New items in at Laura James Jewelry in the Artisan collection featuring semi-precious stones and vermeil.  These pieces are so pretty they just SHOUT Get In My Stocking.  If he turns down the TV, your significant other can hear the call, I swear.

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It is crazy hard to pick something out for a girl aged anywhere between 12 and 24.  Unless of course you ARE a girl aged 12 to 24.  I have like a million girls this age to buy gifts for (triplet nieces don’t hurt).  I am constantly trying to come up with something appropriate, cool, useful, tasteful, that they won’t hate and for which their mothers won’t kill me.  I start worrying about it in October.

I do know charms, leather wrap bracelets and jewelry with soul are super hot right now, and I was beyond thrilled to find Lenny & Eva bracelets at City Art Works (which is a TOTAL find on Woodlawn at Park Rd by the Total Wine).  (I seriously hate to even tell you about City Art Works, as I secretly love the jewelry at this store so much).

Leather cuff bracelets set up for interchangeable metal “sentiment” tags – as well as little charms – that hook right onto the cuff.  (Also affordable wrap bracelets that can be hooked up with charms, sentiments etc).  Love.  Priced right – about $45 for a completed wide cuff.   Nieces, beware.  Something Lenny & Eva this way comes. (more…)

Brides? Just because you’ve got the diamond does NOT mean that Mr. Fiance has a get-out-of-jewelry-free card until you get hitched. No, ‘mam. He does not. And you with the Mrs. prefix? You still deserve the bling. I believe it is a lady’s right to feel blingtastic at all times.

At. All. Times.

Charlotte’s neighborhood jeweler, Guliani’s Fine Jewelry  in Blakeney can totally help you with that requirement.   I think a lot of people are a bit hesitant to go into a jewelry store without having an idea about what they want. Don’t be scared. Guliani’s sales folks are super nice, really knowledgeable and guess what? They are NOT paid on commission so the atmosphere is relaxed and unpressured. They even have a little area for the boys where they can watch TV and drink beer while YOU shop. How cool is that?  Take a look at some of the items on my holiday list:

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A long time ago, I loved Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.  Now, I love just Melvin.  I found out about this Aunt and niece duo original to the QC at Poole Shop.  Martha Clifford and Morgan Elvington take inspiration from every surrounding including, architecture, culture, and vintage finds while traveling. Melvin is a Charlotte born collection, handmade in NYC and is currently sold in Poole Shop.  My son calls my new Melvin bracelet (see pic below) Davy Jones.  Which is good, cuz I love Johnny Depp even more.

by Louise Truett, scoopWEDDINGS

This Saturday October 15th  is Guliani’s Fine Jewelry’s Client Appreciation party, with 20% off all jewelry, free appetizers from 131 Main and complimentary beer, wine and sodas.  Plus, you can try your key to their Treasure Chest to win a $500 gift certificate.  Door prizes from 131 Main Restaurant, Bevello, Seventy-Two Shoe Boutique, Massage Envy, Cigar City Co., Gateway Travel, SAS Cupcakes.

Last month I got to spend a little time in the House of Bling, otherwise known as Guliani’s Fine Jewelry. Can I just tell you how fantastic it is to be able to play with gorgeous jewels? I mean, seriously. Who doesn’t like diamonds?
What’s the one thing that can make buying bling better? Champagne, yes. But I mean in terms of jewelry. Okay, okay. Enough with the guessing. It’s customization: making that little special something all that more special . (more…)

An open letter to Laura James Jewelry.

Dear Laura,
Stop.  Just stop.  My credit card cannot take one more piece from you.  This new Couture Collection is possibly my favorite LJJ ever.  The temptation is killing me. C’mon and give a girl a break.  As a friend, please, just stop it already.
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Remember those jangly gold charm bracelets the grandmothers used to wear?  Back when women dressed for dinner and downtown, wore gloves & hats and matched shoes to bags?  I’m sure on Park Ave. they looked like this gorgeous gem-laden 18K gold version.  In my hometown, it was more like this: (more…)

Remember silly bands?  Like, all over your house and the back of your car?  In case you didn’t know it (or live it) that toy-trend that was soon hijacked by teens and college kids for tongue-in-cheek style.  The anti-chan luu.   A conversation starter.  (on the right girls, anything can be a prelude).

This summer?  Orthodontal rubber bands.  Silly –  yes.  Silly Bands, no.  These are called BRACED LETS. Made from those tiny colored bands used on braces brackets and the brackets themselves.  Lots of colors to be mixed, matched and stacked, retailing on line for $4.99 each.  Created by the designer of much loved jewelry brand Lulu Frost and her orthodontist sister.  Reported on by the NYT and now, sold out.   Available for order for delivery later this month.

In a word.  Wow.