New Obsession: Alex & Ani Bangles

Seriously. I am in love.

I have a hard time with bangles because I swear I have hands the size of a giant. Not okay.

Enter in a lazy day shopping at Nordstrom and finding an Alex & Ani bangle in the Savvy area of the store. I love these.

I bought the H and now I want the E and a Virgo charm and any and every other one they offer.

Have you tried these bangles?!

Seriously, in love.

Fall Details

This fall I'm all about the small details in my accessories...

Fun and funky bobby pins

Sparkly Headbands

More initial jewelry!
I can't rave enough about this AMAZING bangle that expands by Alex & Ani

Suede grommet belt by JCrew

Fun print wallet by Kate Spade

Leopard print cosmetic bag from Old Navy

What will you be accessorizing with this Fall?

Stella & Dot

I went to my friend L's apartment on Thursday for a Stella & Dot party. I've heard of people having these or attending them, but I've never looked for myself.

WOW.

They have some really cute stuff!!! And turns out they are the old Banana Republic jewelry designers. Remember when BR had the best jewelry for a solid 2 years then it just tanked for awhile? Yep. Stella has one of their designers!!

1/2/3
I got these and love them. And an even bigger surprise? The arrow necklace is by Maya Brenner whose E necklace I wear 24/7!

This La Coco Concept is a great idea. You start with a chain and add on the bling! Talk about a necklace that multi-tasks! I think this would be a fabulous gift for Moms out there!


Have you ever bought anything from Stella & Dot?

Happy Things

The little things have really been putting a smile on my face this week. Like yesterday at work when I thought it was Tuesday....cha-ching.

Here are some things that have made me extra happy lately...

Frozen Yogurt Blaster w/ Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

Fruit Salads

This song I heard in a Ford commercial:

Go do, you'll know how to Just let yourself, fall into landslide
Go do, you'll know how to Just let yourself, give into low tide

Scoring a dainty necklace on sale with free shipping

What has been making you smile lately?

It's In The Details...

Lately I've been drawn to items with an incredible amount of detailing. Ornate or Simple & Sweet. Details make everything so much more feminine and interesting!

A Pocket Full of Sequins.

Cardigan by Ann Taylor Loft

Yellow Suede Pom-Poms

Shoes by JCrew

Intricate Designs on a Vintage Bracelet.

Vintage Bracelet from Grandma

Linen Covered Buttons on a Blouse Sleeve.

Blouse by Joie

Fabric & Tulle Creations.

Dress from Target

A Blouse With Grey Bows.

Blouse by the Gap

Are you a fan of detailed items?

Colorblind?

I'm a sucker for classic colors. My closet is 60% black, 20% white, 20% miscellaneous. I need some color in there!

So it came as no surprise to me that I would pair a cream cardigan from Anthro with monochromatic accessories.

Sometimes you just stick to the basics, I guess!

Vintage Coach Crossbody, MICHAEL Michael Kors Shoes, Ann Taylor Loft Necklace

Chains and Jewels? Sign me up.

All in the same color family.

I really try to stay away from being super matchy-matchy but this one might have done me in!

Do you tend to stay in the same color family when accessorizing?

Or do you like punches of color?

Just a Quick Change

I have a lot of jewelry that I still own but never wear. Whether I don't like the style, the fit, or I'm just not feeling it, I hardly get rid of my pieces.

While cleaning out my jewelry the other day I came across this necklace that I haven't worn since I was a junior in college. I don't like the way it lays but I love the beads...I knew I had to revamp it somehow.

So I changed it up. I've made jewelry before so I had all the wire, clamps, etc. If you don't know how to make jewelry, I promise you it's not too difficult. Head to your local Michael's or bead store and I'm sure they'll give you some insider tips :) Google helps too!

I wanted to show you the before and after so you'll know that you don't always have to ditch your jewelry or throw it in the back of the drawer...you just have to restyle it!

Necklace

Sloppy picture, but you get the idea.

I still have a ton of leftover beads so now I just have to figure out what to do with them!

Have you ever taken something old and put new life into it? Do you make jewelry? Or restyle your old clothes? Do share!!

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

Tomorrow is one of my oldest friend's wedding. We've come a long way since rollerblading and Ouija boards!!

I've got the dress and now I just need to decide what shoes to wear. Which is where I need your help. Wedding is Friday at 4. So leave me a comment and let me know :) And you know what's the funniest thing about this wedding? I've been thinking, I gotta work out this week and watch what I eat so I look good. Umm hamburgers, fries, no gym. Way to go!

Here are the shoes I'm deciding on. Except the back row top right...those are out.

Front and Side views. Thoughts?!?! You'll have to click on the picture to enlarge it and get a better look. Oh and I hate my legs, blah.

I'm getting my make-up done at MAC and can't quite figure out what "look" I'm going for. I plan on doing a loose, messy bun for my hair. I got my nails done tonight and although I don't like to be matchy matchy I did get OPI's Russian Navy on both my fingers and toes. I figured the mani won't last and I'll still want it on my toes ;) Who knew this much work went into prepping for weddings? I don't get this glammed up for every wedding, but I really wanted great make-up so my pictures would stand out!

Here's the necklace I think I'm going to wear....I can also make it into a belt but now I'm feeling it AS a necklace.


I hope the dress doesn't come off too booby...ugh, sometimes I hate these things!

Also...the dress comes with straps. What are your thoughts?? I don't know if it adds anything.

So please help me with any thoughts, comments, recommendations!! I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend and hopefully you have Monday off too!

Am I MacGyver? DIY Necklace into a Belt

So only a couple hours ago I blogged about my dress dilemma. This resulted in me standing in front of my closet for about 45 minutes just staring. And then over at my jewelry. Then shoes. Then bags. I mean, this was a dilemma! and an incredible use of my time. riiiight.

And then I started playing with the necklaces I bought and seeing which one looked the best. I wasn't sure if the necklace was laying right. Or maybe I was just being crazy picky.

So I was holding the necklace and it hit me. BAM! This necklace would look so chic as a belt. But how? It's an odd looking clasp because it's a fold over clasp so there is room on both sides for something to be looped through it.

I grabbed a black satin sash/belt thing I bought years ago and looped it through the clasps. I tied it in the back and Ta-Da!

Now, I'm not Project Runway bound, but I was so impressed with myself!


And since I'm so desperate for it to be Fall in Chicago and NOT high 80 degrees. I made Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars yesterday. OHHHHHMYGOD. So good. I mean, it's Paula. Come on, you know it's good. I kept the cream cheese frosting separate so if I want it, I could spread it on. If not, I could eat the pumpkin bar for breakfast, you know, so it's healthy haha who am I kidding ;)

Some of you asked how I did it so here are a few pics to show you. Just the side of the necklace/belt, how I tied it in the back, and what the necklace clasp actually looks like!

Decisions, Decisions...in need of some advice!

So I finally received all my goodies in the mail...at the same time, woo! Anyway, I need some advice.

umm next time I'll put makeup on before I put my mug before photobooth. Yikes!

What are your thoughts on the necklaces? I was pleasantly surprised by the JCrew one in the top right hand corner. The Anthropologie one is just too big in my opinion. It's the bottom left hand corner, shown long and short. I'm torn on the JCrew big & gaudy ones (as I call them) I think I prefer the second one compared to the first. Plus let me tell you, ladies...the first one is HEAVY. And this is the only length it can be worn.

I love the belt, need to find a way to make it stay though b/c there's a lot of extra length after it's belted. Hated the purple sweater. No wonder it was on sale. Those ruffles aren't helping anyone! Eww. Loved the tan sweater (it is so flattering! didn't want to make another collage....friday laziness!) and the brown tank...now I must head to Anthro to return the losers and use my 15% birthday coupon!

Any advice on the necklaces would be great!

I've got a busy weekend with dinner plans, a baby shower, cowgirl themed bachelorette party and a White Sox game. I don't know if I'll have time to come up for air...

Enjoy your weekend!!! Have fun & don't forget to laugh :)

Grandma's Jewels

Vintage seems to be overtaking the world, at least the fashion world. Fashion has a history of repeating itself and vintage looks are no exception. Either you're buying something that looks old or you're lucky enough to score an original yourself!

My Grandma H. (Dad's Mom) had tons of fun jewelry. My dear Grandma left me all her fun jewels, brooches, and even her diamond wedding ring (I think I'm going to get it reset as a floating diamond necklace...) Let me tell you, all the jewelry is truly unique. I've never seen anything like them (with exception to 2 of the necklaces) and they always make me feel special when I'm wearing them.

My favorite is a very unique gold ring with opals. It's an eye catching piece and I wear it almost daily. I would be incredibly distraught if I ever lost it! I misplaced it for about a week and almost had a panic attack!





Then here's a quick collage of the rest:



-The crystal necklace has an aurora borealis color to it so its color is ever changing.
-The black seed bead necklace is awesome and has a couple possibilities. I usually twist it or wear it flat.
-The charm bracelet has a really sweet story to it. My Grandpa was an inventor/engineer for Nabisco and therefore my Dad's family moved around the country to wherever a Nabisco factory was opening. My Grandpa bought my Grandma a charm for every state they lived in. So sweet! It looks really cute on :)
-The ring is fun and different!
-The other bracelet is gold and pearls. It's very art deco to me. Also wore that to my cousin's wedding :)
-And the brooch is just pretty. Wore it in my hair for my cousin's wedding and dropped it on the floor and a pearl popped out (grrr)

What's your favorite piece of jewelry? Do you have any pieces passed down to you from family members?

I'll have to do a separate post of jewelry my Mom has given to me that my Dad had given to her :)

TOMORROW IS THE BAR EXAM!!! AHHHH!
I'm so nervous but absolutely ready for it to be OVER! I will post the winner of the giveaway tomorrow night but other than that, I'll be MIA until Wednesday evening when it's all over :)

Still time to enter! Enter by 11:59 CST Monday, July 26, 2010

Jeweled Inspiration

Yesterday as I sat in Starbuck's drinking my iced latte I noticed two girls animatedly chatting next to me and plotting their day through the city. Then one girl's wrist caught my eye. There it was. The coolest & cutest piece of jewelry I've seen lately.

Ever see a piece of jewelry and instantly wish you had it? I could feel myself turning green with envy. Notorious for my mobile uploads (sneak attack pics of random things/people) I attempted to get a shot of the bracelet. Do you know how hard it is to get a pic of a bracelet when the wrist is flailing about?! Let's just say Plan A= Failed.

I finally thought to myself, screw it...and stood up. I walked over, told her I was sorry if I was being creepy (is this creepy, I don't know?) but I wanted to know where she got her adorable bracelet and if I could take a picture of it. She bought it in Toronto. Of course she did since I'm currently in Chicago! So I snapped a picture and have been thinking about it since.

I used to dabble in jewelry making back in high school. I loved the creativity of it and of course, the benefits. I had so many fun necklaces/bracelets. So it got me thinking...I need to try to make this bracelet!

I'm attaching some pics. Let me know if you've seen something like this or own one similar to it yourself. It feels very etsy to me...and I LOVE LOVE LOVE etsy!

If you're in the know about these stones/materials...let me know!