For Your Galentine

I'm a big believer in female friendships; sounds corny to say but I love quality time with my girlfriends.  We can talk, and talk and talk and get complete understanding from each other when we may not get that from our boyfriends, husbands or significant others.  And it's not just that but it's more that understanding of what it's like to be a woman.

Cate, myself and Caroline, two of my favorite Galentine's!

So I propose that we show the love and appreciation for our girlfriends just as we would to our male counterparts.  Even if it's just a card, why not let them simply know that you love their friendship?  I grew up watching my Mom send thank you cards, little gifts and momentos to her own friends and family.  She made it a point to remember peoples birthdays.  And it has rubbed off on me.  And nowadays with the written word dwindling in favor of electronic correspondence it means even more to get that piece of snail mail.  I LOVE getting an envelope from a friend of family - because it's the first thing I open other than another bill!

Okay so to the point of this post, I have some suggestions of small yet memorable gifts to give the best babes in your life and the best part? They're all $20 and under!  So here they are:

1.  Cat claw earrings - This one is a no brainer, most of my girlfriends are cat lovers and these are super affordable and sweet. 

2.  Smudging Kit - Aroma and scents are very powerful, and what woman doesn't need a good cleansing of the spirit and home? These are only $10 and smell so earthy and good!

3.  A beautiful print - Just as much as I love a good scent, I also adore hand drawn prints.  It's calming to soak in an image of a powerful animal.  And Nest and Burrow prints have gorgeous detail.   I really love the Quietus of Munin crow print. 

4.  Wine profile card set - I got this for one of my girlfriends for Xmas and she loved it.  Most of my lady friends are wino's and it's fun and sweet.  Plus it passes on the point of sending out cards.  You could even use these to send to your galentine!

5.  Gem and Honey infused bath salts - I just bought these on my last visit to Everyday Magic and I love them! I'm a big bath person, it's my self care ritual and most women enjoy a good soak, with a glass of wine of course!  Your galentine needs that self care too. 

It's not too late too order any of these items and get them to your bestie - show her you appreciate all the times she listened to you and gave you advice or rescued you from a bad date!

It's Party Time!

I'll admit it, I've always loved dressing up and playing in my mothers closet and in her jewelry box.   Since I was young my favorite part of going to church and the holidays was the excuse to dress up - I know it's vain but it's who I am.

A great New years eve outfit or even a holiday party. Via Fashion Rooftop.

And I think many people partly love the holidays for that reason, we get to switch it up and have an excuse to bring out the finery.  Mind you, there were days, I guess mainly for the upper class that dressed up everyday - aka Downtown Abbey.  But now we have a very casual culture, people often wear jeans to the office!

This blog post is all about that - ways to style your jewelry and outfit ideas.  Most of these I can't even take credit for, they've been blogged or released by magazines but hey - I won't argue with that!

enough said - DC parties are the best!

So are you prepared for all the holiday festivities? I hope so, and if you aren't a party person, at least dressing up your home is one way to celebrate.  I get so sad at the end of the year when I have to put away the decorations.  They do make me happy!

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Giving Tuesday and Everyday

As some of you may have noticed, the last weekend in November - aka post Thanksgiving - is a MAJOR shopping weekend for the holidays.  It's major not only for small business' like mine and makers but also for people like you that love to shop!

With all that said, our culture has become a bit, obsessed if you will, with buying and purchasing.  And just as much as I LOVE shopping.  I also love GIVING. 

So this year I wanted to give BIG back to a cause that has truly gained much traction and focus, not from our crappy media but from people all over the world that have sided with the Native Americans the are speaking for mother earth.   Stopping the Dakota Access Pipeline is huge, not sure for the residents of North Dakota and the surrounding region but for many average Americans that live in the four states that it would cross.

Thus, I decided that 25% (which is a big chunk of money) from my sales would go to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.  Honestly I've never donated such a large amount and it felt amazing - that YOU helped in that cause and that deep down I feel that they will stop the evil and greedy companies that want to desecrate the land.  

Today is known as Giving Tuesday, if you weren't able to shop with me these past several days, I hope that you will take a moment and donate what you can to your favorite charity.  IT really is a big day for nonprofit organizations that work so hard everyday to speak for the unspoken, to help those in need. 

Because this time of year is all about love and celebrating new life. 

London Calling

The first time, and only time, I've been to London was roughly 14 years ago.  Just typing that makes me feel old! And it was such an awesome experience, as you would expect of visiting such a cosmopolitan and renowned city.  I long to visit again, however in the meantime I'll make do with having my jewelry there for a short visit.

Outside the location of the Pop Up shop. 

As I had blogged about in my previous post about the Erebus Pop Up Shop, Eilisain would be making it's debut.  And I'm so grateful for the opportunity.  You see, for handmade products such as mine and many others in the slow fashion and small business' the chance to expose your brand to a wider audience takes work as well as the collaboration with individuals that want to champion your brand.  Thus, having someone like Chris Tull Williams, Managing Director of Erebus create an event to promote the handmade movement and appreciation for well made clothing and accessories is a huge benefit to my business as well as the slow fashion community. 

Chris Tull Williams, center.

Here are some fantastic photos from the successful event.  I'm loving the gorgeous pieces by Clon8 and futuristic leather pieces by Aumorfia.  These are not just clothing and accessories but objects of art and ones to be cherished.  

A selection of pieces I sent over for the event.

Flora jacket by Clon8 - I'm lusting over this exquisite piece!

As you can imagine, with online shops it's trickier for customers to get a sense of the feel and made of clothing and accessories, and for that reason pop up shops are a wonderful opportunity to try them out and put them on. 

I hope you enjoy these photos and take a moment to look through all the other talented and amazing designers over at Erebus. 

5 Easy Holiday Handmade Gifts You Can Make

Several years ago, when I first moved to North Carolina, I started school and didn't have much money for extravagant gifts.  I also wanted to make gifts that were personal and usable.

Thus began my foray in homemade/handmade holiday gifts.  And to be honest, I do think they were quite appreciated!

So here is a quick and easy list of items you can make to give as gifts, small gestures of thanks this season:

1.  Terrarium - This is my favorite one! And it lasts all year round.  You can easily purchase or reuse glass bottles, gather moss, small momentos to put in it (faux flowers or cranberries).  It makes a great addition to a work space or bathroom.

2.  Scented sachets - This is another super easy and special way to bring fragrance and warmth in a home.  Use old rose petals, lavender and other herbs and scented and dried flowers and put them in a handsewn or pre-made baggie.  Tie it with a ribbon and you're done!

Lavender sachet - so pretty and calming!

3.  Baked goods - Of course this is an easy and very popular one for the holidays.  I love gifting homemade cookies and bread to the people that service me every year - the mailperson, the post office workers, UPS delivery people, bus drivers etc.  This was instilled in me from a young age by my mom.  If you treat others with gratitude it will return ten fold.

4.  Spiced orange pomander balls - Can you tell I love fragrant objects? Ha! So use a corner of the citrus zester to make a few designs in the skin of the orange. Poke a row of holes in the orange with a tooth pick and push the cloves into the pre-made holes. .You can really make any design you like on the oranges.

5.  Mini-tool box from Altoid tins- I saved the best for last, this is such a cool and great idea! Here is the direct link to the instructions.  You'll have fun and it's something everyone could use.

Oil Is Good For You

Okay not as in the oil in the ground kind (cause that's bad), but natural vegetable type oils.  Over the past year I'd say I've become a big fan of using oils instead of lotions for my body and my food.

It first started with one of my cousins in Panama telling me she uses olive oil as a body moisturizer, which I liked the idea because I love olive oil on almost everything.  Then I found a lovely coconut oil serum for my face which felt decadent! Thus began my obsession.  Just yesterday I purchased a new oil for my collection, this one is an amaranth body oil, it's so pretty with floating flowers in it.  And not just with oils but honestly most of the bath products I use are homemade/handmade (other than my shampoo and conditioner). 

This also leads me to highlight one of my favorite small business and handmade organics for skin, body and hair.  Priya means Love,  I met the owner, Priya Narasimhan two years ago at the Art Star Craft Bazaar in Philadelphia.  For some reason I got a terrible sinus infection the first day of the show and I could not stop blowing my nose, it was awful as I had to also interact and talk to customers.  Lucky for me, Priya was there were her amazing sinus vapor balm that helped calm my sinus'! There wasn't much medicine that helped that day other than her product.   Ironically enough, just one month ago I did another show in DC and Priya was my neighbor!! I was so excited because I honestly love her products, and she's also a lovely person - gorgeous might I add, I'm envious of her beautiful hair and skin! 

The last day of the show, we traded products (amazing perk of working craft shows) and I'm in love with her Deep Radiance Face cream, once again, I feel like a goddess when I use natural and handmade products.  It's a lovely scent and glides on my skin.  Seriously I can't rave about her products enough!

I even gave one her gift sets to one of my friends and she loves it too.  So if you're like me and you love natural body products AND supporting small business - I highly recommend Priya Means Love products.

Gorgeous gift set - perfect for the holidays!

Shea Be Natural: Holiday Small Business Feature

Bringing some light and love in this world today - here is my first installation of featuring a local small business for you to patron this holiday season.

Who doesn't love the feeling of soft, smooth skin? Especially when it's made with natural and homemade ingredients? I definitely do - one of my favorite pastimes is taking a long hot bath with a glass of wine. 

In enters Mecheline Muhammad, the owner and maker behind the all natural body products of Shea Be Natural.  She recently opened her store front business in the Uptown business district of Greenville, NC.  My favorite product of Shea Be Natural is her scented room soy drops.  I use the caramel latte flavor to make my home smell yummy and delicious!

She also has all natural bath bombs! I just got the cutest gift package set of bath bombs for a holiday present.  The best part of Shea Be Natural, other than it being locally owned is that its super affordable.  And Mecheline is such a sweet heart! We hit it off one day talking shop and being small business owners - we've got to stick together.

So I urge you to add Shea Be Natural to one of your locally owned, small business destinations this holiday season and all year round - I promise you, you will not be disappointed!

Erebus Pop Up Shop in London

One of my online stockists and a very posh one to say the least is having a fabulous holiday pop up shop in London beginning today and ending on November 18th! Erebus is known for it's avant-garde and slow fashion movement and I'm truly honored to be one of the featured artists.

The Ondine double ring in sterling silver.

I sent a small yet edited collection of pieces for visitors to touch and try on at the pop up shop, I really wish I could be there in person for the event.  It's been so long since I've been to London.  The energy and style of the Brit city is amazing. 

So if you're in London this weekend or in the next two weeks, stop by the pop up shop and check out the amazing and talented designers hand selected for this event!

Song of the Weekend

It's been awhile since I posted a song on the ole' blog.  

For me nothing conjures up better theme songs than Halloween, there are so many great spooky, eery and haunted songs for this time of year!

Several years ago, one of my good friends Jett Harrell created several discs with Halloween theme and he really went with it, and of course this is one of the songs on the disc.  The tempo, the lyrics and theme are perfect for this weekend - roughly one week before HALLOWEEN!!!  I present Bauhaus "Bela Lugosi's Dead"

As many of you know, I used to DJ for the college radio station at ECU and I really loved it.  About 5 years ago, I was all about discovering weird and good music, I've lost my edge but that doesn't mean I don't love a jewel of a song. 

Being a child of the 80's I also have a soft spot for electronic, grunge and really all types of music.  So stay tuned because this will be a continuing theme as I'll share more gem finds (get the jewelry references?) over the next couple months.

My Favorite Fall Rituals

I'm quite certain that many people love the fall because it's our entrance to our favorite holidays and our love of deep rooted rituals. 

The air is cooler, the leaves change to magnificent colors (if you're on the east coast) and we have the closing to the official end of the year - Samhain, the pagan holiday and truly what is now Halloween. 

The cauldron of brunswick stew.  My husbands families tradition of marking the fall season.

With that said I wanted to share with you some of my favorite Fall rituals.  Some are cliche and others are what I personally do to mark this season:

1.  Watch all of these movies, possibly several times: Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic, Beetlejuice, Coraline, Pan's Labyrinth, Legend, Nightmare before Christmas, Willow, Witches, Clue, The Lost Boys, Interview with a Vampire and of course the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  Can you tell I love fantasy movies?

2.  Decorate my entire house inside and out with not only Halloween themed decorations but Autumn colored items and fabrics.  I add additional candles to the living room, bedroom, kitchen...um everywhere!

3.  Make squash soup, spaghetti squash 'pasta', pumpkin cookies, pumpkin everything! It's the season of hearty meals. 

A housewarming gift to consecrate our new home, some of which I will use to mark Lammas/Lughnasadh.

4.  Perform a sabbath ritual, provide offerings and prayers to my gods as well as my ancestors.  Many religions perform seasonal rituals and it has been this way for ages; especially for people that live in agricultural communities.  From burning of the crops to provide fertilization of the next season to offering gifts to ancestors at churches. 

5.  And finally, holding a bonfire and roasting s'mores.  when my husband and I finally purchased a fire pit I was SO excited to sit outside by the fire and warm my hands and drink a beer or mulled wine. 

I hope you celebrate the season in your own way and enjoy the changes and joy of how our earth regenerates; could you imagine if it didn't?

'Ghouls' Just Wanna Have Fun

Is there ever a more appropriate time to bust out talon and crow claw jewelry?! Than the Autumn/Halloween season!

I've already got my decorations out and I'm unpacking my most sinister and daring jewelry as well.  Though many of you wear Eilisain Jewelry year round, some of you love to really deck it out this time of year.  It seems more and more people are reveling in the joy of the dark and magical aspects of autumn.  I do think it's because we keep it stashed throughout the year and there is something about the colors and fun of Halloween. 

So I wanted to share with you some of the best combinations I've seen bloggers and the media share of Eilisain Jewelry and their 'ghoulish' inspired posts.

Creamstyle blog post of a Maleficent inspired outfit featuring the Hunted Crow Claw Ring in sterling silver with amethyst.

The Resurrection Beetle Ring featured in a Ghost editorial spread.

Now, these outfit inspirations should really get YOU in the spooky mood - add a bit of ferocity and magic to your outfit - SHOP our jewelry today!

The Hunted Crow Claw Ring in sterling silver AND on SALE $175.

The Hunted II Double Owl Talon Arch Ring in bronze, $90.