Born Fashionable: Children's furniture, clothing, and more

It's been less than a week since the arrival of the new royal baby! So I thought it'd be great to look at one of the fun parts of a new arrival for the family--baby clothes, nursery furniture, and more. Here are some finds from my favorite (etsy!).

1. This painting is just so adorable and has the feel of a children's book. (Catch a Falling Star Elephant and Bunny)

2. A polka dot whale for your baby boy! Perfect for the summer. (New Born Baby Boy Clothes:Polka Dot Whale)

3. A great way to rock pink and green, the classic combo, with a new twist. (Pink Hat with Alligator)

4. I just love this pouf-- it is chic and cute with elephants :) (Pouf with Elephant)

1. I think their photo already says it all. (Baby Stache)

2. For your hip baby girl, this just adds a little sass. (Mustache Shoes)

3. Chevron bibs are so cute -- this one comes in several colors. (Mustache Bib)

4. A little added class for your little one -- an added tie and 'stache! (Mustache Onesie)


Have a great week keeping the little ones in your life dashing!

Getting Charmed This Summer: Samantha Faye's Fantastic Charms

This Summer I have had the opportunity to intern with Samantha Freedman, owner, creator, and designer of Samantha Faye. Her jewelry has personality and flair that makes them stand out from the crowd and has been worn by Katie Holmes and her daughter and been worn on the shows Girls and The Carrie Diaries. Samantha went from a lawyer to a designer of a flourishing company in a few years. This short interview gives insight into that fantastic and life changing journey!

Q:What prompted you to want to become a jewelry designer after being a lawyer?
S.F: I started designing while studying for the bar exam. I would run to 47th street during breaks and then again when I started practice.  People would stop me on the street and ask where I purchased my necklace... all the time.  So, I knew I was onto something. When I thought of the mother daughter charm idea and it got put on the Today Show, that's when I took the plunge!

Q:How were you inspired to start creating your charms?
S.F:Always thought of ideas -- I wake up often in the middle of the night and draw or write down my ideas. Anything inspires me - every day items to an exotic trip!

Samantha's first charm!

Q:What is your favorite part of designing these charms?

S.F:People wearing them! [That] Makes me really happy.

Q:What has been the most exciting part of starting this company?
S.F: That I did it all on my own.

Q:What was the most difficult part of starting up?
S.F:Same as above, that I did it on my own.   I think the hardest part was not having  a partner that complimented me and had different strengths. That would have been - still would be - helpful!!!

Q:Where would you like seeing the company go in the next five years? 
S.F:Worldwide! I would like to get real brand recognition and make it affordable to all.

Q:What famous person would you like to see wearing your charms?
S.F: Hmm. I want Michelle Obama and her girls!!! Emma Stone, Mila Kunis and others - to name a few.

Mine is in silver :)

I know I love my owl charm with its cute crystal eyes. There is such an amazing range of charms that range from animals to lips to weather charms -- definitely something for every personality- down to your family dentist with a tooth charm!

It's been a whirlwind of a summer so far between my internship and my other job! More posts to come later!

Have a 'charming' week!

Fourth of July Fun Rice Krispie Treats!

For all you last minute party planners, here is a great treat that you can make last minute for your Fourth of July gathering!

You only need a few things and a little bit of time to whip of these patriotic desserts.

-Rice Krispies
-White Chocolate
-Red and Blue Sprinkles

Begin by cutting the krispies in half. Now put out some wax paper while you start to prep the melting chocolate. Mix red and blue sprinkles in a bowl for dipping. After you melt the white chocolate (for chocolate melting instruction look at What A Reese's Peanutbutter Cup Wants to Be) begin dipping in the Krispie treats one side at a time. I like to use a fork to scrape off the excess to avoid too much white chocolate. Then dip them in the sprinkles AND VOILA!!! You have some easily made and wonderful party treats to put out at your Fourth of July celebration. I like to put them in fridge to help the chocolate set up if it isn't hardening quickly by itself.


Happy Birthday America!!!!

Fun Filled Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is without doubt one of my favorite holidays. It's filled with memories of sparklers and fireworks filled skies, while I laid on the grass and ate fun dip. No matter where I am I always love to show my national pride! So in honor of the fast approaching holiday I wanted to select some accessories in the spirit of the good ol' red white and blue! Definitely showing my Etsy love in this post.

1. These fantastic studs would look great with any outfit! That's why I absolutely adore them. They have a charm and vintage feel just perfect for an outdoor BBQ. (American Flag Studs)

2. You can kick up the classic look of jeans and a white tee with this scarf - made perfectly light weight for a hot summer day. (American Flag Scarf)

3. For those girls with long hair looking for an effortlessly chic vibe check out this turban headband! (The 'Merica Patriotic Fourth of July Stars and Stripes Turban Headband)

4. Because the man in your life needs to be looking sharp for 'Merica's birthday! (Fourth of July Stars and Stripes Bowtie)

What kind of accessories do you love wearing for the Fourth of July??
----Comment below and let me know!

Thank you to those who serve this country and protect our freedom. 
-Have fun getting ready for your BBQ's!

Summer Bling: Silver and Gold

With Summer in full swing I thought I would share some of my favorite Summer statement necklaces! A perfect accessory can completely change an outfit giving it more dimension and dressing it up.  (You can click on the photos if you want to see where they are from!)

This would look gorgeous with a strapless maxi!

A great example of feminine with an edge

I just LOVE the delicacy and sparkle of this necklace!

This necklace is a stunner! With so many resin stones it's sure to catch the light just right.

Happy accessorizing! xo

Bunny Approved: Making the Move Towards Cruelty Free

Recently I was looking around on the internet and was surprised when I found out that Aveeno, a brand I have used and loved for years, is not cruelty free!

I guess a simple Google search would have revealed that to me years ago, had I thought of it. Since discovering that Aveeno was not cruelty free I have decided to start making the move to using cruelty free products (products that aren't tested on animals).

When you are in store it can be very hard to discover what is and is not cruelty free, you will need to get online and do a little research before you head out to buy a new product. Recently, before I headed over to Ulta I looked on their website and typed in cruelty free. There were plenty of brands that came up in my search results.

Ulta carries brands like--The Body Shop, Tarte, Too Faced, and Ecotools-- all of which are cruelty free according to the search engine on Ulta's website. Many makeup stores have search engines which can quickly help you to identify brands that are cruelty free. Another major beauty store, Sephora, also has lots of options for cruelty free products like, Urban Decay, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, and Illamasqua (for brushes).

Between the options offered at Ulta and Sephora you can find beauty products that are nourishing for your skin as well as good for your furry friends. It has become much easier in this day and age to make the switch over, and when you have the option you should! Many of these products are not only cruelty free but do not have ingredients in them that are harsh on your skin.

I love my new Tarte lights, camera, lashes mascara!

Tarte, for example, is "always formulated without: parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate, synthetic fragrance, and gluten" according to their official website. They also use post recycled materials or recyclable materials in order to be a more environmentally friendly company. According to the founder and CEO of Tarte, Maureen Kelly, these two components of being free of harmful chemicals and earth friendly are what set them apart. Their boxes sport the cruelty free bunny who has ears shaped like a heart to help you identify them as an animal friendly product.

With a few minutes of research you can begin to find glamorous products that are good for you and better for the environment. I am now working on making the switch and it has been fairly easy. I know that I have a ways to go in the beauty products that I choose, but am working on weeding out the unfriendly products as I go. This way you don't feel overwhelmed and can choose a new foundation one month and a new mascara next month.

Have a glamorous and bunny approved Week! xoxo

Kickstarter Cracked Open: An Update on Preston Turk and his new project

A few months ago , I interviewed Preston Turk on his Kickstarter Project the Stow-Away Lens Cap Holder. I am pleased to say that he was successfully funded, and was able to get his product out to his supporters and the open market.

Now, Preston has another project out on Kickstarter , called the Lens Holster for Nikon.  This product is perfect for the photographer on the go, allowing them to easily and quickly change several lenses without having to deal with lens bags.

As you can see the product has a strap, that can go over your shoulder, or around your waist.  The holster allows two lenses to click into place quickly so that you can switch easily between three different lenses.

I had the pleasure of once again interviewing Preston on his latest kickstarter launch.

Q:What inspired this product?

P:The Lens Holster came about because I wanted a way to hold my camera lenses that wasn't heavy like a camera bag, and also didn't require a long time to switch lenses. I thought it would be great to simply have another camera body, but without the expense. So with that idea, I created the Lens Holster, which is a simple and effective product to hold your lenses.

Q: What challenges did you face with the Lens Holster?

P:A big hurdle with the Lens Holster was sourcing the parts. Nearly all the parts are custom made, even down to the shoulder/waist strap. I worked with many companies to find the best parts, and built the prototype seen in the pictures with their products.

Q: This is the project that won you the Husky Start Up Challenge, how do you think that influenced the product?

P:Winning the Husky Challenge for me was validation of the idea, and seeing the excitement people had about the product inspired me to move forward. The prize money enabled me to continue development and helped get the product where it is today.

Q: What sets this product apart from other camera accessories?

P:The Lens Holster is different because it is unrivaled in speed and convenience. Lenses are right at hand level, and can be switched in seconds. This sets it apart from other gadgets such as a camera bag because they take longer to switch your lenses.

As a backer of his last project, I am very excited to see where the latest invention goes. If you are interested in the Lens Holster For Nikon, you can go to the official Kickstarter page for more information.