Posted by Jim Ball on Fri, Dec 09, 2011 @ 04:45 AM
I am about to wrap up my two week trip to Texas as the best trip ever. I started in Longview, Texas at Lillies and Lace Bridal leaving a trail of bling all over Texas. I worked my way down to Beaumont stopping by Mommie Dearest, leaving behind a huge stash of pageant and prom jewelry. From there it was on the Muzzies in Houston, Texas, where I always get a warm reception. From there it was on to Wardrobe-The Boutique in Sugar Land, Texas where I met with Rebecca, Albert, and Amin, where they bought tons of Swarovski crystal earrings-mainly the chunky stones. Also, in the Houston area, I stopped by Jill's Fashions and Bridal in League City, Texas.
Next it was on to South Texas to find new friends in El Campo, Corpus Christi and Alice and Victoria, Texas. New Beginnings bought lots of bridal jewelry, wedding jewelry, and prom jewelry. Especially for ME in Corpus Christi and Alice bought lots of prom jewelry for their two locations, Jade and Madalyn bought lots of prom jewelry for prom dresses and wedding jewelry for wedding dresses for store in Victoria, Texas.
Then on to the San Antonio area where I stopped by Town and Country, where Trihn bought lots of pageant and prom jewelry. About three hours west of there is San Angelo where Kronos bought loads of blinged out lanyards, prom jewelry and wedding jewelry. For more information about the blinged out lanyards see my blog about them. Then on to New Braunfels, Texas to see Connie at Celebrations which does a huge wedding business as well as prom, so she bought lots of bridal jewelry and prom jewelry.
On the way back home, I stopped by Belva's in Waco where they bought pageant jewelry. Today it is on to Muzzies in Dallas where I am sure Lexia will reload on jewelry, then back home for me to reload.
These two weeks was the debut of several new chunky stone styles which are as hot as the temperature normally is in Texas. These styles are hot because several dress designers are using the chunky crystals on their dresses such as Sherri Hill, Jovani, Tony Bowls, and WOW Prom. Here is a sample:
Posted by Jim Ball on Wed, Oct 05, 2011 @ 07:27 AM
These blinged out lanyards were one of the hottest items at the show at The National Bridal Market Chicago. Other manufactures bought them for their employees to wear their badges in the booths and to give as gifts to their buyers. Bridal and Formal wear stores bought them for the employees to wear as ID badges so that when they were busy, the consumers would be able to identify employees. Some stores bought them to wear when they do Bridal shows so they could wear name tags and be identified and make them stand out at the shows.
Since a lot of schools require ID badges, I am making lanyards in high school colors and lanyards in college colors. I have Blue and Gold for West Virgina, Purple and gold for LSU, Solid royal as well as royal and clear for the University of Kentycky Wildcats. Black and gold for Vandy, the Steelers, and Purdue, Red and Black for U of L and University of Georgia, Green for the Packers, Organge and blue for University of illinois, orange and clear in a checker board pattern for University of Tennessee fans, black and clear in a checkered pattern for nascar fans, and many others.
These lanyards can be worn to show back stage passes at pageants. Also, for back stage passed at plays, or concerts.
All hospital employees have to wear ID badges, so they could be worn at hospitals. Here is the list of colors so far:
- Clear
- Aurora Borialis
- Solid Jet
- Jet with clear in a checker boardpattern
- Orange with Clear in checkerboard pattern
- Red
- Red with Black
- Black Ombre
- Purple Ombre
- Blue Ombre
- Gold Ombre
- Green Ombre
- Orange with Blue
- Black with Gold
- Magenta
- Grape
- Royal with Clear
- Solid Royal
- Hematite
- Multi
- Purple with Gold
- Emerald
- Pink Ombre
- Hot Pink
Posted by Jim Ball on Fri, Sep 16, 2011 @ 07:25 AM
As I understand it, The Kate Middleton earrings were inpsired by her family crest, which has an acorn in it. Almost every wedding dress designer has a dress inpired by her wedding gown. I thought some would want an earring to match especially since the don't have to be royalty to afford it. These are made of Cubic Zirconia which is accessable to the masses. 
Everyone can afford to look like royalty. This pave' cubic zirconia earring is small enough that is would be acceptable for bridesmaids earrings, and other social occasions such as Christmas parties, charity balls, and military balls. They could be used for pageant and prom jewelry. They could be worn by a wedding attendee as long as no one in the wedding is wearing the dress or earrings. This is made of a zinc/tin alloy so there is no lead and plated in sterling silver. As you can see they are very simular.
This earring is also very light weight. At jim Ball Designs we try to consider that in everything we make-mostly on everything other than pageant jewelry. With pageant jewelry the size is more important that weight. However, I do some of my newer pageant designs where they are large, yet weight is minimized.
Posted by Jim Ball on Thu, Aug 04, 2011 @ 04:00 AM
I have been telling everyone that I was upgrading my wedding jewelry, bridal jewelry, and social occasion jewerly. Here is how I do it-by using Swarovski Pearls along with the Swarovski Crystal and Cubic Zirconia that I have already been using.
If you give me enough time, I can create anything with Swarovski Pearls and Swarovski Crystals. Here is the Swarovski Crystal chart.
Not every cut of Swarovski crystals comes in every color that they make, but quite a few do. Give me enough time and you will be surprise at what I can create. I can create jewelry with chunky stones to match the chunky stones on the prom and pageant dresses. I can create jewelry for prom and pageant that you will see at Miss America, Miss USA and most state and local pageants. I can create social occasion jewelry, bridal jewerly, or wedding jewelry for anyone at the wedding.
I can make earrings with chunky stones or pave' with small stones.
Here is a sample of a pave' which means paved with stone.
If you have ideas of prom, pageant, wedding jewerly, bridal jewelry, or social occasion jewelry, please let me know and lets work together to creat fabulous for you.
Posted by Jim Ball on Wed, Jul 13, 2011 @ 05:32 AM
http://www.missprissdowntown.com
I will be at The Miss Kentucky Pageant in Lexington, Ky this Friday and Saturday. In conjunction with the pageant, I will be doing a Jim Ball Designs trunk show at Miss Priss on Saturday July 16th from 11 AM to 1 PM. Miss Priss is located at:
Miss Priss
401 West Main Street
Lexington, Ky 40507
(859) 254-2110
Come see the latest and greatest Jim Ball Designs. You will see the debut of lots of new pageant jewelry.
Come see what Miss Kentucky will be wearing to The Miss America Pageant. All the jewelry is made of crystal, or Cubic Zirconia or a combination of the aforementioned. You will get to meet lots of interesting people. There are always formal Miss Kentucky's and other title holders floating around Miss Priss during Miss Kentucky Week. I hope to see you there. 
Posted by Jim Ball on Fri, Feb 11, 2011 @ 04:01 AM
We now have a new Jim Ball Designs retailer in Louisville, Ky. Sam Meyers at 5000 Shelbyville Road bought lots of prom and pageant jewelry to go with their prom and pageant dresses. Sam Meyers started 105 years ago and were in the tuxedo business. Now they have expanded to carrying prom and pageant dressess. They also told me they now dress lots of pageant winners. They also have jewerly and formal apparel for social occasions. CE 337 is a sample of what they bought. This is great for prom or pageant and since it is made of Swarovski crystals it really shows up on stage and on the dance floor. Note that is has chunky stones as do many of the prom and pageant dresses. The hoop earring, PV139, is available in lots of colors and can be worn on stage or the dance floor. This was worn by 4 girls in the opening number at Miss America this past January. If you are in or near Louisville stop by Sam Meyers and see the newest jewelry. They are in The Mall at Saint Mathews across from The Cheescake Factory. Their web site is
www.sammeyers.com 
Posted by Jim Ball on Tue, Jan 25, 2011 @ 09:37 PM
The newest Jim Ball Designs Prom, Pageant, and Bridal jewelry catalog will be ready within 2 weeks. Lots are on the website www.jimballdesigns.com but we still need a catalog and it will be ready within two weeks. Note the new chunky Swarovski crystal earrings. You saw these earring at Miss USA Pageant last May and Miss America Pageant this January and at all state level pageants as well as at all proms. If you don't receive it within three weeks, let me know.
Posted by Jim Ball on Mon, Jan 17, 2011 @ 09:46 AM
The first girl out at Miss America was wearing Jim Ball Designs jewelry. Several others as well. Look for pictures later today.