I love finding new businesses to share with you, and I love even more when I get to create the design for a business that is spotlight-worthy.  Today’s featured business, Sparkle and Charm Boutique, makes me especially happy because it fulfills both of those loves.

Choosing a Designer:

When Kathryn decided to start a home-based business, she held a “Name That Business” contest at her personal blog, Overwhelmed with Joy.

When she announced the name, she also asked for designer recommendations.  One of my former clients recommended me.

Kathryn, being the savvy business woman that she is, contacted several designers, including myself, for quotes and even conducted some phone interviews.  In the end, I was privileged to be the designer she chose to create her online storefront.

Creating an Online Boutique

We decided to use self-hosted WordPress as the platform and turn the blog into a fully-functioning store front by using the WP E-commerce plugin.  (That is what we use here at RS Designs, too.)

I setup and designed the site from start to finish:

• installed and setup the self-hosted WordPress platform in her hosting account
• created the site design based upon Kathryn’s requests and ideas
• installed, setup, and customized the WP E-commerce plugin and additional agreed-upon plugins
• provided training on WP, the various plugins used (including the E-Commerce plugin), and other programs we decided to use

In the end, both Kathryn and I were more than pleased with her site’s design and functions.

Fabulous Products

The main point of In the Spotlight posts is to tell you what a business offers, and Sparkle and Charm Boutique offers top-quality products, most of which are handmade.

Here is their promise of excellence:

Please be assured that a great amount of attention to detail and love goes into everything we make.  We use quality materials to make excellent and unique products.  We heat seal our ribbon to prevent fraying on all our products.  We sew wherever possible, rather than just using glue, to ensure extra durability.  And we do our best to make a product that your little charmer is going to love for a long time to come!

Offerings include:

Tutus	Hair Accessories	Flip Flops	Beaded Bookmarks

Enter to Win Your Choice of 6 Pretty Clips

Lucky for you, Kathryn is holding a contest right now.  As long as you follow the directions and enter by  October 31, you could be the lucky winner of your choice of 6 pretty clips from Sparkle and Charm Boutique’s Uptown Collection.

Entrance is easy:

• View the Uptown Collection and decide which six clips you would like. (You can choose 6 of one clip, multiple clips of various clips, or 6 different clip styles.)
• Leave a comment at the giveaway post stating which clips you would like to win.