DIY: Jewellery charms on DaWanda

If you're not familiar with DaWanda, it's a European online marketplace, similar to the concepts of Etsy and Folksy. It's a really nicely designed site, and I found myself having a good browse of the section for jewellery supplies. If you fancy making your own jewellery, you might like some of these pieces:

The wishing well silver charms above are from a seller called TheSecretGarden, priced at 0.99 € each.

Martini Glass charms from Nicoledebruin, priced at 1.60 € per pair.

Antique Silver Rose Flower Pendant from FindingSupplies, priced at 2.00 €

There's a huge amount of choice, so it's worth a browse for any budding designers.


Are you on DaWanda? Share your shop link in the comments if you are!

Chavtastic necklace from Lily Butterfly

Featuring Lily Butterfly on Bling and Buy has been on my To Do list for a while now. I've been chatting with Jo from Lily Butterfly on Twitter for a few weeks, and she's really passionate about jewellery. So much so that she has her own range of jewellery.

The Chavtastic necklace above features a $old plaque, dollar sign and pastel coloured flower.

It's a tongue-in-cheek look at bling jewellery and the chav culture, much like Bling and Buy itself, so it's the perfect match!

The Chavtastic necklace is £7.99. Would you wear it?

Les Néréides jewellery at Vente-Privee

This morning the Les Néréides jewellery sale hits online private members store Vente-Privee, and prices have been reduced by a massive 70%. What more excuse does a girl need for a browse of the sophisticated Parisian range?

These two hair grips above are now only £6, reduced from an RRP of £33. The bow in particularly is beautiful, particularly if you slide it into a messy up do for the summer.

This lightweight necklace is reduced to £29 (RRP £90)

These bow stud earrings are part of a collection of bow related pieces, and they're only £15 (RRP £45)

Fancy being a member of the (free) Vente-Privee club? Leave a comment below and I'll send over an invite. This sale ends on Saturday (26th June) so get in there quick!

Etsy find: Kitsch necklaces by PenelopesPorch

Bling and Buy has been a bit of a mixture of kooky, expensive and classic pieces recently, so I think it's about time we revisited an old favourite: Kitsch.

This Tiny Pearl Ring in a Gift Box Necklace ($16) is from Etsy seller PenelopesPorch. The delicate little ring is adorned with a sizeable pearl, and wrapped up in faux wrapping paper and a bowed polka dot box. The whole charm hangs off a blue bead necklace, although you can have the colour of the chain changed.

It's the box that initially drew me into this design, which is reminiscent of a luxury box of chocolates. A further browse of the shop revealed this mini retro toaster and pop tart necklace ($14.50) below.

Like most of the Etsy sellers, PenelopesPorch is based in the USA (California), but postage is really affordable at $3.50.

Are you a fan of kitsch jewellery? What do you think about these pieces?

Juicy Couture jewellery you'll actually like

Hard to believe, right? The highly mocked WAG label Juicy Couture has really surprised me with some stunning necklaces, pretty charms and gorgeous clothing at ASOS this season.

Gone are the velour tracksuits and tacky handbags. Instead you'll find pieces like the floral cluster pendant above (£76)

They've even got some intricate little charms like this kitsch watering can (£49)


And some very bling earrings, like this 'Kiss and Hug' pair (£51)


What do YOU think about the new range?

EB by Erickson Beamon Gold coloured butterfly earrings from Debenhams

On Saturday, I treated myself to a little bit of retail therapy after a fairly hectic week. And possibly because I ignored my own advice and left buying a Father's Day present until the very last minute. Again.

Anyway, whilst browsing in Debenhams, I came across these butterfly hoops above. They're currently reduced to £4.80 in the sale, from £6, and they'll look really pretty paired with a simple summer dress and messy bed hair.

Like them? Click on the image to head straight to the store.

Sale Alert: Lola Rose on Achica

A quick heads up for you on a Lola Rose sale that's kicked off on private sale site Achica. This Lola Rose Carved Rose Red Quartzite Necklace is reduced from £60 to £40, and some of the other pieces are up to 50% off.

If you fancy checking out the range and joining the free private members club, let me know in the comments and I'll send you an invite

89B3XV264WMA

Zoe Sernack quirky sterling silver charms

Nope, I haven't suddenly developed an affection for dodgy WWF action figures (thank god). Look closely and you'll notice each figure is modelling a quirky charm from Australian artist and jewellery designer Zoe Sernack.

Head over to The Grand Social and you can pick up some of the pieces, including a silver Mr Potato Head,  a mini ghetto blaster and a balloon dog. The stationery addict in me loves this pencil sharpener one ($71)

Are you a charm collector?

Source: Daily Candy

Subtle designs from The Chocolate Elephant

Summer with Gold Necklace, £34
Knot Necklace, £24

We've had a few requests recently for some less 'bling' pieces for summer days, so without further ado I'd like to introduce you too....The Chocolate Elephant!

Cool name huh?

The fashion boutique stocks a range of relaxed and slightly more mature fashion for everyday wear, and a range of accessories to match the theme. Above you can see the Summer with Gold Necklace, which looks a little like a pretty row of beach pebbles, and the Knot Necklace, which has a distinctly nautical theme.

What do you think of the range? Are you a bling fan or would you like to see a few more subtle pieces too?

Contemporary Jewellery from Lovedazzle

Supporting British designers is something I'm really passionate about on Bling and Buy, so I was intrigued when I heard of a new website that hand picks the best "handmade, collectable, investable, wearable art," and brings them all together on one retail site: Lovedazzle.

Below are a few of the pieces they're currently showcasing:

Orange vetch bangle by Sue Gregor, £35
Tiny butterfly studs by Hannah Louise Lamb, £29
Heart of gold locket by Nick Hubbard

For me though, it's all about the brooches. The designs of Timothy Information Limited are particularly quirky.

Unknown 27 by Timothy Information Limited, £106
Copper Oak Brooch by Becky Crow, £112
Mobile brooch A123 by Lindsey Mann (which comes with it's very own display trolley!) £445

The people behind Lovedazzle, Tony Gordon and Christine Bola, are experts at showcasing new pieces after a long history of hosting jewellery exhibitions, so I'll be definitely be keeping an eye on the site in the future.

In the meantime, why not have a browse of the site and let me know YOUR favourites?

Going to the Clothes Show London? Look out for Ella Fin has Tea at Aunties

Have you got your tickets yet for this year's Clothes Show London (25-7th June)? Then I'd highly recommend you make your way to the pink zone and hunt down stall 610, where some Bling and Buy favourites have gathered together to create the mini-boutique Ella Fin has Tea at Aunties. It'll be the stall surrounded by

As you might have gathered from the stall name, the collection will have a vintage feel, and will showcase a whole host of designers like Dollipops, Diamond in the Sky, Ella Fin and Tea at Aunties (the latter two are the founders of the group) The aim of bringing so many independent designers together is to demonstrate the best ways of mixing vintage and handmade clothing with contemporary jewellery and funky handbags. It's also a really positive way of promoting British design and business.

I'm going to try and make it along too, particularly if I can pick up the cropped squirrel top above from Brat & Suzie and a Dollipops animal print hairband for a spot of 80s chic.

I'm also loving this Tea at Aunties dress with this Diamond in the Sky necklace.

Are you going to the Clothes Show? What (or who) are you most looking forward to seeing?

Topshop loves you

In the last year, we've seen antique gold (or gold plated) envelopes on necklaces, charms and even earrings. This is the first time I've seen it on a ring though. And it's a bit of a knuckle duster.

Topshop are the creators behind this particular ring, which features a tiny postcard attached with "I Love You" scribbled across it. It's actually gold-look rather than anything containing carats, but at only £6 you can't really complain.

Have you ever sent a love letter?

Capture the tooth fairy with Ich Bin

Recently, the good name of the Tooth Fairy has come into disrepute.

Yup, Dwayne Johnson (AKA The Rock) I'm looking at you. I implore you, put down the tutu and wand and leave the tooth harvesting to the experts.

Tooth fairies are supposed to be pretty, itsy bitsy and magical. Folksy designer Ich Bin has expertly recreated those qualities in this plastic charm necklace, complete with baby tooth. Compared to all the sparkly Tinkerbell necklaces doing the circuit at the moment, this is a welcome alternative.

At £4.50, you'll only have to lose five teeth to save up enough for it.

P.S If you're viewing this in a reader, you might not have noticed our little makeover! Come check out the blog and let me know what you think.

Father's Day inspiration from Folksy

Got your Father's Day present sorted yet?

*Cough* me either.

In a time-honoured tradition, I've left it right to the last minute. The traditional options (socks, ties, mass-produced Father's Day compilation CD full of cheesy 80s ballads) are leaving me a bit cold this year, so I had a little snoop around Folksy for some inspiration.

Hurrah! Food-based cufflinks, personalised manly jewellery and some seriously cool greetings cards. What more could a son or daughter need?

Below are a few of my favourite options from the handmade marketplace.

• Vodka Tonic with Ice Cufflinks, Top left, Buff Cuffs, £12.99
• Bacon resin cufflinks, Top middle, Handmade by Birdcage Creative, £11.90
• Imprint Me Silver Cufflinks (personalised with fingerprint), Top right, Ali Bali Jewellery, £50
• Passport holder-vintage comics, Large left image, Bookity, £13.50
• Stacking Lyric Rings, Large right image, Spots & Stripes, £35
• Dad, You're The Best keyring, Bottom left, Jupiter Rocks, £9.99
• Dad You Rock Hand Cut Card, Bottom middle, StoreyShop, £4.95
• Egg & Chips Cufflinks, Bottom right, Candy Jewels UK, £10.99

Seen something even better? Let me know in the comments below...

Pop Art Hairbands from Janine Basil

How fun are these pop art headbands?

They're by Janine Basil, a fabulous lady with a passion for millinery. Her headbands are inspired by comic strips, the 60s and a truckload of attitude.

I love the bubble style in particular, which would go perfectly with a hippy kind of outfit.

You can buy them from her Folksy shop for £15.

Sterling silver and merino wool felt necklace from Close Your Eyes Hold Out Your Hand

Contrary to a lot of the items featured on Bling and Buy, most of my own everyday jewellery is simple and understated. Sometimes a girl just need a classic piece that will go with everything, right?

This necklace from Closes Your Eyes Hold Out Your Hand straddles that line between timeless and contemporary with its merino wool felt finish. The teardrop charms therefore have a distinctly fuzzy feel, so you might find strangers feeling the need to reach out and erm...stroke it.

The range is created by a British designer, who hand makes every single piece using sterling silver, merino wool and hand coloured resin.

You can buy it from the Close Your Eyes Hold Out Your Hand Folksy shop, or directly from her website for £95.