Free People - new discovery

Good morning! I've got the day off work today because we're going to the O2 Arena tonight for a good ol' fashioned concert. I've spent the morning listening to Rumours by Fleetwood Mac on vinyl and eating scrambled egg and avocado for breakfast. You could say I am winning, and you'd be right. 

That reminds me, before I get into the reason I'm actually writing this post today, that I added a necklace to the wish list last night... 

Heartbeats by Erica Weiner. It's new and it's 100% me. You can pick various lyrics but of course I want the Fleetwood Mac one. 

Back to the reason I've suddenly had to blog... 

I was just reading on BuzzFeed that Urban Outfitters have reported less of a profit than usual and in that article they mention that they have another store within their ring of brands, and it's called Free People. I may well be behind the times, but I've not seen this company before. Of course the first thing I did was to check out their jewellery section on the website and I am impressed! They actually have fine jewellery [hoorah] instead of just 'not forever' jewellery. So here are some of my favourite picks... [warning, this one is going to have a lot of pictures!]... 

Bhanda stone bracelet // by Adorn // £58 // available in pink or turquoise. I actually cannot pick between the two. I LOVE turquoise [I've mentioned it once or twice before] and I thought "bah, I probably won't like the pink" just as I clicked on the link, but the pink is ALSO beautiful and it turns out that it's made from pink opal. Here they both are... 

What's next...?

Tell me about it cuff // by Nashelle // £128 // available in 'forever' or 'amore'. These are gold fill and made in the US. There are a million + 1 cuffs out there, but there is something quite sweet about this one. I think it might be the pinched ends? 

Loved ring // by Nora Kogan // £128 // available in sterling silver. Yikes, this is pretty expensive for sterling silver, but I had to post it because it's a ring that I've had my eye on for a while but I've only seen it on American sites. It's nice that this website has some lovely American designers. This has a message on side especially for the wearer. Very cute! 

This one made my heart skip a beat. Erica Weiner. IN ENGLAND! I'm still waiting for my Erica Weiner wedding ring to get to me all the way from America, so it's nice to see that she's selling some things over here too - it makes the process a lot quicker! This is one of my favourites. I think I'd have snapped it up already if it came in my size and I only found it 10 minutes ago! 

Herkimer diamond solitaire // by Erica Weiner // £88 !!!! // sterling silver. SWOON. 

Tribal princess hoop // by Studio Lil // £98 // 18K gold plate on sterling silver. These beauties are made in Israel. I've noticed quite a lot of nice jewellery coming out of Israel lately. I got a lovely lace bolero for my wedding from Israel too. I love unusual earrings and these fit the bill. Fit for a princess. 

Making shapes bracelet // by Marida // £48 // 14K gold filled and made in California. I have a personal Pinterest board of geometric shapes. I like things that are shape...y. This bracelet is just wonderful. 

Here comes another absolute GEM from Erica Weiner... 

Gypsy Spark ring // by Erica Weiner // £325 // 14K gold ring with .03 carat diamond. I'm seriously going to have to freeze my bank card in a block of ice. This one has me itching to make a purchase. I wonder if this one can be re-sized... available with black diamond or white diamond. I'd usually prefer the black diamonds but I think the white is stunning. Look at those carved bits! As always with EW jewellery, there's a little story behind the design of this one, so please check out the link. 

Well, I was going to end it there but I thought I'd have another quick look through in case I missed anything and... CATBIRD! They have Catbird! I can see that I'll be stalking Free People a lot. They have this lovely, delicate chain ring which sounds pretty odd but looks really pretty on... 

Tiny gold chain ring // by Catbird // £58 // 14K solid gold // made in New York. 

Right, well, you've heard far too much from me for so early in the morning so I'll leave you for now. I'm listening to Jagwar Ma's album Howlin and looking forward to some Japanese food later at Wagamama. YUM. I'll also be checking out the rest of the Free People website in case they have other amazing bits & bobs. 

Thanks for reading, 

L. 

Cat jewellery

HAPPY MONDAY! 

Please excuse my lack of posts over the weekend, I was out with a migraine. Boo. 

I have a list of things I really, really like. On that list you'll find things like scented candles, scatter cushions, jewellery, scarves, handbags, leather accessories, cosmetics, and perfumes. At the top of that list you'll also find cats and cat-things. My cat ring is dear to me, despite it costing only £16, hence the photograph of it in my profile. I like it because it's subtle, which enables me to wear it daily. My own cat is family to me and who doesn't love cat salt & pepper shakers, cat t-shirts, cat cushions... cat earrings!? Not everyone, you say? Oh... well I do, so here are some of my favourite cat-inspired jewellery pieces.

Silver cat necklace by Katstudio on Etsy. I love its simplicity which is perfect for everyday wear. Yours for £14.12, what a bargain! 

This one is a little pricier at £207.44, but it is made from 14K gold and diamonds! The baby kitten necklace by MichelleChangJewellery, also on Etsy. Subtle but slightly glitzy, this necklace has made its way on to my wish list. Purrrrfection in a necklace [gettit??]. It also comes in white gold, and silver, and cheaper options are available without the diamond eyes for about £35. 

Michelle Chang has so many things in her shop that I've had my eye on for a while, she has snake rings, skull bracelets, and more. One day... 

Next up is the Kitty Cat ring with blue sapphire eyes by Yayoi Forest, via Catbird NYC. Made from 14K rose gold, set with sapphires, and hand made in Brooklyn, New York. $320. Petite and beautiful. 

Another beautiful piece from Catbird is the Choupette necklace in rose gold by Hortense. I've tried to bring myself to blog about the matching earrings but they are SO expensive and sold as individuals, which is really odd to me. I almost bought them before realising that the price was for one! This necklace is more reasonable at $298. 

Here's a cheeky link to my very own cat ring. 

The vintage kitten bangle from Alexis Dove is next. I know, I know, I should be able to write a post without mentioning Alexis or Alex Monroe, but they are my favourites! I have the vintage kitten on a necklace, but as I've already featured some necklaces today, here she is on a bangle. If you're anything like me, then you love a bangle. £90 in sterling silver. 

I can't post the vintage kitten without the vintage cat mum to follow! [prices are based on a 17" chain, also comes in 18" and 21"] Yellow or rose vermeil - £125 and polished silver £100 and for an extra £10 you can have an initial engraved on the base. 

Sterling silver cat ring from Tatty Devine £35 [reduced from £85]. In small, medium, and large. 

And finally, why wouldn't you want a cat hanging from some yarn, around your neck? WHY? Look at this little gem, from Les Nereides. Tout Beau Tout Doux necklace. 105 Euros. [Tout Beau Tout Doux means all beautiful fluffy in French - heart melt]. Made from silk, pearls, rhinestones, and more. Just so. darn. cute. 

That's it for tonight, folks. I need to get some beauty sleep. I did make a purchase this week though that I can't wait to share with you, so I will be back this week when the lighting is a bit better and I can take some good photos. 

Goodnight. Thanks for reading, 

L. x

My top ten stud earrings for under £100.

Good evening folks. It's Wednesday [I thought it was Thursday for a second - ouch!] and this evening's blog is My top ten stud earrings for under £100. For this mission I am going to use some of my favourite retailers [i.e. the links will not be to the e-shops of the designers]. Let's go...! 

1. Silver forget-me-not earrings by Alex Monroe, from Astley Clarke. £78 [£96 in 18 carat gold vermeil]. I love how dainty they are and I also really like nature-inspired jewellery. Pretty. 

2. Silver bunny stud earrings by Alexis Dove, from Silverado. £48. Cute as a button! What's not to love? Bunnies... silver... jewellery - check! 

3. Gold and ruby dot stud earrings by Embers, from Notonthehighstreet.com. £34.75. I really like the warmth of the ruby in the yellow gold, it's such a great combination. The natural texture of the gold is also a lovely selling point. 

4. Trillion cut stud earrings in labradorite by Amrapali for Dinny Hall, from John Lewis. £75. Trillion cut labradorite? THAT, my friends, is why these made the list. Such a fabulous cut and something from Dinny Hall had to make it. 

5. Astrid studs in black garnet by Katie Diamond, from Catbird NYC. $150 [£90]. Look how pointy they are! Oooo. 

6. Copper circle earrings by Lovely Pigeon, from Hannah Zakari. £18. These are made from brushed copper and formica with silver plated posts. On the cheaper side of the scale but I think they're just lovely. 

7. Turquoise sonatina earrings by Astley Clarke Colour, from Astley Clarke. £75. Turquoise is one of my favourite stones and here it is set in 18 carat yellow gold vermeil. A brilliant way to add colour to your day. 

8. Herkimer diamond solitaire studs from [and by] Erica Weiner. $110 [£65]. As with all Erica Weiner jewellery there is a story that goes with these, so please go to the website and check them out. I think these are wonderful; I have a thing for "rough" stones. 

9. This one is another one that comes straight from the designer's website because I can't find a retailer that stocks this particular brand - Alison Macleod. They were too cute to not include. Just like little pearl studs. £32. 

10. Lastly, I have Pink floral earrings by Les Nereides, from ASOS. £34 [currently on sale from £59]. Les Nereides is one of my favourite "not forever" designers. Their pieces are made from plated brass, and to me that means that they won't last [boooo] which is a shame because their stuff is just amazingly beautiful. Anyway, enough of my rambling, you want to see the studs! 

So there we have it, 10 beautiful pairs of stud earrings. Which ones are your favourites? Please comment below. 

Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of the week, everyone! 

L. x

p.s. Today I wore my Alexis Dove belle hook earrings, my mushroom necklace from Alex Monroe, my engagement ring, cat ring, 3 x silver rings, and a classic gold Casio watch. That's all folks.