Ah, the best laid plans. Thanks to circumstances beyond my control, I’m forced to skip our June Sparkle Squad shipment. If you are a subscriber, and you missed the email I sent a few days ago, read on to learn what’s up.

There are lots of moving parts involved in creating and executing a subscription service, and in order to do so, two different software programs are used to manage the subscriptions and schedule the recurring billing. This specialty software is complicated as well as costly. It also must be accessible, both for myself as well as my customers. I’ve just been notified that one of the companies responsible for the subscriptions platform has been purchased by another company, which is located outside the US. Business owners were assured that no changes to the software will occur, at least, with respect to functionality, however, they went on to say that the business owners in the United States (that would be me) will be required to pay a 20% VAT tax, which is applied to almost all international transactions. This means a substantial increase in the price of the software, on top of what is already quite expensive, as mentioned.

Also, since there is no way for me to know yet whether or not the software will continue to be accessible to people who use a screen reader, I have decided to suspend the Sparkle Squad subscription service until I can be comfortable with the potential changes to the system. It is not a good sign that the software developer I was working with for technical support has ceased to respond to my inquiries. Of course, screen reader accessibility is critical for both myself and for my subscribers, and with no assurances of ongoing support, my only option is to wait and see.

What this means to you:

For now, I will skip our June shipments. I must be able to trust that the execution of all the tasks required to run the subscription service works flawlessly. If I am satisfied with the support available to web site administrators (me) that the program continues to be accessible and functional, then we will resume in the fall, and ship as scheduled in September. I plan to deactivate the subscription software, and suspend your subscription. You may receive an auto-generated notification as to this affect. If you like, you are welcome to log in to your account and manage your subscription yourself, or cancel it altogether if you prefer, and I will notify you if and when the Sparkle Squad continues. Until then, I will retain your shipping information and preferences.

As I said, it’s all very complicated, but I always have the best interests of my customers in mind as I seek to provide an efficient and enjoyable shopping experience. I hope to resume the Sparkle Squad service soon. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to write or call. I appreciate your business, and I am incredibly grateful for your trust and support. I will keep you posted on my progress with the new software.

As ever, Sparkle On!

Laura

In previous Sparkle On blog posts, I’ve mentioned that one aspect of the Sparkle Squad subscription that I’ve enjoyed is the ways in which I can test products and receive feedback from subscribers. Several of my ideas have been solidified, improved, or rejected based upon the response from subscribers. For the March Sparkle Squad box, we prototyped an item that has been requested by Elegant Insights customers for years, but I’ve been reluctant to add the item to our inventory. You may recall in my previous Sparkle On blog post, I expressed a similar sentiment about offering pins.

Several times over the years, I’m asked if I offer rings. The answer has always been no, along with an emphatic, “nor will we.” The reasons I’ve been uninterested in carrying rings is twofold. First, the range of sizes I’d have to inventory would be cumbersome. The typical ring size range is from size 5 through 10, each of which would require it’s own stock number and quantity. Second, unless you’re really a ring lover, very few people know their ring size. Perhaps you needed to know it if you had your engagement or wedding ring sized, but that may have been years ago. With ten fingers to choose from, ring sizes vary. Ring sizes may also vary on the same finger on the same hand, for example, if your fingers swell during the warmer months, or if you wear a wide band versus a narrow band ring. Unless you are used to wearing a lot of rings, getting your ring size right can be tricky. Additionally, not everyone has the same taste in what types of jewelry they love best. Some are really into earrings, and love all the styles from dainty to dangly. Others adore bracelets, collect them, and wear them in multiples all the way up their arm. For either of these, there’s really only one size. Even if a necklace or bracelet is a different length or style, you can still wear it. Fit is not an issue. Rings are different,

To me, the only logical solution to the problem was to create an adjustable ring, a “one size fits most” idea that would allow for size variations. I’ve toyed with a few adjustable ring designs over the years, and have never liked any of them. The resulting designs were unsatisfactory, as I wished to avoid the style of adjustable rings that looked like they dropped out of a gumball machine, like those I wore when I was a little girl. Yes, I loved jewelry even then.

The ring included in this month’s Sparkle Squad subscription box is not my design. Cheree, the artist who works for Elegant insights, approached me whit a handful of ring designs she made using a technique called wire wrapping. I’ve seen commercially available as well as handcrafted jewelry made using this technique. There are a few items on the Elegant Insights web site that incorporate wire wrapping, as it is a bit of a specialty for Cheree. She gave me a half-dozen rings, all similar in design but made using a variety of materials, and asked me what I thought of them. My first reaction was to realize that Cheree had come up with a design to make the ring adjustable in a way that looked more sophisticated than the gumball machine rings of my childhood. I loved the result, suggested a few tweaks, showed the rings around, wore them for awhile, and decided to give the design a try. So, Sparkle Squad subscribers, you are my test subjects.

The Sparkle Dots box:

Your ring is crafted of shiny stainless steel, which is hypo-allergenic and tarnish free. Several of my subscribers have metal sensitivities, so I thought this first effort should be nickel-free, surgical steel. The ring is called a bypass style, which means that as the ring wraps around, instead of the two ends meeting to close the circle, they bypass each other across the top of the finger, like two cars going in opposite directions on the highway. In other words, the ends overlap, or bypass, each other. On one end, there is an open heart, and the ring is embellished with a genuine white freshwater pearl.

You can adjust the ring to fit by gently pulling the ring ends apart to expand the diameter of the band, or you can squeeze the ring together for smaller fingers. The ring is not meant to fit the very smallest or very largest finger size, but the adjustability aspect should work well for those in the average ring size range from 6 to 8.

The Essential Elegance box:

Essential Elegance subscribers also received the pearl ring, which, by the way, matches the steel and white freshwater pearl bracelet and pearl pendant set you received in your Essential Elegance box last summer. So, now you have a complete suite of silvery steel and pearl jewelry, perfect for a vacation or business trip. Steel does not rust or corrode, and white pearls go with everything.

You also received one of our leather necklaces from our “Hyde and Seek” collection. The braille embossed charm is a brass butterfly, and the necklace secures with an S-hook clasp in the back. The clasp itself is tiny, but the detail is super cute, as you’ll get one with either a leaf design or a heart on each end of the clasp. Just hook the open end of the hook through the closed loop end of the hook, and your necklace will stay connected.

Since wearing a fashion ring means your hands will be in the spotlight, I included a couple of items so that you can nail your nail game. Everyone gets a four-way manicure block, which let’s you clean up rough edges and bring your nails to a high shine, even if you don’t wear polish. The grit on each side of the block gets increasingly fine, so start with the roughest side to file and shape, then use the subsequent sides to soften the rough edges, smooth out ridges, and buff your nails to a shine. There’s also an emery board you can tuck into your purse or desk drawer so that your pointers will always be on point. We wrapped it all up with soft spring pastel tissue, and tucked your new ring into a little ring box with a bow on top.

As we continue to experiment with ring designs, I’ll incorporate the feedback I get from my Sparkle Squad subscribers, along with trying different metals, such as sterling silver or colored wire. I also have a charm ring idea that will bring in braille for perfect personalization. Want to be part of upcoming design projects? Join the Sparkle Squad! There are two boxes from which to choose, and you’ll get new items first, at better prices than on the web site, and fun freebies each quarter just to keep things interesting. Hope you enjoy this season’s box!

Sparkle on!

Laura

One aspect of the Sparkle Squad subscription that is a bit unusual is that it’s a quarterly subscription, rather than a monthly one. Most of the services to which I’ve subscribed in the past have been delivered every month; a monthly beauty products subscription, coffee of the month club, monthly vegan snack box, and so on. The advantage of a quarterly subscription for us is that we can take the time to consider what the next box should contain, and give us the time to query our subscribers as to what they might like. In previous quarters, we’ve given Sparkle Squad subscribers a choice of items, and it’s been nice to have the time to survey our customers to ascertain their preferences. This time, however, not only was I undecided what I wanted to include a week before the ship date, my idea took a left turn at the last minute. Nothing like the stress of changing one’s mind just prior to the shipping deadline in the midst of the holiday season. Read on for the adventure that is this quarter’s box.

The Sparkle Squad subscription service has enabled me to design items that are not currently available on the Elegant Insights web site, and to develop products based upon subscriber feedback. This season’s item may be one of those products. From time to time over the years, I’ve been asked to create products I have no interest in designing, or, there is not enough demand to justify the expense of creating such a product that may simply languish. This quarter’s Sparkle Squad boxes were inspired by a customer request for a holiday gift for several of the ladies in his life. After finding just the right components, the aforementioned “left turn” took us from my half-baked original idea to what our subscribers ultimately received…A pin.

While infrequent, I have been asked on several occasions to offer pins. I’ve never liked the idea, because to me, the idea of a pin evokes baubles popular in decades past. Think of Victorian jewelry, big gaudy brooches worn by royals, or a grandmother. Creating pins didn’t really fit the Elegant Insights esthetic, until it did. Thanks to stumbling upon the right pinback findings, and the design that we were already working on for the customer, we arrived at an idea for pins that turned out so well we’ve decided to add them to the Elegant Insights inventory.

The Sparkle Dots Box:

Each Sparkle Dots box subscriber will receive 2 of our new bar pin designs, one is a Christmas motif, the other is a winter snowflake theme. The Christmas version is gold tone, with red and green pearl beads, a tiny jingle bell, and dangling enamel holiday charms. If you’ve purchased our Charmed by the Holidays Touch of Celebration Christmas Purse Charm, or received it in a previous Sparkle Squad box, this pin coordinates beautifully.

The second pin is silver tone, and features the components with which you may already be familiar if you’ve purchased any of our existing snowflake items — the Wintersparkle Dangle Earrings, the Sparkling Snowfall Purse Charm, or the Shimmering Snowflurry Sautoir Necklace.

On the winter theme pin, there is a large snowflake charm surrounded by smaller snowflakes, beads and crystals, all dangling from a bar pin embellished with a row of beads and wirework that covers the bar. Both pins are dangle style pins, which is so much more fun and out of the ordinary for a typical tack pin or brooch.

Sparkle Dots box subscribers also receive 2 mystery items, gifts you may have received in a previous box, or which may have been included in the Essential Elegance box from previous quarters. It might be a coin purse, a sachet, a card holder, a hand lotion, or something else. Everyone will receive two items, but they will not be the same two. Hope you enjoy your goodies!

The Essential Elegance Box:

In addition to the 2 pins described above, you’ll also receive a snowflake zipper pull. We used charms and components similar to those we used for all of our winter snowflake jewelry and accessories, and the dangle design of this zipper pull is super cute. We used a different clip this time, giving you a bit more flexibility as to how you might want to use this zipper pull. It’s larger, opens wider, and will fit on purse hardware, jackets, or backpack straps. Finally, Essential Elegance subscribers also receive a package of facial cleansing wipes, perfect for removing makeup, or when you need a quick, refreshing cleanse on the go. No rinsing required. You’ll also get a sample bottle of a retinol face serum and a pretty, embroidered lipstick case.

I will be so interested in the feedback I receive from the Sparkle Squad subscribers as to how they like the pins. With any necessary tweaks or changes, I can see adding a pin in the motif of many of our existing collections, such as the Falling in Leaf, Touch of Americana, or the Suddenly Summer collections.

Sometimes, the best ideas are inspired by my Elegant Insights customers.

I hope you enjoy your Sparkle Squad box, and we’ll be back in Spring with another fun and stylish new year of bling for you. Thank you for reading the Sparkle On blog, for being a subscriber, customer, or social media follower. Wishing everyone a joyful and healthy holiday season and happy new year. Elegant Insights will be closed starting at noon on Friday, December 22nd, and will reopen on Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024.

Warmest wishes,

Laura Legendary, owner
Elegant Insights Braille Creations
To subscribe to the Sparkle Squad quarterly subscription follow this link for more info!

Each quarter, I write a blog post to describe the contents of the Sparkle Squad boxes for my subscribers who have low or no vision. Some of the members like to know in advance what they will receive, others like to be surprised. So, for those who are waiting for a rundown of what you’ll find in this season’s Sparkle Dots or Essential Elegance box, keep reading.

Boo!

Fall brings so many wonderful things, not the least of which are the flavors of the season, such as sweet treats and holiday feasts. Since I could not ship you a complete Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, I tucked in some Halloween candy instead. A turkey just wouldn’t fit. So, hope you enjoy Skittles and caramel apple pops. There’s candy in every box.

Sparkle Dots box subscribers were offered a choice of motif. Last year at this time, I included a jewelry or accessory item perfect for fall. This year, subscribers had a choice of a fall or Halloween theme. If you responded to my outreach, you have a bracelet and coordinating pair of earrings in your preferred motif. If you chose fall, your bracelet and earrings are crafted with bronze metallic beads and crystals, with a leaf charm dangle. If you chose Halloween, your set is made using glittery pumpkin orange beads and crystals, with a Halloween dangle charm. The earrings feature a stainless steel earwire and charms that match your bracelet.

Essential Elegance box subscribers didn’t get a choice, because they received both sets: Two bracelets and two pairs of earrings, both in the autumn and Halloween theme as described above. Wear them together for a fun seasonal look, or keep the Halloween set to wear on fright night.

Plus, since it’s the start of cold and flu season, I thought everyone should have a little bottle of hand sanitizer. The 2 ounce bottles should be enough to get you through the holiday travel and party season. Stay safe out there.

We’re already working on the December Sparkle Squad boxes, and we hope you love your surprises. Not a member? To learn more, read about the Sparkle Squad here.

If you like to check out one of our boxes to help you decide whether or not to subscribe, you can purchase a “one time only” box, in your choice of the Sparkle Dots or Essential Elegance option. Go here:

Shop for the Sparkle Squad one time only box!

Happy fall!

Laura

Summer is almost here, and with the change of season comes a new Sparkle Squad subscription box! For this quarter’s box, I wanted to provide a few items that would be perfect for one of the most enjoyable aspects of summer: Vacation! If you plan to do any traveling over the next few months, read on to learn about how your Sparkle Squad subscription box items can make perfect packables.

First, the Sparkle Dots box contents…

All Sparkle Dots subscribers receive an 18-inch necklace and pearl slide pendant. The chain is a gleaming stainless steel, so no polishing or tarnish removal needed. The pendant is designed with a spiral bail, so it easily slips on and off the chain. Simply drop one end of the chain through the spiral, and let it move freely on the chain. There’s nothing to clip or clasp. Genuine freshwater pearls in luminous white dangle from the steel spiral bail. This unique design is meant to be simple enough to work with any outfit, whether you’ll be seeing the sights, or dressing for dinner.

So as to provide the most flexibility possible while you travel, we included a 4 inch chain extender. Ours features a lobster claw clasp at one end, and a loop at the other, so it’s a breeze to attach the extender to the chain, making it 22 inches long. The chain itself is a polished curb chain, which can be adjusted to suit any neckline, either by adding, or removing, the extender, or adjusting the length by securing the lobster claw clasp to any link along the chain. Need to accommodate a top with a scoop neckline? A crew neck? A button-front blouse with a high V neck? Create the length you need to frame your pretty face. You can wear the chain with or without the pearl pendant, add the pendant to a different chain, or slide it onto a silk ribbon or leather cord.

You’ll also need a way to keep your jewelry safe while traveling. Whether you want to protect your jewelry from becoming damaged as you move about, or to keep it safely tucked into a purse or bag you keep close at hand, our mini jewelry box is the perfect solution. For such a little thing, this tiny treasure chest can hold just about all the jewelry you’ll want to take with you on your trip. It’s covered in either a plush velvety fabric or a faux leather, depending upon which color you get, and if you told us your favorite colors when you filled out our preferences questionnaire, we made every effort to send you a jewelry box in the shade you specified.

There are several things about this little jewelry box I really liked. While pouches and jewelry rolls are great, I wanted you to have something with a bit more structure. A rigid, or hard-sided box is a bit more secure. I also liked that these boxes zip all the way around, so that as you pack and unpack, you won’t have to worry about a clasp, magnet, or snap that might come undone in your suitcase or tote. Zip it closed, and you won’t find all your jewelry at the bottom of your purse.

The jewelry box opens like a book. On one side, there are three hooks for hanging chains, and you can tuck them into the pouch below the hooks to keep your necklaces from getting tangled. On the opposite side, you’ll find several small sections for earrings or other small items, and a ring keeper section that will securely hold your rings in place when you tuck them into the slots between the soft padded rolls. If you need more room in the center area, the dividers can be removed so that larger items can be kept safely in one larger section.

The Essential Elegance box…

The Essential Elegance box subscribers received the necklace and slide pendant as described above, along with the 4-inch extender. You also got a pretty jewelry box, in your preferred color, if you selected a color in your preferences questionnaire. In addition, you received a chain bracelet, in the exact match to the necklace chain. Further, you received a 1-inch extender, enabling you to convert your jewelry suite into any number of combinations that gives you the most flexibility. If you want a longer bracelet, add the 1-inch extender, or use the extender to make the necklace 1 inch longer. Alternatively, you can attach the 1-inch extender to the 4-inch extender, add both to the necklace, and you can create a longer length necklace that will work over just about any type of top, whether that’s a turtleneck style or sweater. You can even connect all the pieces together to make a super long neckchain. If you only want to wear the bracelet one day, you can slip the pearl pendant onto the bracelet chain to make your own charm bracelet. Speaking of charm bracelets, we wanted to give you a chain that was an open-link style, so that you can attach any charms you collect while you travel this summer. The chain links are perfect for attaching charms, so once you’ve wandered the world, bring your charms collection to a jeweler and have them soldered to the chain so you can show off your souvenirs for years to come. What a wonderful memento of your journeys!

When I travel, I find that I really appreciate versatility in my jewelry and accessories, as I always seem to have so many outfits to wear and outings to which to wear them. I want to get as much mileage as I can out of the pieces I bring, and the limited space I have available. Pack a pair of your favorite white pearl earrings along with the chains and pendant in your Sparkle Squad box, and you’ll have a complete wardrobe that will work with whatever you wear,and wherever you wear them.

Happy trails this summer, and sparkle on!

Laura

Join The Sparkle Squad! It’s our inclusive, accessible, seasonal subscription that brings the bling! Have questions? Select this link to drop us a note!

Enjoy a little spring fling!

Spring may not have sprung quite yet where you live, but springtime is the theme for the Sparkle Squad subscription boxes this quarter. If you are a member of our seasonal jewelry and accessories subscription service, read on for a description of the contents of your box. If you are not a member, but would like to know more, check out this link for all the details on the Sparkle Squad.

Spring holidays are coming soon!

St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day are the three spring celebrations I was thinking of when creating our Sparkle Dots and Essential Elegance boxes. So, for the first time, I gave our subscribers a choice. We offered a St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, or Mother’s Day cane charm, or, for those who do not use a white cane, we offered a choice of zipper pulls instead.

For Sparkle Dots subscribers:

If you responded to my query regarding your choice of items, Sparkle Dots box recipients had their preferred spring holiday zipper pull or cane charm tucked into their box, along with a couple of accessories for pocket or purse. We included a lipstick case and coin pouch set, both in a pretty satin brocade fabric with an Asian-inspired, colorful embroidery. The lipstick case has a snap closure, and the inside features a tiny mirror. The coin pouch has a snap closure as well as a zipper, which makes this little bag great for carrying coins or small items such as an extra pair of earrings, as the zipper keeps the contents secure.

Since changes of season often brings about changes to sensitive lips, I tucked a lip balm into every lipstick case. It’s a clear balm with a slight flavor, each subscriber received a random choice. This is not your typical wax stick, it’s USDA certified organic, cruelty-free, and does not contain parabens, fillers, or petro chemicals. These balms are 100% natural and full of ingredients that are nourishing for your lips.

Essential Elegance:

If you are one of the subscribers of our Essential Elegance boxes, in addition to the St. Patty’s Day or Easter motif cane charm or zipper pull, we included one of our Expandable Dangle Bangle bracelets. If you chose the St Patrick’s Day cane charm or zipper pull, we created a wire bangle adorned with shamrock green freshwater pearls and crystals, silvery beads, and an adorable little shiny steel 4-leaf clover charm. For those who chose the Easter theme, your bracelet consisted of pink freshwater pearls, pink, gold, and green crystals, a bunny rabbit and a colorful Easter egg shaped enamel charm.

Essential Elegance subscribers also received a lipstick case and satin pouch as described above, along with the lip balm tucked inside. Additionally, I included a hand lotion for you to try, in a lightly fragranced, silky consistency. I don’t know about you, but every change in season gives me chapped hands and lips, so I hope you enjoy these sample skin-savers.

Pro tip:

When you want to take multiple lipstick colors in your bag, it’s easy to differentiate them if the lipstick tubes are each shaped differently. But if you like several colors by the same brand, the tubes may be identical, and those tiny little labels on the bottom can be really hard to read. For those of you who cannot make use of the tiny mirror inside the lipstick case, here’s a tip: If you have low or no vision, and have one of those braille labeling gadgets, note that the width of the mirror is almost exactly the width of the adhesive braille tape. So, use the flat surface of the little mirror as a place to stick the braille tape, after you have embossed the name of your fave shades. As long as you always put the correct shade back into the case, you’ll know which one you are applying. You can always peel off the braille label and stick on a new one if you need to change shades, or, you can order additional lipstick cases if you give us a call. That way, you can have a different case for all of your pretty lipstick colors. Plus, keeping your lipsticks in a case makes them much easier to find in your handbag or tote, and they are an elegant way to keep your cosmetics organized.

Finally, in the spirit of the first signs of spring green and the anticipation of Easter baskets and sweet treats, every box included a little bag of jelly Belly jelly bean candies in both juicy watermelon and green apple flavors.

As always I thank you for being a Sparkle Squad subscriber, and I hope you love this season’s box!

Sparkle on!

Laura

Season’s greetings to my Sparkle On blog readers! Thank you for your continued support. My plan for 2023 is to bring you more educational content pertaining to gems and jewelry, and I encourage you to reach out if you think of any topics you’d like me to cover. Have a passion for pearls? Curious about clasps? Whether you’re stumped as to how to style your jewelry collection, or want to know more about what’s trending, just let me know. Today’s post is all about the recent Sparkle Squad subscription boxes, and the description of the goodies therein.

Bells bells bells bells bells!

I’ve been asked so many times over the years to design jewelry with bells, and as soon as I find some really beautiful, elegant bells that would look stunning on a piece of jewelry, I will. However, the holidays are a perfect time to jingle jingle jingle, so for the December Sparkle Squad boxes, everyone gets something featuring jingle bells.

The Sparkle Dots box:

I created a special accessory just for this time of year. It’s part of a growing collection called Charmed by the Holidays Touch of Celebration purse charm, and the first of these featured a Halloween theme. Sparkle Dots subscribers received our brand new Touch of Celebration Christmas purse charm, all decked out with green and red faux pearl beads, colorful crystals, and gold tone accents. We further decorated the design with enamel holiday charms, such as a wreath, a candy cane, a snowflake, a stocking, a Christmas tree, and others. No two purse charms are exactly alike. At the bottom of the chain is a grouping of three brass jingle bells, both in shiny as well as glitter finishes. Attach our holiday handbag charm to your favorite tote, clutch, or backpack for a festive flair, and jingle all the way!

A little experiment:

Another request I frequently entertain for my Elegant Insights customers is that of offering gift wrap, or gift boxes. That certainly seems like a good idea for lots of reasons; for sending a gift to a friend or loved one, and you want your purchase to look like a gift, for when you’ve run out of birthday/Easter/Valentine’s Day (or whatever) themed gift wrap, and for convenience, when for the life of you, you cannot find the tape/ribbon/bows anywhere.

Personally, I detest gift-wrapping. I’m terrible at it, and I’ve often taken the lazy way out and used a gift bag, which is easy, popular, and a somewhat hassle-free solution. It’s also not the same as presenting a gift all decked out in finery, when you want to give something special, such as jewelry or a treasured keepsake. We wanted to offer a way you can both request that your purchase be gift boxed, but also, to offer an elegant solution to a vexing problem: What to do when you give a beautiful gift of jewelry or other small item, and don’t have appropriate gift wrapping supplies at hand?

When you order from us, we can fit up to ten items in a box, and if sent to a single address, we can ship for one flat shipping fee. But if you wanted those items gift boxed, there’s no way that more than one box would fit in the shipping packaging we use. Sure, we could just buy cheap cardboard boxes from any online retailer or jewelry packaging supplier, but all you get is a typical white box with a pad of cotton inside. I wanted to come up with something that was practical, pretty, and convenient, and would enable you to pick up a supply you could have on hand, plus matching tags with a stretchy gold cord, and best of all, easy to assemble with no tape required. So, we came up with a design that fit all my criteria, and shipped flat, we can offer packages of 5 or 10 boxes, along with tags that are large enough on which to braille emboss, or to write in large print, readable for your gift recipients who have low or no vision.

I also wanted to create a box that was attractive enough on it’s own that it would not require that you add a ribbon or bow. As a blind person, I have no idea whether or not the ribbons, bows, or tags I’m using coordinate, and keeping all the gift paraphernalia perfectly organized, braille labeled, and accessible is just not high on my list of priorities. In fact, after the holidays, I can’t get rid of all the gift-wrapping detritus fast enough, and I typically shove it all into a bag until next year. I know, TMI.

To get to the point, all subscribers get a set of our prototype gift boxes. As you know from when I first started with the Sparkle Squad, I wanted my subscribers to give me feedback on new designs, so that I could create jewelry and accessories products that work for you. This is one of those items. The boxes are a brilliant, mirror-finish metallic, I’ll offer them in a choice of gold, silver, rose gold, red, and other vibrant shades, and they will all come packaged with a matching tag. Sparkle Dots subscribers get a set of red, and Essential Elegance recipients get a set of Christmas green. Every set will have only one color in it, so you won’t have to worry if this tag goes with that box. Plus, putting the box together is a breeze. It’s already scored where the flaps fold, and you can simply insert the tabs into the slots, and voila! you’re done. If you want to add tape for more security, you can, but you don’t need anything else to put the box together. We may even add coordinating stickers when we roll these out, so even hunting for the tape won’t be necessary. You’ll be able to add a coordinating metallic sticker to seal the boxes, if you wish. The tags are on a stretchy metallic cord that you can simply wrap around the box, or attach some other way if you do want to add a ribbon or bow. So, let me know what you think of our new gift boxes.

A sweet treat:

Everyone has a few pieces of candy in their box. I had to add a candy cane, because it’s just not Christmas without candy canes. There’s a few Hershey’s mint chocolate kisses in there as well, because, you know, I Heart you.

The Essential Elegance box:

All of the Essential Elegance subscribers received a 6-piece wine glass charms set. We will be adding these to the web site for next year, but I wanted you to see them first. Each one is both visually as well as tactually distinct, as each wine glass charm features a different enamel holiday charm and seed beads. Each also has a brass jingle bell attached to a ring that wraps around the stem of your wine glass, coffee or tea cup handle, or the base of a parfait dessert glass. These wine glass charms make it easy to identify your glass from among a group of others, and they add a bit of bling to your holiday table. Each wire ring is a shiny gold, and is secured with a simple hook-and-loop closure. Every time someone picks up their glass, a little jingle jingle makes the sweet sound of the season.

That wraps up the Sparkle Squad collection for 2022. Next year, our boxes will ship on the same schedule: March 10, June 10, September 10, and December 10. If you’d like to subscribe, start here. If you have any suggestions for future boxes, feel free to drop me a note. In the meantime, I wish you and yours a joyful holiday season, and a safe, healthy, and happy New Year!

Sparkle on!

Laura

The change of season means a new Sparkle Squad shipment, and this quarter, we’re all about autumn. Read on for a description of this season’s box!

The Sparkle Dots box:

We wanted you to have the perfect icon of autumn, so we made a set of zipper pulls in gleaming brass and copper, featuring big, beautiful maple leaves. The brass leaf says “hope,” and the copper leaf says “spirit,” in grade 2 braille. Then, we included something useful you can put them on.

Each box contains two canvas zipper pouches, in two sizes. These zippered bags can be used for cosmetics, small tech gadgets, or just use them to keep a purse or backpack organized. Everyone gets a set of two, and you’ll get two different colors, black, beige, and/or pink.

Each zipper pull has a goldtone clip, which attaches to the hole in the zipper tab. Zipper pulls can be a decorative addition to any bag or garment, and they even make opening and closing a finicky zipper easier. to open the clip, just squeeze the sides of the clip inward, and the clip will open up. This type of clasp is called a gate clip, because it swings open like a gate. The zipper pulls can be easily detached from the included zippered pouches, and you can use them wherever you like.

The Essential Elegance box:

Your box also has a set of two canvas bags, in two different sizes, and two different colors, same as above. However, your zipper pulls are a bit more personal. We matched each Essential Elegance box with your initials. So, one zippered bag will have your first name initial, and the other will have your last name initial, in shiny, silvery stainless steel, attached to silvertone clasps.

In addition to the set of two initial zipper pulls and canvas bags, you’ll also receive one of our gorgeous purse charms. Hanging from a large goldtone clip that attaches to the hardware of your handbag is a short length of chain that we’ve adorned with a stunning combination of falling leaves in a variety of shapes, sizes, and metals. We further embellished the design with rich, warm opaque gemstones, such as garnet, amethyst, or riverstone. At the bottom is a large maple leaf charm in beautiful golden brass.

Have a cuppa tea with me!

Finally, I wanted to include one of my personal fall favorites in every box. I’m a coffee drinker, usually, but when I want to take the chill off of a crisp fall day, I love to make a cup of tea. In this case, one of my go-tos is Apple Cinnamon Spice. We tucked a couple of tea bags into a copper metallic box, with the word, “tea,” debossed into the foil. This one is sugar and caffeine free, so add your sweetener of choice and enjoy the aromatic blend as your wrap your hands around a steaming mug to warm them. Cuddle up with a fuzzy throw, and sip away the shivers.

Your Sparkle Squad contents are all wrapped in tissue covered with fall foliage designs, perfectly coordinating with the colors and theme of each box.

As always, we hope you love your Sparkle Squad subscription items, and feel free to drop us a note if you would like to make a request for something specific in a future box. Want to join the Sparkle Squad? Follow this link for all the subscription details!

Sparkle on!

Laura

Unbelievably, it’s now been a full year since we launched the Sparkle Squad jewelry and accessories subscription, and what a challenge it has been. With two boxes from which to choose, each consisting of varying contents and theme, the design process has been as complex as the technical issues. Who knew that offering a quarterly, fixed, seasonal subscription would be so complicated? I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that this project has kept me on my creative game. I must say, though, that our anniversary Sparkle Squad boxes feature very pretty jewelry and fun surprises that I hope you’ll love. Read on for a complete description.

The Essential Elegance Box:

One of the goals I’ve had for the Sparkle Squad subscription has been to design jewelry that is versatile as well as beautiful, and to ensure your box contains items that can coordinate with jewelry you may already have in your collection, or that works back to items available on Elegant Insights, or new designs already underway. In the case of this season’s box, Essential Elegance subscribers receive a 24 inch station necklace, with 10mm white marble beads scattered along the length of the shiny brass cable chain. The necklace secures with a toggle clasp.

The necklace will be added to our inventory over the summer, and there’s already a matching pair of earrings, and a purse charm launching on June 21st. Your necklace is the start of a stunning new jewelry grouping called the Summer Solstice Collection.

Victorialand Beauty:

In addition to your necklace, we included two generous samples of a fabulous Revitalizing Face Oil by Victorialand Beauty. Frankly, I’m reluctant to refer to them as samples, as I’ve been using mine now for over a month, and there’s still plenty left in the bottle. Use the dropper in the cap to apply just a few drops of this silky elixir to skin, on the face, neck, back of hands, or anywhere your complexion could use a boost.

Victorialand’s inclusivity mission is to make the products accessible to everyone, and that includes an ingenious system of package labeling featuring the CyRUS System for visually impaired users. All full size products include tactile labels, and can be purchased from the Victorialand Beauty web site.

www.victorialandbeauty.com
@victorialandbeauty

For more information on the CyRUS System, go here:

www.thecyrussystem.com

Victorialand Beauty
victoria@victorialandbeauty.com
239.641.7706

Instagram www.instagram.com/victorialandbeauty/
Twitter twitter.com/victorialandbty
Facebook www.facebook.com/Victorialandbeauty/
LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-watts-83191416b/

On The Go:

Our friends at specialty shop On The Go Dog Gear have included a fresh-picked gift that’s as adorable as it is useful. It’s a jingle bell that, for Essential Elegance subscribers, is shaped like a strawberry. It even has leaves at the top, and tiny little seeds all over it. You can use it as a harness bell for your service dog, attach to a pet collar, use it as a cane charm, purse charm, or anywhere you might need an audible landmark. Each charm bell comes on a small nylon loop which fastens with a ½ inch side release buckle, pinch the sides to open, press together to close. The nylon loops are available in a variety of colors.

Shop for more On The Go Dog Gear here!

The Sparkle Dots Box:

We did something really fun for Sparkle Dots box subscribers. You received an earring wardrobe! The theme for this season’s box is summer time, and we wanted you to have a variety of earrings you can wear with different outfits, so you can dress up for dinner al fresco on a hot summer night, or casual and chill for picnic or party. Sparkle Dots subscribers received two pairs of post earrings, and one pair of leverback dangle earrings. Everyone gets one pair of flower post earrings, and one pair of either butterflies or dragonflies. Each is colorful enamel on sterling silver, with a post and silicone stopper back.

The third pair is a leverback dangle style, with a stainless steel ear wire. We designed this pair with a focus on a beautiful, colorful, diamond-shaped cloisonné (pronounced cloy-zon-ay) bead featuring a flower and dragonfly pattern. At the top and bottom point of the diamond is a white marble round bead, which also coordinates with the necklace mentioned above, as well as new items launching soon. We love the intricacy of the cloisonné, enhanced by the fresh white marble. What a great trio to bring with you on your summer vacation. So pretty, and they’ll go with everything.

Sparkle Dots box subscribers also received a sample bottle of the Victorialand Beauty Revitalizing Face Oil described above, and the jingle bell from On The Go Dog Gear. The Sparkle Dots bell is a round shape with a painted happy face design. There are lots of other cute motifs available from On The Go, such as hearts, critters, and even holiday designs, so be sure to shop here:

www.shop-onthego.com
onthegodoggear@gmail.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/onthegodoggear

Wrapping it up:

Both boxes are packed with summer white tissue paper embellished with metallic gold butterflies, and your bells are tucked into a red organza mesh bag. Look for more summer motif jewelry and accessories to wear with your Sparkle Squad items, and no matter how scorching hot it gets out there, sparkle on!

Laura

Want to subscribe to The Sparkle Squad? Start here!

Spring is in the air, and spring brings warm breezes, new green growth, and blooming colors. Soon we’ll be packing away our heavy layers, pulling out our lighter weight fabrics, and putting on fresh spring fashions. A new season also means it’s time for another Sparkle Squad box at your doorstep! What follows is the quarterly description of the Sparkle Squad box contents.

The original idea behind offering two different subscription boxes was to create one option for anyone who was interested in our braille jewelry and accessories, and another box for those who may or may not be interested in braille embossed items, but who do want to build a jewelry wardrobe of classic and coordinating pieces with sophisticated style. The contents of each box are not meant to be identical, although in some instances the contents may overlap. That’s the case this time, as we present our springtime edition of our Sparkle Squad subscription boxes. Read on to get the details of what’s inside.

Both the Essential Elegance and the Sparkle Dots box contain a set of bracelets, as well as an assortment of little helpers to protect your jewelry collection. Just for fun, I also threw in a useful accessory to keep you organized. Let’s take a look at the jewelry first.

Each subscription features multiple bangle bracelet sets that are as colorful as Mardi Gras. The Sparkle Dots Box subscribers received two sets, one in their first choice color, according to the response they selected in the preferences questionnaire, and a second set in a different bright color. The bangles are made of a thin, stainless steel wire that is enameled in either pink, turquoise, or purple, and you get three of the same color in a light, medium, and dark variation. Then, we connected the three bracelets together with and jingly-jangly collection of charms and beads. The pink bangle set features a textured silver tone butterfly, along with silvery metallic hematite and diamond cut beads in assorted shapes, such as tubes, rounds and barrel shapes. The turquoise version features a fancy floating heart, wire wrapped with a pretty spiral embellishment, connected to the bracelet grouping with a matching spiral loop. A handful of silvery, smooth and diamond cut beads bling out the set. Finally, some may receive the purple bangle set, which features the cutest little golden honeybee, with sparkly wings and a textural body. We added coordinating brass accent beads in a variety of shapes and sizes. So, if you are someone with low or no color perception, you can tell which bracelet set you received by way of the main charms attached: The pink set has the butterfly, the turquoise set has the heart, and the purple set has a honeybee. Again, each set consists of three slim bracelets in light, medium and dark color variations. The Essential Elegance subscribers received all three bracelet sets. Wear one to add a splash of vivid spring color to an outfit, or stack them together for a bold look with lots of dangle charms.

Next, each box also has a little collection of anti-tarnish protectors. The Sparkle Dots box recipients received one each of a 4 inch and a 6 inch storage bag. These bags are not a garden variety zip-top plastic bag. They are treated with an environmentally friendly, non-toxic technology that prevents tarnish, corrosion, and oxidation on newly cleaned fine and fashion metal, and won’t leave deposits, are non-abrasive and are safe for all metals and gemstones. Use them to keep jewelry, coins, or even your watch lustrous and tarnish free for up to three years.

Also in each box is a tiny bag filled with anti-tarnish papers. These tiny little tabs can be placed in your jewelry box, into a travel jewelry roll, or inside a storage pouch where you keep your sterling silver, brass, or copper items. You don’t have to use them for just jewelry, though. If you have silver plated serving pieces, flatware, or collectibles, tuck one or two of these little tabs in with your polished keepsakes, and they can stay tarnish free for up to a year. They do not remove tarnish, but if you store your items clean, they will remain shiny and beautiful for a long time. Once you notice a bit of tarnish dulling the shine, just rub your treasures with a soft cloth, or use a cleaning product, then store them with a new anti-tarnish tab for another year. Essential Elegance subscribers received extra storage bags, and if you need more tabs or bags, just let me know and I will send them off via snail mail.

The last item we included is a silicone pouch intended for use anywhere you have a smooth, clean, flat surface on which to stick them. They can hold a credit card, business cards, library card, cash, or whatever you want to carry or keep handy. There is a peel-off paper on the back, revealing a very sticky adhesive that will attach the pouch to the back of your phone or phone case, tablet, or anywhere you need to quickly grab ID or other cards. Stick them to the side of a PC monitor, on your refrigerator, a file cabinet, or even on the inside of a wallet or clutch if you could use just one more pocket. All subscribers received a few of each, in a variety of colors.

Finally, since we’re celebrating spring and bright, beautiful color, we packaged everything in purple tissue paper and used a purple metallic foil gift box, along with drawstring storage bags in either vivid turquoise mesh, or royal purple satin. We hope you love this season’s box!

The next Sparkle Squad boxes will ship June 10th. By then, we’ll be having fun in the sun, and we’re already working on the next collection. If you are not a member of the Sparkle Squad, and want to subscribe, start here:

If you missed the most recent shipment, but don’t want to wait until June for the next box, or if you just want to get a peek as to what you can expect if you do subscribe, we offer an introductory, one-time-only box in either configuration.

Select your Sparkle Squad “One Time Only” box here!

Sparkle on!

Laura