Sale Watch: French Connection

French Connection has always been a retail leader when it comes to must-have dresses and beautifully sculptured shoes, but I rarely hear anyone speak of their jewellery range. Which is a shame, because they've had some eye-catching chunky pieces and some seventies-inspired gold pieces in the last few seasons.

A few of the pieces have made it into the end of season sale, and I've highlighted a few of the key pieces below.


Mixed Ring, £5.75 (reduced from £15)



Stone Bangle, £5.75 (reduced from £15)


Beaded Bracelet, £5.75 (reduced from £15)

Have you ever bought any jewellery from French Connection?

Untamed Menagerie's Handmade silhouette jewellery

I have a big, fat crush.

Usually, I only feature one or two pieces from a designer on Bling and Buy. But I really, really struggled to choose one favourite piece from Etsy seller Untamed Menagerie. The collection is created by mother and daughter team Penny and Nikki, and they focus on nature and vintage-inspired whimsical themes. Their imagination shines through in their handmade, beautifully cut pieces.

Here are a few of my favourite items.

Couture, $26

Let Them Eat Cake bangle, $35

Nectar, $60

Butterfly Effect, $14

So, what do you think of the range?

'Drink Me' Disney Necklace

Alice in Wonderland fans! I know you're out there.Who can blame you? The age-old story of tea parties, mad old men in humongous hats and food and drink that makes you shrink pretty much sums up the perfect fairy tale. Not to mention the perfect literary material for jewellery and accessory creators alike.

The clever bods at Disney have created this 'Drink Me' necklace with a tiny bottle charm. It's a cute alternative to the usual watch necklaces and white rabbit charms, and is part of the official Alice in Wonderland range. It's yours for £25 from House of Fraser.

Make your own: 5 resources for DIY jewellery

Writing about all the jewellery designers out there in the webworld can inspire you to get a bit crafty and create your own pieces. I've tried a couple of times, but I have an uncanny ability to glue/staple/clip my fingers together, rather than the actual beads and findings.

If you've got a craftier side and fancy giving jewellery making a bash, you might want to try the following places for some inspiration.
 

Folksy seller Forget-me-not-gifts has some delicious looking sweetie charms, including the polo, love heart and marshmallow fimo charms above. Each of the charms has a hole for attaching to a charm bracelet or neckace. This collection is £7.99 for 25 charms.

The Bead Shop is based in Manchester (and online), and stocks everything you'll need like beads, tools, jewellery making kits, chains and findings. The jewellery making starter kit above is only £19.99, and should be enough to get you started.

If you fancy adding a unique personalised touch to your pieces, you might want to consider getting your own tags created to pop on the clasp of your pieces. Folksy designer She Draws can design and create your very own tag, so your friends can easily tell others who created their admired piece of bling. The service costs £15 for 50 tags/buttons.

For free tutorials on how to make jewellery, head to Folksy's Make page for step by step guides on how to make pieces like the butterfly ring above, or VideoJug for a huge number of videos on how to make various types.

If you'd prefer to go to a class to learn first-hand how to create your own bling, then you have a wealth of classes to choose from. The Make Lounge has a wire wrapped jewellery class for £45, which lasts 3 hours. Having done a cupcake decorating course at the centre, I can highly recommend the friendly and helpful teachers (plus the free wine and biscuits is always a plus!)

So, tempted to pick up some beads and get creating? Or have you got any other useful resources? Let us know in the comments!

Pssst! Don't forget Bling and Buy favourites Sophie and Toffee, who have an overwhelming collection of Cabochons, pearls and beads for crafting.

Folksy Find: Ship Picture frame with Fish and Chips Detail

This may just be the most British piece of jewellery we've ever featured on Bling and Buy.

At first glance, I thought Folksy designer Cream Tea Jewellery had simply decided to use this picture frame as a quirky way to showcase the tiddly fish and chips brooch. On closer inspection, it became apparant that the frame WAS the brooch!

Featuring a swashbuckling ship, the frame is just 2.5 by 3 inches, and the fish and chips charm is fixed to the outer frame. I have no idea what you'd wear it with, but I'm pretty sure it would be a unique icebreaker wherever you go.

Fancy a bit of British charm? The brooch is £13.50.

Five kitsch mobile charms

Nothing like a bit of bling bling to go with your ring ring-tone, eh?

OK, appalling rhyming aside, mobile charms have fallen under the radar a bit at Bling and Buy. I've always feared that adding a charm to my mobile will only encourage it to form an unbreakable knot with my car keys and my earphones when I attempt to rescue it from my handbag.

However, I definitely think there's a place for a bit of phone accessorising (namely, a handbag far more organised than my own). Which is why I've rounded up five of the cutest mobile charms for your browsing pleasure.


Assorted Dog Keyring & Mobile Phone Charm, M&S, £7.50

 

Sushi Charms, set of 3, Folksy seller MrJin's Shady Business, £3

 

Hello Kitty Charm, Cherished Gems, £1.95

Assorted Donut Charms, Emariecreations, $7

Happy Cloud Mini Charm, Etsy designer Thatbearisknitting, $3.50

Seen any more good charms? Let us know in the comments.

Cath Kidston Sailing gift box set

One of our Facebook fans, Sarah, requested to see a few more jewellery sets on the blog for gifts (for others or, even better, yourself). This Cath Kidston Sailing gift box set is so ridiculously on trend, that I'd consider myself rude not to check it out.

Nautical (think blue and white striped outfits, sailor inspired accessories and a little bit of French chic) is everywhere at the moment, so this necklace is the perfect accompaniment. The teeny little yacht earrings compliment the chunkier charms of the longer necklace.

Are you a fan of the nautical trend?

Five exotic feather headbands

I'm a little obsessed with headgear at the moment after featuring (and subsequently buying) this Peacock Feather Bow Headband from Cherry & Joy. Judging from the feedback on our Facebook fanpage, you lot have an affection for giving your hair the accessory treatment too.

Feather headbands are definitely having a fashion moment, and they're suitable for weddings, days at the racing or just a spot of retail therapy.

Here are a few of my current favourites:

2adorn Exclusive to ASOS Peacock, from £74

Feather Applique Hairband, Urban Outfitters, £8 
Brown Feather Headban, Miss Selfridge, £8
 

NOELLE feather headband, Etsy seller LiveInStyle, $17

Adella blue beige and caramel fascinator, Etsy seller Pegasusmaiden, $14

Seen any more to add to the list? What do you think of the feathered headband trend?

Polka Dot Hairslides from Poppy Sparkles

You asked for more hair accessories, so we found some!

These polka dot hairslides are really simple, but that's what appeals to me. Strong enough to pop your hair up in a chic little up do, or simply to pin aside a stubborn fringe, these clips are certainly multi-purpose.

They're from Folksy designer Poppy Sparkles, and they're a bargainous £2. They're also available in a few different designs, so you could have a different one for each day of the week.

If you're on the lookout for some headbands, keep an eye on the site this afternoon....

The winner of the facebook giveaway is...

Over the last couple of days, we've been running a giveaway over on our facebook page for a goodie bag of bling. To enter, all our fans had to do was invite their friends and let us know what they'd like to see on the site.

All of the suggestions are brilliant, and I'll certainly be putting a few of them into action. Suggestions included:

• More giveaways, discounts and competitions (keep an eye on the site in May!)
• More hair accessories (Look out for an Ascot special soon)
• Jewellery trends, catwalk to high street
• Gift buying guides
• Featured ranges for younger children and teens
• Mobile charms, mobile accessories and customisation bling 

The winner of the giveaway, chosen at random is....

CLAIRE SMITH!

Congratulations Claire! If you can e-mail your address to emma.cossey@googlemail.com, letting me know if you have pierced ears, and I'll get your goody bag over to you!

Sale Watch: Miss Selfridge

It's Friday and, if you're anything like me, you're counting down the days until payday. Thankfully, there's some amazing discounts around at the moment, meaning you can still treat yourself to a bit of a retail spree this weekend without fielding angry phone calls from your bank manager.

To help you on your way, we've introduced a new feature for Fridays. Sale Watch

Today, we're looking at the Miss Selfridge jewellery sale, which has some amazing bargains on everything from chunky bangles and delicate multi-bracelets, to some gorgeous and very blingy rings.


Bow Pearl Stretch Bracelet, £2.50 (down from £5)


Pretty Bug Earrings, £2.50 (down from £5)



Flower Bouquet Ring, £3 (down from £6)

What will you be treating yourself to this weekend?

Fabric Floral Cluster Ring from Miss Selfridge

Do you ever click on an item online and immediately wish you could reach out and touch it? That's how I feel about this Miss Selfridge ring. The Fabric Floral Cluster Ring (£9) is exactly as it sounds, a cluster of delicate fabric flowers perched on an adjustable ring.

Wear it to a wedding and you'll be in danger of upstaging the bride everytime you raise your glass.

Where would you wear this floral fancy?

ASOS Chunky Bow Bangle

This ASOS Chunky Bow Bangle is one of the prettiest takes I've seen on the chunky bangle this season. A simple bow design in a resin material means you can wear this with an assortment of outfits without the fear of clashing colours.

I finally bought it over the weekend after spotting it weeks ago. Furthermore, it's in the sale for only £4 (down from £7). ASOS now has the option of super saver delivery, which is free if you're happy to wait up to 6 days.

Like it? Grab it now before it sells out!

Computer key 'Glam' Brooch from Farfetch

I spend a large part of my working week browsing gadgets and geek-stuff for Dork Adore, so I guess it was inevitable that my passion for jewellery would eventually overlap with my nerd-tendencies.

The result? This quirky brooch in the design of a set of computer keys.

The Computer Key 'Glam' Brooch above is from Farfetch.com, a new site for me. The majority of designer pieces on the site are way out of my budget, but this brooch is a far more affordable at £30. It's created by the design collective Vicolo Paglia Corta, a group of photographers and fashion and graphic designers. They've got a few other computer and lego inspired pieces, so it's a must-see destination for designer dorks.

Got a geek on your life who would appreciate this?

Guess what these are...revealed!

Figured out what they are yet? They are in fact a pair of teeny tiny outfits by B.Paoletti, which are designed to slot over a the silver baby pendant below.

Cute, no?

The baby pendant itself is £159.04, and the outfits are £69.58 each (available in pink and blue). If you're feeling a bit flush, this would make a really thoughtful gift for a new mum.

What do you think?

Guess what these are?

We're kicking off the week with something a little different. Guess what these are!

A tiny pair of shields?

An unusual pair of hoop earrings?

The ultra-feminine alternatives to these Transformers cuffs?

All will be revealed later today....

Discounts, competitions and birthdays!

I'm going to sneak in an extra post today, as I wanted to let you know about a few discounts and competitions going round at the moment for jewellery and accessories lovers.

• Sophie and Toffee has a competition going to win this pretty little jar above. You can find out how to enter on their blog. They've also reduced plenty of their prices, so you can grab lots of cabochons to fill it with.
• Love, Hearts and Crosses has lots of new stock in, and a 15% off code in this week's Mizz magazine.
• Ji Ji Kiki has nearly reached 2,000 fans on facebook. Become a fan and invite your friends, and you could win your favourite piece!
• Retro Chick is celebrating her 2nd Birthday with the chance to win two £25 ASOS vouchers. All you need to do is tell her your favourite birthday or anniversary moment.
• Zentosa has a competition running to win a £50 voucher to spend on Disney Couture jewellery in their store, to celebrate their one year birthday. Entries will be drawn at 10pm tomorrow, so you've got to be quick! There are four different ways to enter, which you can read about on the blog.
• AccessoriesOnline is offering 20% off all orders with discount code SPRING20 until midnight Sunday

 Know of any more? Let me know in the comments!

Dollface wooden painted bracelet from Funky Toadstool and blog changes

A couple of things to cover today!

Taking a bit of a leap from our usual sparkly features, we've found a wooden bracelet from Funky Toadstool. The bracelet (£6) has a bit of a Japanese feel to it, with the handpainted detail that goes into the dollsfaces and floral patterns.

Wear it with a plain outfit so the colours stand out, or clash them against a floral fabric for a bit of hippy chic.

Secondly, if you're reading this in a reader you might not have noticed a few of the changes to the blog! The lovely Hello Monkey created a pretty new banner, and you should definitely check out her Folksy shop as she also does some brilliantly quirky prints too. I've also added a little ShopStyle feature on the right, and a couple of links to the Bling and Buy Twitter and Facebook pages. Feel free to invite your friends to both pages, as I'm hoping to run another competition soon :)


Do you like it? Is there anything else you'd like to see on Bling and Buy? Please let me know in the comments!

White Daisy Daisy, Give Me Your Answer Do! Stud Earrings

Twitter friends have a lovely habit of breaking up your workday with beautiful little products that you're dying to purchase. Late last week, one of my fellow tweeters (I think it was @Retrochick_uk?) mentioned the work of Abilu Creations. The website showcased a selection of handmade jewellery and accessories, many of which are made with vintage charms for a really unique feel.

The daisy earrings above have the whole sixties flower power look down to a tee, and they're a lighter alternative to the chunky earrings you've been sporting all winter.

Grab them for just £8.

Don't forget you can follow Bling and Buy on Twitter and Facebook for regular updates and the occasional competition! 

ASOS Double Finger Keyboard

At first glance I assumed this quirky ring was from trendy jewellery designer Galibardy, who's work we featured last year. The dedicated attention to detail and pop art style are common features of this designer, so I was surprised to see that it's actually the work of ASOS's very own brand of jewellery.

The keyboard ring is designed to sit across two fingers, and it's chunky design marks it out as a style that's made to impress. Like a knuckle duster for the artistically blessed.

Love the mini musical finger candy? You can buy it now for just £8.

White Feather Brooch from AlrightDarling

Sometimes, it's the really simple designs that can grab your attention away from the more glitzier items. Whilst browsing the UK section of Etsy, I came across designer AlrightDarling (possibly the most british name ever) who offered a selection of clean cut white brooches and rings.

This feather brooch above is created from a clean resin material, and its simple design gives you the flexibility to pin it to whichever outfit you choose to wear. The actual design is exclusive to the AlrightDarling too, so you won't find it all over the high street either.

It's yours for $12, complete with gift wrapping.

Enchanted Forest Necklace from Rose and Raven

The current trend for fairy tale inspired adornments shows no signs of ending, and if that means we'll be inundated with butterfly-inspired products I'm more than happy for it to continue!

This Enchanted Forest Necklace above is from Folksy seller Rose and Raven features a large brass leaf with a cluster of beads, a butterfly and glass droplets. I'd wear this necklace casually slung over a loose smock top and leggings for a bit of boho chic.

Enchanted Forest Necklace £13.50

Tooth Stud Earrings & discount code from Jijikiki

Do you follow the My Milk Toof blog? It's an adorable little set of photo comics following the adventures of a couple of milk teeth. These sparkly kawaii tooth stud earrings from Jijikiki are a charming tribute, and they're only £7.

If you haven't headed over to Jijikiki before, it's well worth a browse. The site is packed full of jewellery, accessories, homeware and vintage finds. Even better, Bling and Buy now has a 15% discount especially for our readers this Easter weekend. Simple use the discount code EASTERTREAT at the checkout, and you'll make a tidy saving!

What will you be using the discount for? Tell us in the comments!