Share a Sparkle: A Baublebar.com Giveaway

Over the last few months I have been slowly building up a collection of statement necklaces, earrings and cuffs from Baublebar.com. I am a huge fan of their selection of pretty pieces, and thought I would share my newfound love with all of you in a little giveaway here on the blog.

What's up for grabs? One $50 Dollar Gift Card to stock up on your own array of fancy new sparkly things. There are lots of ways to get your name in, just check out the rafflecopter widget below for more details!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway ends next Saturday - one week from today! So be sure to get your entries in before then!  Good luck!

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Heart of the City

My friend Catherine and I spent Friday evening wandering through the shops of downtown Ottawa, and of course one of our stops was local favourite, Magpie Jewellery. Catherine told me about an "Ottawa Necklace", made by local jeweller Lissa Bowie, which has a pendant in the shape of the city's outline. But it also looks a little bit like a heart, am I right? In any case, my love for the city that has become my second home, in combination with the fantastic sale going on at Magpie convinced me to snap one up on the spot. 

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Cozy Chic: Accessorize

On this blustery, snowy, wintry Sunday, all I want to wear is the coziest, warmest, wooliest things I can find. If you're looking for ways to stay warm yet stylish - a constant problem in the Canadian winter, let's be honest! click through to check out these and some other fun, fashionable and functional winter accessory picks in one of my recent pieces for Stylelist Canada!

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Wide Brim

One: Modcloth Two: Kate Spade Three: Jonathan Adler (similar) Four: Eugenia Kim
Five: Missoni Six: Anya Hindmarch Seven: Anthropologie

I love the gorgeous summer weather we've been lucky enough to have on the Island lately (minus today - downpour!), although for those of us who have pasty sunburn prone skin, enjoying the sunshine also involves a certain amount of preparation - be it multiple re-applications of sunscreen, a beach cover-up, or a sunhat. I love a good wide-brim hat and so thought I'd share a few of my favourite picks for floppy brimmed fabulousness that would not look out of place on the sun-soaked beaches of Prince Edward Island. Stripes, colour, the classic straw - you can't go wrong with any of these!

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DWN. TWN. FOX

  

Photos via DWN.TWN.FOX

One thing I love about Prince Edward Island is the constant creativity - from musicians, to artists, from actors to artisans, there is such an amazing community of seriously talented people from tip to tip of this fair isle.

A relatively new line of Island-made jewelry to hit the PEI fashion scene is DWN. TWN. FOX. Featuring edgy necklaces, earrings and bracelets, stunning custom pieces and a fun t-shirt design, I'm thoroughly impressed with the offerings I've seen thus far. You can find a few of the items from their range in the DWN TWN FOX Etsy store, or if you'd like to see these pretty pieces up close, they're available in store in downtown Charlottetown at the gorgeous new Victoria Row boutique, Green Eye Designs.

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Cozy Christmas

Reindeer Names Scarf: Topshop Ho! Ho! Ho! Sweater: Lot 78 Santa Toque: Eugenia Kim
Christmas Pudding Clutch: Charlotte Olympia Jingle Bell Mittens: Topshop Wine Reindeer Socks: Topshop
Charcoal Reindeer Socks: Topshop Purple Reindeer Socks: Topshop Boots: Sperry Topsider for J. Crew

As kitschy as seasonal items can be, I also think they're a lot of fun. I definitely think it's possible to wear festive pieces and not look like a victim of the infamous "Ugly-Christmas-Sweater" party. To prove my point, I've gathered together a few of my favourite cozy holiday-themed pieces perfect for days leading up to Christmas when Jack Frost is nipping at your nose. Best of all? They allow for a celebratory feeling without looking over-the-top or tacky.

Confession? I'm especially hoping "Santa" might bring me those Sperry Topsider for J.Crew boots. Love.

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Almost-Birthday Wishes

From left: Cocoon Coat - J. Crew; Prada Cat-Eye Sunnies; Michael Kors Watch; Asos Jewelled Flower Necklace; Asos Jewelled Cuffs; Modern Vice Benni Boots; Chloé Eau de Parfum; Modcloth Lilac Bag; Frankie Magazine; and Happy Birthday Polish by Deborah Lippman.

Since it so happens that I have an imminent October birthday, I thought it justifiable to share my wishlist replete with a few things I've been loving over the last little while. It's pretty clear to anyone who knows me that I have an ongoing love for bright colours (esp. jewel tones!) and sparkle - which I think is pretty obvious with my choices here!

I haven't got much planned other than dinner with my family - I am generally not a fan of a big b-day celebration. It's been a bit of a rough 2012, so I'm hopeful that this year my birthday will mark a fresh start with bigger and better things on the horizon.

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Floral

These pretty floral earrings from Lepun are quite possibly my new favourite accessory, I've been wearing them everywhere. Once Masha (the lovely seller behind the shop) gets back from vacation, I look very much forward to filling my jewelry box with many more pretty Lepun baubles.

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Bookish Baubles

It's a bit too bad that I didn't find these adorable little book earrings from DuDiDesign in time for my first day of work (today!), but they are definitely on the list of must-have librarian accessories.

Wrapped in Words

Okay, I'll admit it. Sometimes I search on Etsy specifically for items that are book or library themed. Yup, that's how cool I really am! But sometimes it pays off - seriously. For instance, I recently stumbled upon these literature embossed cuffs from Jezebel Charms.

If you can't already tell whey I love them, I'll tell you.  Firstly, they actually look really great and I can easily picture incorporating them into my outfits. Secondly, almost every literary work I love from Austen to Shakespeare to the Brontë sisters and then some are available in the shop, so the fancy of my former English major self is definitely tickled. And last, but certainly not least, every librarian needs at least one (but preferably more) book-themed accessories. Right? Okay maybe not, but this one definitely does.

Needless to say, these word-wrapped cuffs have wormed their way right onto my ever-growing Etsy wishlist, and hopefully sooner rather than later at least one of these will be found warming my wrist with their inspiring words.

Silk Twist

 These hand-dyed twisted silk bracelets have been on my my Etsy favourites list for a while. They are the handiwork of the delightful Danni, who not only has a stellar blog but also makes beautiful scarves and has now delved into bracelets, both of which you can purchase in her shop. Hopefully I will be making a whole "arm party" out of a stack of these bracelets before long.

I actually got to briefly meet this lovely lady while in Toronto for LG Fashion Week, and she is just as gorgeous and sweet in person. I was excited to hear that she's already dyed the custom made silk scarf that I will be giving away to a lucky reader in a couple of weeks, someone is going to be seriously happy, trust me - because her work is fantastic.

I hope I've whet your appetites a little for the last (and most definitely not least) giveaway of the five weeks of favourites - make sure to take a look at Danni's blog and shop, you will not be disappointed.

Pretty as a Picture

A shoutout to style.com for introducing me to the lovely scarves from Temps des Rêves, an apt name for a brand that takes dreamily beautiful photographs and turns them into stunning silk scarves.

If not for the $300 price tag on these beauties, I'd be snapping them up quick as you please. As it stands now, I am happy to admire them from afar.

You can find more work from Adrian Mesko, the talented photographer behind the dreaminess of Temps des Rêves, here and here.

Forever Friends

An accessory trend that has been cropping up all over the place lately from street-style spottings to offerings from high-end designers (Proenza Schouler and Marni, for example) are some seriously DIY-able accessories - friendship bracelets.

Be they the traditional knotted embroidery floss (below) variety you might recall from your days as either a summer camp counsellor or camper (I know I made and traded my fair share in my day, seed-bead bracelets (above), or the less traditional Proenza-esque cords, these are certainly something you could make yourself (see Andy's sweet DIY idea here).

If you want your own arm party full of trendy bracelets, you certainly don't need to shell out 100-200 dollars for a designer version. This is one knock-off that is well worth trying on your own. Cord, beads, embroidery floss and any other supplies you might need will only run you a few bucks at your local craft supply store, and the results look exactly the same as the (ridiculously) high-priced designer versions.

Between you and me? If you don't already have the steps to making these bracelets engraved in your memory from childhood summer days, pick up one of any books (like the one above), check out some youtube tutorials or any number of instructional websites. If you do, you'll be making some seriously sweet arm candy for yourself (without dropping too many dollars) in no time.

Top Three photos by Tommy Ton via Jak&Jil
Bottom photo via Honestly...WTF

Oh Dear Megan

If you know me at all, you know that sustainable, re-used, recycled items that are turned into something beautiful are always high on my list. I also love simple accessories lately, and these necklaces from Oh Dear Megan fit the bill on all counts.

Made from recycled coins, each of her pretty baubles is handmade and unique in its own right.  I also love that these baubles are strung so simply on delicate gold chains. There is just something so lovely about that, in my humble opinion.

Photos via Oh Dear Megan

Book Bag

Of course you all know that as a Librarian I can't help but love any and everything book related, so I am definitely a huge fan of these adorable first edition inspired clutches from Olympia Le-Tan, seen here in a fashion shot from everyone's favourite street style photog, Tommy Ton.

Unfortunately for my pocketbook, I certainly do not have $1000 plus to throw down on a clutch, no matter how lovely, beautifully made, or career appropriate it might be. However, all is not lost! While perusing the wares of a favourite Albertan etsy seller of mine, Hoakon + Helga,  purveyor of upcycled handbags made from vintage leather jackets, among other things, I noticed a new addition - the book clutch! With a price planted firmly in the double digits!

Whether this lovely prairie lady was inspired by Olympia's clutches, I do not know, but I am glad to see that for a mere fraction of the cost, at least some variation of the book clutch might make its way happily into my purse collection / onto my bookshelf to look pretty.