Recently, a friend of mine invited me to a "jewelry party". I'd never been to one before but had heard of things like this. I wanted to go and support my friend, of course, so I went. What I found was pleasantly surprising, so I wanted to share my experience with you... the story behind the company and how it started was quite inspiring.
I had never heard of this particular company before, it's called Origami Owl. The concept is to tell your story through jewelry. At first glance, for me anyway, being 42 years old.... it looked quite "young" and I wasn't sure if I'd wear any of it. With that said, the jewelry was adorable. They have "Living Lockets" which you can fill with charms of your choosing. You can collect different charms and switch them out as often as you like, depending of your mood for the day! You can also make one for someone special that has such meaning and thought behind it because of what's inside! The lockets open up like in the picture above and snap close with a magnet. The magnet is very strong, actually clicks closed and feels very secure. The lockets themselves have a nice weight to them that feels high quality. They come in different colors... silver, gold, rose gold, even black. They also come in different sizes and are either plain or have crystals around the edges.
They have more than just necklaces.... they have bracelets and earrings too. They have TONS of cute charms to choose from... anything you can think of really. Also all the birthstone colors, plates with sayings on them that can fit inside. Whatever you put inside, it just "floats" around inside the locket. Here are a few pics from their catalog so you can see some of the different ways you can design your own "Living Locket"!....
Charms aren't a new concept, but being done in this way is very clever. I can see how this has become such a huge trend with young girls (and older women!)... I know I would've wanted so many of these when I was a teenager! There are all kinds of chains to choose from too in different lengths... the mixing and matching possibilities are endless.
The story of how this company came about really intrigued me. It was started in 2010 by a 14 year old girl named Bella Weems. What started as an after school passion to earn money for a car when she turned 16.... has now become a national social selling company! The company has hundreds of employees and over 55,000 independent sales representatives called Independent Designers. The at home parties are called "Jewelry Bars", which is very cute. Anytime I hear about a young person making a passion into such a huge success it just warms my heart! Young people still have that "dream" that anything is possible... sometimes we lose sight of that as we get older. I love that "Dream It...Do It" attitude! She obviously got her car when she turned 16, considering the company has made many millions. Now the company gives back by helping others achieve their dreams! :)
What I noticed at the jewelry bar I went to was it was so interactive. She had many charms, lockets and accessories to play with, so everyone was putting together different lockets and bracelets to see how they looked. As I started to do this myself... I wanted one for myself!! My friend who hosted the jewelry bar, is also AMAZING at making homemade baked goodies. She made pink champagne cupcakes for my bridal shower years ago... and she made them again for this... among other things! She also had champagne and other refreshments which made it very enjoyable.
I chose a simple, gold, medium sized locket and I actually paired it with a chain that I had gotten at a boutique called "Wink" when I was in New York on one of my girl's shopping trips! I chose four charms to go inside my Living Locket... a happy face for Happy WifeStyle! A diamond for my husband's birthstone (April). A gold and crystal dog bone for "Stella". A gold apple with a crystal in it for my trips to NYC that I love so!! It looks so cute and it's truly special because of what these things mean to me! Here's mine...
Here's a few more for you to see. I also think you could put photos in them... they are also reversible so you could put a photo that shows on one side and put charms in the other side!
Another thing I LOVE about this company is this... because it started with a mother and daughter team, they allow girls as young as 12 years old to become Independent Designers for the company as long as they are supervised by a parent. What a wonderful way to connect with your child, have them learn responsibility, and build confidence by running their own business! The company gives back and has made it their mission to help others achieve their dreams by being a "Force For Good". They have also partnered with Childhelp, an organization dedicated to transforming and saving the most innocent, vulnerable and often voiceless lives.
I am not affiliated with Origami Owl, but I definitely support what they are doing... I think they have an amazing mission statement: "To be a force for good; to love, inspire and motivate people of all ages to reach their dreams and empower them to make a difference in the lives of others." If you would like more information on the company, becoming an Independent Designer, ordering jewelry, or hosting a "jewelry bar" visit OrigamiOwl.com.
If you happen to be in the Northern California area you can contact my friend Meredith Spires and she'll help you host your party! She is super sweet and would do a great job... she just might bake you something amazing for your party!! I'm not making any promises, but just sayin'....she probably would. :) You can find her at Sonoma.OrigamiOwl.com Thanks Meredith for introducing me to this company, I think it is extremely positive... Happy WifeStyle gives it two thumbs up!
