Last Chance! BOGO 1/2 off sale!

Today is your last chance to take advantage of the buy one, get one half off sale! Visit the Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories Facebook page for more details!

Winner Winner!

And the winners are...

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway! I love that I had this handy rafflecopter widget to do all the dirty work for me :) Now, to the good stuff!

Jamie S - You are the winner of the $20.00 Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories gift certificate!

Robin Snider - You are the winner of the $10.00 Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories gift certificate!

&

Katie Carson, and Kayla Williams are both winners of the $5.00 Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories gift certificates!

Congratulations ladies, and thank you for all of your hard work! Email me to claim your winnings within the next 48 hours please!

Giveaway!

Who doesn't love a good giveaway? I was pretty excited to receive my exclusive invite to use rafflecopter, so I just couldn't wait to try it out!

This giveaway is for 4 Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories gift certificates that can be used at www.MelissaJewleryAcc.com - Yup, that means there are 4 chances to win!

How to enter:
-You must be a fan of Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories on facebook to enter (+1)
-You must comment on this post for your entry to qualify (+1)
^You must do BOTH of these things to qualify!


Other ways to get extra entries:
-You can share the giveaway on your facebook page - you can share is once a day for an extra entry each day
-You can share the giveaway on your blog (make sure to share the link in the comments below) for an extra entry
-You can also "like" this post for an extra entry

Newest Orchid Collection Items [Post 2.]

I just love creating with this adorable elegant orchids, and can't help myself! Here are my latest creations:

Newest Orchid Collection Items

[*Sale Alert! - Everything in the Orchid Collection is 10% until August 18th!]

What I love most about the orchid collection, is that the design possibilities are endless. There is always something new to make, and always something wonderful to try. I love that I can play around with each style to create something new and exciting. What is your favorite piece from the orchid collection?

Refurbished!

It's always nice to bring new life to those pieces of jewelry just sitting untouched in your jewelry box. Recently while going through my jewelry box, I rediscovered a sterling silver bracelet that my husband bought for me about 6 years ago when were dating.

I had always wanted an ID bracelet, so I was beyond thrilled. Despite the fact that it was way to big for my dainty wrists, I wore it anyways, thus really scratching it with all of its banging around - unfortunately, that damage cannot be undone. Eventually I took it off and put it aside until I could afford to have it shortened (I was 17, and didn't have much spending money). Years passed, and I just kept putting it off.

Finally a few days ago when finding it lonely and tarnished, I said enough is enough, and I decided to fix it myself.

I always thought the bracelet was just a little to bulky for my wrists, so rather than shortening the existing bracelet, I replaced it with something a little more dainty, and gave it a quick polish.

I recycled the clasp and I can use the old silver bracelet pieces by having them melted down and turned into something else.

I've been wearing it every day since :)

Have you even thought of refurbishing or up-cycling your jewelry?

Important Notice

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.

If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

I started making jewelry because it made me happy; finding that hidden talent I had for so many years was truly wonderful! I started selling the jewelry I made because it was a nice way for me to continue this hobby that I love, and share my art with others.

Truth be told, I am not very happy doing this anymore. I love making jewelry,and I truly love when others share their joy when wearing the pieces that I have created for them. However, this has become tedious, and stressful; I've begun to dread it.

I do what I do because I love it, not because I have to. My love for making jewelry has turned into something it's not. I am not a postal service, and I am most certainly not a punching bag. Turns out, I've become these things whether or not I like it.

I want to get back to loving what I do. I want to sit down in my studio and create, with a smile on my face; the way it used to be.

That being said, I am taking some time off. A hiatus, and extended "vacation", a break; call it what you will. I'll be taking this time off to find that passion once again.

My Facebook page will be taken down temporarily, however my website will still be up and available for orders, though some items will not be available. Shipping fee's have already been adjusted and will now include insurance; tracking is also still available in the options (more details to follow).

My blog will be updated every now and than with my newest projects, etc. so make sure you check in every now and then.

Thank you for your patience and understanding through this time. If you need to get ahold of me, then you probably already know how to.

My loyal customers are always more than welcome to contact me at any time, for any reason!

In regards to the new shipping updates, yes, that means shipping has gone up. Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories will no longer provide shipping via "regular mail. My policies have stated since day one that I (MJ&A) am not responsible for lost or damaged items sent via regular post. This can be found on my Facebook fan page, my website, this blog, and a handy little link is posted at the bottom of every email I send out.

When I ship items out, I use a third party service. When you order from Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories, you are entrusting and paying that service directly, not Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories. Once items are dropped off at this third party postal service, that you've requested and entrusted your items to, I am no longer responsible for them. Once items are our of my possession, I cannot control what happens to it. It can get lost, damaged, and outright stolen.

Did I lose, damage, or steal your item(s)? No, but it is still somehow always my fault. If you read my policies, you would see that I've warned, and highly recommended customers to choose and request additional shipping features (tracking and/or insurance).

I have always done my absolute best to ensure excellent customer service; In doing so, I've replaced several lost or damaged items at my own expense, because customers have refused to purchase the additional shipping features I have available for them. I will not continue to be blamed for postal errors; This is something completely and literally out of my hands. At this time, the only way to avoid the problem all together, is to ensure that every package is shipped with insurance, and accounted for. The cheap, regular post option is no longer available here at Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories.

I am extremely sorry to everyone that this will inconvenience. It is something I've been trying my best to avoid, but I just can't anymore. Re-making lost/stolen, or damaged items, at my own expense, is not something I enjoy doing on my spare time, especially when I have other orders to fill, and other customers waiting or their jewelry. It's not fair to me, or them. The best way I see to avoid the problem, is to eliminate it completely.

Again, I do apologize to those of you who will be inconvenienced by this. I completely understand that $3.50 for shipping seems much more reasonable and convenient than the new rates, but this way we can all bee assured that all bases are covered.

In efforts to make these new rates seems less daunting, I have already slightly lowered costs on a lot of products on my website.

As mentioned above, my website is still open and accepting orders. I am not accepting custom orders until further notice. My facebook fan page will become unavailable sometime on Saturday, August 13th, 2011.

*Disclaimer

Please understand that I am only human! I do my very best to keep Melissa's Jewelry & Accessories running, by myself, while raising my daughter, tending to my family and living this military life. I am not perfect, and mistakes do (rarely) happen, especially  under stress. I am doing what I can right now to eliminate this stress, and get back to enjoying my work.

Excellent customer service is still my #1 priority.

Thank you to those who understand <3