Lips Charm Necklace Jewelry

Red Lips Necklace, $28

Jewelry featuring lips has been very popular recently - fashion jewelry icons like Jules Smith have released lines featuring kiss kiss "lips", so I decided to create a piece of my own. I just released the latest Ash Tree handmade necklace design Red Lips Necklace, now available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

The lips - also available in a sassy hot pink - are gorgeous enameled charms and strung on a stunning silver plate chain. Since much of the Ash Tree jewelry collections relate to symbolism in some way, I looked up what "red lips" signify - turns out, there's a back and forth when it comes to the meaning of red lips: on one hand, the red lip is a favorite color among men for women to wear. On the other, a red lipstick is considered "fierce", that is, a bright, bold, and powerful fashion statement among women. 

Red Lips Necklace Design, $28 by Ash Tree

What does a fiery red lip (or hot pink) mean to you? Makes a great gift for Valentine's Day for yourself, a daughter or friend - and definitely adds a "kiss" of style to any wardrobe ;)

Cupcake Necklaces Reach First Goal to Support She's the First!

Cupcake Necklace Sales Have
Raised $300 Towards our goal!

We did it! Thanks to the generous and fabulous supporters of She's the First, I've reached the first tier of my goal to help raise $300 with cupcake necklace sales to reach my goal of donating $1,600 to this great organization.

With She's the First now going to be on NBC's American Giving Awards, I thought this would be a great time to spotlight some of the great work they are doing. STF are currently the running to win $1,000,000 - which comes down to Facebook voting. So if you have a moment, please vote for them to  help to unlock this tremendous donation to send girls to school and share before December 4, 2012.

Back to stunning little cupcake necklace sales: if you look on the She's the First website, $300 is enough for an all-inclusive yearly package for everything a girl needs to go to school in Kopila Valley in Surket, Nepal.

About Kopila Valley School

The girls who go to school here come from poor circumstances. The girls all come from poor or illiterate families, and fall into the “high risk” category of being married off to a man, work as domestic servants, have to work in hotels, or by dry riverbeds to earn a living for their family. These girls are the first of their generation to be educated and literate. Kopila Valley is a co-ed primary school that is a safe place for students to spend the day, receive an education in basic English, Nepali, Math, Science, Health, and Social Studies and have their basic needs met. School runs from Sunday-Friday, with Friday being a half day for extracurricular and fun activities, i.e. racing, sports matches, dance competitions, debate, art, and other activities.

What Does This $300 Do? 

This is enough to provide the following for one girl for a YEAR:

• School uniform: $28 (includes 1 skirt, 1 pair of pants, 2 school shirts, 1 sweater, 1 hat, belt, school tie, a pair of shoes, socks, and warm tights for winter)
• School bag, supplies, and set of the year’s text books: $22
• School lunches: $75  (this includes, rice, fresh vegetables, and lentil soup 5 days a week)
• Tuition: $120 (goes towards everything needed to keep the school functioning and sustaining itself, i.e. staff, teachers, and cook salaries, repairs, and construction, school materials, and classroom needs)
• Medical needs: $55 (i.e. vaccines, vitamins, sanitary napkins, medical emergencies, and dental care for the year)
                                     
Total: $300

Interested in helping to sponsor a girl Kopila Valley, or any other girl around the world? Here's how to help!

Puchase a STF Cupcake Necklace: 75% of proceeds
Go directly to She's the First!

• Give the Gift of Awareness for yourself or a friend: 75% of all specially designed Ash Tree She's the First Cupcake Necklace go directly to She's the First
• Explore the Directory on the STF website to read more about girls who need your help
• Organize your own Bake Sale to sponsor a girls' education in your school with these great tips from STF. 
• Vote for She's the First before Dec. 4th to win the American Giving Awards so they may receive their $1 million grant!

Handmade Rose Rings

Pale Pink Rose Ring, $12

Announcing the newest handmade jewelry line from Ash Tree Designs: the Rose Ring!

I saw a similar design while doing some research online for the newest jewelry trends, and understated rose rings are very hot right now. After seeing a few turquoise blue and cream pieces, I started making some sketches to figure out how to construct my own.

Turquoise Blue Rose Ring, $12

I found some ring bases at Micheal's that would provide the sturdy foundation for the rose itself. Then I ordered a rose mold from my favorite mold store, WhysperFairy, on etsy. I then used some clay I had purchased for my Handmade Cupcake Pendants and made a few roses in colors I thought would be great for spring.

After making four selections, I made the roses using the mold, baked the clay, sprayed with a smooth glossy finish, then attached to the rings using jeweler's HYPO cement. And I love the results!

White Rose Ring, $12

There are currently four rings available in my etsy shop, and the plan is to roll out more colors and create more for the 6 In the Shipyard store location. Right now, the colors available are Turquoise, Pale Pink, Black, and White. I thought the white seemed so bridal to me - and the pale pink such a perfect delicate touch to your spring outfit! And the black rose on the bold silver just makes a straight-up statement.

Click the links above to visit my shop and to purchase - and enjoy! :)

Fashion Outfit of the Week: Going Wild

Shanghai Exotic Peep Toe Pump: Christian Siriano for Payless

Sandra Darren Snake Print Dress, $29 ideeli

Croc and snakeskin prints and textures are in for fall. So this week's fashion outfit reflects this - my latest purchase from my favorite fashion site, ideeli.com, an impulse Payless shoe purchase, and tying it all up with an accessory.

Shoes: I've been on the hunt for the perfect neutral pumps. Tan or skin tone heels are not only a great option for work, but wearing them with a skirt can blend with your skin tone and make your legs appear longer. For all these reasons, I needed them. Like, really.

So, when I walked into my usual Size 11 aisle at Payless (THE ONLY reasonably priced shoe store that carries my size, shoe-store jerks!) I saw these on sale and tried them on immediately. Being a Libra, I pace and think over and over, but these shoes were 100% sold. They were comfortable, and sexy: and even with the lizard print, they are still neutral enough to wear.


Dress: Next, I was browsing a great "Fun Frocks" sale that ideeli.com occasionally has, and I was immediately drawn to a Sandra Darren Snake Print Dress. Talk about perfect in the workplace: long enough, fairly modest coverage, and perfect olive green tones for fall (which also happen to be one of my favorite shades to work!). Sold!

Minicci Womens Cut Out Cuff, Payless

Accessories: To tie this all together, I noticed a significant lack of gold jewelry - and bracelets - in my wardrobe. I hate gold, I think it's very "old lady", so all of my jewelry is silver. I think silver goes with more, because of it's white tone instead of yellow. But, knowing that fall brings gold hues, I searched online and found this great gold cuff that also matches my personality. The cutout Minicci bracelet was a steal at $5.99 BOGO price from Payless!

One last recommendation - for your next manicure, go for a skin-tone matching nude or tan color polish. Not only will this match this outfit, (and many others!) but going for this nail color can make your fingers look longer and more elegant.

To conclude, I must re-confirm my love for both Payless Shoesource and ideeli.com, both great places that serve up fashion for those on a budget, and refuse to spend $1,700 on a handbag when that could buy you, like, 56 pairs of shoes from Payless. And for a shoe-aholic like me with big steamboat feet that just want some pretty-shoe love, that's the perfect price!

Professional Work Wraps

It's summer, and the blazing hot days usually mean a comfortable work or transportation setting with the air conditioning. Right?

Long Sleeve Fringe Sweater from ANAMA. Ideeli, $29

 WRONG!

Ever since it just gave a hint of warmth in early July, I feel as though everywhere I go the A/C is on steroids. One could argue that I'm a cold "person" and that most "normal" people are "comfortable", but whatever. It's summer and I'm friggin cold, which is stupid.

So whether your office is A/C crazy because everyone is hot even when they're buried in a building not anywhere near the sun or open windows, or you're commuting to work on a rainy day that is not warm at all but the bus driver says F* it and cranks the A/C anyway, you're going to need to find a balance between that cold-anger and professional appearance. And in case your wondering if these are personal experiences, yes, they indeed are.

And guess what? Since most people are ACTUALLY hot and think you're crazy, professional-looking wraps are on sale this time of year! Yay!

 Loose Knit Cardigan White, $13 from RisingTaste

Check out these two that I found in my online travels. The first, from my favorite go-to sale site Ideeli is a fringy sweater (above) that is actually in a summery light coral color, while adding warmth to your cold, miserable body and looking professional in the workplace and not like a shivering fool during meetings.

The second idea for your cold body is a lighter sweater option for your office dealings or on-the-go. I have a similar wrap now to this in white that I pull out for the office and for that stupid cold bus ride, and it keeps me warm without taking up too much room in my bag. Plus, it's white: it's summer, and white is okay. This wrap is from RisingTaste, and is only $13. Great option for poor, cold bus-riders like me.

Now I just have to find a solution for my cold sandal-feet...

Fashion Outfit of the Week: Going Nautical

Navy Dress, $88 Ann Taylor

 Time to blog about where my true love lies: fashion.

My best friend is getting married at the end of June, so obviously - as Maid of Honor - I'm required to dress to impress. Not that she said this, but it's pretty much assumed.

Anyway, her Rehearsal Dinner - which is more like cocktails - is taking place on a Friday evening on a boat cruise in Florida. What better way to glam it up on a boat than by going nautical? I found this Navy Dress with White Stripes at Ann Taylor, which was having a 40% off sale and so I got this dress for $49 (originally $88) this weekend while birthday shopping with my mother.

I was a little weary as there were only 2 dresses of this style left, and both were XS. Yikes. But, I tried it on anyway, and it fit like a glove. The style, pattern and rouching in the front prevents it from looking too tight and bulgy on your body. It's also made of a breathable jersey material, which doesn't feel tight at all.

Fioni Red Strappy Sandal Wedges, $26.99 - Payless

The big question is: what to wear for shoes? I hate flats, so that's not happening. When I think navy and white, I automatically want to complete the trio with red, but not too in-your-face red. So I did some searching and found these Strappy Red Sandal Wedges from Fioni on Payless. I love and olwn several pairs of Fioni, and I love the Payless style: not to mention, they always have my freaky shoe size 11 in stock.

This match is perfect. The touch of red and the "cork" of the wedge pulls together the nautical look without going overboard (HA get it?). I approve.

Any suggestions on jewelry? I am first going to browse the selections of 6 In the Shipyard, or maybe will just make something to go with it. I'm thinking simple: maybe a pair of my Silver Starfish Charm Earrings will do...