Empress says...

Etsy Buy Handmade Royale As many of you may know, I have been trying to sell my jeweled creations for the past few months. So far, I have not been having much luck although I have been doing almost everything I read in the Etsy articles on success. There have been endless compliments on my work but no buyers. I can't seem to figure out why that is. Marketing to friends, family and social sites is ok but I need something that will draw in a crowd. Craft fairs perhaps? So far, the Brooklyn Indie Market is looking more appealing everyday. My mom and I stopped by there last Saturday to check out the "goings-ons". Of course I ended up going home with a few handmade items like a great pair of blue earrings made by Flare, white amber oil that I adore by Off The Mat , and a necklace for my mom by the very talented KnitKnit . Shopping in the small flea market made me think it's time to get out there and hustle. I'm going to ask a few crafty friends if they will be interes...

In the midst of a failing economy, I have somehow managed to get enough courage to internet shop again. For the past 4 months, I have been avoiding sites like Ebay, ASOS, Target (especially since the designer series is the greatest thing since sliced bread), and so on and so forth. Obviously from my previous post, I have failed at doing that. By the way, the dress I wanted is sold out. I'm sure I'll find another one. *Sigh* Anywho.... Today I stopped by The beading Gem's Journal to see what new jewelry making tips they had to offer. I came across one of the most brilliant jewelry designers I've ever seen. Philippe Tournaire gives his audience the chance to wear their dream house so they can envision their goal every day. I absolutely LOVE the cathedral ring....being royale and all ;) Here are a few of my other favourites. I find most of his work to be genius and stunning with excellent craftsmanship, but the Architecture collection by far takes the cake. These are tru...

Hi. My name is Royal and I am a (window) shopaholic. I have been surfing the net for the past 3 months on a mission to find something that would stop me in my tracks. I have come across quite a few things thanks to my favourite new site ASOS . I really like the "catwalk" video they have for most of the clothing items. I have more top and bottom than the models but it is nice to see them strut down the runway. It makes me think I could do that and then some :) They even have a monthly magazine of all the hottest trends for men and women. I strongly believe this is the devil testing me and so far I have have been good until I saw this beauty: And 2 minutes later, I came across the shoes to match but they don't have them in off white *sigh*. Black it is :) There were a few other goodies that I had to leave on the favourites list. They have free shipping to the US until Monday so I may have to jump on it. Have you guessed what occasion I would want this outfit for? I'll ...

I dreamt of owning a business that will, in many ways, give back to the world. Since I consider myself a "craftster", I thought what better way to bring this idea to life by selling things I love to create. From this grand idea, Imperiale was born. This venture has caused me to seriously pull some creativity from places I choose not to mention :) It has been fun coming up with marketing ideas but now it's time to put them to the test. Word of mouth is always affective but I need something with a little more pizazz. I came across a great offer in an e-newsletter. Moo cards is offering 50 free business cards. You only have to pay shipping which for me it was only $6 (I am in New York). The pros are you can upload up to 50 images for the front of the card, and the back will display the information of your choice. The cons: Moo nicely places their advertisement at the bottom of the front which cuts off part of the image. If you want to remove it, it will cost an additional ...

I know it's been a while but for a good reason. I've been a busy bee with traveling, making jewelry and finding new do's for my natural locks. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, here goes: St. Louis Easter Weekend Being surrounded by so much love and laughter, I was inspired to get back to work and create beautiful pieces. The new items below are currently on sale in my Etsy shop . Please stop by and take a look =) In the next week, there will be so much more to come. Keep an eye out ;)

(Click on Heenara image for prices and info). Product Description Heenara Hair Wash is a natural shampoo for hair wash and hair care. Being free from synthetic chemicals, this shampoo powder is a perfect hair conditioner and tonic. Highly recommended for silky smooth hair. Heenara Hair Herbal Hair Wash advantages: - Natural shampoo and conditioner for hair - Effective hair conditioner and tonic - Removes minor eruptions over scalp - Keeps hair clean and smooth A month after purchasing Heenara, I decided to give it a try. I followed the directions (mix desired amount with water to make a thick paste) and applied it from roots to tips. I wrapped my ends into 2 buns and let it sit for 10 mins (instructions state 5 minutes but I was a little side tracked). After rinsing thoroughly and I mean THOROUGHLY (there are little grits of herbs in the powder wash), I saturated my hair with my concoction of a conditioner (alma, Nyle and olive oils, Pantene Restoration deep conditioner and raw honey)...

Finally! After long thought and debating, I decided to open an Etsy store to sell my handmade goods. The earrings in the picture above are crocheted (yes by me) with glass and gold plated beads. Click here for a closer look and prices. And of course, please pass on the good word to a friend! I have a ton of ideas and yes I keep them in an "idea" book =)I will be posting more items tomorrow, March 19th so keep an eye out for more goodies!! XOXO ~R

AAAAAHHHHHHH SUN! There's nothing like waking up to a bright sun shiny day. FBHB and I took advantage of it and went on a walk through the park and down to the pier. It officially feels like Spring and I'm loving it! On to other things...I am working hard on making pieces for my Etsy shop. I'm very excited to embark on this venture. I will be sure to post the pieces as they are created. Here's to bigger and better things!

Well, dusting to be exact. This is a term used when trimming ends. It is also known as a "seek and destroy" mission on split ends. I remember doing this while sitting in class in high school. I would take my arts & crafts scissors and snip away at my ends. Yes, I still managed to pass my classes *smile*. Nowadays, I simply trim all of my ends every two months or as needed. Since I've been using a better hair regimen, I haven't had to trim as much. However, there are still many split ends lurking around. It's time to slow them down and eventually put and end to the madness. No pun intended ;) My ends felt my wrath just yesterday when I randomly picked up shears and went to town. I like razor straight edges but I always feel like I missed a few here and there. Dusting, makes it easier for me to get to the down and dirty split ends. The kind that will work its way up to the roots if they are not maintained. I've noticed my hair looking and feeling fuller than...

Yes ladies and gents. Not only do I draw, knit and crochet, I'm in the process of making jewelry too. Whew! I have to say having so many ideas in so many areas can be tiring. I have actually started a list in order to prioritize my work. At the moment, I am working on making jewelry for my online Etsy store that I just opened. Stay tuned :)