MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 2

Fabulous and Flirty Pin Up girl Kirstin wearing my faux Bakelite vintage inspired cherry necklace from the faux vintage Bakelite inspired Red Cherry Jewelry Reproduction Collection at and MelodyODesigns at Etsy (photo courtesy of Studio Betties Pinup and Boudoir Photography, Minneapolis, MN)

I love it when I have the opportunity to get to know my customers a little bit. When they have questions or customization requests there are often a number of emails that go back and forth. So, sometime customers share how they intend to wear the jewelry piece and for what the special occasion they are planning on wearing it. I consider myself VERY LUCKY when I have the opportunity share their vision and actually end up seeing a photo of the customer wearing the jewelry. Kirstin contacted me because she was planning a Pin Up photo shoot around a cherry theme and says she loves dressing in retro/pin up/vintage. She is clearly a woman with a super sense of style and the presence to successfully pull off "THE LOOK" so beautifully....not to mention CHARMING the camera.

Celebrating"Antiquing Day" with galfriends Audrey, Susan, Jennie, Shari and Kirstin (wearing her Cherry Necklace and Cherry Bar Brooch that add the perfect touch to her awesome vintage Poodle Skirt Ensemble.)

In the ongoing saga of the "connections" that have been developing among my customer (see
Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Part 1)........Melanie of Lorelei's Vintage Shop at Etsy had spotted Kate wearing my cherry necklace at Disneyland, contacted me and purchased a customized cherry necklace. I wrote a customer appreciation blog article on that included Lorelei's Vintage and featured a super special cherry top Melanie had designed for her shop to compliment my necklace. I had already almost finished writing this blog article about Kirstin when she saw the article about Melanie and Lorelei's Vintage. She discovered she loves their clothing designs and purchased one of their "Va Va Voom" bustier tops in black to go with her capris and cherry necklace, so we HAD to ask for photos to share with readers.    

I was thrilled to receive the following fabulous split screen photo from SB illustrating her "take" on the Cherry Bar Brooch's listing description: "It commands equal attention whether paired with a corporate suit or modern blue jeans." She wrote, "I wore it all week long and it looked great with almost everything in my closet." What a fun photo and I'm so grateful that she shared it.

SB shown wearing her versatile faux Bakelite Cherry Bar Brooch from MelodyODesigns at Etsy

Kirstin showing her Cherry Bar Brooch and Necklace

I plan on sharing more favorite customer appreciation stories in the next few months. If you haven't already read them, you might enjoy reading
Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Part1, 

Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 3  

Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 4

and also heartwarming story about one of my favorite customers and Cubs fans Diane, her dad Bob and the baseball necklace.

MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 1

Elegant customer Kate in her lovely cherry ensemble with cherry jewelry from the from the faux vintage Bakelite inspired Red Cherry Jewelry Reproduction Collection at
  MelodyODesigns at Etsy. She is escorted by debonair Terry at Disneyland's "Dapper Day".

Over the years I've been blessed with some very special customers, especially the fans of my faux Bakelite cherry jewelry. I thought it would be fun to share a bit of their stories, because they are such interesting people and I've enjoyed getting to know them just a little bit on a personal level. The customers I'd like to feature today have two thing in common.....they love vintage fashion and they know how to make "the look" work. 

My initial contact with Kate came via an unexpected telephone call. I don't know how she tracked me down, but I had a wonderful long chat with her as she explained that she was creating a cherry fashion ensemble to wear to Disneyland for "Dapper Day" and inquired about customizations she wanted. I was fascinated as she explained that Dapper Day is a fashionable gathering held a couple of times a year at Disneyland that seeks to turn back the clock to a time where people would only be seen out in public in their finest most dapper attire. I love the look she created and think this is such a wonderful photo! Kate was so enthusiastic about my jewelry that she actually handed out some of my business cards when she was at Disneyland........................

...........but I was still surprised when I was contacted by Melanie of "Lorelei's Vintage" asking about my cherry jewelry and inquiring if I could customize a necklace for her (black chain vs my usual red or green chain.....I easily could). It seems that she had seen Kate in her cherry finery at Disneyland, asked her about it and gotten my business card. I absolutely love the serendipity of life (and delightful customers)! Lorelei's Vintage at Etsy is a unique shop specializing in Vintage and Vintage Inspired clothing and accessories for Women and Girls that evoke the Classic Glamour of Old Hollywood. Her designs are so feminine in an elegant and glamorous way with a 40's and 50's old Hollywood bombshell kind of flavor. 

Since Melanie is a big fan of both vintage and cherries she combined the two into a fabulous new 1950's style Shaheen-inspired Cherry Bomb Glamor Top that's for sale at her shop. She designed it specifically to coordinate with my cherry jewelry. It also comes in Black and White. (S-XL) and the price is $44. In honor of the cherry lovers who are reading my blog she is graciously offering 10% off in her shop through July 25, 2014. The offer code is CHERRYLOVER 

I'm also a fan of her Va Va Voom Bustier top paired with the  Lorelei Skirt from Lorelei's Vintage shown here with my MelodyODesigns' Cherry Necklace.

If you haven't already read it you might also enjoy reading 
Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 2 
     
Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 3 

Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 4

and also the heartwarming story about one of my favorite customers and Cubs fans Diane, her dad Bob and the baseball necklace.

Favorite Customers, longtime Cubs fans Bob and Diane and the Baseball Necklace

Favorite Customers, longtime Cubs fans Bob and daughter Diane wearing her Tribute to Baseball Necklace in 4th of July colors

Over the years I've been blessed with some very special customers. Legendary Cubs #1 and #2 Fans Bob and his lovely daughter Diane are two of my very favorites. I first "met" Diane when she sent me an email asking questions about my making a customized baseball necklace for her in Cub's 4th of July team colors with a specific "fake" autograph on the miniature bat that comes with the necklace. She went on to tell me a bit of the story behind her desire for the necklace. She said that her dad, who has recently celebrated his 80th birthday, had "brainwashed" her as toddler and they have shared a passion for major league baseball (specifically for the Cubs) for her entire lifetime. I think their story is so special I wanted to share it with my readers. I'm so honored that my necklace is a small part of their ongoing celebration together of the Cubs and of Life.

She wanted the "fake" signature on the bat to read "Phil Cavarretta", his favorite player growing up. She wrote,
"I was initially going to get Ron Santo’s name, but then remembered my dad telling a story about writing Phil Cavarretta’s name on his ball glove as a child and trying to convince his friends he had gotten his autograph.......but he had spelled Cavarretta's name wrong!"

Diane and husband Steve at a Cub's game. Diane says, "Steve, who is a saint, and very tolerant of me and my love for the Cubs."

Diane and her dad frequently watch the Cubs games together on TV. She attends many games in person and they have made plans to attend a game this fall together with his 80 year old lifelong buddy, Dale.

This fabulous life sized, wooden, painted replica of Bob as a Cub's fan was created and given to him as a gift by Bob's very good friend and talented colleague, art teacher Pete, on the occasion of Bob's retirement. Bob and his family call it "Bob Crow" and it was used for years in Bob's garden to scare away the birds. Now it's a treasured family heirloom. 

The photo below shows Diane and Cub's owner, Tom Ricketts, during a game. As she was leaving the game and was on the phone talking to her dad she saw Tom again and he didn’t miss a beat when she asked, “would you mind saying hi to my 80 year old dad” He reached for her phone (Cubs phone cover OF COURSE) : ) and said “sure, what is his name” and proceeded to talk to her Dad for over 5 minutes. What a guy! What a team! What super fans!

Diane and friend Carol in Wrigleyville after a cold April game.

(edited: Necklace no longer available) Our "handmade from scratch" Patriotic 4th of July colored baseball necklace is available with beads in most colors as well as matching spiral baseball earrings at MelodyODesigns