Los Olivos Grand Re-Opening

A great time was had by all who attended our Grand Re-Opening Celebration! The weather cooperated, the people were shopping, the band was playing and the food was y-u-ummy!

Hangin' Out at Our New Los Olivos Location!

Off The Grid Gang

The shoppers were out in force!

Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of our Los Olivos Boutique!

Congratulations to the Grand Prize winner: Kristi Petitt, a student at UCLA.
And the winner of our Diamond Solitaire pendant: Debbie DeMirjian who celebrated her birthday with us as well! 

Introducing: The “Think Pink” Survival Bracelet

"Think Pink" Survival Bracelet

Whomever the story is about, it’s an important one. This delicate pink Italian leather wristlet holds our Kristal Miraculous Medal, Awareness and Story of Survival charms, to serve as a marker in your life and tribute to breast cancer survivors everywhere.

For the month of October, Waxing Poetic will donate 20% of all sales of our "Think Pink" Bracelet to The Breast Cancer Resource Center.

Xo,

Patti

WALKING THE TALK

With style and grace. Meeting Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia

Patagonia’s commitment to the environment and trailblazing efforts in the realm of corporate responsibility and citizenship is well-known, and its founder (dare I say dreamer) is as inspiring and humble as we thought he’d be.

We had the pleasure of experiencing Yvon Chouinard one-on-one at the Santa Barbara based non-profit Channel Keeper’s 13th Annual “Blue Water Ball” this year, where tribute was paid to Patagonia (located in neighboring Ventura, CA). What an amazing man.

Yvon didn’t talk “business” once. He spoke softly about the groundbreaking notion of taxing himself for living on this planet. He said that to ensure Patagonia’s mission is carried out, each employee must have a commitment to our incredible planet and a volunteering attitude (they receive over 900+ applicants for each job opening, a testament to what a great place it must be to work. They also allow employees to take a leave of absence to serve non-profits). Words like “quality,” “transparency,” and “impact” were honestly spoken to a room full of admirers. It is hard to name any one single individual who has done more than Yvon to support sustainability in business. Although there are many authors writing “the book” on this issue, he is a major contributor and leader in the effort. For that reason he has been called on by industry titans like Walmart, Nike and the Gap to advise them on how to better manage their businesses sustainably.

And we think about our own work: John’s company Trikke continues to move forward in the green transportation arena, developing and selling their electric vehicles as clean transportation alternatives, and we at Waxing Poetic are busy recycling silver, using the plaster from our molds to improve the local streets near our factory, and supporting our workers’ communities. We are inspired to do even more through our businesses in the days and years to come. Yvon encourages this possibility, this duty, and we deeply admire and respect this company and all they have modeled for us to follow.

HELLO SUMMERLAND

HELLO SUMMERLAND!

AND HELLO AGAIN DEAR FRIENDS.

We have a lot to catch up on. Not that we wanted to be away, but we (I speak for us all here at Waxing Poetic) were busy.  Very, very busy:
1. designing lovely new things,
2. living our lives,
and
3. building our new store in Summerland, CA, which is officially open as of last weekend! Summerland? It is between Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, somewhere on the way to LA, where WPHQ is located.  We seriously found THE PERFECT SPOT for our second store, and we could not be more thrilled with the results of the many months of design and build-out.  But more on that later.  Here are some photos of our Grand Opening weekend.

There were gobs of friends old and new all weekend coming out to show their support. A fantastic community welcome, we were over the moon.

Iconic facepainting happened courtesy of Kendall Pata

Music all weekend…

The Mobile Homeboys / Doublewide

Haddon Cord                                            The Kinds

Patti and Lizanne have a special dedication in the store to their mom, Lovely Rita (see our tree of life frescopauge…more on that soon too)!

Stephanie, one amazing artist.

Erich and family (our real-life Renaissance Man, who designed the store…more on him later!)

The Waxing Poetic Family

The store is located at 2350 Lillie Avenue, in Summerland, California. It was a real act of love for all of us who helped it come to life (those pics soon). We’d love to have you come by, see our latest work, and say hi if you are in the area.

Much love and gratitude,
Patti

Featured Retailer: Gracie's from Galveston, TX

Each of our retailers possesses distinctive individual charm, spreading the personal touch of Waxing Poetic in their local communities every day. As a token of our gratitude to our retailers and because we think you’ll love them as much as we do, we’re delighted to introduce Gracie's.

Located in the heart of The Stand District in Galveston Texas, Gracie's is an adorable boutique featuring an array of name-brand gifts, furnishings, children's toys and clothing.

Our favorites include the Wing & a Prayer Collection, the Healing Gems Clear Chain and the Rolo Chains.

What are your favorite pieces?
This is a tough one, but our personal favorites are probably the Flutterby Pendant and the Square Insignia Charms.

What are your customer’s favorite collections?
Our top sellers and customer favorites seem to be the Your Heart is Your Map Pendants, the Remedy in a Bottle Pendants, the Camp Charms and the Faith Crystal Pendants.

What are your customer’s favorite pieces?
If we had to choose a couple, we would say that our customers favorites include the Rolo Chains, the Rivet Insignia Charms, Crest Insignia Charms and Twisted Link Chains. They love the vintage look of all of the Waxing Poetic pieces and the mix of brass and silver!

Do you have any fun stories or interesting tidbits that you would like to share?
One of our customers, named Pam, came in and purchased a Large Brass Ball Bracelet for her babies (aka: dogs).  She selected 3 initial charms, a Whimsies Paw Charm and the Silhouette Portrait Bone Charm.  The next day she came back to purchase the Multi Strand Rolo Bracelet with her initials and her husbands initials. The funny part is...the dogs came first before her husband!

Thank you so much for joining us today!
If you are in the area be sure to check out Gracie's (www.graciesgiftshop.com) located at The Strand in Galveston, Texas.  We can also be reached by phone at 409-762-2515.

Waxing Poetic Candles at Cabana Home

Steve and Caroline Thompson, both husband and wife and owners of Cabana Home in Santa Barbara, hosted a “Breakfast N Bed” event in-store on Wednesday, June 23rd. Waxing Poetic had the pleasure of unveiling our brand new soy candle line, Luminary, at the event. In celebration of ‘all things bed,' the event also showcased Cabana Home’s private label of custom upholstered headboards and beds, a trunk show for Matouk Linens, and a display of world-renowned Hastens Mattresses from Sweden. At the event Caroline met with Monica Spear, the Executive Director of Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara. Here they are holding the new Ave Maria candles that support the Girls Inc. cause. We enjoyed lovely hors d’oeuvres prepared by local caterer Jessica Knight, and in keeping with the theme, the Thompson duo and their staff dressed in seersucker robes by Matouk. We truly enjoyed participating in the event and think it was the most wonderful way to share our new candles with our local Santa Barbara community. For each purchase of a Luminary line candle, Waxing Poetic will donate 5% of proceeds to a charitable cause. Check out all of our candles and learn about the charities we support.

Featured Retailer: Zinnia from Mount Pleasant, SC

Each of our retailers possesses distinctive individual charm, spreading the personal touch of Waxing Poetic in their local communities every day. As a token of our gratitude to our retailers and because we think you’ll love them as much as we do, we’re delighted to introduce Zinnia.

Zinnia is a boutique located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.  Their gorgeous store features artisan jewelry, fanciful gifts and beautiful home décor accessories. We are so happy to have you with us today.  What is your favorite Waxing Poetic Collection?

Over the early years that we carried Waxing Poetic, my favorite pieces were simply the letter charms in all styles.  I loved the way they could be combined to create dimensions and textures.  For my customers here in Charleston, SC, who absolutely love monogramming favorite handbags and home products, the letter charms became the new “monogram.”  We combined charms willy-nilly and each custom necklace was special. Allowing the customers to incorporate symbols from their own experiences, as well as surrounding a favorite pendant with Waxing Poetic Charms, has been a huge success.

Today, I truly enjoy transitioning my original Waxing Poetic customers into the Bracelet Collection part of the line.  Using the nifty Charm Clips, together we are creating new ways to wear all the charms and symbols on the new styles of bracelets, which were previously worn on the Necklace Collections. The creative ideas of customers in creating their personal pieces are always passed on to new customers.

What are your favorite pieces?
Crosses in any style or design are so popular.  My customers are rooted in strong self, community and church beliefs and a cross, invariably, becomes part of most Waxing Poetic “stories.”  The more crosses I can present as part of most groupings the better.

What are your customer’s favorite collections?
The current Devotion Collection is such a strong part of our sales. The variety of shapes and styles in crosses makes it possible for a customer to express one’s faith either boldly or subtly.  My personal favorite is the Faith Crystal Pendant, which is wrapped around the smoky quartz crystal  - this adds sparkle to all of my pieces.

What are your customer’s favorite pieces?
When it comes to drama and storytelling, the Wing & Prayer Charms along with the Signature Seal Charms are the beginning of many necklaces.  Recently, the new Charm Clips are included with each sale. Customers want to use their favorite charms now on bracelets, as well.  What an innovative and “must have” item.

Do you have any fun stories or interesting tidbits that you would like to share?
My customers seek out ZINNIA from several surrounding states because they know we feature a wide selection of all Waxing Poetic designs.  If we don’t have what they need, we special order and ship for free to them.  We had a young customer last year getting married in Virginia and wanted Baby Ball Gold Chain Necklaces and Baby Insignia Charms for each of her 7 attendants.  We did not have 3 of the initials.  One of the attendants was traveling from Charleston, by car, to the wedding.  We were able to call other Waxing Poetic dealers in South Carolina and North Carolina on her travel route, and she picked up the needed charms along the way.  We worked together to make sure my customer had a worry free special day.

Thank you so much for joining us today!
If you are in the area be sure to check out Zinnia (www.shopzinnia.com) at the Belle Hall Shopping Center located at 644-O Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.  We can also be reached by phone at 843-388-9433.

Featured Retailer: Island Girl from Hilton Head, SC

Each of our retailers possesses distinctive individual charm, spreading the personal touch of Waxing Poetic in their local communities every day. As a token of our gratitude to our retailers and because we think you’ll love them as much as we do, we’re delighted to introduce Island Girl!

Island Girl is a trendy women and children’s fashion boutique with two locations on the beautiful Hilton Head Island in sunny South Carolina.  We are excited to have the chance to sit back, relax and get to them. Welcome!  What is your favorite Waxing Poetic collection? Our favorite collections are Your Heart is Your Map Pendants, Dog Tag Pendants and the Signature Seal Charm. We love these larger pendants on the Medium Rolo Chains with a variety of insignia charms.

What are your favorite pieces? Our favorite pieces would have to be the Fleur de Lis Dog Tag Pendant, the Your Heart is Your Map Live True Pendant, and the Dragonfly Camp Charm. These pendants, in conjunction with the on the Square Insignia Charm and Medium Rolo Chain, create an absolutely fabulous look!

What are your customer’s favorite pieces? Island Girl customers love the Square Insignia Charms, petite Wing and a Prayer Croix charm, Dog Tag Pendants, and the Signature Seal Charm. The Medium Rolo and the Twisted Link Silver Chain provide a great medium to display these collections.

What do you like about Waxing Poetic? Waxing Poetic allows each person to create their own story through charms and pendants. Every necklace reflects the differences of each individual. The most popular designs include a collections of insignias representing those precious to the individual.

Do you have any fun stories or interesting tidbits that you would like to share? We have had so many customers create such wonderful memories with Waxing Poetic it is difficult to choose just one story.  A gentleman who wanted to ask his girlfriend to marry him chose the blank envelope necklace. He had the letter engraved with "Will you marry me?”  Needless to say, she said Yes! 
Waxing poetic necklaces are a beautiful way to show the joy and pride of motherhood and family. We had two sisters each buy a necklace for the other with their initials and the initials of their children and parents as a celebration of love for each other and their family. 
A single father who wanted to get something special for his daughter's birthday created a necklace with her initials. He now chooses a charm for each holiday as a way for them to grow together.

Thank you so much for joining us today!
Be sure to check out Island Girl online (www.islandgirlhhi.com) or at either of their store locations; 1 North Forest Beach Unit K-1, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 and 232 South Sea Pines Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928.

Fun & Fashionable in Women's Health Magazine

The December issue of Women’s Health Magazine features actress Michelle Monaghan, best known for her leading role in the blockbuster hit Gone Baby Gone, looking casually chic in Waxing Poetic jewelry.  She pairs the Free Form Wood Bracelet, the Mother of Pearl Bracelet and the Free Form Pearl Bracelet together to create a fun, flirty, bohemian look.The editors at Women’s Health Magazine did a phenomenal job creating a classic winter style by embellishing chunky knits and winter grays with our iconic Waxing Poetic Crest Insignia Ring and fierce Waxing Poetic Ex Toto Corde Necklace.