What I think I like about her designs so much are that they are organic and while well made and not simple, they have an easy-ness to them that I find really appeals to my sense of style.  So readers here is what I am currently drooling over:

There is also a gorgeous necklace that matches the flower pieces above, that I couldn’t find a postable image of.  I really love her stacking rings, I have really wanted stacking rings, but I want a unique design that isn’t something just anyone would wear and I think these definitely fit that bill.

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Get 50% off any purchase with the code 50 at checkout at www.malijewelry.com AND you will get free shipping AND if your purchase is over $45 you get this free red coral necklace.

So your shopping could go something like this- buy this amazing smoky quartz and garnet necklace for $187.50, get free shipping and a free necklace.

Or this- buy this amazing and classic pearl necklace for $137.50, get free shipping and the free necklace.

Or this pearl and quartz necklace for $62.50, and the free shipping and necklace.

Or these mixed gems also $62.50, but look like they are worth a lot more.

They have a really large selection of one of a kind necklaces that you just won’t see anywhere else.  So if you are still missing presents they have seriously good deals.

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We recently ventured to Guanajuato, Mexico for our dear friend’s, Warren and Estela, wedding.  Traveling there I knew nothing about the area, except what Wikipedia said: UNESCO World Heritage Site, mining history, yadda yadda.  Getting there was pretty easy, fly to Houston, fly to Guanajuato/Leon and then take a short car ride to the city.  Once we got there we quickly realized that this was an extremely beautiful historic area.  Many of the roads are under the city in old aqueducts or pathwayd carved for traffic, so taxi rides are kind of neat darting in and out of ground.  The houses are all beautifully colored due to subsidized paint costs to make the town welcoming and colorful.  The central square with its thick perfectly groomed trees is a wonderful place to hang out and relax while settling in to the rustic beauty of the area.  And they have a Starbucks for you who need your fix.

We stayed at the El Camino Real.  This was a great hotel. The restaurant and bar had wonderful staff.  The rooms were nicely appointed and spacious, the beds were comfortable, the hotel was impeccably clean, the staff were friendly.  I especially enjoyed the pool which had a zero entry platform so you could lay in the water and relax.  We had one of the rooms up on the terrace and ours had a brick dome ceiling that was really neat.  (Check the internet for specials, their website list price is much much more than what we paid.)

We had a lot of planned wedding activities, but luckily we had some time to explore the city, as well.  There are many beautiful historic buildings definitely worth checking out.  I highly suggest going in the ornate Teatro Juarez near the main city square, if there is a show playing it would be worth the price to see the show and the theater.  Lots of marble and ornately carved wood make this a real jewel. Many of the buildings date back to the 1600s when the Spanish still occupied the city.  Just wander through this city and it’s winding corridors around the central square, the university and the market, giving yourself time for stops. Stopping in the churches and neighborhood squares you can admire the beauty of the areas architecture.

The market is a great place to plan a stop.  There are food stalls to eat at, fresh produce, local crafts and all sorts of goods for sale.  I found some really well crafted leather purses, as well as, some neat gifts for family and friends at home.  I picked up a great, colorful woven market basket for me, that even when packed full is easy to carry.  Specialties in the area are candies, silver and gold jewelry, leather goods and pottery.  You can find jewelry ranging from very classic hand crafted to modern and sleek styles.  Wandering around town make sure you stop into one of the local candy stores to pick up some goodies.  I especially liked the caramels and coconut candies.  This was my favorite part of the visit.  Every corner revealed more city with interesting buildings and neat neighborhoods and stores.  Often one store had many functions, the neat traditional jewelry took the counter space in the front of a shop, while barbers groomed clipped and shaved in the back.

Another neat stop is the Capelo Art Gallery, website here.  One of the galleries also featured really neat pottery from the area.

If you want to see where all that silver came from head up to the La Valencia Mine.  This is where the wedding took place and it is a neat old mine, now a garden and quite challenging golf course.  Surrounded by stacked stone walls you can envision what it would be like when those shafts were active.

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We had some great meals downtown.  Casa Valadez was a great breakfast spot, with out of this world bread and salsas. I highly recommend huevos rancheros. But really you can’t go wrong on their breakfast menu. I wish we could have had another meal here, as well. Website here. They also have nutritional information on the website.

We also ate at the Hotel Santa Fe and both had enchiladas mineras a regional specialty. Chicken thigh over cheese enchiladas with a sauce with tomatoes, carrots and potatoes. A tiny bit bland for what many think of as Mexican food, but very good and homey, especially with the chile sauce that was on the table.  This is comfort food for this area.

The rest of our meals were at planned wedding events, save a stop at a local bakery for some freshly made doughnuts.

This town is best for the laid back traveler who wants to be off the beaten path from the touristy beaches, and wants stuff to see and do, but not a jam packed schedule.  It was really fun to wander, shop and interact with the people in the town who were all generally very friendly.  Not much English is spoken though, and we appreciated help from our friends communicating at times as we know no Spanish.  And do be alert to drinking water and eating vegetables washed in water when you aren’t in a big hotel or central restaurant.  El Camino Real has filtered water even in the showers which meant less worry when you were showering and brushing your teeth and you didn’t have to ask if the water for your morning tea was filtered.

This is a place that I loved.  This to me was very quintessential Mexico. It was about people and experiences.

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Last weekend I got the joy of helping her to find her perfect wedding dress at J. Crew.  It is a simple, but sleek gown that just mirrors her effortless beauty.  The Cecelia (as a note she looks much better in it than the model):

I told her I would send her the link to Lilac Bijoux as they have really neat jewelry, but their online selections were lacking in choices appropriate for a wedding dress.  Thank goodness for some of my favorite Etsy shops that I can give as a back-up!!!

So to follow are some inspirations I had- and as a note to Kelly who actually reads my blog, don’t feel like you need to like any of these, but check out the shops they have some really neat things.

Kelly has a beautiful tan complection and dark hair, and that made me think of one of three color combinations: 1) bright and fun accessories 2. golden hues to celebrate the Golden August of her wedding month or 3. aqua colors that she seemed to gravitate to when shopping.

On the colorful theme Whichgoose had this beautiful Artic Roses Teal clip set.  I adore all of Whichgooses sight and it helps that she is from Frederick, MD.  If you ever want neat floral or nature hairpieces, shoes or clips try her sight first.

Some fun earrings and a necklace from Joojooland.

And a bracelet from Jenny Trinh. (I would add one Peruvian turquoise bead right beside the pearl, and I am sure Jenny would add it for you too)

For the golden theme, this bridal hair comb caught my eye.

These golden earrings by Persimmon Tree, who has fantstic things in other colors, as well.

Or these golden earrings by Erica Leilani Designs.

And this simple, but elegant necklace from one of my very favorite Etsy jewelers, Made by Sam.

(Customizable… so is the item below.  You can change the stone color, metal color and initial) And matching bracelet.

Or go for a set and get the matching earrings too.

And lastly the aqua color.

These earrings from Erica Leilani Designs really caught my eye. And below are two bracelets that might pair well from the same designer.

This baby belle necklace from JooJooland.

And this hairclip to tie it all together by chicallure.

So even if you don’t love these combinations for your look definitely check out the above sites for nice jewelry and accessories.  I have found those stores to be reputable, with good quality jewelry and good customer service and ability to customize orders.

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I love to check out engagement rings.  I check out my friends’ rings, that girl on the metro next to me, that woman shopping in Neiman Marcus with the to die for bag, all of them.  And there are some really pretty rings out there.  For me though there are only two kinds: simple and elegant or detailed and antique looking in design.  I have a beautiful Tacori ring that is really detailed and very classic and I love it.  But I caught sight of these rings and decided in a different life if I were going to go with simple and elegant the rings from Everlon are what I would choose.  They don’t have their own website, but are available from many retailers, including JR Dunn who has a very handy online website here.

I have always really liked the look of knots.  That nautical knot jewelry is just so neat looking.  I am fascinated by braids essentially hair knots of different varieties.  Knots of all kinds just are really beautiful to me (unless I have to get them out of course).  These knots are so simple looking but just the smooth medal against a beautiful diamond just really highlights both elements.  So guys if you have a gal that is the simple, but elegant type I think this will be a real winner. They are very reasonable for engagement rings- a 14kt white gold with 3/4 carat diamond is $2990.00.  So long as your gal doesn’t want something huge 3/4 carat is a really nice size. (Another view)

AND as a deal sweetener  There will be ample ideas for engagement gifts as they have matching earrings, bracelets and necklaces.  Some of my favorites are below.

I love this diamond necklace- it would look beautiful alone or with just plain brilliant (round) diamond earrings, which many girls own.  It could be worn on a chain or with a nice omega, which is a thicker gold necklace that has a bolder look.  I really like reversible omegas one side being white gold one side being yellow gold so it is really versatile.

Both of these earrings are really nice for a girl who doesn’t have diamond earrings.  They are so simple they would match nicely with other diamond jewelry that she may acquire over the years. I personally don’t like drop earrings as much as ones that are closer to the ear so I prefer the bottom pair, but both really are nice.

I have wanted a white gold diamond bracelet now for a while, but I will be waiting as they are a pretty penny and my dear Hubby just bought me a stunning engagement ring and wedding band that is just as beautiful and detailed.  There was one bracelet I saw in a cute little jewelry store that I love in St. Micheals that was similar to this one that I just loved.  So maybe ten or twenty years from now this beauty will come my way.

Last, but not least is a stunning ring for the right hand it has both white gold and yellow gold.  I really like this idea because I have a really nice watch that is two tone, and some really nice gold jewelry in yellow gold so it kind of brings it all together in a matchey matchey way.

So if fancy and detailed isn’t your thing check out Everlon.  I was really impressed with the style and design of their products.  It has a real wow factor to it, without all the bells and whistles of some rings.

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