DIY: $260.00 Arielle De Pinto Chain Earrings for $6.00

Today's post is from Jess James from Inked & Sewn.  A lovely fashion blog with style advice, fashion finds, and amazing DIY projects.  I invited Jess to do a jewelry DIY project for us here and she did not disappoint.  I'll be making these stunners very soon.

A piece I have been DYING to recreate is these looped chain earrings by Arielle De Pinto retailed at $260.00. When the Charlton Girl from The Cultivated One asked me to do a DIY jewelry project, I knew it would be perfect.

The materials you need are:

-A Thin Chain -Flat Pins -Sterling silver studs -Construction paper

-Spray Paint (in a color of your choice) -Hot Glue -Metal Glue -A wire Cutter

First tie your chain in a knot and hot glue it to the flat side of the pin. Continue to wrap and glue it on the flat side until it covers the entire surface.

Grab a piece of construction paper and make a loop then secure it with hot glue. Leave about a ½ inch space and start to wrap the chain around the construction paper until you can no longer see the paper.

Glue the loop of chain you have just created around the portion already glued to the pin. Organically wrap the excess chain that is left to get the look you want (and remember the way you are wrapping it to duplicate it on the other earring). With the loose end, glue it to the back of the pin.

Take the Wire cutter and snip off the “pin” part so that your earring now just sits on a flat piece of metal. Use hot glue to fasten your sterling silver stud to the back and reinforce it with metal glue.  When the glue is finally dry use the spray paint to cover the upper portion of your earring to give it the two-toned look. I chose silver to go with my grey leather jacket.

Thanks again Jess, and don't forget check out her blog, Inked & Sewn.

CHANNELING WONDER WOMAN

 Ahh Wonder Woman, she is the epitome of a strong sexy female, and don't we all want to be strong and sexy.  Check out these celebrities as they channel their inner super hero.  These cuffs may not be bulletproof but they sure are hot!  Which one is your favorite? 

images via Style Bistro

HOW TO PICK OUT AN EVERYDAY NECKLACE

Meet my cousin Paige.  Paige meet my lovely readers.  As lovely as the picture of her is there is something very very wrong.  Do you see it???  Yes, she is not wearing a stitch of jewelry.  We had to correct this problem and fast.  Like many of you Paige wants a piece of jewelry that she can always keep on and not have to think about.  So, we set out on our journey to get her a simple necklace and here are our top options we found.

Our first stop and one that had great options for necklaces under $10 for the budget conscious was Brandy Melville.  The single crystal drop would be a perfect choose for just a bit of sparkle.  I recommend that you check their jewelry on their website or in one of their many locations.

  The other option that we loved were these Dogeared necklaces we found at Modern Romance Boutique.  They are a bit more expensive at an average of $66 but well worth it.  I mean you're going to be wearing this necklace everyday, so you want it to last!  The thing I loved most about these options is that many of them are two toned metal colors.  This way no matter what other jewelry you wear with these pieces they will always match.  

Now take a look at Paige above, doesn't she look so much more polished. It's amazing that the addition of such a small necklace can make such a big difference.  Tell me do you have a necklace that you wear everyday?

OH ALICE

image via Retroraunt

Even Alice Cooper needs his jewels.

HOW TO CHOOSE JEWELRY FOR YOUR PREPPIEST OF FRIENDS

 If you know anything about your friend Bitsie's it's that she lives and dies for polka dots and popped collars.  It's her birthday and you can't figure out what to get her.  Well, worry no more because I have come up with a collection of the perfect jewelry to give your polo loving pal.  I guarantee that Bitsie is going to absolutely swoon when she receives any one of these options at her Bellini brunch at the county club.

 I mean come on, it's an argyle bangle!  How perfect is that!  You can find it at J Crew for $28 and comes in brown and pink as well.

With all the hand talking Bitsie does she's going to die over this classic Marc by Mark Jacobs Katie ring in rose gold for $68 at Shopbop.com.

This Venus Fly Trap Necklace by J Crew for $85 is just the right amount of sparkle under the popped collar of a button down shirt.  Gorg.!

How adorable are these Twinkle Bloom Earrings from Anthropologie for $28?  Too sweet, right!?!?

JEWELRY STORAGE: BRACELET EDITION

I've posted about jewelry storage before as you can see here and here, but today I am focusing on bracelets.  There are advantages and disadvantages to storing cuffs, bangles and bracelets.  One plus is that they don't get tangled but a minus is that they can be big and bulky.  Things like a pretty dish, special box are beautiful options, or you can do what I did and use a jewelry tree like the one pictured above from Urban Outfitters.  These are all great solutions, and as I always say whatever you do display it, it's too pretty to be in a drawer!  How do you display your bracelets?  I'm always on the look out for new ways to display my jewelry.

All images via How I Met Your Style

PERMINENT JEWELRY

All photos via The Sartorialist

HOT MOMMA

Miroslava Duma is one hot momma, pregnant or not!  If you don't know Duma she was an editor for Harper's Bazaar (Russia) and now is a freelance writer for numerous publications such as OK Magazinee (Russia), Tatler, and Glamour (Russia).  She an international fashion icon, and a darling to all the street style photographers.  I've taken even more notice of her since she's been pregnant.  How adorable is she?!

Take a note from Miroslava Duma's book and play up that bump and have fun with it!  Many woman have a hard time figuring out how to stay stylish while prego.  My advise is accessories, accessories, and you guessed it more accessories.  Jewelry finishes any outfit and the best part is that one size fits all!  You can dress in comfy leggings and an over-sized T and as soon as you throw on tons of jewels you're instantly stylish.  You can check out more of Duma's hot prego looks here.

All photos via The Queens of Couture

TOURMALINE TUESDAY

 Oh tourmaline how I love you.  I love it so much I have decided to showcase some of my favorite tourmaline pieces for the next couple of weeks.  This week I'm focusing on earrings.  If you don't know about this gorgeous stone, I have compiled a little lesson for you below.  Enjoy!

St. Kilda Temptation Studs in 18ky w/green tourmalines

The semi-precious stone tourmaline is one of my very favorites. According to Egyptian legend the reason that tourmaline comes in such a variety of colors is that on its long journey up from the center of the Earth the stones passed over a rainbow and thus assumed all the colors of the rainbow.  The stone also comes with two colors and are known as bicolored tourmalines, and those with more than two colors as multicolored tourmalines.  The favorite of mine and many others are slices showing a cross-section of the tourmaline crystal because they display, the whole of the incomparable color variety of this gemstone.  Tourmalines are found almost all over the world. There are major deposits in Brazil, Sri Lanka and South and south-west Africa. Other finds have been made in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Tourmalines are also found in the USA, mainly in California and Maine. Although there are plenty of gemstone deposits which contain tourmalines, good qualities and fine colours are not often discovered among them. For this reason, the price spectrum of the tourmaline is almost as broad as that of its color.  Pictured is a collection of tourmaline earrings I'm digging.  

Which ones are your favorite?

Jemma Wynne Watermelon Tourmaline and Diamond Earrings

Lucifer Vir Honestus Green Tourmaline Earrings 

 

Cathy Waterman Pink Tourmaline Marquise Earrings

Jemma Wynne Watermelon Tourmaline and Diamond Earrings

  

 

HOME JEWELRY

The Glamourai's Kelly Framel is one of if not my favorite blogger.  She has her own jewelry line, a design background, an all around style icon, and a model to boot- not to shaby.  Her blog is filled with many to die for DIY projects that are easy and equally awesome, personal style posts, and home inspiration.  Her style is perfect mix of high/low and old/new in all aspects.  As a jewelry lover and designer myself I have always loved the idea of using it in the home (as you can see here) and I think Framel is the best example I have ever seen.  A perfect example is her roommate Caesar, pictured above, who is one lucky guy that gets to share Framel's drool worthy gems.  Check out her apartment pictures and start swooning!

 This bowl full of bug brooches is to die for!  Sorry Kelly but I'm totally stealing this idea.

 Don't hide your jewelry.  Put it out there for all to see.  It's too pretty to be in a drawer.

Have a statue?  Why not slip a ring on him!

BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK

 Black is back!!  Alright, alright it never left and probably never will.  Black is a classic.  Everyone looks good in it and it goes with everything.  Can you imagine how amazing any of these all black pieces would look on a bright dress or even just a white t.  These pieces are dramatic and sophisticated and I want them all.

Bottega Veneta Blackened oxidized silver chandelier earrings $980

Bottega Veneta Blackened oxidized silver filigree ring $580

Bottega Veneta Oxidised silver and zircon necklace $1,950

You can find all of these pieces at Net-A-Porter.  Also, if you would like to see more photos from the shoot from the top picture click here.

FALLING FOR THIS JEWELRY

Dannijo Oksana Swarovski crystal earrings

Oscar de la Renta Pewter-plated topaz necklace

Fall is here!!  Well, as much as there is a fall in Southern California anyway.  Most of the time I love the gorgeous weather here in Orange County but every once in a while I long for the ever changing days in NYC, and right now I miss fall so so bad!  I miss the crisp air, changing leaves, and the perfect layering weather!   It's all about piling it on and mixing styles.  More is more during fall and that's why I love it!  Since I don't get to see the beautiful colors of the leaves I guess I'll haaaavvvve to settle for jewelry. 

Bijoux Heart Ainse Je 24-karat gold-plated Swarovski crystal ring

Kenneth Jay Lane Swarovski crystal clip earrings

Dannijo Frances Swarovski crystal cuff 

 You can find all these gorgeous pieces at Net-A-Porter