MacGyver of Jewelry

What does 1 bracelet, 1 pin, and 2 long necklaces have in common?  I'll give you a minute...a world of possibilities!  

I am a MacGyver at heart!  If I can find multiple uses for one item, I'm IN LOVE!  The first item that comes to my head is a product Arbonne sells called Skin Conditioning Oil (if you don't have an Arbonne consultant, you can use mine!) - it's amazing - it's great for acne, burns, bug bites, owies, in grown hairs, etc.   My hubby calls it "Windex"...do you remember "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"?  Yeah!  That's this product.  But if I can use one item for multiple uses I'm in heaven!

So, I got to thinking, "I'm sure there are more ways to use a necklace, bracelet, etc."  Sure enough...there is.  Park Lane was so ingenuous to create the Remix Extender.  If you don't have this in your armory, you need it.  You've been forewarned.  If you don't have the Remix Extender, you can use a bracelet, but this handy little guy will add miles to your wardrobe.

1.  It's a bracelet.  Awesome.  But you can hang charms (think enhancers...) from it.

2.  It's an extender...this means that you can attach necklaces to it so you have a fuller or longer necklace (totally depends on your use) which equals more mileage less $$$$.

For this 'tutorial', you'll want a few long necklaces (about 60-80 inches long), a pin, and a bracelet or extender.  If you use a bracelet from your jewelry closet, I'd suggest finding one with the biggest, sturdiest clasp you can find.  Do not use a chintzy spring ring clasp.  You'll be cursing if you do.  Trust me here.

Grab the items and lay them out like this:

Fold your long necklace (Fashion-able) into thirds, with the clasp on one end...we are going to hide it.  

Take the Remix Extender lobster clasp and hook it through/around the loops on the left hand side, and secure it closed.

Open your pin (Bugs and flowers are in.  This cute pin is soooo sparkly.  I wish you were here in my living room to see it.  It is a hostess only item, and worth EVERY PENNY!).  Loop the right hand side of Fashion-able over the pin, and the ring of Remix, put it around your neck, and secure.  Be careful not to poke yourself! :)

Voila!

Variation #1: Fashion-able wrapped 3 times around the neck, and staggered to three layers.  Pin the pin through the chain to keep from moving.

Variation #2:  Use a pretty bracelet (Coronado) as part of the necklace.  Fashion-able was unclasped.  I clasped Coronado to one side, then wrapped Fashion-able around my neck, then closed it on the other side.  Presto!

You can try it with pearls too!  (Jolie, in place of Fashion-able).  

Add Verona added to Remix and Jolie, because there is not a clasp on Jolie.  This creates a fuller, longer necklace than using Fashion-able and Remix.

Using Remix as a chain with Verona, and Signature enhancer (light enough to use as a charm on your bracelet too!!)

Imagine the possibilities!!!

I'd love to read what you think!  Do you have some more uses for these fun pieces?  Please email them to me!

Fall 2010 Jewelry Trends

From scouring high and low...looking at what other designers are doing...I present to you the upcoming fall jewelry trends.
Continuing from the spring, and even fall of last year: layering.  This is good news girls!


New Trends:

Gold Jewelry:  Can I poo poo selling your gold?  K, I'm gonna.  Keep your gold, and mix it with a few new pieces to revitalize your wardrobe. 
If you don't have any gold jewelry, now is the time to buy!  You can mix the gold and silver tones together for a very modern look!
Also on the gold strain, is Egyptian.  The Egyptians were well known for their exotic jewelry, and their extreme wealth.  Cleopatra even went as far as to dissolve a pearl in wine to show her extreme wealth.

Statement necklaces as IN!  In a nutshell, the bib type is going to be seen a lot this season.  Good news for those of you who aren't "in" to layering, one big bold necklace is sure to fit the bill.

Bold earrings:  bigger is better when it comes to the bling on the lobes.  However, it's best to not wear big earrings with a big necklace if you are petite.  Bigger gals, however, are able to pull this off!

Flower Power:  this will be a carry over, but in greater proportion to the spring motifs. 

Chainmaille:  yes, my friends, it's back!  This season we really have a huge mix of jewelry styles.  It makes for a very well rounded wardrobe.

Remember the $100 deal!  Refer a friend to start Park Lane, and you'll get $100 FREE in jewelry in September!!

What To Wear

One of my favorite tv shows, though I haven't watched it in sometime and can be too much to watch it all the time, is TLC's What Not to Wear.  I have my own spin - What to Wear.

Here are my opinions on fashion, then I'll address what bling to sport with your new dress.

Unless you have:

- been on What Not to Wear (or a similar show)

- have found yourself on peopleofwalmart.com

- your husband/boyfriend/bff tell you your clothes don't look good on you

- (regardless of what people think) is too small for you

I feel you can wear pretty much anything.  That being said, let's move on to your accessories.

I have been accused of believing there is no such thing as too much jewelry (there are worse things to be accused of...).  While this is slightly true (but mostly of when I wish to get out of jury duty), I do have rules I follow.  I have posted them on my Facebook fan page (Which your should follow, because it's much easier for me to post something real quick than always posting a blog...AND I offer special sales over there too...2 very good reasons to be my FB fan page stalker :))

Rachael's jewelry rules:

1. 1 necklace is fun, but 2 or 3 are better.  Refer to my post on Jewelry for the Non-Obsessed Parts 1 & 2, for how to do that.

2.  1 bracelet is fun but 2 or 3 are better.  This is a cinch...you might start here if layering is a bit overwhelming for you.  Start with a bracelet that matches the necklace you are wearing, and add another bracelet that is exactly the same or matches in color or texture.

3.  Mixing metals: DEFINITELY!  This is easiest in the same necklace/bracelet, but if you want to tie 2 metals together, wear a similar colored top.  Example:  let's say there is a gold necklace you want to wear with a silver bracelet, wear a cool colored top.  The gold necklace will pop. 

You can also wear a gold bracelet and a silver bracelet to tie the two together.

4. Same metal, different colored stones.  Yep, you can do this too.  You can also wear same colored stone, different metal...this can be more tricky to not look like you got dressed in the dark.  For this, I'd stick with the same size stone, or the same color (almost exactly).

For this post we are using a black strapless dress (courtesy of Ann Taylor, $98).  A friend recently wore something similar to a wedding, though her dress had straps.  Either way.  This is a slightly dressier dress, so more is not better when it comes to your bling. 

I suggest the Madame Butterfly necklace, with a pair of pearl earrings (IF you are going to wear everything else.  If not, go with the Madame Butterfly earrings too), and Stand Out bracelet with the Angelina ring.  The Mme Butterfly necklace, Stand Out bracelet, and Angelina ring are all statement pieces.  If you wore the earrings with the necklace, bracelet and ring, it would scream I SELL JEWELRY!!!! hmmm.... ;)  

If you wanted the earrings to match the necklace (I know there are those of you who have to have things matching.  I'd wear a smaller bracelet, such as A La Mode (it is a wider cuff bracelet, but since it's an open weave it gives the illusion of being a smaller bracelet), Bloom (has the flower motif), or First Lady (a simple/not so simple pearl bracelet).  Regardless of whether you wear a large bracelet or a small one, please wear it opposite of your statement ring, this will generally be your left hand, if you are married.

How do I get all that bling, you might be wondering.  We'll I'm glad you asked :)  Remember the customer sale I rave about all the time?  Here's where it comes into play.  You don't have to understand it, just know that I can save you a bundle!  I know it may seem too good to be true, but we've been around for 55 years...we can't mess around with stuff like this and get away with it for so long.

So, our good friend Madame Butterfly is $168, Stand Out bracelet is $138, Angelina is $69, Madame Butterfly earrings are $31. 

Using our sale, you'd pay retail for the earrings, the ring, and the Bloom bracelet = $169

Then you'd get Madame Butterfly for $12 (say what?! yup), Stand Out bracelet for $12 (what?? uh huh), A La Mode for $12 (it retails at $74), and still get another item up to $169 for F-R-E-E.  Truth!  That means you'd get $718 for $205.   

That's 71% OR each piece for 29.28!!

Are you awake now? :)  All jewelry (even the goodies on sale) come with a lifetime, unconditional guarantee...and it'll come right to your door!!  Be sure to get in touch with me to get these great pieces!

It is inevitable I meet a gal who says, "I love jewelry but I don't have anywhere to wear it."  Who says you have to have somewhere to wear it?  I wear my bling to Costco, or the library, or the post office, or the park.  Yeah, I do wear my sparkles to church and every where else, but where in the world do you need to go to wear jewelry?  A gala?  Just throw some stuff on!  You'll be so happy you did!!

Layered Necklaces for the Non-Obsessed Part 2 (and news)

I can't really justify 2 separate postings, but I am very excited about the newly released fall jewelry!
I've been clicking away at my keyboard, and trying to figure out what exactly these look like in real life. You see, part of the issue is that jewelry doesn't photograph well. All those intricate facets...places for light to hide and reflect is so complex for our amazing eyes to pick up on those subtle nuances. The good news is that the kind photo editing dept at JBPL does not do lots of editing on the pictures. What this means to us is that we may not get the best picture in the catalog, but we will be blown away when the jewelry arrives on our doorstep! Would you rather be wowed when you buy, or receive? I'll go with receive (and wear, for that matter).

Watch for some fuuuuuun things coming up from this blog! You really ought to subscribe. :)

So, layering for the non-obsessed. If you recall in our last post we talked about layering with a black necklace we call "Fashion-able". It's one of the most versatile pieces you can have in your jewelry wardrobe. The 2 most versatile piece is "Shannel". Shannel is the same length as Fashion-able - about 48". Shannel comes in gold or silver tones (they are gold plated!), with faux pearls, in a tin-cup style necklace.

Pearls are classic. They are elegant. Pearls can be dressed up, or dressed down. If June Cleaver wore pearls while vacuuming, they are good enough for me. Actually, please don't wear your fine jewelry while doing any house work, unless of course it comes with an unconditional guarantee. Pearls look stunning on a woman of any age! You can't go wrong with pearls.

So we start with Shannel and Beloved (a trio of heart-shaped, cubic zirconias (not chintzy teenie bopper cz's - these are high quality cz's!)). Shannel is tripled, and frames Beloved.


See Beloved all by itself? There are sometimes a pendant needs to be solo, and sometimes it needs to be dressed up!
Please pardon the crazy pictures. I've been having some issues with my camera...
Remember Fashion-able? Pair it with Shannel for a very classic, and chic look!
Verona (the thick silver cable chain...doubled) + Shannel

Verona and Shannel again...Shannel is longer and staggered.


Here is a picture from a recent fair. You can see a few necklace combinations. It's not brain surgery to layer your necklaces.



And thrown in for good measure...Shannel as a bracelet!


A few tips to layering:
- Pick 1-2 colors to start with. Select your necklaces based on those 2 colors. Don't worry about texture. You can pick metal, or stone; either one is perfectly fine. Mixing metals has been 'in' for quite a few seasons now, and is no longer considered a faux pas. In this example, I selected two necklaces in the same color family: they both have silver metal. The "Nina" necklace has pearls and rose quartz. The stone combination lends itself to be more earthy in my opinion. I like the juxtaposition between the glitzy of "Heidi" (the quatrefoil necklace with Swarovski crystals) with "Nina" (please pardon the poor picture). I also like "Love Story" with "Nina" for a more earthy look.

- Juxtapose two necklaces. IE: pearls and turquoise. Turquoise, is one of the hottest stones and colors this season. Are you in heaven? I am! Turquoise can also be a tricky stone to layer because of it's hard, cool texture. Because of the cracks and crevasses, it is visually a harder stone, even if it's texturally a smooth stone. If you wanted to play it safe, layer turquoise with a textural silver chain. If you want to be daring, and edgy, pair turquoise with pearls, either freshwater or cultured are fine. In the picture below, you can see a fresh take on this perspective.
I hope you've enjoyed this mini boot jewelry boot camp (if you're this far, I'm assuming you've survived!) Go play with your jewelry; how else are you going to know what looks good together? When in doubt, carry yourself with confidence! You are a lovely woman of God; wear what you like! Be proud of yourself!!
I'd love to hear what you've put together. Please feel free to leave a comment below. The next posting will feature 3 necklaces. Whew! We'll get through this together! I promise to hold your hand the whole way. :)

"I don't wear jewelry" - Jewelry 101 (for the non-obsessed)

For shame. I get that not everyone stops dead in their tracks when passing a jewelry store in the mall. I constantly hear my husband, who's suddenly 15 feet in front of me, while I'm gawking at something sparkly (usually pearls - in my top five favorite stones, or rubies, or whatever. Not watches though...). This is followed by rolling of eyes, and "What are you looking at now?" Which is then followed by me sputtering out something about, "Do you see that ring?! OHMYGOODNESS!!!" Then, "Come on, Rachael." :) Yep I get it. In my defense (do I have any justifications left? no? oh ok.), it was taught. Not by my mom, but by playing with jewelry for 8 hours...my first retail job was for a chain jewelry store. We had to know how it felt, what looked good...

What I didn't understand was layering. This is not really something that is taught in high-end jewelry stores. After all, people are coming in to buy 1 piece (a necklace, for example), and sometimes we could encourage them to purchase the matching earrings, and then sometimes the customer would buy the matching bracelet. Ensembles. I get that. Layering? Nope, that was lost on me. So, this is my layering guide for the non-obsessed. For people who 'don't get it', or who just plain don't wear jewelry :) Come on, you can wear more than just the pearl studs. In fact these looks will look great with the pearl studs.

Now, raise your right hand and repeat after me, "I _________________ (this is where you put your name), promise I will not freak out. And I promise to try at least one of these looks in the near future." I'm your jewelry guide...I will not lead you astray. Remember, we also have an unbelievable customer sale - it will serve you well and you can get 80% off! Contact me for more details!


We'll start with Fashion-able. It's this black one. 48" long. Very simple, with faceted black beads. It's shown tripled here. This is a great piece to wear super long (long necklaces will make a shorter woman look taller than she is, and a heavier set woman look thinner - yes you can wear more than one at a time!!). You could also double this necklace, to make it a bit longer than it's shown here. Or you can triple it.

Keep this image in the back of your mind...we're going to pair 2 different necklaces with a few others to create completely separate looks. Hint - you can wear them with the pearl earrings you love, or that pendant you never take off. I can guarantee you that by adding something else to the mix, people will notice that pendant, rather than by wearing it alone. Crazy, huh?! Follow me on this one!!




Breathe....see that wasn't so hard, was it? By adding your favorite pendant (yes, the one you have on right now), and staggering the long black one (Fashion-able), you're adding more mileage to your jewelry wardrobe, changing it up a little bit, and updating your great look! :) You are already beautiful, you don't need to change that...just your jewelry ;)

The heart necklace is Love Story - it's a designer inspired (ahem...Brighton) piece...Mother of pearl heart surrounded by marcasites. A very simple and elegant, though not too over the top, look!

This is an opportune time to mention that ALL of Park Lane's jewelry is backed by a 100% unconditional guarantee. That means that regardless of when, how or where it breaks, your jewelry will be replaced free of charge. Even if you break it on the high chair. Even if your beloved child yanks it. And, yes, even if the dog eats it. Send back what you have, and voila a brand new piece will arrive to you in the mail!

Congratulations! You haven't withered away! See! You can do this!!!

Rather than giving you more pieces you can wear with Fashion-able, and run the risk of overwhelming you, I'd much rather you come back and read my next post (invite your friends too!). I promise to make it really simple. Cross my heart.

So for this look on the side...it's so simple, hold one end of the necklace, and wrap and wrap and wrap until it's tight, but not too tight...it should fit like a normal bracelet. Then clasp the two ends together. Presto! A long necklace becomes a bracelet! HINT: you can do this with almost any long necklace. Heck, you might just need to buy 2 long necklaces; one to wear as a necklace, and one to wear as a bracelet!!!