Chic Steal: Emilie M. Handbags and Cyber Monday Deal

Emilie M. is an online handbag brand featuring beautifully-designed vegan leather handbags for an affordable price. Offering a number of different colorways for each design, pieces retail for an average of $50-$150, and are referred to as “an investment piece without the investment.”emiliemhandbag3I was sent the Shelia Satchel with Double Shoulder Strap in Ivory/Black ($85), and the Natalie Shopper ($80) in Blue to review. When I received both, I was quite surprised at how light they both were (usually handbags tend to be fairly heavy, even ones using manmade leathers.) But regardless of their weight, both handbags were constructed strongly, with the edges properly coated and sealed, the handles strongly-attached, and the stitching impeccable. Each piece also comes with a large metal M bag charm that adds to the high-end look (though I wish you could actually choose your own initial rather than it being the Emilie M. branding!).  emiliemhandbag2I love that the Sheila Satchel is in trendy black-and-white colorblocking with gold accents, and the detachable (and adjustable) shoulder strap has a sliding protector for your shoulder on it. (See the bag in action here in my latest outfit!) Both bags are fairly roomy and structured, so can definitely protect all my essentials easily. Given that they are constructed of man-made leather, I will still have to see how they stand up to daily wear and tear, though so far they seem to be doing well.emiliemhandbag1

For the woman in your life one of these handbags could be a wonderful holiday gift – especially if your favorite lady prefers eco-friendly materials but still wants a high-end look.

Plus, the brand is offering a great deal next week: for a week beginning Black Friday (Friday, Nov 29), you can get 40% off site-wide and 60% off clearance items sitewide!Also, if you want to round out any handbag purchase with a 5-piece “Essentials Box” (pictured above: a kit including a cross-body wallet, umbrella, scarf, cosmetic bag, and key chain), it’s only $25 additional (normally $155). (A wonderful way to add to your handbag gift – or the items could be split up for stocking stuffers! That folding umbrella is super-cute with a little ruffle – check it out here.) Definitely check out all their handbag styles (14 different styles, not including faux ostrich or crocodile versions as well) below:

Check out Emilie M. Handbags Here

xo
Carly

FTC Disclosure: I received both the Sheila Satchel and the Natalie Shopper from Emilie M. for review purposes. I have not been compensated otherwise for this post. The above are my honest opinions. For my full Disclosure Policy, click here.

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Soooo Cheap! Take Advantage of Columbus Day Sales Happening Now!

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1. ChicWish Baroque Embossed A-Line Sleeveless Dress, $50.92  /  2. BonLook.com Cobson Glasses in Midnight Blue, $99  /  3. BonLook.com Russian Doll Sunglasses, $49  /  4. Romwe Caped Navy Blue Boat, $82.99

5. Romwe Color Intrigue Galaxy Print Legging, $19.99  /  6. ASOS Paul the Panda Sweater, $34.71  /  7. ASOS Suppose Pointed Heels, $43.61  /  8. ChicWish 3D Flower Embellished White Shirt, $38.17  /  9. ChicWish Diamond Jewel Stone Necklace, $16.92  /  10. ASOS Across Body with 2 Front Buckles, $17.80

Columbus Day is now upon us and the sales are happening quick! Don’t let some great deals pass you by…

ASOS.com Fall Sale CreativeShop ASOS.com and get up to 50% off during the Mid Season Sale!

You can get a free pair of sunglasses with any order over $99 at BonLook with coupon code FREESUN.

Shop BonLook.com Now

ChicWish is offering Free Shipping and 15% off your first order.

Shop ChicWish Now


Romwe is having a Columbus Day sale where you can get an additional 14.92% off of $50 of sale items with promo code 1492.

Shop Romwe Now

Happy shopping!

xo
Carly

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Review: Maruti Beads Straight from India, Gorgeous, Handmade Beads for the Jewelry-Lover in Your Life

marutibeads4 First of all: What are Maruti Beads? you may ask.marutibeads1Answer: They are amazingly-detailed, handmade beads in the rich tradition of Indian beadmaking. The clay beads are often adorned with metallic paillettes, braided wire, and tiny rings to bring a textured, glamorous finish to each bead. And each is made by hand!marutibeads3marutibeads2

A little more info about these three types of beads, straight from the MarutiBeads.com website:

Kashmiri beads are made from a mix of marble powder and manufactured resin (polymer clay) while the resin used in Lac beads is from a natural source.Also known as “Bollywood” beads, Kashmiri beads are hand decorated and use a variety of materials for embellishment such as mirror chips, seed beads, silver plating and rhinestones.

Maruti Beads artistically blends the beauty of Kashmiri beads with silver plated side caps to culminate in a one of a kind creation exclusive to Maruti International.

Lac beads are made from a mixture of Lac and marble powder, ornamented with silver plating, seed beads and rhinestones: detailed with metal elements, mirror chips and various embellishments…In short, Lac beads are highly valued individual works of art…Lac is a substance secreted by a tiny insect called Kerria lacca. The Lac insect is so small that a magnifying glass is needed to see it. This little bug dwells in the twigs of host trees and lives off the sap from which they secrete the hard Lac resin. When first harvested Lac resin is brittle and tough however, through a process of slow heating the resin softens into a workable material.

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Lac beads to the back, Kashmiri beads to the right, and Maruti beads to the left.

To be honest, I had never heard of Maruti beads before (nor Kashmiri, nor Lac beads), not until a rep from Maruti Beads International contacted me to see if I wanted to review their beads.

They sent me a multi-pack that included Maruti, Lac, and Kashmiri beads to review.

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As you can see, each bead is beautifully unique. The attention to detail is just marvelous – and the rhinestones are top quality that really sparkle. Due to their ornate nature, the beads are a bit heavy but each exquisite one stands out. Thrown together into a piece of jewelry they may compete with one another – so probably the best use of them is to carefully choose where to place each one in designs for maximum impact.

marutibeads_braceletI made this pretty beaded bracelet in a flash, using imitation leather cording and a fish-hook closure. The beads would also be perfect as a single focal of a bracelet in an arm party stack (or many bracelets!!), or linked up together Shamballah-style. (You can also see Shamballah bracelets designed with Maruti beads here, and regular bracelets using Maruti beads here.) They can also be linked together into necklaces, or used in drop-style earrings. I love how each tiny bead tells a little story – and in some (not all) the hole is large enough to accommodate Pandora or Dione bead systems.

MarutiBeads.com also sells beautiful copper, glass, and gemstone beads, besides finished jewelry, on their website.

For any bead-lover or jewelry enthusiast I’d definitely recommend trying out these beads in your designs – and with the holiday season coming up they may make a wonderful present for the proverbial woman who has everything.

Wholesale Beads at MarutiBeads.com

Which is your favorite style of bead? (I just love that big black barrel one in the center of my bracelet!!) Or what would you make with these? Let me know in the comments section!

xo
Carly

FTC Disclosure: I was sent a Bead Mix Pack from Maruti Beads containing Lac, Kashmiri, and Maruti Beads for review purposes (ARV=$60). I have not been compensated for this post. The opinions above are my own. My full Disclosure Policy is here.

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Review & Giveaway: Diamond Candles and 5 Ways to Tell if Your Diamond Candles Ring is Real

diamondcandles_introphotoCandles are a great way to brighten up and add some glamour to any living space. Diamond Candles takes it a step further by including a surprise in each and every soy-based candle: a $10, $100, or $1000 ring! They have some really fun scents, too, like Caribbean Dream, Cupcake, Sweety Pea, Ocean Mist, Chocolate Truffle, Vanilla Lime (yum!).

I was sent a complimentary candle to try out, and I chose the Fresh Grass scent (now sold out, unfortunately:-(

diamondcandles_burning2Indeed, just as the reviews say, it does smell like a hint of grass, with a fresh laundry smell, and a slightly sweet undertone. It is reminiscent of waterfalls, lush, mossy areas, and sweet, wet grass – a very pleasant and clean smell. The scent lasts awhile, lingering in the air for hours after burning, which is a huge plus (compared to candles whose smell just fades away once extinguished!) And I would definitely order it again if they re-stock it.

diamondcandles_burningBut of course the real draw was the hidden ring inside the candle: what would it look like? Was it real? How much would it be worth? It was sort of a treasure hunt inside a candle. You can tell where the ring is embedded from the outside: just a few inches below the top of the wax, so at least I knew what I was aiming for.

diamondcandles_ringIt took about 6-8+ hours to burn the candle enough to where the wax was soft enough to remove the ring. (Use a skewer or toothpick to remove, place on a paper towel, and allow to cool before handling!) Then, carefully peel off the surrounding foil and plastic packaging, making sure the wax is hard before you do so. (I was too eager and some of the molten wax got on my ring, which is proving truly difficult to remove!)diamondcandles_ring2When I got my ring out I was very pleased to see that the quality of the ring was very good – in that it was an excellent piece of costume jewelry. Though I could tell almost immediately that my ring was not worth $100, let alone $1000, it was still a decent piece of jewelry, with precise settings and a pretty piece of yellow glass in the center. It could pass for an actual wedding or engagement ring, since the stone had a sparkle to it and the setting did look expensive.

But if you’re wondering if your ring is the real deal (and one of the rare rings worth $100 or $1000, as Diamond Candles says), here’s how to find out:

5 Ways to Tell if Your Diamond Candles Ring is Real (as in, Worth $100+)

howtotellifyourringisreal_moldseams1. Look at the quality of the setting and ring shank. Do you see any lines or obvious seams? If so, the setting and/or shank was created in a 2-part mold, rather than fabricated out of precious metal wire and sheet. Lines or seams in central areas of the setting and/or shank indicate the ring was cheaply made.

howtotellifyourringisreal_missingstamp2. Look inside the ring shank for a stamp. Any stamp that says something like 10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat…or a jeweler’s name or brand name indicates the ring is made of precious metal. If there is no stamp or signature, or if like my ring, yours says “China,” then the shank is likely made of cheap, base metal.

howtotellifyourringisreal_crispletters3. Look at the stone, and turn it upside-down on a piece of newsprint or a magazine. If it is a diamond, you should not be able to read anything through the stone; if it is glass, you will be able to. A real diamond has a high refractive index and will distort type.

howtotellifyourringisreal_rainbowprisms

4. Look carefully at the sides of the stone. When you rock the ring from side to side, do you see any flashes of extra colors – like bright orange or bright green? If yes, then you may be dealing with a real diamond or citrine. Also, any colors visible in the flashes appear as in distinct bands or solid areas. Glass stones (or low-quality diamonds) will often show a full rainbow spectrum in their facets, with colors not distinct from one another.

howtotellifyourringisreal_airbubbles

5. Look at the inside of the stone. In glass stones, you will often see air bubbles trapped in the glass. Real gemstones may have inclusions, but not perfectly-round air bubbles. (This is something apparent upon magnification.)

Source 1 ; Source 2

This is not just a useful rule of thumb for evaluating your Diamond Candle ring…you can also use it to check out rings when buying vintage pieces or evaluating heirlooms in your collection. (Of course, a jeweler will be able to do the best job in distinguishing fake from real – but you might be able to save yourself the money by looking closely and at least eliminating pieces that are obviously not expensive items.)

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So, are you ready to embark on your very own treasure hunt with Diamond Candles?

You Could Win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Good luck to everyone!

xo

Carly

FTC Disclosure: I was sent one Diamond Candle for review purposes (ARV: $25). I was not compensated in any way for this post. The opinions above are my own. One candle will be provided to the winner of this giveaway courtesy of Diamond Candles. To read my full Disclosure Policy, click here.

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Max Your Morning with Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer – and Win a $1,000 SpaFinder Gift Card!

 

We’re all busy. Life can be totally hectic sometimes, and it’s easy to let one’s beauty routine fall by the wayside, especially when you’re in a rush. Besides being a full-time fashion and DIY blogger and freelancing in graphic design and illustration, I’m also a full-time mom to a rambunctious 7 year-old. It seems no matter how early we get up in the morning, we always end up in the car 20 minutes late to get my little one to school. Body lotion is the last thing on my mind in those precious few minutes I have to get ready.

 

But summer’s here, and I want to walk around in breezy dresses, shorts, and shorter skirts. My legs are nowhere near summer-ready and I am way behind on starting a moisturizing routine, but I’m still in a rush and honestly quite lazy when it comes to beauty. The more hands-off and fuss-free, the better!

 

That’s why Vaseline® Spray & Go Moisturizer appealed to me from the very first commercial I saw (I tried the Total Moisture® variant, specifically). Spray it? Go? Instant absorption? Sounds like Vaseline just cut moisturizing time in half. It’s super easy to use–same concept as using hairspray or spray-on sunblock–just uncap, aim, and spray.

 

The moisturizer is actually more of a lightweight lotion (with a multi-layer moisture complex), and I was surprised by how quickly it absorbed into my skin. Before, I would apply body lotion (when I would remember to) at night after my bath, but with Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer I can just add it into my morning routine and have healthy, moisturized skin all day without the mess.

To apply, you just spray up, switch hands, spray down, and then rub in (“Up, Switch, Down, Rub”). After spraying it on and rubbing it in, I put on a pair of jeans within 3 minutes and my legs weren’t sticking to the inside of the jeans–an awesome improvement.

And I was surprised that my legs were still soft and gleaming–even when I got in the bath about 8 hours later in the evening, when the water beaded wherever I had applied the moisturizer.

 

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer comes in three variants: Total Moisture, which contains pure oat extract and leaves skin feeling healthy and soft skin (pictured); Aloe Fresh, which contains pure aloe and leaves skin feeling healthy and fresh, and Cocoa Radiant™, which contains cocoa butter and leave feeling healthy and skin glowing.

 

And yes, although I am still rushed in the morning, it’s not that big of a deal to just spray the moisturizer onto my legs before slipping into jeans.

 

Soon…I’ll be slipping into shorts. 😉

Sweepstakes: Win a $1,000 SpaFinder Gift Card

 

Tell me!  How would Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer maximize your morning? Each comment will automatically be entered for a chance to win a $1,000 SpaFinder gift card. Entries will be pooled from participating blogs and one winner chosen.

 

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner  will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

 

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 7/1/13 – 7/31/13.

Be sure to visit the Vaseline® Spray & Go page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

 

To learn more about Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer visit their Facebook Page!

 

Good luck to everyone!

xo Carly

 

FTC Disclosure: This post is part of a paid campaign with Vaseline® and BlogHer. I received compensation for the post, and a sample of Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer Total Moisture. All opinions are my own. My Disclosure Policy is here.

 

 

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