Etsy Haul

Guess what?! I got a job!! Yeah! And, best of all, it's in my field! I'm finally working in a library. Now I can see my dream of being a full-time librarian being a real possibility. This was my first week at work, and I'm in love with the job! Hence, the long absence, again.

About two weeks ago, I decided to buy some jewelry from Etsy. I'm not sure if it's a coping mechanism for me while my husband's on deployment or what, but I've been finding some great items! I've been focusing more on unique jewelry, items that could be my signature pieces. My name means "Ash tree" in Old English, and since I love trees, I've been focusing on acquiring jewelry with tree themes. Here are some of my items I bought!

Small Sparrow by Iaonato

Tree necklace by Through the Eyes of the Mrs.

Acorn necklace by Roundabout

Leaf bracelet by Meital Toledo

Tree of Life pocket watch necklace by Villa Sorgenfrei

Coach Love

One of my favorite labels is Coach. I've had a love affair with the brand for years. I love the range of materials used and that the handbags can be very pricey or affordable-ish. I was initially drawn based on the bags, but I also love the shoes and jewelry. I'm not a big fan of the perfume because they tend to be soft and subtle, and I like a strong scent that lasts.

I remember my first Coach handbag. It had purple leather and the signature fabric material and gold hardware. It was beautiful. I wore that handbag out. I used it everyday for two solid years. Then, I moved on to a purple handbag from the Poppy line. It had a longer strap with the option of handles to create a traditional handbag look. I wore it out, too. I wore it out faster since it was all fabric and no leather. I used it for about a year and a half and mentioned it here.

After that, I discovered the Coach Factory Outlet. My last bag was from there. I use it when I travel to different cities and such. It's a crossbody, cream, and the perfect size for traveling. Not too big, just the right size for essentials. I mention it here. I loved this one, too. What I failed to fully realize what how quickly it gets dirty, and not from the front either. It would get jean stains on the back. I had the cleaner, of course, but it can be a pest to clean.

I live close to a Factory Outlet and the typical Coach store. I love my Michael Kors bag I have now that I blogged about here and don't plan on replacing it for a long time. My attention is now toward the Coach jewelry and other accessories. It being Coach, the items are a bit pricey, so I just stare and dream of them. These are my current loves and wants.

Scarf - $98

Earmuffs - $88

Small Pave Disc Pendant Necklace -$68

Watch - $358

Wallet - $198

Do you love Coach or is it just me?

Spartina 449 - Unique Style

I've been so obsessed with my Pinterest boards that I've been neglecting the blog. Anyway, I love local shops. I lean toward some eclectic styles. For me, I love something that is really me. When you are on a budget, you want your money to count for something, so having signature items you'll love instead of so-so items really make an impact and will keep you happy longer. The more you use an item, the more bang for the buck you get. I always take the cost of the item and divide by how many times I will actually use it. Once, I splurged on a pair of Chanel sunglasses. I wore them every day for over three years; I wore them out! A costly item at first, but I got my money's worth. I miss having a job.

For a fun look, I came across Spartina 449 in a local shop. I love it. It could be that they use a mermaid as their symbol (The Little Mermaid was my favorite as a child and is still a favorite), but their items are colorful and unique. They offer a unique online shopping experience: shopping by pattern or by shape. So fun. They are mostly an accessories company, but they are now starting to add clothing. Another great thing is a portion of their proceeds go to  the Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation, a non-profit organization created to preserve and protect the island's (where they began) historical and cultural heritage.

I'm loving these. Especially for Fall. I wish Fall would hurry up and get here!

Mermaid Necklace - $24

Jewelry Roll - $49

Scarf - $22

Scarf - $22

Shoulder bag - $115

Wallet - $38

April Showers

I'm not going to lie. I love rain! Love it! I love it best when I'm back home in Alabama because the rain and the trees are so beautiful together. I bought a pair of Sperry rain boots a few months ago while they were on sale at DSW, but I haven't been able to use them much since it doesn't rain often here in San Diego. I've discovered that rain boots are perfect for the beach, too. Who knew? What's so great about rain wear is that you can dress them up or be a bit whimsy in your style.

Since the April showers are upon many, and since I love rain so much, I've gathered some apparel that are perfect.

 From London Fog - $80

(I have a trench from London Fog and love it! Keeps the rain out and I have an Audrey Hepburn moment.)

The North Face  - $180

Sperry - $70

Hunter - $125

Target - $30

Burberry - $195

 
Target - $17

From London Fog - $25


Not sure how to wear them? Here's a little inspiration:

Kate Spade purchase

This is a moment for me! We have Fashion Week beginning, which means that many designers are holding sample sales! I got in on one from Kate Spade thanks to an ad on Facebook. The items were up to 75% off, like the bag I bought. I never buy online because I like to see the bag before I get it to see how big it is; tape measure can only help so far.

I usually have a Coach bag; I treated myself when I became a teacher. I love how a well-made bag will stand through for a long time. I've decided to step out and look at other designers/brands. I'm loving Michael Kors, especially his new Hamilton collection for Fall. Gorgeous! I've always enjoyed the color choices of Kate Spade. The earrings I bought remind me of my parents: my dad calls me "butterfly" and my mom loves my November birthstone. It's a way I can have them with me while I'm so far away.

I'm trying to mature up my look and not tote around bags with initials plastered all over them. I love Coach's leather line of handbags, so I might go that route in the future.

Store Discovery: Charming Charlie

In one of my favorite malls, a new store went in a few months ago. It's Charming Charlie. Have you been in one? It's mostly an accessory store, but they do offer some clothing. The best feature of the store is that everything is organized by color. I like the cream and pink sections because a lot of those pieces are vintage-like, which I'm into currently. I also love the purple section, as it's my favorite color. Here are a few vintage inspired pieces I like.

Paper Trilby Hat

$14.95

Crinkled Headband

$7.97

Rosette Headband

$7.97

Lux Evening Bag

$24.97

Dandy Demi Wedge

$29.97

Etsy Find!

Now that my husband is in the Navy, I'm becoming more and more interested in all things nautical. I don't know if you noticed this in a couple of posts ago, but I'm loving it. I went on Etsy to look for some jewelry. I found this cute anchor necklace from MedalsInTime. I also want to get this locket so badly, but I have to wait awhile for funds to do so. I hope this gets here before I leave for Chicago to see my husband; I want to surprise him with it!

Anchors Away!

First, I gotta say how much I love Jen from Style Through Her Eyes. She loves the store Forever 21, and while I had passed it in the mall, I never ventured inside it. Jen has been showing off what she has gotten there, and that got me interested in looking at the store's website. Oh my goodness, items are so cheap there!! I'm now hooked. I haven't looked at the clothes yet, but the accessories are amazing. I went shopping there yesterday. I picked up two whimsical items that featured anchors. I chose them because my husband's in the Navy, so I thought they would be fun. I usually don't like the rhinestone jewelry, but it was neat and fun!

Socks - $.99
Earrings $3.80

I'm hooked! No pun intended!

Hair Accessories

Well, I've been watching The Tudors a lot recently, and I'm loving the costumes! The hair pieces are amazing. I love hair accessories, as some of you might know from my previous posts. In the spirit of Tudor history, I went exploring Etsy to scour for some finds. After all, that is one of the best places online for anything with a vintage flair! Here are some of my favorites!

 Rhinestone Applique Headband

$35.00

Art Deco Rhinestone Hair Barrette

$52.50

 Renaissance Princess Crown
$38.00

Anne Boleyn Inspired Headband
$15.00

Jeweled Rhinestone Headband
$68.00

Peacock Layered Hair Clip
$22.99

Jeweled Silver Headband
$28.00

Chartreuse Flower Hair Comb
$11.00

Vintage Hair Comb
$35.00

On a side note, it's fun just to search for "Tudor"! Also, bridal stores have a good selection.