Jewelry with an Edge and DISCOUNT!

I just celebrated one of my best friend's 30th birthday. As a gift, I gave her a "gladiator-esque" ring. She loved it and wore it the whole night. At the end of the night, back at her apartment, we were chatting away about life. She thanked me for her ring and then said how much she loved my bracelet.

Rachel, the designer behind the shop Green Hide on etsy, sent me this leather bracelet for a review. I explained to my friend that it was made from a recycled leather belt and disassembled vintage jewelry.

We both marveled at the bracelet and then proceeded to talk about how it's a good thing we had jobs since we could never be as creative as Rachel.

Rachel became a jewelry designer when she envisioned a leather necklace that she could not find anywhere. Even online.  So she decided to try and make it herself by buying inexpensive leather from the thrift store.

Ultimately, she ended up leaving with a cart full of old leather coats, skirts, etc. of as many colors as possible.  After making her first piece and receiving a plethora of compliments from strangers,  she decided to make more and eventually started to sell them.

In the Fall of 2010, Rachel turned her talent into an actual business with her etsy site and showcasing her pieces at local craft/handmade events.

Everything made by Rachel is 100% recycled and 100% unique. No two pieces are exactly the same... and if you've got some antique jewelry, vintage pieces, etc, Rachel is more than happy to work with you to create something modern you'll love!

As a special treat, Rachel is offering all of my readers a 20% discount on purchases at Green Hide on etsy!

If you happen to be a shop owner, feel free to contact Rachel through etsy to discuss a partnership.

Her mens' collection is gaining popularity, too!  This tie is just one example of something unique for the man in your life. Rachel is constantly adding more mens' items as well!

A HUGE thank you to Rachel for sponsoring my blog.

*I received the bracelet gratis. No monetary compensation was provided to me. Thoughts and opinions of mine are honest and truthful.

tjr1 Handcrafted Earrings

White and lace are huge this fashion season, but it's still freezing in the northeast so I haven't given summer a thought. And then Tara, the designer behind tjr1 Handcrafted Earrings on etsy, sent me a pair of funky orange earrings to review.

These earrings are made with orange abalone, circular shell like beads and sparkly orange glass beads. I put them on and all I could think about was the beach, citrus fruits, white wine and sunsets... all things I associate with the summer!

Tara has always been interested in arts and crafts and tried out her talent when she realized she couldn't really find the jewelry she wanted to buy for herself. What started out as a simple "do it yourself to get it done right" attitude turned into requests for jewelry and ultimately a shop on etsy.com.

Tara loves creating pieces for herself and friends. She takes custom orders and has especially enjoyed recent projects creating for weddings. She will even give discounts for multiple orders for one occasion. Simply email her your requests.

My request is for summer to come quickly so I can wear these funky orange earrings!

Thank you so much Tara for sponsoring this review! I encourage everyone to visit tjr1 on etsy to view Tara's talent and see what she can do for you!

*disclaimer: earrings were sent to me gratis by the sponsor. I received no monetary compensation. Thoughts and opinions are honest and mine alone.

Classique Collections Review and DISCOUNT!

As mentioned in one of my last few posts, I am the maid of honor for my sister's wedding in Italy. Her color scheme is pink and yellow (think roses), so while I know it won't be too difficult to find a pink dress, I didn't know how to incorporate the yellow... until I thought about the Rachel Leigh Chain ribbon bracelets that were so popular a few seasons ago.

I jumped on Etsy.com to do a ribbon bracelet search, and I stumbled up the shop Classique Collections. The photos of wedding accessories were amazing! I couldn't believe my eyes with the creativity, elegance and craftmanship of the products... so naturally I contacted the owner, Sheena, to learn more.

Sheena was kind enough to let me review the Eva bracelet in Gold. When I tried on the bracelet, I was in LOVE. The bracelet visualized in person is even better than the pictures on Etsy. The detail and care were obvious. The talent can't be argued.

Sheen told me that she has always had an interest in crafting, but only started making more original and  formal pieces about a year ago. She had to have surgery that kept her from walking for months, so in that time she built up her skills with working with her hands.

Sheena finds inspiration in the world around her, especially the women in her life. Most of her items have ladies names which correlate with the names of the women in her life that she can see wearing those pieces or flowers.

In addition, Sheena finds inspiration from her customers who have a vision of something special and unique but can't quite find their ideal item on their own. By working with her customers, Sheena is able to create something they are excited about.

The Eva bracelet I reviewed is one example of Sheena working with a customer to create a special bracelet specifically for her Maid of Honor.

Did someone say Maid of Honor? That will be my role in a few short months, and I think I'll have the perfect bracelet to wear thanks to Sheena. And if my sister wants me to get something a little bit more yellow than Gold, I'll just contact Sheena!

As Sheena said, "I cut all my petals for all my flowers individually and won't sell anything that I'm not proud of. I'm also totally willing to work with customers to come up with new creations or make changes to the items in my own store to make it perfect for them"

So if you like what you see, head on over to Classique Collections on Etsy and take a look at what Sheena can do you for you.

As a special treat, ALL my readers get a 10% discount on their purchase! Simply use the code ROXYSHOPS10. Code is valid until 3/1/2011





*A huge thanks to Sheena from Classique Collections for sponsoring this review. I received no monetary compensation. The Eva bracelet was given to me gratis.


** Photo from Classique Collections Etsy site.

Wedding Invitations by Ajalon Printing & Design

I kinda don't like to think about my future wedding. It's terribly overwhelming. So much to think about, so much to do, what do I want?, is my fiance gonna agree?, will my parents agree?. Oy-freaking-vay!

Well one consensus (yes just one) is that the wedding invitation will be ethnically oriented. The only problem is that India is half-way around the world. To go there and choose invitations or to pray to God that the internet order will happen is not something I'm interested in doing.

So it was a lovely surprise when Ajalon Printing & Design approached me to review their wedding invitations because they have Asian designs in their collection.... AND it won't cost an arm and a leg to get them.

Their pricing is below the average boutique and the initial consultation by phone or in person is free!

Ajalon designers will work with you to get the invitation you want at a price you will love!

And I know you'll be pleased with their work. The samples I received were on extremely high quality material with impeccable design detail.

My personal favorite is the Sakura design pictured below in various shades of white/beige. Beyond invitations, you can get the design of your choice as place cards, RSVP cards, directions, etc too!

Check out Invitations by Ajalon to view their invitation gallery and their current pricing specials. They also have a fantastic blog where they feature the latest news regarding designs, paper and anything else you need to consider with regards to your invitation.

Click on the picture for this great deal and hurry because it ends 11/30/2010! 

                                 HAPPY WEDDING PLANNING!

*pictures and samples courtesy of Ajalon Printing & Design

Upcoming CSN Review

I'm settling into my new apartment, and the first and most obvious thing... it's tiny. It's super tiny in comparison to my place in Denver. The guy who lived here before me left all of his furniture which has been very helpful, but I'm noticing that the dining room table is just too big. So I've been searching online for dining room tables and am loving every little thing I see.

Now I'll look at the ones that will actually fit in my place!

If you've been reading my other blog by chance, then you've been introduced to Ginger. Stay tuned for a review on a retractable doggie leash with built-in doggie bags. Lord knows Ginger can poop!

Lone Hopper Necklace by Anirtak Giveaway! CLOSED

What attracted me to the lone hopper necklace was the description Katrina of Anirtak wrote on the piece: "This poor bunny seems to have lost the rest of his pack! Help him find his friends by taking him along with you on all your adventures."

This bunny came on several adventures with me. Originally I thought it would be a cute necklace that would compliment a few of my outfits. What I soon found was this necklace would be the topic of flirtation while out on the town. Yes ladies, this necklace caught the eye of many a man.

And I have to thank Katrina of Anirtak for scoring me a couple dates, on which I'll probably wear the necklace again.

On to the necklace itself, I thought the length was perfect because the bunny could actually rest in between my clavicles, drawing much attention to my shoulders and neck. I actually loved draping the necklace slightly off-center, almost feeling like I was allowing the bunny to run in a circle around my neck.

It's too cute, flirty and fabulous, so I have to give major props to Katrina for her design. Now the bunny isn't the only thing this fabulous designer offers in her jewelry. She has many designs inspired by her constant traveling. Katrina will often find materials in thrift stores, antique stores, just about anywhere! She especially loves working with raw brass, as it mixes well with other metals creating a pop to many of her pieces.

Katrina wants people to feel good about themselves when they wear any of her work. She puts a lot of love and pride into everything made and hopes that it shows from the moment that the package leaves her hands and is unwrapped by the customer. When I got my necklace, it definitely showed.

Keep an eye out for more from her label Anirtak, too. Katrina is currently perfecting her sewing skills and may unveil her obsession with bags and purses on Etsy in the future.

In the meantime, Katrina has generously offered a lone hopper necklace as a gift for one of my readers!

To Enter:

Visit Anirtak on Etsy and leave a comment with your favorite item.
Please be sure to leave your email address as well.

Rules:
Only one entry per person. Winner has 48 hours to contact me.

Contest Ends September 20th

HempBath Review and Giveaway! (CLOSED)

I just got back from Miami, and all I have on my mind is how much I want to be back on the beach sipping margaritas, mohitos and whatever coconut drink I could have. I love those flavors, so imagine how wonderful it felt to try Coconut Lime soap and body cream from HempBath.

Kylee, the skin care maven behind HempBath, has been making soaps and creams for years. She has a lot of tattoos and therefore pays very close attention to what she puts on her skin. One day she noticed that most of the products she loved had hemp oil in them, so she did some research and was blown away by how Hemp is both environmentally and health conscious.

"With regular use, Hemp Oil can help slow down the effects of skin aging, while reducing skin discomfort by soothing and restoring dry or damaged skin. Leaving the skin smooth and moisturized, it as been shown to relieve the symptoms of eczema, psoriasis and even acne.

Hemp Seed Oil is one of the world's most richest sources of Vitamin E, polyunsaturated fats, including both of the essential fatty acids (Omega 3 & Omega 6) and GLA, making it an unequaled natural emollient and moisturizer."

And the best part, NO GREASY RESIDUE. All of Kylee's products are Hypo-allergenic, Vegan & Earth Friendly! On top of that Kylee is dedicated to service, making her products within 24 hours.

My favorite thing about the lotion and soap... the scent Coconut Lime. Every time I use them, I am transported back to Miami. The scent isn't over-powering at all, but it certainly lasts a very long time. My skin felt absolutley silky and satiny.

And now you have the chance to feel the same way!

Kylee has generously offered one of you the chance to win a soap and body cream set custom made for the winner in any scent you choose. Kylee's favorite scent is Nag Champa. It gets her hubby to do the dishes.

Which scent is your favorite?


Enter to win:
Visit Hemp Bath and tell me your favorite product and scent. Must do both to win!
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL!

If you CANNOT wait to win, Kylee is offering a 10% discount to all of my readers. The code is "Hemp10."

Winner will have 48 hours to contact me.

Only one entry per person. Duplicates will be deleted.
I will use random.org to select the winner.
Contest ends September 12th.

Doctor Kracker Snacker Crackers, Culinary Crisps & Flatbreads

I brought a box of the Klassic 3 seed flavored culinary crisps to the ER during my last shift. The other doctors looked at me like I was crazy for bringing a healthy snack to share rather than candy. It's crazy how all of us doctors take a nutrition course during medical school, yet few of us actually heed the lessons.

It was about time we started, and I wanted everyone to try these culinary crisps. Doctor Kracker flatbreads and snacker crackers are all-natural, baked, whole grain crackers. Not only are they crunchy, tasty and quite addictive, but each serving has the recommended 3 grams of fiber we learned about in school. On top of that, these snacks are packed with protein!

One by one, each doctor tried a crisp. Their hands surely reached for seconds. Even nurses and techs got wind of my shared snack. Everyone really loved them and the box was empty by the end of our shift. 

Doctor Kracker flatbreads, snacker crackers and culinary crisps come in a total of 9 amazing flavors, and I couldn't wait to get home and try a couple of others ones. My favorites are officially the Pumpkin Seed Cheddar (because I love everything pumpkin) and Apple Crisp. There is the subtlest yet tastiest sweetness to the Apple Crisps.

Let me tell you a little bit more about the flatbreads. These are perfect for making a MEAL out the crackers. I love to throw in some deli meat and a slice of cheese for a crunchy, healthy sandwich.

Perfect as a snack or meal, Doctor Kracker has me hooked. A medical doctor wasn’t involved in the formulation of Doctor Krackers, but as a medical doctor I am highly recommending them for flavor, nutrition and overall health.

Picture courtesy of www.drkracker.com