Happy Holidays!!

Happy Holidays to everyone out there! I hope your holidays are filled with warmth and happiness.

Win a FREE Handknotted Freshwater Pearl Bracelet!!

During 2010, I will be giving away some phenomenal handmade freshwater pearl jewelry from my collection. Every two months, I will randomly choose a winner from the list of people signed on to my contests list.

On January 31, 2010 I will give away this bracelet to a lucky subscriber. You can unsubscribe at any time or stay subscribed to automatically enter the next draw.

Visit my contests web page for all the details and to enter today!

Good luck everyone!

How Can I Clean My String of Pearls?

One of the most common questions that I am always asked is: "How can I clean my pearls?" To understand how to safely clean your pearls, you need to remember what they are.

Pearls are organic in nature and porous which means that they are easily damaged by harsh chemicals and can be scratched easily by rough or abrasive materials. You should never clean your pearls with chemical dips or cleansers. This can damage the pearls and make them more susceptible to picking up more dirt.

To clean a strand of pearls:

1. Get a clean soft cloth such as cotton or microfiber. Pick something that is not abrasive and has little to no lint.
   
2. Dampen the cloth and gently roll the string of pearls in the cloth. Be gentle and do not rub too hard on the silk string. When silk is wet, it can be damaged easily by rubbing it too hard.
3. Once the pearls are clean lay them on a flat surface and allow them to dry completely.
   

To prevent them from building up dirt from every day wear you can also keep a clean dry microfibre cloth close to your jewelry box and when you put them away use the dry cloth to gently run over the strand a few times. This removes any dirt or natural oils from the surface of the pearls which can attract dirt as it builds up over time.

Free Eco-Beautiful Winter 2010 E-Zine is a must read

If you haven't already seen the first issue of this online wedding magazine, you must read the Eco-Beautiful 2010 Winter Issue. They provide tips on holding an eco-friendly wedding with style! The layout is sumptuous and the content is inspiring. It features makeup tips, beautiful bouquets, stunning dresses, a pre-marriage workout guide, and everything in between. No detail is overlooked.

Their website also features a detailed blog on all things eco-beautiful. It includes oodles of contests and interesting posts.

Congrats to Eco-Beatiful for making an amazing magazine. I can't wait for the next issue!

Skip the Mess and Keep the Dress!

So many brides these days are re-selling their wedding dresses which is a great idea because it recycles the gown and saves you a lot of money. However, the biggest nightmare is spilling a whole glass of red wine down the front of the dress or smearing cake and icing into the beading on the bodice if you have a guy that insists on mushing cake in your face.

To keep the dress clear from any possible mishaps during the meal, why not don one of these fabulous aprons from Etsy seller InitialImpressions? She sells a matching set of aprons with a black Groom apron with silver embroidery and a white Bride apron with rhinestone beading. It not only looks cute but it will protect your dress and your investment! Peg, the shop owner says, "One bride used aprons for herself and her groom and conducted the receiving line while serving the cake themselves."

Visit the store listing here: Bride and Groom Apron Set

Black and White Wedding Jewelry

Black and white themed weddings are elegant and classy. It keeps the palette neutral and you can throw in a splash of your favorite colors with flowers and creative center pieces.

I have created a necklace and earring set with the black and white wedding in mind. It has beautiful round black onyx paired with genuine freshwater pearls. The best part is that you can wear this with anything after the wedding!

Take a look at some more pictures of this set here.

Winter Wedding Inspiration By Style Me Pretty

One of my favorite wedding blogs is Style Me Pretty. They always feature amazing weddings with fabulous photography. These posts provide lots of inspiration for your own wedding any time of the year.

The link below is for a winter wedding post that is absolutely stunning! In a rustic log cabin with a field full of horses this venue is an amazing spot for a wedding.

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/11/24/winter-wedding-at-beaver-creek-from-gemini-event-planning/

Time to Trim the Christmas Tree!

I usually stick to wedding related posts but at this time of year I thought a Christmas post would be fun. It seemed as though today was Christmas Tree day here in my city. While walking around today, I saw many people with Christmas trees strapped to the tops of their cars or stuffed inside them. Seriously, one woman had the entire tree in her car with the top of the tree between the two front seats! I can't imagine how she will ever get all of the sap needles out of her car.

My favorite Christmas show, even though I am an adult, is How the Grinch Stole Christmas followed closely by A Charlie Brown Christmas. So, in the spirit of the season I give you Urban Outfitter's version of Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree. It is perfect for small spaces and it really does need your love.

Happy tree trimming everyone!

Why Should Pearls Be Hand Knotted?

Pearl necklaces can be bought with knots between each pearl or simply strung onto thread or beading wire. There are many advantages to buying hand knotted pearls.

When pearls are hand knotted, the knot between the pearls protects them from bumping into each other on the strand. As the pearls rub against each other, they can slowly develop scratches and fractures. Dirt and other pollutants like perfume, makeup, and hairspray can get into the fractures which can damage them over time.

Another advantage to knotted pearls is that they have much more movement than un-knotted pearls. Since there is more room between the pearls, the necklace or bracelet is able to hang more easily and can move when you move. Un-knotted pearls have less movement and when strung tightly can look more like a rigid necklace than a string of pearls. Many sellers these days are selling their pearls without having knots between them.

The biggest advantage of buying hand knotted pearls is if the strand breaks, you will only lose one pearl since there are knots between each one. Imagine an un-knotted pearl necklace breaking and all the pearls end up scattered all over the floor.

So if you want to keep your pearls safe and reduce their wear and tear, search for bracelets and necklaces that are hand knotted.