Who is the Anja Woman?

Yesterday I completed my third photo shoot with the lovely Adrienne. The best side effect of doing these shoots is the chance to spend time with friends before leaving town. We start with a meal and mimosas and catch up on girl talk. Pretty soon the room fills up with make up, hair accessories, clothes, and of course... jewelry. The camera comes out and the first few shots are a little awkward and we giggle and move around to loosen up. There are frequent outbursts of, "you look AWESOME," "SO beautiful," or "OOOH, what if we shoot from THIS angle." It's an art project and everyone is involved. We run back on forth from the "set" to the "staging area," changing jewelry, applying redder lipstick, adding a colored cloth around the shoulders. "Let's try the GREY!- no wait, the blue would contrast better..." Time flies by: Adrienne and I spent 4 hours before we even looked at a clock. To finish, we flip through the pictures on the camera and laugh at the clothes eyes or awkward expressions. We coo over the best ones. Each girl leaves with a piece of jewelry, and I can't wait 30 seconds after the last good-bye to transfer the pictures to my computer and start editing.

Sifting through the pictures, I am amazed by how beautiful my friends are. These are all women I've met since finishing college. None of us grew up together, but we easily and eagerly slip into a state of vibrant, youthful, energy that reminds me very much of a high school sleep over or getting ready for prom. Giggles, and bounciness and creativity. The photo shoots turned out to be a form of play, that can become all too rare with jobs, and chores, and bills, and day to day responsibilities.

I started Anja Artisan Jewelry just a little over a year ago. Often I think about the message I want to send to the world with my products and company image. With the trade show on the horizon, it's a good time to clarify and define: what is Anja jewelry? What kind of women wears it? Anja Jewelry is about promoting strong, confident, self-respecting women. The "Anja woman" has the courage to know what she wants in life, to take risks, and to be her unique self. She is both strong and feminine. She honors herself and expresses her creativity (perhaps with jewelry...)