Fast Forward From First Friday to Monday Morning

First Friday and our first trunk show for 2009 were a great success. Although it rained, quite heavily at times, a lot of people were out and stopped by Hannah Bean.

The evening's festivities included a trunk show featuring Jenny Han and Tart fashions. Ruby's Whim jewelry was featured with the fashions and I must say, our Bonne Chance 500 Peso vintage poker chip necklace looked amazing with Jenny Han's Lace Inset Long Sleeve Dress in Winter White . In fact, all of the fashions and Ruby's Whim jewelry really complimented each other. The new spring fashions featured lush fabrics and an array of rich shades of pink, gray, navy, green, purple and yellow. A veritable feast for the eyes.

After the show, we left a few new exclusive Ruby's Whim for Hannah Bean designs. They are also limited edition, so once they are gone, it is likely that they will not be reproduced. If you stop by Hannah Bean, you can check out our new earrings: Dori, Astrid, Justice, Pilar and Chill. There is also a new bracelet, Chance, made of blue Chalcedony, Swarovski crystals and a sterling silver artist charm. (I must confess, there is one more Chance bracelet, and it's mine. I had to have one.)

It's Definitely TGIFF!

Thank Goodness It's First Friday! And what a week it has been...a little Spring, a little Winter and a whole bunch of other exciting stuff tossed in for good measure.

Tomorrow, February 6th, is First Friday and we will be celebrating with a trunk show at Hannah Bean from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. I heard a rumor that cupcakes and champagne will be served to celebrate the occasion.

We will showcase some of our jewelry and unveil a few new jewelry designs that were created exclusively for Hannah Bean by Ruby's Whim. Remember, the exclusive designs will not be available on the Ruby's Whim website, so you will need to stop by Hannah Bean to see the exclusives. If you time it right, you may even be able to catch a glimpse of Ruby herself. She is in Southern California for a brief sojourn, but one never knows if or where she will turn up. She is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, that woman.

In any event, the evening promises to be festive.

P.S. Happy, Happy Birthday Fifi Mama!!!

A Peek Behind the Scenes, Part One

Michael and I are really lucky because we have come to know some really smart and very interesting people. We met Ruby almost four years ago and she has been an endless source of inspiration, encouragement and humor on this journey. When I reflect on some of our conversations, I can't help thinking how fortunate we are to be able to turn a dream into an up-and-coming business that has already generated some very significant interest among national and regional fashion and lifestyle publications and noteworthy blogs. Ruby encourages me to blaze new trails and embrace the methods of my creative process.

While it may seem glamorous and exciting, and believe me when I tell you that it is all that, there is a an amazing amount of work that goes on behind the scenes. Whether it's web development, new technology updates and feature enhancements, photo shoots, sourcing components half a world away or any one of a hundred other matters that we attend to, we are surrounded by uncommonly gifted people.

Michael and I met David White of Photo Catering (my photo appears on October 11, 2008) more than eight years ago and have remained dedicated fans of his ever since. Truth be told, David photographed our wedding and has since worked on a number of other projects for us and our favorite friends.

When I was informed that I must have publicity photos for our press kits, I said, "You bet, I have some great new jewelry to feature." That response was met with a roll of the eyes and an exasperated sigh. Anyone who knows anything about me knows one thing with absolute certainty...I will do almost anything to dodge a camera. There was no amount of negotiating that was going to get me out of this assignment, so I decided that the location for the photo shoot had to be really special. None of the usual haunts or locations that everyone recognizes would do. Michael and I searched for days on end until my last idea fit the bill.

Armed with the perfect location and all of my appeals having been exhausted, the publicity photos for Ruby's Whim were shot on October 11, 2008. Here's a look behind the lens during the photo shoot.

TGIFF... Almost

Thank Goodness It's (almost) First Friday! On Friday, February 6th, Ruby's Whim will celebrate First Friday with Hannah Bean from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

This will be Ruby's Whim's first trunk show of 2009 where we will showcase some of our jewelry and a few new jewelry designs that were created exclusively for Hannah Bean. The Ruby's Whim for Hannah Bean exclusives can only be seen at, you guessed it, First Friday, and will not be featured on the Ruby's Whim website. If you can't make it to First Friday, don't despair, you will have a chance to see the Ruby's Whim for Hannah Bean exclusives in the boutique after the event, as long as they last.

Oh, and to make things a little more interesting, the Ruby's Whim for Hannah Bean exclusive designs are also limited edition. Once they are gone, it is very unlikely that they will be reproduced. At Ruby's Whim, we strive to deliver uncommon designs using materials that can be very hard to come by, hence the exclusive and limited quantities of some of our jewelry.

Hannah Bean is located at 111 City Place in Santa Ana. City Place is conveniently located at the intersection of Memory Lane and Main Street, across the street from Main Place Mall.

First Fridays are a fun evening for the whole family, complete with complementary appetizers, cocktails, live music, art exhibits, and plenty of great deals on one-of-a-kind buys from City Place's eclectic collection of boutiques and shops.

We look forward to seeing you at First Friday!