A little sparkle on Valentines Day.

Ice.com has been one of my favorite online jewelry retailers for some time. Previously to discovering them buying jewelry online made me a bit nervous as especially if I'm buying a serious piece of jewelry I have a hard time spending over $100 without seeing what I'm buying. After several orders from Ice.com I can tell you that every item we have seen from their collection has way exceeded any expectations I may have had. Though it shouldn't even be a worry as if your not 100% satisfied in any way they will allow you to return your purchase no questions asked.

I had my own Valentine's Day wish, for months now I have been looking for a starfish necklace. There was a sentimental reason why it was so important to find one but finding one has been a real issue. Though normally most everything I buy is sterling silver for once I really wanted something really nice in white gold and diamonds if possible as I plan on it being a long term investment. The only problem is I've been to every jewelry store that I can think of and even visited jewelry stores down on the beach and no one seems to have anything even close to what I wanted. I found a few starfish but they were large and gaudy and I really wanted something pretty and delicate. I've seen several on the Internet but when it comes to buying fine jewelry and especially diamonds I get nervous.

Our past Ice.com experiences have been excellent so when I saw the 1/4 Carat 14k White Gold Starfish Pendant it was love at first sight. After months looking for just the right pendant I came across it and ended up making an order the same day. At $325 it is the most expensive piece of jewelry I've ever ordered so I ended up putting it on a payment plan so I pay a flat rate every month for five months. The ordering process was quick and easy and my necklace arrived in about a week. I was so nervous opening the box as $325 is a lot of money for me to be spending as technically I'm a full time student. The moment I opened the box however, I knew I had made the right decision.

My starfish necklace is absolutely stunning the points are delicate, the diamonds are nice and clear with no visually obvious inclusions or flaws, it's absolutely worth every penny I paid for it. This piece of jewelry means a lot to me and I hope it something I can pass down to one of my children one day. I absolutely love my pendant and I am so happy with Ice.com I plan on buying more pieces from them in the future. Maybe even one day a pair of diamond earrings I've always wanted.

If your looking for something really special for Valentines Day I highly recommend you check out Ice.com. The prices are very reasonable and well under the prices I've seen at many of my local jewelry stores and the payment plan could not be easier! Visit Ice.com to see more!

A gift for someone special in your life.

I've had a love affair with Swarovski since I got my first Swarovski crystal earrings many years ago. Touchstone Crystal a jewelry company created by Swarovski offers beautiful and unique Swarovski crystal jewelry set in sterling silver at a very affordable price.

Touchstone Crystal's are quite possibly the most affordable jewelry collection I have featured thus far on the blog. With prices starting at $25 and a wide range of color and designs your bound to find something for everyone on your list at a price you can afford. I absolutely love the fact that all of the pieces in the collection are made sterling silver hardware the combination of the crystals against the silver really gives the pieces a true flexibility. No matter if your just out shopping for groceries or going to dinner you'll absolutely love each piece. Personally I am a huge fan of the Treasured Collection as the pieces are neutral and will go with absolutely anything.

A little extra surprise included with each piece is the jewelry's namesake. Each piece of jewelry comes with a Touchstone that you choose. Touchstones are small crystals that hook onto your jewelry that makes the piece uniquely yours. You can pick your Touchstone by color or by emotion as each Touchstone represents a different emotion or feeling and only you need to know what your special crystal represents.

Touchstone Crystal is a great option for moms who would like to earn some extra money from home. You can check out the career opportunity section. I think for many reasons working at home is becoming more and more common in the US from the cost of gas to the fact that childcare costs are out of control, almost everyone I know is looking for extra ways to make money and believe me working at home has some major benefits not to mention I can not even remotely imagine taking Connor to daycare. I've never even left him with a babysitter that was not family or a family friend.

In honor of our Valentine's Day gift guide Touchstone Crystal sent over a Red Gatsby Necklace and bracelet to give away to one lucky reader! That's an $88 value!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Touchstone Crystal and tell me which piece from the collection is your favorite!
  
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Feb 30th at midnight!

Unique jewelry for a special day.

I love jewelry like any other girl but the pieces in my collection that I wear most often are the really unique pieces that stand out. As a mom and a student though I really love my fancy pieces they are just not appropriate for daily life as the damage a toddler and lugging books as heavy as I am around school. Lately my life is just not diamond's and pearls appropriate so I try to look for pieces that can not only stand up to my daily life but will look as great lounging around the house in yoga pants and a tee shirt as they do going out to dinner. Many days I go strait from being a mom to school to dinner in what seems like one breath.

Liebling Design's are exactly the type of jewelry I look for! Liebling Designs makes vintage inspired pieces with a modern flair. Each of the pieces in the collection obviously made with love from the delicate vintage inspired ribbon chokers with beautiful flower accents. They are simply gorgeous but that's not what caught my eye. I absolutely love vintage pieces but what really gets me excited is when vintage is mixed with modern and Liebling flawlessly does this with her modern inspired pieces. Each piece in the collection is handmade and features sterling silver and simi precious stones and glass. Though it would be hard to choose the Firenze Earrings caught my eye. Chunks of malachite are suspended on a beautiful sterling silver wire. They are not overly manipulated there is no fancy scroll work its just malachite and sterling silver and the simplicity of them is really the beauty of it. The dark green malachite goes well with almost everything especially the color every mom I know loves best.. black! heh. They would look great with a tee shirt and a pair of jeans, while your hanging upside down in a yoga pose, or with a little black dress on a date night. What more can you ask for?

Visit Liebling Designs to see more of her designs. I highly recommend you check out everything as I'm fairly certain no matter what your looking for you will find something that will speak to you from her collection.

I have a pair of Firenze Earrings to give away to one lucky reader!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Liebling Designs and tell me which piece from the collection is your favorite!
  
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Feb 30th at midnight!

What every girl really wants!

I've said it before and I'll say it again though there may be fancy phones, mp3 players or expensive purses on our wish list the one gift that women really remember for a lifetime is a really beautiful thoughtfully picked out piece. After all a beautiful piece of jewelry can grace an arm, ring, or neck for a lifetime. The problem I hear from most guys looking to buy something is what on earth do I buy, as sending a a guy into a jewerly store is almost a disaster waiting to happen unless he just really great at picking out jewelry or already has something specific in mind.

Shopping online for jewelry can be so much less stressful, it seems as if its just easier to compare pieces and pick out something that you really like instead of being overwhelmed by a sea of sparkles as even I find myself feeling a little jittery in a jewelry store especially if I have a sales person breathing down my neck. With that said online shopping can be scary for some as its not always clear of the quality of a piece unless you see it in person. I've ordered several times from online sites to only be disappointed but of all the items I have seen from Ice.com its been quite the opposite. Ice.com really seems to take personal pride in the way the represent their items. Sure pictures always look gorgeous online but I can't even tell you how many times I've gotten excited about a piece, gone to look at it, and its nothing like the picture. My experience with Ice.com however has been quite the opposite.

I agonized over the holiday gift guide. I really wanted to find an item that all of my women readers would love but was still very affordable. I fell in love with a 33 carat Sky Blue Topaz tennis bracelet right off the bat as I have always dreamed of having a diamond tennis bracelet but like most of us there is just no way I could afford one. The Sky Blue Topaz Tennis bracelet has all the charm and class of a diamond tennis bracelet with a price tag that will make you jump for joy as it costs $150! Blue Topaz is a beautiful stone that is very durable but depending on the quality of the stone it can vary quite a bit in color. The moment I opened the box on my Ice.com Sky Blue Topaz tennis bracelet I gasped as though I expected it to be beautiful nothing not even the Ice.com pictures online prepared me for just how nice it really is!

I get comments on the bracelets everywhere I go, the stones are clear, bright, and a beautiful shade of blue. It's really a substantial piece and it looks amazing with a pair of jeans and a winter sweater or alone as an accent piece with a little black dress. Its one of those items that is as much at home in a formal event as it is going with me to school every day. Though it may not be the diamond tennis bracelet I always longed for, I have to admit I certainly don't miss it with that topaz bracelet on my wrist. If your curious yes Ice.com does actually sell my dream bracelet too.

If your looking for something really special for someone on your gift list you can feel good about making a purchase from Ice.com. Most of their inventory offers multiple pictures as well as videos of the jewelry being worn which is a great way to really see the scale of a piece and its much easier to see the quality of an item in a video than a picture if you ask me. Regardless all Ice.com purchases come with a full guarantee if you do not absolutely love your purchase you can return it to Ice.com at their expense no questions asked. This means you can wear the piece for sixty days and if you are just not head over heels for it or its just not what you hoped for you can return it as long as its still in the same condition as it arrived.

You can search for the perfect gift by using one of several holiday guides by Ice.com. Take a browse through the Ice.com Holiday Gift Guide, The Holiday Color Guide (the same guide this bracelet is featured in, or you can search the main Ice.com home page to search by jewelry type, price, or even just look around! You can make payments too!

Ice.com has been amazingly generous to offer us a Sky Blue Topaz Tennis Bracelet to give away to one incredibly lucky reader. Seriously you will love it and it would make for an amazing Christmas or Valentines day present (you can thank me later guys). The bracelet is a a $150 value!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out the Ice.com Holiday Gift Guide and tell me which item in the gift guide you would want for Christmas. (Other than the sky blue tennis bracelet!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Dec 30th at midnight!

A gift for a mom who hates to leave her kids behind.

Connor is a traveler, meaning he routinely spends the night at other family members homes. It's not that I don't like having him here or I'm one of those moms that cherishes her nights alone, its really quite the opposite.. I hate having him gone. However I have a large family who loves to spend time with him and sometimes the toil of being a full time student, writing full time, and being a mom does wear on me and it is nice to get a full nights rest. However the biggest reason he spends a few nights a month away is well I didn't want him to be one of those kids who would be attached to my leg when its time to start preschool or do his first sleepover. Sadly for me my plan worked as Connor now happily helps pack his bag and jumps in the car with his cousins and waves bye bye as happy as a clam excited to be spending time with his cousins or grandparents. I'm the one sitting at home sad, missing him, and wishing he was here.

Its ok anytime I'm feeling a bit Connor-sick I just have to look as far as my neckline as he comes with me in spirit everywhere I go. My custom made necklace from Julian & Co is a huge comfort. I ended up with the most beautiful square necklace that has him on the front and his birth stats on the back. Its a heavy silver square that I find myself rubbing between my fingers anytime I need a little reassurance. Especially on those rough days at school when I wonder why on earth am I here? Heh.. its also a great reminder that its ok that my stomach doesn't exactly look the way it used to, he was a good 8.2 lbs though you would never know it these days from how petite he is now. My stomach can tell you though. heh.

Julian & Co offers a wide selection of options for Moms, Dads, and even Toddlers that want to show off the people they love. I absolutely love the the galleria circle pendants simple, beautiful, and you can personalize them any way you wish. Depending on your taste you can get a large pendant or small and can even choose what length necklace you'd like to have. Add your child's name on the front and their birth info on the back, customize a special message for your own mom, or just something for a special lady in your life it does not necessarily have to be for a mom at all. I think it would be super romantic to get one with a special phrase to commemorate an anniversary or birthday.

Tania, the creator of Julian & Co is a woman after my own heart. Born out of the love for her own son who was born prematurely she had a difficult time finding an ID bracelet that would fit him correctly. Once she got started designing jewelry she wanted to display her love for Julian every moment of the day. Though Connor was only three weeks premature I totally understand where she is coming from. I never thought I would be lucky enough to have a baby at all so from the moment Connor arrived I have been wanting to scream his name from the roof tops!! Speaking of which I really need to get Connor an ID bracelet. I think every baby needs one special piece even boys!

Head on over to Julian & Co and check out their great line of personalized jewelry. I'm not sure there isn't a mom on this earth that wouldn't love to have a great personalized piece all her own.

Made just for me..

I have a fetish for mom jewelry and an even bigger fetish for silver jewelry. Combine the two and you know I'm curious. However its a rare treat to have a piece of jewelry designed completely for me!

Karen over at Karen Kitsch makes personalized jewelry either by stock pieces that you can customize or she will build you something all your own.

I got a personalized bracelet but I didn't see one that really matched my style from the stock pieces so I emailed Karen and she was glad to help. I gave her very little direction so it got pretty interesting. With a description of "modern punk rock sparkly" Karen's creation of my bracelet could not have nailed it more. Skulls, sparkly beads, Connor's name, and even a charm with his picture on it tops it off. The neatest part is I couldn't have made a more perfect bracelet. It looks a bit like a hybrid between a name bracelet and a charm bracelet, a little chunky, lots of things to look at, but not too fru fru which is what I was most worried about. I love the fact that its really girlie without being too over the top and my pretty little skull and dog charm just completes it for my personality. It does indeed have Connor's name on it and it does have his gorgeous little face on a charm that hangs off of it, but its all me. Finally something that is all mine.

Hmm speaking of which I would love to have a matching necklace, or even a matching bracelet minus the pink for Connor with my name on it. I know it seems a little girlie to put a bracelet on a baby boy, but seriously how often do I walk around town with or without him with his name not plastered somewhere on my body be it through jewelry or clothing it only seems fair right?

Visit Karen Kitsch's website or her etsy shop to see more pieces from her collection. I highly recommend them as a Christmas present for the moms in your life be it grandmothers, moms, or even aunts.

Simple Beauty

I've started to realize that I'm slowly getting addicted to jewelry which is odd as before I started this blog I've always appreciated jewelry but I was one of those girls that loved to look at other people's jewelry but never wore more than one piece at a time myself. However you will never find me without my vintage inspired diamond ring or my actual vintage heirloom ring which I reserve for special occasions as I'd have a heart attack if I lost it. The same goes for my large collection of pearl necklaces, none of which are white which seems a bit odd, that I collected slowly while my parents lived in Hawaii.

Though these days I actually feel naked without a pair of earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet. Mind you that is a lot of jewelry for me so I feel its really important that finding really great, classic, simple pieces that really talk to who I am and what my style is. When I came across Emmie Kate I was so excited I knew exactly which piece was for me. The Emmie Kate Mom bracelet is by far one of my new favorite every day pieces. I can wear it with anything, a pearl necklace for going out, one of my casual necklaces with a pair of jeans, and no matter what I pair with it, it never seems out of place.

The biggest reason I choose it though as there were so many other tempting pieces, was the fact that it did not have a picture of Connor or his name anywhere on the bracelet. Not that I don't love seeing my little man looking back up at me from my wrist, but I've inherited so many Connor based jewelry that I worry a bit when and if I have another child they will worry that Mommy doesn't love them as everything on my body says "Connor" so instead this time I decided I needed something that said exactly who I am and who I feel I have been craving to be my entire life. So my Emmie Kate bracelet just simply says "mom" framed by two beautiful little dragonflies. It's so simple, and so gorgeous, I am just in love with it.

The only thing we are missing now is a Emmie Kate bracelet for Connor that says "baby" or "rockstar" as he is truly my little baby rockstar!

Emmie Kate has so many amazingly gorgeous designs that I could spend all day over there. Head on over to Emmie Kate to check them out for yourself!

I wish someone would buy me some Ice.

I've always had these romantic dreams of coming home to a beautifully wrapped little box, some amazing piece of thoughtfully purchased jewelry waiting inside. I'm not talking about diamonds, though they would be fabulous that's not exactly the point, the point would getting a piece of jewelry that truly matched my personality.

No matter if your tastes are diamonds or if your just looking for a affordable gift such as this amazingly beautiful resin and sterling silver bracelet I found on Ice.com you can find everything from your future wedding ring to a great pair of earrings. I've been looking for a great gift for my mother and seeing as she truly is the woman who has almost everything a good gift for her can be quite challenging. As a full time student and the wonderful author of this blog finding a gift on a budget is a big priority but it has to be equally as fabulous as something that costs three times as much! Talk about pressure. With hundreds of fabulous jewelry pieces under $100 at Ice.com and even more that offer payment plans your bound to find something for everyone on your list.

The silver resin bracelet I found for my mother is perfect, timeless, modern, clean, just just a touch of color to give it some character. The blue resin is a bit less bright than what is show in the picture which actually makes it a bit more neutral than you would think and you can wear it with almost anything. I'd actually love to have one myself but after this post I'm fairly positive my mom will know what she is getting for Christmas. So I guess I have to give it to her at this point. heh.

The most unique aspect of Ice.com as along with the wedding rings, huge selection of silver jewelry, watches, designer pieces, they seem to still have time to dedicate a whole section to children's jewelry.

I love the tradition of baby bracelets and the alphabet children's bracelet is not only beautiful, but its timeless, and most importantly its adjustable so you can get quite a bit of wear out of it before you have to store it. It comes in a beautiful gift box as well so when its time to put it in the memory box it will be safe and ready for the next baby or grandchild.

Ice.com has given me a alphabet children's bracelet to give away to one very very lucky winner!

Ice.com is offering our readers 20% off everything (except engagement rings and sale items) till Oct 31st! Use code : SDABB!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Ice.com's children's jewelry and tell me which piece from the children's collection is your favorite and who you would love to give it to.
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end Oct 15th at midnight!

Just like Mommies!

My grandmother was a firm believer that every little girl needed two things, nice shoes, and a string of pearls. Mind you when I was a little girl I refused to wear shoes, at least if it involved socks, and forget pearls as you could usually find me chasing some poor toad around the back yard.

I think as an adult Ive been making up for my lack of girlishness as a child and pearls were one of the first pieces of real jewelry I ever owned as an adult. I'm actually quiet jealous of the selection of little girl's pearls over at Moon River Pearls.

The one thing I do not have is a pair of white pearls, and I've always wanted a pair of white "tin cup" pearls. Which is a set of white pearls strung together with silver spacers. They were recently made popular by a movie with the same name, but I never saw it I just like the look. Moon River Pearls actually offers several variations on the "tin cup" look including a really nice set of white ones for only $78.00 which is a steal.

Though if your looking for a great gift for a little girl in your life, they offer the same "tin cup" style in pink for little girls at only $33.60 you can afford to give any little girl on your gift list her own pair of pearls!

I found the perfect necklace for myself over there as well, its simular to a tin cup necklace but instead it uses flat pearls on three strands. The triple strand coin pearl necklace would be just at home around your neck at a casual dinner in a tank top and skirt as it would be at a wedding. If anyone is looking to buy me a birthday present they know exactly where to find one. heh.

Shipping is always free at Moon River Pearls and all of their necklaces and earrings come with a free gift box.

Moon River Pearls was gracious enough to send us a pair of pink children's earrings to give away to one lucky reader.

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Moon River Pearls website and tell me what piece of jewelry is your favorite other than what we listed in our review!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end August 31st at midnight!

A gift that will touch any mom..

Baby Emi's jewelry for moms and babies is exactly the sort of thing I have in mind when it comes to gifts from the heart. When I was younger I used to wonder why mom's got all teary eyed over badly done artwork or that awful birthstone jewelry they sell at the mall, which for the record I still think is awful but I at least understand now the purpose.

I think every mom wants to hang on to the good moments and have something even if its small to remind them of what it really means to be a mom. For those of you that thought mom jewelry had to be frumpy (or encrusted with thousands of little birthstones) are totally off. Baby Emi's jewelry collection for moms, babies, little girls, and even grandmothers are stunningly gorgeous and the hand stamped jewelry especially has that sort of a modern flair that I really appreciate.

I really wanted something that would stand out.. and scream to the world that that gorgeous little creature running around at my feet screaming like a banshee was indeed mine. Something that would be beautiful now, but something I would want to wear twenty years from now. So I gave my brilliant idea for a necklace to Debbie, the owner and designer over at Baby Emi, and she thought it was a good idea as well. I decided to ask for the demi circle necklace, but instead of just having Connor's name or birth date on the necklace I really wanted to mark my claim as a mom. I ended up requesting a custom sterling silver Demi Circle Infinity Necklace with the most important phrase thus far in my life : Mom * To * Connor. Why? Well because that is the defining moment of my life thus far, being a mom, his mom. I also couldn't resist and ended up adding some amethyst demi stones to it as that's my favorite color and stone. Its really pretty and I feel so proud to wear it. If anyone asks who Connor is I gleefully point at the raging screaming lunatic running manically through whatever place we are at and beam with pride.

Speaking of children running around in public. Have you ever wanted a really stylish way to keep track of your toddler in a crowed store or a public event. I'm not sure about you guys but I haven't quite gotten to the point yet that I'm willing to put a leash or a tracking device on Connor though that day may come, but I've joked on several occasions about putting a bell around his neck so I can find him in the chance that he runs off in that half second that I blink. Well now you can literally put that bell around your toddler's leg (or arm) and keep track of them as well as add a really beautiful accessory to your child's wardrobe. For generations Cambodian mothers have been using jingle ankles on their children, as a way to ward of evil spirits and a really gorgeous way to keep track of that running toddler as they go running down the isles at your local toy store too. I have yet to loose Connor in a store, but there has been many a family event where I've had to track him down between our huge family and my cousin's large house sometimes he ends up in places he shouldn't be and I'm stuck trying to find him in a sea of kids. We did test out the anklet and I could indeed track him all over the house and he had the best time stomping around making it jingle.

I've got a coupon code for 10% off any purchase at Baby Emi. Use the code SDB10 and while your at it tell Debbie I said Hi! We just love her.

I absolutely adore my necklace from Baby Emi and I really want to share this anklet with one of my readers. It comes in a cute little gift bag and is ready to make a little person's day. It is adjustable so it will fit babies to a very large toddler and it also fits my wrist with no problem as well so you could use it as a bracelet even after they outgrow it as an anklet. Sterling Silver and adorned with eleven beautiful little bells which jingle as you walk or move.

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Baby Emi's product line and tell me piece is your favorite and how would you customize it.
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end July 31st at midnight!

OO! I already know what I am making everyone for christmas!!

There is something about handmade items that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. To be brutally honest with the prices of things going up all the time and a LARGE family to buy for, handmade is one of the most cost effective gifts I can give. Cost effective or not, I'm pretty sentimental and a really thoughtful handmade gift is, at least for myself, more powerful than any store bought gift.

Little Windows offers the most fabulous photo jewelry kit. I'm a sucker for personalized anything especially mom jewelry and at almost $80 a necklace it gets expensive if you want to update your photo necklace every time you get a new great photo. Well, if your feeling a little crafty why not make them yourself? I promise if I can do it, you can!

The Little Windows Photo Jewelry Kit includes everything you need to make THREE necklaces, and will get you started towards making your own photo magnets as well! I am so making everyone a photo magnet of Connor for Christmas! As well as photo necklaces you can use the kits to make beautiful washi paper necklaces, bead design necklaces, or really anything you can think of and will fit in the mold tray you can encase in resin for save keeping! Do you think it would be terribly gross if I used the kit to house Connor's first lost teeth? Seriously I think that would make the coolest magnet! (no no.. I'm not so weird as to make them into a necklace.. or am I?). You could even use the kit to make key chains, bracelets, or whatever your little heart desires.

If you run out of supplies or need more photo paper you can just refill directly from Little Windows. She even stocks the cutest little gift boxes to display your finished creations! If you want more advanced tools or more resin trays she has those as well in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

I just need to find the time to start some projects, though I'm a little scared I will find this too addicting and end up having to make one for every picture Connor ever takes... ah well! I'm going to need a TON more of the special paper!

Little Windows's products including their necklace kits are available directly from their website.

Little Windows sent over an extra necklace kit for one lucky reader! Whoever gets this kit is super lucky as its personally one of my favorite crafty things Ive seen this year!


To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Head on over to Little Windows and check out all the great projects you can make with your kit as well as her custom made pieces and supplies. Then tell me if you could have anything you wanted what would you buy from her store!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end July 7th at midnight!

Mother's day alert!! Give her a wearable piece of art!

I certainly do.. but I need two little birdies of my own as currently I only have one..

Allison Strine Designs offers some beautiful and funky necklaces, artwork, magnets and more that truely define the joy of being a mom.

Personally my favorite is the "Every little boy she loves is magic." pendant and I love the little story she includes of her son. I can't wait till Connor is talking so we can share our ideas and giggle together, that pendant really reminds me of that.

Though not all of Allison's pieces are mom's only she also offers great pendants that really speak to women. I really love her "Candy Corn is her favorite!" pendant. Who ever said candy corn is NOT a veggie is seriously mistaken!!

Perfect for mother's day.. or just anytime. You're sure to find something in Allison's etsy store that really will speak to the mom in you!

Allison sent me the "Every little boy she loves is magic." pendant and in honor of mother's day I'm going to give it away to one of my readers. *sniff* I hope someone special out there gets it as a gift!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Allison Strine Designs and check out all her great stuff Come back here and tell us which design really speaks to you.. and why.
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end May 10th at midnight!

Sher's Wares update and giveaway!

I got an email earlier today from Sher over at Sher's Wares! She was so excited about her review that she graciously donated a $30 gift certificate to her boutique to one lucky reader!

To visit the original review check it out here!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Go check out Sher's Wares and and check out all of her great bracelets and kits. Come back here and tell us how you would spend the $30 gift certificate if you won!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end April 23nd at midnight!

Every little girl loves sparkles

I had seen Sher's Wares Bracelets advertised before I agreed to do this review, and honestly though they look adorable I've had some bad luck with bracelet makers in the past using low quality beads and I never really gave her a second thought until now.

WOW, when the bracelet arrived every bad experience I have had in the past is a thing of the past. I got the most beautiful delicate pink bracelet that even my mom tried to steal it when she came to visit last time. The beads are perfect and her craftsmanship is excellent. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am with this bracelet! For an average of about $20 a bracelet (depending on the options) when I say they are worth every penny, that is almost an understatement.

Thought all her bracelets are beautiful I have to say I am particularly fond of the crystal bracelets.

Her bracelets are a great gift, keepsake, and are more than sturdy enough to wear everyday. She even has an online tutorial on how to make your own bracelet as well as kits that not only save you money but you can tell your daughter, granddaughter, or niece, about how you made that gorgeous bracelet they are wearing all by yourself.

Sher has sent over a coupon code as well. Use the word special in the voucher box on your order form and get 10% off on any order at Sher's Wares. Shipping is always free!

My first family heirloom!

I remember fantasizing about having a locket like this one when I was little with a picture of my parents to keep with me all the time. I always had this thought if I somehow lost them, I could use the locket to find them.

At least in my opinion a locket is the quintessential heirloom, I wear mine with a picture of Connor and one day when Connor is older or I have a daughter I will give them the same locket with a good picture of me (if such a thing exists!) I have to hope that one day my own daughter, granddaughter or great granddaughter would wear that same locket with a picture of her own baby in it... how perfect would that be.

The Fine Art of Family offers some of the prettiest and classically designed lockets I've seen. This simple half locket is affordable and so beautiful. Getting the pictures in is fairly simple as there is just small opening in the top that the pictures just slide into. The only problem I had at all was getting the picture small enough and centered to my liking (I'm a bit of a crazy perfectionist when it comes to things like that!!). The locket itself is available in silver as well as 18k white gold and comes on a 16 inch chain to bring the locket down hear "heart level". I commonly wear mine out on display and sometimes tuck it in under my shirt and layer it with other jewelry as especially when Connor is spending the weekends with his grandparents I just want to know he is there, encase I just have to sneak a peak. He may not get homesick yet but I certainly miss him when he is gone even just a few minutes!

I love my half locket but I'm saving to get the Round Hand Engraved Locket as well. A full locket, it has this extra scroll work around the pictures that is sooo beautiful. Along with lockets they also offer a great selection of locket charm bracelets as well!

Any of the lockets at The Fine Art of Family would bring any mother to tears on Mother's Day!

The Fine Art of Family is giving away a Round Signature Half Floral Locket in silver to one of my readers just in time for Mother's Day!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Go check out The Fine Art of Family and let us know which necklace or bracelet you love most!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end April 30th at midnight!

The one thing that comes to mind when I think of "girlie"

When I was growing up I was an avid tomboy, needless to say as an adult sometimes I feel as if I missed out on all the "girlie" stuff.

Lisa Leonard's designs are to me the definition of "girlie" soo pretty and thoughtfully designed its hard to pick a favorite.

I've actually been drooling over this pendant from the moment I saw it.. beautiful and I think every Mom out there will appreciate the quote. I have to admit I am a sucker now that I am a mom for anything involving my love for Connor. A sappy book, movie, or even commercial these days will bring me to tears. I feel that way about this pendant too. (How sad is that?! lol)

Every piece in Lisa's collection is handmade and many of them are customizable with your own quote or names. If I had a bigger family, I'd really want to honor them with the family tree necklace. Hopefully one day I'll have a few more names to add to mine!

If your looking for the perfect baby shower gift or even first birthday gift Lisa offers the prettiest little spoons that you can customize with the child's name and birthday if you wish!

One lucky lady will be walking away with her own Lisa Leonard necklace for her very own. I have one Sparkle necklace to give away to one of my readers! It would make a great mother's day present too!

If you want your own Lisa Leonard necklace or want to talk to her about customizing one of her designs head on over to her blog and check out her great designs as well as the beautiful pictures she posts of her family.

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Go check out Lisa Leonard's blog and tell us which design is your favorite!
  
• No "i want to win" stuff without a little effort (and I do mean little!)
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
• For an extra entry :
• Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
• Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
• One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
• This contest will end April 12th at midnight!

Jewelry Review : Kathy Lo Rocks

I'm a sentimental nut.. I wont lie, and when I saw the photo necklaces at Kathy Lo Rocks, I knew I HAD to have one.

You can choose between several diffrent sized charms, as well as silver, vermeil or gold. The charms can be used on necklaces, bracelets, or really any way you want you wish as well as you can buy them with or without the necklace or bracelet. So really no matter what your budget you can find something that will suit you.

All of the charms are double sided so you could get two diffrent pictures or you can choose a picture on one side and a design on the other side. I jokingly refer to Connor as "monkey legs" so I went with a monkey pattern on one side and Connor on the other side. I have rarely taken it off since!

They are 100% water proof so bathing, swimming, and showers are Aok with your photo charms (I have tested all but the swimming aspect and we have no leaks to report). My only real qualm is I love my charm so much I wish I would have spent the extra money and gotten a bigger charm! Everyone always is trying to look at my necklace and I'd love to show my baby off even more!!

For those fellas out there.. you can buy no better gift than a necklace with the picture of a mom's baby on it.. or even for those without babies.. a dog necklace would be divine or even one of a parent or grandparent!

Want one for yourself?
Head on over to Kathy Lo Rocks and check out all the great options!!