Hi! I am Shell, the President, Owner, Designer, head cook and bottle washer, here at Sparkles by Shell! Yep, that's me up there. Scary huh? Curious how and why I got started? Here is my story . . . Sparkles by Shell was born in 2005 because I did not want to $55 for a sports theme t shirt on eBay. Being a crafter all my life (sewing, floral arranging, crochet, painting, you name it, I have probably tried it or have the supplies for it!) I thought to myself, I can make that ! Well I did. Wore the shirt to work (I was a legal secretary at the time) and sold 8 that day. POOF Sparkles by Shell was born. We started out doing only rhinestud designs, selling on eBay and at a local consigment shop. Around that time, I enlisted my Aunt Paula to help out with the duplicating of our motifs. She became Sparkles by Shell's first employee! Soon custom requests started coming. We added an embroidery machine in 2007 so we could do well rounded corporate and fundraising orders (most men do not want to bling, don't know why?) My husband Eric learned how to digitize and run the embroidery machine. We also started joining groups, that is when the wholesale business exploded! A lot of embroidery companies have had great success adding the rhinestones/rhinestuds to their shops, especially ANYTHING sports related. In early 2008 we finally added our automated machinery for our stone setting. Soon thereafter, Kathleen and Nicole joined us! In 2008 we added vinyl to our line and this is my new addiction! It is so much fun and durable. Lots of possibilities! I love to put inspiration sayings on my walls with the sticker vinyl and the hot fix glitter vinyl is a less expensive option (but still has a BIG IMPACT) to the rhinestones. I was lucky enough to be able to quit my day job and work from home full time at Sparkles by Shell. In 2009 we again added to the business offering screen printing as well as glass etching. You just never know what will be add next! We have never charged a design fee for custom work. Hopefully never will. Thanks again for stopping by! And don't forget to get your SPARKLE on! Sparklingly yours! |

