JEWEL MINT - YOUR PERSONAL JEWELRY SHOPPER

 

When you get started on Jewel Mint's website a series of questions are asked like: what celebrity do you most identify with, what outfit you are most likely to wear, what designer stores you would most likely buy jewelry from, if you were walking the red carpet which celebrity would you dress like, what kind of outfit are you likely to wear on your day off, what magazines you would flip through if you were sitting in a salon, what your fav nail colors are and so on. All these questions are asked to better understand your personality and the type of jewelry that would suit you. 

After you take the personality assessment, Kate Bosworth (the brains behind Jewel mint), Cher Coulter (celebrity stylist and designer), and the Jewel Mint team recommend a selection of jewelry every month. You are not obligated to buy the jewelry if you don’t like the selection and you won’t be charged, you can either ask for different recommendations or skip the month. 

So what happens if you order the jewelry, you get it and you don’t like it? Well, not to worry, Jewel Mint tries to make everything hassle-free, by giving easy and free returns as well as free shipping.

You get Kate Bosworth, Cher Coulter as your personal stylist, a great customer service from the Jewel Mint team, and your gorgeous jewelry all for $29.99 only. In my opinion that’s a steal!

So to see if this wasn’t just a scam, I signed up and my jewelry selection was gorgeous. Jewel Mint got my personality style which are daring, fashion forward, sophisticated and classy.

 

Kate and Cher have been best friends for 10 years, and started working on the jewelry line, 5 years ago. Cher has a clothing line that she has had for 8 years and according to her it was a lot of work, so when Kate came to her with the idea of starting a jewelry line she thought it would be more spontaneous and rewarding. 

They got their inspiration from pieces they have seen in vintage markets: Kate’s mum’s jewelry from the 70s, antiques Kate found while in Sweden, and for the Charleston earring in their December collection a pair of Deco-style earrings Cher found while shopping with her mum at a church sale.

Owners (Kate Bosworth and Cher Coulter)

 

So you are probably thinking how can I get signed up, its easy first go to http://www.jewelmint.com, if you have a Facebook account then you can use your Facebook to sign in, but you would have to go to the website first and take the assessment and voila! In less than a second you get your jewelry selection…and its as easy as ABC!

JESSICA SIMPSON EXPECTED TO LAUNCH NEW JEWELRY LINE!

Jessica Simpson is probably most famous for her TV show and shoe line. When I think of Jessica, first thing that comes to my mind is the episode on her reality TV show when she confused tuna for chicken and that just makes me crack up till this day. So for all of you that think she’s a total ditz, like I did, I will let you know that Jessica is having her last laugh now. 

Apart from her singing and reality show careers, Jessica has created a fashion empire that is estimated to hit about $1 billion this year. She has different lines ranging from shoes to clothing. Simpson has decided to add to her line her 22^nd retail category, fine jewelry. The name of the jewelry collection is ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’. The jewelry line comprises of earrings, rings and bracelets in a mixture of gold, silver and diamonds. The price ranges between $79 and $999.

Simpson’s jewelry collection will be sold exclusively at Zales and would hit the stores in October. Well done Jessica, who says blondes are dumb!

Kisses!!!:)

LA DIOSA JEWELLERY - THE GODDESS

LA DIOSA JEWELLERY - THE GODDESS
UK Based Jewellery Designers

TELL US HOW LA DIOSA STARTED?

Proud Owners (Semhal and Natasha)

After travelling around the world for a year and mainly living in Mexico we were truly inspired by what we experienced. We learned how to make jewelry while living with a small group of women in Mexico and we were heavily influenced by the Aztec designs and culture.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF? BACKGROUND/ORIGIN?

I (Natasha) am from Uganda originally and Sem is half Ethiopian, half Eritrean.We both have the East African connection!

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE LA DIOSA AS YOUR BRAND NAME, DOES IT HAVE A MEANING? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?


La Diosa literally means The Goddess in Spanish. We aim to evoke qualities of a Goddess through our striking and elegant designs.

WHAT TECHNIQUES AND MATERIALS DO YOU ENJOY USING IN YOUR WORK?

ELLE Necklace

La Diosa only uses semi-precious or precious gemstones. We love working with the vibrant and lustrous colors to create our designs, they really make a visual impact and add to the value of the piece. My favorite gemstone is Labradorite

DESCRIBE THE LA DIOSA WOMAN, WHO IS YOUR IDEAL CLIENT?

Gordon Brown's wife wearing LA DIOSA jewellery

Gordon Brown's wife wearing LA DIOSA jewellery

The La Diosa woman can be anyone, it's about what she intends to bring out of herself. La Diosa is all about empowering the wearer and making her feel beautiful and confident like a Goddess.

NAME AND DESCRIPTION OF YOUR LATEST JEWELRY COLLECTION: WHAT ARE THE INSPIRATIONS BEHIND IT?

Part of the Honey - Moon Collection

The Honey-Moon collection is based on two moons coming together and intertwining around a dazzling gemstone. It represents love, trust and beauty. The perfect gift for yourself or loved one!

YOUR FAVORITE JEWELRY PIECE IN YOUR COLLECTION/ALL YOUR WORK SO FAR AND WHY?

Labradorite Stone

I love everything we create of course, but I do love Labradorite so much! So any of the pieces in gold with Labradorite do it for me. 

MOST WELL KNOWN PERSON/CELEBRITY TO HAVE WORN YOUR JEWELRY TO DATE?

Michelle Obama

OTHER DESIGNERS YOU ARE WATCHING/LIKE/APPRECIATE?

 

I am completely focused on La Diosa but I do love the work of Tsemaye Binite – he’s great!

WHAT IS YOUR PRICE RANGE?

NMCF Bracelet: Happiness

£40 - £450

WHERE CAN WE BUY YOUR JEWELRY PIECES? 

You can shop Ladiosa Jewelry @ www.ladiosa.co.uk

Thanks for the interview La Diosa!

FEATURED DESIGNER - AKEYNO HANDMADE ACCESSORIES

THE HISTORY OF ANKARA

Ankara Material

The Ankara fabric is a flamboyant and colorful material that has become popular not only in Africa but internationally. It started when the Turkish people from Ankarra, produced a replica and cheaper version of the quality Dutch Wax print. The replica was an imitation of the Indonesian batik that was locally produced in Java at the time, it became very affordable to more people. The English and Dutch who were well know colonial powers helped in industrializing and popularizing the material, by so doing, it became popular in other foreign lands.

The material evolved from the original (hand drawn motifs on cotton material), to mass-produced materials whereby the machines do the engraving and dye resistant resin, this in turn produces a batik effect on the material similar to that of the Dutch.

The material eventually spread to different parts of Africa. In East Africa for example, it is known as Kanga; In Zambia and Southern Africa it is called Chitenge or Kitenge. The French people also identified with the fabric and named it Se Promener. The fabric has graced global fashion shows such as New York Fashion Week and has been worn by many celebrities like Beyonce and her sister Solange, Gwen Stefani, Rihanna and so on.

We had an opportunity to interview a young designer, Yinka, who uses Ankara to make beautiful necklaces and other accessories.

Enjoy the interview:

AKEYNO HANDMADE ACCESSORIES 

Tell us how Akeyno started?

Kente Flower Necklace

It was actually my father that encouraged me to start my own business, when I told him I wanted to get a job to help pay for some expenses for my junior prom that was coming up. At that time my line was called O Jewelry. In high school, I used only beads and I sold my creations to my teachers and classmates. When I got to college, my mom gave me her sewing machine and I began experimenting with African fabrics (Ankara) as well.

Tell us a bit about yourself? Background/Origin?

Proud Owner

My name is Olayinka Oni-orisan and I’m Nigerian. I’m a student at Howard University in Washington, DC. I enjoy trying new foods, dancing, and sewing. Most importantly I LOVE making accessories, in a way,it’s therapeutic for me.

Why did you choose Akeyno as a brand name for your jewelry line, does it have a meaning? How long have you been in business?

Kente Africa

Akeyno is my middle name, Onyeka, spelled backwards. It originates from the Igbo tribe and means 'Who is greater than God?' I have been in business since 2005, which was my sophomore year in high school.

What techniques and materials do you most enjoy using in your work?

I enjoy making ruffles to make the ruffle bib necklace and I enjoy working with different patterns of African fabric.

Describe the Akeyno woman/man (that is, your ideal client)?

Keke Bib Necklace

My ideal client is a fashion-forward individual who is proud of their unique sense of style. 

What is your favorite jewelry piece in your collection/all your work so far and why?

The Akeyno signature bib necklace is my favorite because it is a statement piece.

Which other designers do you like or appreciate?

OYATO, Boxing Kitten, and Grey

What is your price range?

Ankara Clutch Bag

$10-$50

Where we can buy your jewelry pieces?       

You can shop Akeyno's jewelry pieces online at www.akeyno.com

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BOBBIE MEDLIN - MYSTICAL CREATIONS

DESIGNER FEATURE - BOBBIE MEDLIN 

Click link below to read about Bobbie, the fabulous designer:

http://jewelcoco.blogspot.com/p/designers.html

Jewel Coco's Trip to St Thomas, US Virgin Islands

My trip to St Thomas in the US Virgin islands was awesome. It was a 5-day trip that I found fascinating to say the least; everything from the good food, the good weather, and jet skiing to their culture was fascinating. 

I got a chance to talk to all the jewelry designers and also take pictures of the beautiful jewelry. All of the designers said they just make jewelry for fun and they also find the art of jewelry making very interesting plus they love seeing their jewelry worn by their customers; none of the designers I talked to had stories behind the jewelry. I found a variety of materials ranging from pearls to rare gemstones that were used to make beautiful necklaces, earrings and bracelets. I have put up pictures of the pieces I found to be mind blowing. 

THE RESORT

The first day I got to the resort, I was glad to see that they sold handcrafted jewelry, although the designer was M.I.A. (Missing in Action), I couldn’t get much information about the jewelry or if there was a story behind it.

Ritz Carlton Hotel St Thomas

 

 Ritz Carlton Hotel St Thomas

The jewelry at the resort…(Up and Down) beautiful turquoise gemstone and baby pink necklace

On my last day, before I left for the airport I took a trip downtown. After hearing that downtown was the handcrafted jewelry heaven, I wasn’t about to miss the opportunity to see for myself.

 

A view of the high street (Charlotte Amalie) where you can find handcrafted jewelry pieces. 

This is a street near where handcrafted jewelry stores are located.  Also, there were little stands where hot dogs and cold drinks were sold. The food was delicious and their major delicacy on the Island is seafood.

 

Now to the part I am sure you can’t wait to see, the handcrafted jewelry, all the jewelry you see were made by talented designers.

The gentleman is holding up a hand-made blue and silver necklace made with blue gemstones and silver wires; the picture underneath shows a gorgeous handmade necklace

(Above and Below) Beautiful red beaded necklace with a wooden pendant and green beaded necklace with a shell like pendant

 (Above and Below) White beaded necklace and tribal themed necklace 

Some more gorgeous handcrafted jewelry, they were put together on the same stand because the designer didn’t have enough stands to hang them on (just incase you were wondering).

I really loved this piece;what I love in particular is the way the pearls and silver leaves are crafted into little flowers, the same flower design is used for the earrings. Very gorgeous jewelry! And its hand crafted too!

…and that was the end of my trip, every single moment was fun (apart from my flight that got cancelled). I loved the seafood, jet skiing, their culture and taking a tour of the island but I have to admit my favorite part of the trip was visiting downtown St. Thomas aka Charlotte Amalie as the natives call it.

Featured Designers - WiREALM BY TAMARA & CLEANEDWIRED JEWELRY

Enjoy the Read at

http://jewelcoco.blogspot.com/p/designers.html