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Expat Life: Moving my Life and Jewelry Business to Germany

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Life + Work in Progress

I’ve been in Germany since the middle of the summer, and have been slowly but surely familiarizing myself with the procedures for transferring my life and jewelry business. I’ll be honest, it’s pretty overwhelming!

Germany is well known for it’s thorough bureaucracy, but it was hard to put into perspective until we arrived. The business side of things felt quite a bit more daunting that it ever has in the United States, largely due to the language barrier. Even though I’ve moved my business within the States multiple times and even made the move towards incorporation in the last few years, nothing quite prepared me fully for the challenges of moving to a new country.

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Zurina Ketola Designs leather prosperity bracelets

Luisa Accessories Fall 2018 Pop-Up featuring ZKD Jewelry

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Meant to Be: ZKD Handmade Jewelry Available in Chicago

Exciting news for my Chicago clients with a love for fashion, artisan jewelry, and weekend markets! Before I hopped the pond this summer, a few of you reached out and asked how to purchase ZKD jewelry since my shop would be down during the transition. As I was pondering my options, I was contacted by Luisa, one of my favorite pop-up organizers. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect!

As Luisa told me, “It was meant to be.”

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Landwehr Canal at Hallesches Tor U-Bahn

My First Summer in Berlin: Heatwaves, Canals and the Importance of Looking Up

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Welcome to Berlin (and the Heatwave of 2018)

It’s been just over a month since I’ve been in Germany, and I have to say that it’s been quite the experience so far. I haven’t done a lot of writing, blogging, or really much of anything because I’ve been so wiped out. Not so much because the move in general, more because we managed to move during a serious heatwave. We’re talking 95˚F (35˚C) and above, which isn’t terrible per se. In fact it seems like it’s been fairly in line with Chicago weather this summer. I’ve been told constantly by longtime residents that this is a very unusual summer, which I hope is true. But there is one thing that has made things a little more challenging for this American… Continue reading “My First Summer in Berlin: Heatwaves, Canals and the Importance of Looking Up” →

Quartz Close Up, Tucson Gem Show 2018

Important Info: ZKD Move to Berlin

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It’s finally here! We’re getting on a plane tomorrow afternoon, and will be making the long awaited trip to Berlin. It’s been a long time coming, and things at the shop will be on hiatus until we get settled. I’m expecting things to be rolling again around the holidays, but I will be posting updates here on the blog and on my Instagram and Facebook for more accurate dates when they come along.

Until the shop is back up, there’s a bit of a new look around the site. The product catalog is still accessible, but the e-commerce capabilities will be unavailable until I’m settled with a new home and studio. In the meantime, the blog will be featured on the homepage instead.

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ZKD's Galleria shop is closing!

My Galleria Shop is Closing: Select Jewelry and Crystals are on SALE!

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Auf Wiedersehen Galleria

As excited as I am for my upcoming move to Germany, there was one final thing I had to take care of. On June 25th, my Galleria shop will be closing.

I gotta say, this was probably one of the more difficult decisions I had to make. I tried coming up with scenarios to keep things open, but realized I just wouldn’t be able to maintain consistent inventory. I’ve had the most awesome experiences being a vendor at this wonderful spot, and leaving is definitely bittersweet for me.

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Street view of the Victory Column in Berlin.

Zurina Ketola Designs is Moving: Berlin Bound!

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Goodbye Chicago, Hello Berlin!

I have some crazy exciting news! My husband and I have been wanting to take the plunge and live abroad since we’ve been together, and if you can believe it, it’s been on our bucket list for 18 years. Well guess what? It’s finally happening! We’ve moving to Berlin! Continue reading “Zurina Ketola Designs is Moving: Berlin Bound!” →

Chantal Gillberg

NEW! ZKD Client Profile: Chantal Gillberg

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Introducing the New ZKD Client Profile Blog Series!

I feel so lucky to have connected with such incredible and inspiring women with my work and on my travels, and it got me thinking:

Would clients like to be featured here on my blog?

I’ve had the idea kicking around for a while now, and after my last trip out to California, I’ve finally began asking around. To my surprise, a few of my absolute favorite clients welcomed the idea!

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Zurina Ketola Designs private appointment jewelry

The ZKD Personal Jewelry Shopping Experience

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Have Jewelry, Will Travel

A few weeks back, my husband popped in my office and asked if I wanted to make a quick trip out to Malibu, California to surprise his dad for his 70th birthday. My ears perked up – the actual sun, and a milestone birthday? Um, yes please! Winter was dragging its feet in Chicago this year, so a weekend getaway to a sunny place was something to look forward to!

Not only did I get to spend time visiting with family and friends (btw, the party was a hit, he was totally surprised), I always make it a point to travel with a small selection of my latest and greatest jewelry designs in tow. I have clients from all over the world that love to check out what’s new, and often book personal shopping appointments with regular customers and new clients while I’m in town.

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Zurina Ketola Designs gray pearl necklace on 14K gold fill chain on white background

The Perfect Gift for Mom: Mother’s Day Handmade Jewelry Gift Guide

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The Secret to Buying Handmade Jewelry For Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and I’m prepping the shop in anticipation! I always get a million questions from my customers about how to select the perfect gift for mom. Over the years, I’ve found that the perfect gift isn’t necessarily the most flashy, most elaborate, or even most expensive thing. So what does make a good gift? It’s true what they say: it’s the thought that counts. The best gifts take into account a combination of things, including the style and personality of the receiver, while also meeting whatever needs you may have, like time and budget.

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Zurina Ketola Designs handmade bohemain jewelry for Spring 2018

NEW! The Jewelry Box Series: Featuring Bohemian Jewelry for Spring 2018

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Introducing: The Jewelry Box

There are some changes coming down the pipeline over here at Zurina Ketola Designs, and one of those changes is my goal to write more and have a more active blog.  I’ve been busy brainstorming regular topics since the beginning of the year, and have some fun new regular feature posts coming down the line. My favorite thing about this? The inspiration came from you, my very own customers! I love chatting with people, and have been thinking back to common customer inquiries that I could try and answer or expand upon. With that in mind, say hello to my new Jewelry Box series!

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