven time seventy times…but sooner rather than later, our emotions follow our decisions. That’s one more reason to make good ones!

It’s easy to understand how forgiveness can pay dividends in your personal life, but it’s a bit more difficult for most of us to grasp the value it holds in our professional lives. Allow me to explain it simply…

A lack of forgiveness is costing you money. It’s costing you opportunities. It is preventing sales. A lack of forgiveness makes it easy to pass you over for a promotion.

A lack of forgiveness cripples your ability to roll with the punches and keep moving forward toward the best possible result. Instead of freeing you to build the future of your choosing, a lack of forgiveness traps you in the past.

As The Designated Noticer for major corporations, I have seen a lack of forgiveness poison entire companies. I have seen it chain corporations to destructive cultures and horrendous workplace environments. All without anyone ever realizing that a lack of forgiveness was the root of most of their problems.

And the worst part, of course, was that even if they had identified the issue, they probably wouldn’t have realized how simple this one is to fix. But then, most people don’t…

See, for a long time I thought forgiveness was like a knighthood. It was something I would bestow upon some lucky person who begged me for it. Preferably on their knees. Tears would have been considered a plus.

Curiously, however, after researching the topic for almost thirty years, I still cannot find a single expert or book (including the Bible) to tell me that for one person to forgive another person, the person being forgiven has to ask for it, deserve it, or even be aware that they are being forgiven!

The 3 Things You Need to Remember About Forgiveness

1. Forgiveness is about you. Trust is about them.

2. Forgiveness is about the past. Trust is about the future. Do we forgive somebody who steals from us? Yes. Do we continue to do business with him? No.

3. Forgiveness, as I stated earlier, is a decision, not an emotion. You can decide to forgive someone while still feeling angry or hurt by their actions. The decision leads the emotions—not the other way around. To paraphrase the psychologist William James, you will not sing because you are happy; you will become happy because you decided to start singing and kept singing even though, for a time, you did not feel like it.

While you may already be formulating a mile-long list of people you wish to forgive (whether or not they have asked for forgiveness, deserve it, or are even aware of it), the most important person you need to forgive first is yourself.

If you don’t, your effectiveness as a spouse, parent, friend, or leader will suffer. The key to moving toward your desired future is forgiveness. Specifically, this forgiveness of yourself.

Let me show you how.

Below is an excerpt from my book The Seven Decisions:

We now have the opportunity to begin anew, to drop the heavy weight of guilt resting upon our shoulders. Month after month, year after year, we’ve added to the load, and it’s about to crush us. All the things we said we were going to do but didn’t, the promises we made and didn’t keep, the things we shouldn’t have done but did anyway have piled up, and it’s just too much for one person to bear. The guilt has turned into resentment, the resentment has turned into anger, and the anger, in its various forms, is taking over our lives.

For many of us, our greatest enemies have been ourselves. Every mistake, every miscalculation, every stumble we make is replayed in our minds. Every broken promise, every day wasted, every goal not reached has energized the disgust we feel about our predicament. This dismay develops into a paralyzing grip. When we disappoint ourselves, it sets in motion a continual cycle of disappointment. It’s true. It is impossible to fight an enemy living in our heads.

Forgive yourself. Begin anew. The simple act of forgiving yourself will change your life! You will be positioned to become the person you want to be when you finally ditch the weight of guilt and shame you’ve been piling on for years. Forgive yourself. Your family’s not mad at you. Your friends aren’t mad at you. I’m not mad at you. God’s not mad at you. You don’t need to be mad at you either. Let it go. Forgive yourself and begin again.

From this day forward, your history needs to stop controlling your destiny. Your life has just begun! Your forgiveness is valuable only when you give it away. By the simple act of forgiveness, you can release the demons of your past and create a new beginning for yourself.

Forgive the people who don’t ask for it. Forgive yourself. From now on, your act of forgiveness will free you from unproductive thoughts. Your bitterness, resentment, and anger will be gone. It’s time to begin again.

“I will greet each day with a forgiving spirit.”

If you want to take this a step further, I invite you to write yourself a letter of forgiveness and appreciation. The purpose of this letter is to free yourself from whatever you’ve been harboring inside. Commit to releasing something that you don’t need to hold on to any longer.

Here is an example from The Seven Decisions to guide you:

Dear [your name],

I’ve missed you. It has been too long since I’ve seen the fun, happy person I know you to be. So now I want to ask for your forgiveness about something.

You will remember, it was five years ago . . . [describe the event].

In closing, I want to acknowledge that you are one of the most special people in the world. These are the things that I appreciate about you . . . [list them].

Thank you for magical moments that you create for so many. The ripples that you create by the way you live reach many more than you could ever know . . . [list them].

Love, [your name]

If you are in a leadership position and find this exercise beneficial, I encourage you to share it with your team. Let them experience the power of forgiveness and watch how it will dramatically improve your work environment, morale, and success.

©2009-2016 Andy Andrews. Used by Permission. Originally posted on AndyAndrews.com.

Winter is Just Around the Corner and the Holidays are Here!

2015-2016 Winter Fashion

Some of our fall colors will be sticking around this winter!

We will be adding the silvery grays and charcoals as well as moving into the pastels as spring approaches.  

So what to do about jewelry for those bold beautiful colors?

Bold jewelry of course.  Big swingy pieces, that hang midway between breasts and waist are perfect compliments to the bold brazen designs in the fabrics.  Bright gold toned and copper or black jewelry, as well as colorful beaded jewelry will stand out against these patterns.

Moving on to the grays, tone it down with some simpler contemporary pieces in bright silvers and blacks with small gold accents.  Pieces can be long and swingy or shorter to accent necklines like in the picture on the top right of a model with a deep v neck dress.  For a sophisticated look, stick to clean classic lines or textured pieces with patina to enhance the design.  Also textured chains in silver and gold work well with these colors.

And for those of us in south, our favorite fleur de lis patterns are finally very trendy!  So boast those fleur de lis necklaces, bracelets and rings!

HOLIDAY COLORS!

Patterns abound in gold, silver, taupe, black, charcoal, soft blue.   The perfect time to add that simple necklace in gold or silver or bi-metal.

 Clothing Patterns and Designs from Pattern Curator

Pinterest Picks for Holiday 2015-2016

The Holiday Season will be predominated by bright colors, specifically Red and Green.  Go all out and wear sparkly jewelry to match, or brightly colored beaded designs.  

Happy Shopping and Making.  Don't forget to check out our Etsy stores for your favorite jewelry!

It's Fall Ya'll

In the deep south we look forward to what we refer to as "fall", which is actually 75 to 85 degree weather rather that the 90 to 110 degree weather of late summer.  You'll even see people sporting their fall fashion attire right after Labor Day in order to try and rush the cooler weather.  

So here we are, ready to make our fall color predictions and talk about all things jewelry!

Pantone's fall colors are absolutely beautiful and make us feel renewed.  Take a look at these gorgeous colors and try to buy or design your jewelry to compliment them:

Copper and bronze jewelry work well with Oak Buff, Cadmium Orange, Marsala, Dried Herb.

Silver and Gold are great with Cashmere Rose, Marsala, Amethyst, Biscay Bay, Stormy Weather, Reflecting Pond and Desert Sage.

For beaded pieces, take a look at your color wheel and try to find complimentary colors to highlight your clothing.

Think out of the box and use a mix of two light and one dark color from the above shades to make a piece that will work well with any of the colors.

Trending jewelry styles are varied, and range from very simple tiny pendants and bar necklaces to flashy bold colored jewelry.   Sun, moon, and stars themes abound, and you will still see a lot of chevron themes and tribal jewelry.  Take advantage of these trends and make your jewelry uniquely yours.

Happy Jewelry Making or Buying!  Check out my Etsy Store for Great Fall Designs!

Summertime Motivation

Summer is my favorite time of the year.  I love the heat, the sun, the beach and outdoor living and activities.  It is hard to stay motivated to work during the summer, when I can loll by the pool, play at the beach with the kids or take a road trip with my favorite traveling companion, my hubby.

Perhaps you have the same problem, so here are some tips to keep you on track with home projects, jewelry making, or other important tasks that cannot wait:

1) Get out a calendar and list all your appointments for doctors, out of town trips, or social activities.
2)Make a list of your projects, whether work or personal on individual pieces of paper, such as post it notes or torn strips of paper.
3) Prioritize your list:  For example, take the first two items  and compare them, determining which one is most important.  Place the priority item in pile A, and the least important is pile B.  Then take the item placed in pile A and compare it to the next item from your original slips.  Determine the priority and place it in pile A, and the other in pile B.   Repeat this until you have gone through all the original slips.  You should have one item in pile A at this point. and the remainder in Pile B.  Compare that item to the remaining items in pile B, just as you did before.  You should then have your priority item in pile A.  Put the other items aside and concentrate on the priority item.
4)Determine the amount of time you need to complete the project chosen.
5)Determine how much time per week you wish to spend on projects. This should be a reasonable amount of days to complete all the projects you have listed.
6)Look at your calendar and schedule the time you need to complete that project.  If it requires more than one day, then schedule consecutive days to complete it if possible.  If not, choose the first available days.
7)Try not to schedule yourself for every day of the week.  You need a break and if you are scheduling too much of your time, you cannot be spontaneous or enjoy your summer!  You will subsequently fail to follow through.
8)Treat your schedule as if it is a regular job, with regular hours and do not deviate unless there is an emergency or higher priority item that comes up.  (This does not include going to the pool, the beach, getting your hair and nails done, or going to the bar).  Just sayin.........
9)Once you have completed the first project, treat yourself!  Take that beach day, ride your bike, or whatever makes you happy.
10)Now, back to work....Grab those items you put in pile B and repeat the process described in item 3 through 9.

You should keep in mind that you must schedule your projects for the number of days per week you have chosen in item 5 in order to complete all the projects on time.

I use this technique for my jewelry making project schedule and it keeps me on track.  Summer is a slow jewelry selling season so it makes sense to make my jewelry during these slow months so I'm not pressed during my prime season to get new inventory made, and I don't get behind on custom orders and repairs.

Hope you are having a great summer!  Don't forget to stop by M&F Casuals for a visit!