This year I would say that we didn't have a real summer her in the Bay Area and now it's already Fall! The strange thing is that now, that the new season already started we just had some very hot days. Can you believe over 100 degrees in some parts of the Bay Area? Well, for me it's been wonderful. I know a lot of people here didn't enjoy it that much, but this weekend we went for a walk to Fisherman's Wharf with my In-laws, who are visiting from Mexico and also to the beach. And even with the warm weather, the beach was a little cold. Most people were using sweaters or covered with blankets. But we still enjoyed it very much.
But now to the Autumn colors. I like how in some regions the plants and woods change so much and you start seeing yellows, reds, oranges and brown everywhere. It's still not like this here, but here are a few cool autumn pictures:
Gorgeous Autumn pictures, right? But this change does not only happen in nature, it's also very noticeable in Fashion. Take a look at these Handmade findings:
A few days ago I was looking for a Sterling Silver Necklace that my brother gave me a few years ago. As I took it out of my jewelry box I noticed that some parts were dark and it wasn't looking that nice anymore. Lucky me, I know how to clean my jewelry so it only took me a few minutes and it was looking again as new. But I realized that not everyone know how to care for their jewelry, so here are a few tips for you :)
First of all, it's important to know that Sterling Silver will always tarnish. It's just a natural effect that will happen for several reasons, like the the contact with your sweat, perfume, oil, food, detergents and humidity among others. That's why it's becoming every day more common to coat Sterling Silver with Rhodium to minimize this tarnishing. Also in order to prevent the fast tarnishing you can do the following:
- Avoid storing Sterling Silver in direct contact with wood, since it can contain coatings that damage your silver.
- Store your Jewelry in air tight Ziploc bags
- Add anti-tarnish strips to your jewelry boxes (you can buy those in many stores)
- When you are cooking or cleaning take off your jewelry to avoid contact with food and detergent. Ammonia will tarnish your jewelry instantly.
The above tips are to prevent fast tarnishing, but what if your jewelry is already tarnished? Here are some tips to clean your items:
- Use Regular White Toothpaste. Rub your jewelry with the paste (not gel) and then rinse with warm water. Make sure to dry it with a cotton fabric. While this form and the next one are very easy and cheap, there are some people who say it's not recommended. So use it at your own risk and only if you have no time for the other options.
- Make a paste of Baking Soda and Water and rub it on your Sterling Silver. Then rinse with warm water and dry with cotton cloth.
- Buy commercial cleaning paste or solution. Normally you only need to submerge it for a few seconds, but make sure to read the instructions first.
- Take to a jewelry and have it professionally cleaned. I recommend this one for more expensive items, since they can also check that your gems or other stones are still secure.
Whichever form of cleaning you use from above, it is a good idea to polish your jewelry after it's clean. That will remove your fingerprints and add more shine. Use a polishing cloth or flannel to do that. Also remember that what might be safe for your Silver might not be safe for the stone or gem that is attached, so always check first before using the product.
Sterling Silver Amethyst and Garnet Necklace by CaduceusNeckware
Just a last reminder. Make sure your jewelry is Sterling Silver and not Plated since cleaning plated jewelry will be different and you can damage your pieces by using products for Sterling.
Summer is now officially over, so let's welcome Autumn!!! And to say good bye to Summer and a warm welcome to Fall I will be having a big Sale starting today and ending on September 30, 2010. That's right 10 full days of amazing promotions. I will be posting updates on my promotions on Facebook. Why there? Because it will be an exclusive Sale for my loyal Facebook Fans only. Don't worry if you're not following me yet, you can do so by clicking the "Like" button here: http://www.facebook.com/estylojewelry
To start I will be offering Free Shipping on ALL my items in my shop!
This coupon is valid until 09/30/2010. All you have to do to redeem it is being a Facebook Fan of Estylo Jewelry then go to my Order Page and buy any items you want and add "Facebook" in the comments section at checkout. Do the payment with PayPal and I will then send you a Refund of the shipping cost. Free Shipping applies only to USPS First Class, but there is no limit on the items you can purchase with this coupon! This is a great opportunity if you have various items in your favorite list, now it's a great time to buy them :)
Remember to follow me on Facebook in order to be notified of the other promotions! Just note that no coupon can be combined with other promotions. So, if you have more than one Item in mind, this is your best chance ;)
Happy Shopping and remember to invite your friends!
First of all, I want to apologize because I missed my post on Friday and the beginning of this week. But the fact is that I was traveling last week and that I will be traveling again this week.
We spent some days in Austin and San Antonio. It was such a great weather there! If you have read my blog for a while, you probably know that I love warm weather. That's actually one of the things I miss the most being in the SF Bay area. It's too cold for me.
Anyways, before I leave to L.A. for a few days I want to share with you a few Handmade Summer items I found. And yes, I'm still sticking to Summer until the last day!
As you know, my blog is mainly focused on writing about handmade fashion. But why handmade? What extra value does it have? For me that's completely clear. I buy handmade when I'm looking for something special, unique and different. I also love that most of the artist will allow customization, so if you like something and want a few modifications they will do it for you.
I asked on the Etsy forum about why other buy handmade and here are some of the replies:
Response from SzetoBaby : "I like connecting with the artist, supporting them directly and in many cases hearing their stories and seeing their personalities shine though their listings and profiles. I think it's great to support the 'little guy'. It is so sad to see the mom and pop shops and restaurants get taken over by the big box chains. Quality is everything! :o) "
Response from LucidOpticLab: "I would like to get away from the highly industrialized, mass produced life style of this day and age because so much wickedness seems to go hand and hand with it all.
i like to know the item i am buying was hand made by an artist, not a machine. i also like to know i am not supporting sweatshop manufacturing and other such atrocities.
plus, even as a lil girl i always seemed to cherish presents and gifts that were made for me by loved ones instead of those bought in the store- it just feels that much more special and genuine!"
Response from Sugarshoxcrafts: "I buy handmade as a way to support independent artists and to get that one special item I'm looking for. It seems to me like my money is going way further when I give it to an independent person versus give it to a big faceless company where it's divided up all freaky and the original creator may not see any of it. I also buy handmade because it's made with care and is of exceptional quality."
Response from KerreraSkye: "I love the uniqueness of handmade arts and crafts. I also love to support my fellow artists rather than giving money to big companies. "
All of those are great reasons to buy handmade. Overall we can resume it to: Uniqueness, Customization, Support to artists, Bond and Quality. So, next time you want to buy something, think Handmade :)
Well, I was thinking what do people think is the most important thing when they get married? As usual, I just googled it and browsed around for a while, trying to find what others think. And you know, I just didn't find the answer that I wanted. So here it is this is my answer showed in a few different ways:
