Blingology

How To Care For Costume Jewelry

For the most part, Holsted Jewelry is of the costume/fashion variety.  However, just because it's not real, doesn't mean you shouldn't take good care of it.  Here are some things to remember when taking care of your bling:

(From howtodothings.com)

1. Look for bottles or jars of jewelry cleaner that specifically say they are safe for costume jewelry.
2. Read labels to be sure that the product doesn't contain ammonia, vinegar, acid or alcohol. These substances can be too harsh for delicate materials. If your piece contains pearls or stones, be sure that the cleaner indicates that it will not harm them.
3. Buy a small, extra-soft toothbrush that you can use to clean your jewelry.
4. Keep a very soft cloth that can also be used to wipe your pieces and polish them to a shine.
5. Always dry your jewelry after washing, because moisture can damage surfaces and cause them to rust or become pitted.
6. Store your costume jewelry separately in soft pouches or boxes so the pieces don't scratch each other.
7. Keep your jewelry away from dust, which can be damaging to the stones.
8. To find out if your costume jewelry is valuable, look for Collectible Costume Jewelry: Identification & Values, by Cherri Simonds. You can buy this book at Amazon.com.

Take care!

Blinged Out Perfume Bottles

Bond No. 9 is a fragrance company that creates scents dedicated to neighborhoods and popular destinations in New York City.  Some of their recent creations include scents named Union Square, Bryant Park and Saks Fifth Avenue (my new favorite). A few weeks ago I attended a special event at their Soho location, where they unveiled the results of a partnership with Austrian crystal giant, Swarovski:

The larger bottles are called the Bond No. 9 Swarovski Stars. You get your choice of the Bryant Park, Bleeker Street or Nuits de Noho scents. The smaller ones are the Swarovski Stars Bon Bons: all three scents above, plus Eau de New York. Each bottle is blinged out with thousands of Swarovski Crystals. These pictures don't do them justice. They are absolutely beautiful to behold. Imagine one of the larger bottles sitting on your vanity, or, better yet, pulling one of the Bon Bons out of your purse at a party. A glam moment, for sure!

Alas, these limited edition creations (which will be available in a few weeks) are too expensive for the average woman's budget.  The larger bottles will cost $650 each and the Bon Bons set will set you back $700.

Bond No. 9 isn't the only place showing off Swarovski Crystals, however.  Holsted Jewelers has Swarovski, too (minus the perfume, of course). To see it, click here.

Emerald: The May Birthstone

Its green color brings to mind new grass on a Spring day.  Thousands of years ago it was thought to symbolize eternal hope and rebirth.  It is Emerald, the May birthstone.

Ancient Romans thought that emeralds soothed the soul. There is some truth to this: Modern scientists have found that our eyes are more sensitive to the color green than to any other color.

Emeralds are part of the beryl family of gems. Depending on the source you read, it ranges between a 7 and 8.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. (Diamonds, are a 10.)  As a result, it is a somewhat fragile stone. If you're lucky enough to own a piece of emerald jewelry, do not subject it to extremes in temperature or you will risk cracking the stone.

Do you want to soothe your soul without upsetting your wallet?  Click here.

Next Month: Pearls

Source: Jewelry.com

Unvogue Magazine: Fashion For Everyone

Here at Blingology you can read about having fabulous jewelry that only looks expensive. How do you have a great wardrobe that only looks expensive? Unvogue can help show you.

Unvogue is an online fashion magazine for ladies whose wardrobe budgets are not those of wealthy socialites. If you can only spend between $200 and $2,000, the pages of Unvogue will show you how to look like you've spent between $5,000 and $10,000. They see their readers as fashionistas of various races, sizes and backgrounds who like to mix in an occasional luxury purchase with affordable, mass-marketed items.

While other, established fashion magazines dictate what to wear and how to wear it, Unvogue doesn't take itself that seriously; it only makes suggestions and encourages feedback from readers.

Sound interesting? It does to me. I'm going to bookmark this site and make sure I don't miss an issue!

Most Popular For Mother's Day

One of the features on the new homepage at Holsted Jewelers is Most Popular Customer Searches. With Mother's Day coming up on May 11th, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a look at some of the more popular gift ideas for that special day, including this adorable little charm:

It's the Sterling Silver Baby Carriage Charm and it's one of the cutest pieces of jewelry I've ever seen!

There are many more popular search categories all conveniently organized at the bottom of the homepage. If you're as busy as I am they'll definitely save you lots of time trying to find the perfect piece of jewelry.

Happy Mother's Day.

New Homepage For Holsted Jewelers

When was the last time  you visited Holsted Jewelers? If it's been a while, you're in for a treat and, if you've never visited, now is the perfect time: The site has a whole new homepage.

New features on the page include a slide show, image links to popular product categories, information about weekly specials and other promotions, an "About Holsted Jewelers" link and lists of the most popular customer searches.

Sound interesting? Pay a visit soon and if you see something you like, spread the word!

Prom Season Is Upon Us

Earlier today I was looking over a prom checklist. No, I'm not going to a prom. Those days are far behind me.  It still was fun reading the list, though. The first item on it was a suggestion that the reader start using said checklist 16 weeks before their prom night. A little further down the list was this item:

12 Weeks Before Prom: Pick out accessories that will coordinate with your dress and/or with your date's outfit.

Well, any girl adhering to this list who's planning for Prom '08 is probably in a lot of trouble if she hasn't already chosen her jewelry and accessories for the big night. For most girls the work has already been done. But, then again, maybe it hasn't. Here's a suggestion:

This is the Fun & Flirty Multi CZ Necklace & Earrings Set.  A girl can wear either the necklace or the earrings on prom night and her mom can keep the other piece as a reward for getting through Prom Season.

Need more ideas? Click here.

Before You Get Your Bling On...

Jewelry should be the last thing you put on before you leave your home. Clothing, of course, is first. Somewhere in the middle lies makeup.

Have you ever visited a makeup counter in a department store and agreed to let them give you a makeover? If you did, you were stunning when it was completed. You just loved the way you looked. You may have been so happy with the way you looked that you let the salesperson talk you into buying hundreds of dollars worth of cosmetics, only to discover when you arrived home that you were unable to achieve the same results. You asked yourself, What do I do now? Well, that's where Beauty Cast comes in. Beauty Cast produces professional makeup tutorial DVDs that teach all woman how to apply makeup correctly so that they'll always look as if they just left that department store. They produce DVDs that teach you how to apply makeup for just about any occasion, from bridal looks to Halloween makeup. Their website is definitely worth checking out:

So before you get your bling on, get your look on!

New Month, New Arrivals

It's April Fools Day, the day for elaborate practical jokes. I haven't played a joke on anyone today, nor have I been made a fool of (yet). However, I still feel like a fool: I forgot to mention that there are New Arrivals at Holsted Jewelers!

This set is just one of over 700 new looks, all of which are both beautiful looking and affordably priced. Happy April and happy shopping.