3 pieces to fit your life...

Today I dropped off my donation for the "Save a Horse, Hire a Cowboy" fundraiser supporting the Franklin County Therapeutic Riding Center. This is a great organization that I recently began volunteering with that teaches horsemanship to children and adults with special needs. If you live in the area, I hope you will stop by The Orchards on March 25 to support this great organization... and bid on my sterling silver bracelet! It sounds like it will be a fun event!

I know this title sounds cold, and, well, heartless, but sometimes showing your love for someone means showing them how well you know them. This time of year we are inundated with hearts, but let's face it, not every girl wants to wear them dangling from her ears, neck, or wrist. So, I've picked out a few pieces that will make the perfect gift for those who love jewelry but don't necessarily want it to scream "Valentine's Day"...

The Lily Necklace is long and drapey, which gives it a romantic aura, yet the organic textures on the droplets keep it from being too sugary sweet. The versatility of being able to wear it long or doubled up makes it one that she will wear again and again:

The Lucia Earrings are a new take on the classic hoop. The unique pattern and oval shape make them special, and the timeless design will never go out of style:

The Alei Bracelet is a bit more unconventional, without being too over-the-top. The wrap-styling just begs for attaching a cheesy "I wrap my love around you" note, which may make her laugh, but will also secretly warm her heart :)

So, save the hearts for the chocolates (everyone will gladly accept heart-shaped chocolates) and surprise her with jewelry that

I've decided that I am going to start sharing some of my favorite things with you, and since I've been practically living in these boots for the past couple of winters, I will start with them. Actually, while the boots themselves are definitely a favorite, I'm even more in love with the place I got them from - Duoboots.com. As someone who has what many have referred to as "chicken legs", I had searched for years and years to find boots that fit my calf leg to no avail. Then I came across Duo Boots and my problems were over. I finally was able to get the knee-high black boots of my dreams without looking like a kid playing dress-up. Then, of course, there are these brown beauties that I throw on pretty much every day. The quality of the boots and the styles they carry are actually even better than most of what I've seen in stores, so there's no fear of having to sacrifice style or quality for fit. Basically, if you need boots, you need look no further!

As far as a favorite from my own collection, I am loving the Florencia Necklace. You can put it on with the simplest top and jeans, and it adds just the right mix of edge and elegance. I can easily elevate any outfit I happen to be wearing by just throwing on my beloved boots and this necklace!

I'd love to hear about some of your favorite things!

Yes, this outfit is a sea of neutrals, but, hey, the holidays are over so no need to get all crazy! Plus, I may have mentioned before that grey is one of my favorite colors, and I love it here mixed with tans and browns. The unique elements in these pieces make up for any lack of color, such as the cut-a-way in the shirt, the buckle on the coat, the 2-tone of the shoes, and, of course, the organic textures in the jewelry. Neutral doesn't have to mean boring!

Featuring: Florencia Necklace, Lara Earrings, and the January VIP Bracelet (this bracelet is only available to VIP members and will only be available through January! Join now below for access!)

For Christmas, my sister got me the book Travels With Charley by one my favorite authors, John Steinbeck. It's about his travels around the U.S., the people he meets, and the situations he finds himself in. I have to say, I'm finding a lot of similarities between me and him - his knack for getting lost, the way he handles certain social situations, and the fact that he is able to come up with the perfect response to someone hours after the fact. While I now have the luxury of gps to rely on, he would have missed many of his encounters if he hadn't taken some of his unintended detours. However, I think I'll keep relying on the gps for now...

I'm still in the middle of reading it, but it is giving me the road-trip bug. So, to hold me off until I can make a bigger trip, I grabbed a pal and headed right up the road to Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum, which is one of those quirky places that is featured in a lot of road-side attraction books. It is practically in my backyard, so it was a shame that I had never been there.

While there are several giant elephant statues, the museum itself is a collection of elephant memorabilia that the owner has collected on his travels throughout his life. 

There is also a store with tons of cool stuff I had never seen anywhere else... like these adorable packs of gum:

Any Pez you could ever want:

Cute:

They have every nostalgic candy you could want, as well as homemade goodies. And, since I'm making an effort to try new things, I got some chocolate honeycomb, which is sort of a hard-toffee coated in chocolate. Pretty good!

I also picked up some fudge in cookie dough and maple flavors (came with a cute little knife!):

And I can't say no to anything labeled "salted caramel":

Definitely a fun little trip! I'd love to hear about any off-beat attractions in your town!

With all of the the excitement of a new year and new possibilities, I have decided to go ahead and release my spring line a bit early. I'll admit, I'm just a little over-eager simply because this is my first seasonal line, and I'm excited about all of the new designs. The good thing about jewelry is that even though it's my "spring" line, you can still wear it while there's snow on the ground. And, hey, what better way to reward yourself for accomplishing your new goals than some awesome new jewelry?

A new feature I'm excited to be starting this year is my VIP Club. I will be releasing exclusive designs, special deals, and other perks that will only be available to club members. If you are already signed up to receive my emails, no need to sign up (more info coming soon), but if you haven't signed up, now is the perfect time... just enter your email address below so you don't miss a thing!

I know Christmas shopping can really put a hurting on the bank account, so I'm making my December Special pretty simple - $20 off your purchase of $100 or more! Whether you need the perfect necklace for all of your holiday functions or a special gift for your BFF, I've got you covered... with some pocket money to spare!
(The discount will automatically appear when you checkout... happy shopping!)

It's a chilly, rainy day here in PA, which calls for a cozy sweater and boots...

Featuring: Maya Necklace, June Earrings, and Jacqui Bracelet

I love my Smartwool when colder weather comes around - keeps me warm without being overly bulky. When I saw this adorable pair of socks, I knew I would need to own them. So I decided to go ahead and put together an outfit that would show them off...

Featuring: Starr Cuff, Lola Earrings, Anastasia Necklace