Welcome to the first Dirty Girl feature - Monday Mayhem!  This week's theme is business owning mamas.  I know first hand just how hard it can be to address the practical side of business much less actually create a product when you have a little one running around!  But, maybe I'd do better if I were wearing pearls ...

Have you heard about or do you know women who always wear pearls?  I mean, always.  I always picture that to describe wealthy women.  Well, Jeanette of Pearlies 4 Girlies is putting a new, funky spin on that idea!  She creates jewelry than can be worn all the time on any Girlie!

I had a chance to ask her a few questions, so, keep on reading to find out about this cool shop run by a cool mum!

In my shop Pearlies 4 Girlies I sell beautiful freshwater pearl jewelry for girls of all ages. I have a children’s range and an adult range--> Little Girlies and Grown-Up Girlies. I am currently working on a range that hopefully will appeal to teenage girls.  My main goal is to create pearl jewelry that can be worn every day, on every occasion, whether it is the school run, or your best friend’s wedding, a visit to the playground or your best friend’s birthday party.


My children’s range is very colorful and cheerful. I believe that children’s minds are stimulated by color and therefore they should be surrounded by it as much as they can. My own girlies absolutely adore their Pearlies 4 Girlies bracelets, they like the fact that they tinkle, that they have ribbons and that they can put the wrap bracelets on all by themselves!

My inspiration I find in everyday life, my garden, browsing the internet, watching tv with the kids, their paintings and other artworks. We live in the UK, but I am Dutch and going back home always gives me buckets full of ideas. Everything is so colorful there!

I am a stay @ home mum of 3 kids, 1 boy (Simon,7) and two girls (Emma, 4 and Anna-Rose, 2). The eldest keeps track of the money side of things. He always asks how much I sold and how much I made. The girls love modelling for me. It is a bit of a disaster when they try and help though (beads tend to roll everywhere...), so I do most of the crafting in the evening when they're in bed. That is the main challenge: sleep... time flies when you're having fun, and I always have fun making things.

I started with Pearlies 4 Girlies in October ‘09. I helped my neighbour out with a crafts fair and liked it so much that I decided to give it a go myself as well. I was really busy making jewelry for friends and acquaintances before Christmas, so wasn't very active on Etsy yet. Recently I have been posting new items on a daily basis, which I think is really important.

My kids who are my greatest inspiration are also my biggest obstacles. Although the girls love modeling the bracelets it does mean chasing after them when we’re done as they don’t want to give them back! And the number of times my outdoor photo studio was destroyed by a football....

Pearls at Pearlies 4 Girlies are not just for posh people. They are great for all ages and every occasion! I feel empowered by all the mums in my sons class! They all wear a Pearlies 4 Girlies bracelet!