eNVe 6x6 :: Sandy of Sandy a la Mode

Next up on my eNVe 6x6 Style Series is Sandy. I met Sandy several years ago when she contacted me and invited me to my first ever blog meet up, before there was a KC Blogger Meetup (now The Blog Guild). Not sure how she found my blog, but I'm so grateful she did! So much has happened since that time (like she had 2 babies! and moved half way across the country), but one consistent factor was that she was always super stylish and effortlessly so. You'll see for yourself.  ;)  She chose to style a one-of-a-kind eNVe matte gold statement necklace with faceted quartz nuggets.

>>> Tell us a little about you and your blog.

Hello! My name is Sandy and I am the blogger behind Sandy a la Mode! My blog is primarily a women and kid's fashion blog with features on DIYs, home decor, recipes, and lifestyle too.

>>> How would you describe your style in one sentence?

Colorful

>>> Being a busy mom of 2 little ones, working full time, and blogging full time, how do you manage to balance it all and keep fashion at the forefront of daily life?

Yes, I am very busy, but we all need to get dressed every day right? I just pay a little more attention to fashion trends and outfit pairings, maybe more than the normal person, but it's something I enjoy!

>>> What is your favorite item of all time from your wardrobe and why?

Wow that is a tough one. But I would say my favorite items are tulle skirts because they are just so beautiful and fun. But my most worn items are probably every day dresses or distressed skinny jeans!

>>> What trends are you looking forward to this fall/winter season?

I think a big trend will be black and white!  It's nothing too crazy, but it's definitely a classic. I know that I said my style is colorful, but I actually love doing outfits that are all neutrals with a pop of color!

 >>> Do you have any predictions for Spring Summer 2016 trends? Anything you hope will make a big comeback?

I think muted gray or blush pink colors will be big next Spring/Summer... at least I hope they are since I think both are beautiful colors that can act as neutrals too!

  

Thanks so much for sharing your style with us, Sandy!  

Now that seasons are changing, what are your fall/winter wardrobe staples for this year?  For me, it is breaking out the booties and boots....forever and ever, it's the staple I look forward to wearing every fall.  

Stay toasty, everyone!

How to get more styles from your eNVe 50-inch Wrap necklaces!

Add a couple loose knots to the eNVe 50-inch Wrap Necklace and Voila!

As I was taking photos of one of my 50-inch Wrap necklaces to list in the shop, I stumbled upon a couple more quick and easy ways you can really add some edge and even more variation to how you style this classic piece of jewelry!

I wonder if I'm the only one to get excited about things like this, but I really do!  As I am with clothing in my wardrobe, I like to mix things up as often as possible because I get bored of wearing the same outfits and the same jewelry in the same configurations all the time.  This may be a little nutty of me, but throughout middle school and high school, I actually had a calendar where I wrote down what I wore every day just so I don't repeat the same outfit for at least a month.  I didn't have a lot of clothes so this was a fun challenge for me.  (Please tell me someone else out there did this too.. if you must, just lie to me so I don't feel like a super dork).  Obviously more important things in life took over and I let go of this ridiculous calendar, but my natural inclinations are still there--it's just no longer at a clinical level.  ;)  Anyway, that just explains why things like this make me happy.

If you own one of my 50-inch necklaces or are familiar with them, they're quite simple really.. just a single strand of beads (either strung or wire wrapped) that is 50 inches in length, closed with a toggle clasp.  Obviously this was not something I invented.  Extra long necklaces have been around for ages.  Before I began designing jewelry, I had several extra long necklaces in my personal collection.  I loved them and appreciated the versatility, but still felt limited in how I could wear them.  Many of them didn't even have a clasp to open and close, just one continuous strand that I had to pull over my head.  I finally decided to make my own, adding a toggle clasp and an extra 20 inches to the typical opera necklace length (which is usually around 28 to 34 inches), just to maximize the versatility.  This style is seriously a staple for me in my personal wardrobe.

Here's a sampling of how I would typically wear this necklace.

Another favorite way to wear is as a multi-strand bracelet.

Then I began playing with it a bit more just to see if I could come up with any other ways to wear it, I realized that with a couple of loose knots, I could change the look dramatically.  Here are a few versions:

CAVEAT:  Before I start, I just want to caution that if you're working with a strand of beads strung on a single wire or thread, be mindful of the tension in the necklace while you're looping and knotting it.  You don't want to force anything while doing this because the necklace may break under too much tension and you'll have a pile of beads to sweep up.  The size of the beads on your necklace will influence how much "give" your necklace will have (the smaller and rounder the beads, the more flexibility you'll have).  If you're working with a knotted strand of pearls or a necklace with individually wire wrapped beads, you don't really have to worry about this tension issue.  (And if you're trying this tutorial with an eNVe 50-inch wrap necklace and you happen to break it, I'm happy to restring it for you for free).  :)

The Series Knots

1)  Open the toggle clasp so the necklace is one long strand.  Find the center of the necklace and place it around the back of your neck so the toggle is open and in front of you.

2 times over and under, creating the first loose loop in the series

 2)  Take the open ends of the necklace and cross them in front of you, weaving one end over and under the other end (just like when you start to tie your shoelace).  Repeat 2 more times (so 3 times total).  You'll now have a vertical series of 2 loose knots, with the open ends of the necklace below that.

3)  Take the ends of the necklace and bring them up behind your neck and close the toggle.  You'll instantly have this look below.

 
4)  Or you can continue to add another over-and-under weave to get another loose knot in your series...

 ...bring the ends up and behind your neck to close the clasp...

...and you'll have something that looks like this...

 

The Side Knots

1)  Open the toggle clasp so the necklace is one long strand.  Find the center of the necklace and place it around the back of your neck so the toggle is open and in front of you.

2)  Loosely knot each side once.  Make sure the knots are asymmetrical so they don't overlap later.

3)  Cross the open ends of the necklace in front of you, bringing them up and behind your neck to close the clasp. 

You could probably make multiple knots on each side (if the tension in your necklace allows), for a shorter, chunkier look.

The Random Knots

1)  Open the toggle clasp so the necklace is one long strand.  Find the center of the necklace and place it around the back of your neck so the toggle is open and in front of you.

2)  Cross the open ends of the necklace and begin looping over and under.  For this look, I just randomly twisted and knotted, following what the tension of the necklace would allow.

2)  Once finished with the knots, pull the open ends up and behind your neck to close the clasp.

3)  When the necklace is clasped closed, you can still make some adjustments to your "focal" by gently pulling and tucking the strand into your desired positioning.

And there you have it.  Have fun with it and let me know if you try any of these styles or have discovered some of your own!  I'm always up for expanding my versatility arsenal! 

Have you tried some "out of the box" ways to wear your jewelry?  What have you discovered?

How to get more styles from your double stranded necklaces

If you are a jewelry lover (translation: addict) like myself, chances are that you have a double stranded necklace somewhere in your arsenal.  And maybe you've already discovered for yourself how surprisingly versatile these pieces are!  Here are some different ways that I like to style mine.

Of course there's the classic way--how it was meant to be worn.

Or you can change it up slightly by wearing the clasp toward the front, 

or twisting the strands before putting it on.

And again, if you're an addict like me, you probably have amassed a nice collection of brooches, pendants, etc. which you can easily add to your necklaces.  Here, I have a vintage rhinestone brooch and a vintage gold clip on earring.

I just attached them to the toggle clasp, one on each end.

Now you can start playing with the different looks!

For a different layered look, open the necklace up to one big loop, pull it over your head, 

then twist and pull over your head again.

Or you can wear it as a long necklace.

The contrasting colors in this piece allows for a couple different options.

The necklace by itself, without brooches added on.

Or add a large brooch as a focal pendant to create a unique statement piece!

If you like this featured piece, Sun at Sea, it's now available in my etsy shop.

How do you like to wear your double or multi-strand necklaces?

Here are some fun double strand necklaces found on Etsy that could work well with these ideas.

by BeadsNBling

by edithandlulu

by DeniseJewelryDesigns

by minouc

by BrioBaubles

Now go get more mileage out of your jewelry! ;)  And if you happen to take any pictures of your ideas, I'd love to see them on the eNVe Designs facebook page!

 

House of Gems Contest

Passing along an awesome opportunity for all you jewelry designers out there. Here's your chance to win up to $1000 in supplies from House of Gems! Here's the info from their site:

--------------------------------------------

Looking for a Few Good Featured Artists:

Do you do a happy dance when you come across a gemstone you don't already own?

Do you find that every conversation you have comes back to your latest jewelry project?

Do you love to help other people on their projects by giving tips or showing them step-by-step how to do things?

If you answered to yes to any of these questions, we may have the perfect opportunity for you. If you answered yes to all three, then consider this destiny.

House of Gems is looking for Featured Artists to spotlight and promote on our website. In addition to the opportunity to present yourself as an artist, you will also generate traffic to your personal blog, Etsy store or social media profile. Artists may also be given opportunities to test new products, receive additional discounts and be the first to be informed of new releases.

Fill out entry form here:
spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=t-nh2cLJGns_PPZR7E8y...

Grand Prize (1):
$1000 Shopping Spree on HouseofGems.com
Runners Up (1):
$500 Shopping Spree on HouseofGems.com
Consolation Prize (5)
$100 Shopping Spree on HouseofGems.com

Timeline:
Contest runs July 18th, 2009 thru August 15th, 2009

Submissions:
Enter formal entry form here: spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=t-nh2cLJGns_PPZR7E8y... and then
Contestants are to upload a maximum of 5 original jewelry designs to the House of Gems Flickr "Featured Artists" group www.flickr.com/groups/featuredartists/. Any and all design types and styles are welcome.

NOTE:
In addition to completing this entry form, you must also upload digital images of your entry pieces to this Flickr Group: www.flickr.com/groups/featuredartists/ and share the contest on your personal blog or website.

Circulating the good dissertation karma!

I know all about good dissertation karma because if it wasn't for the dissertation gods finally smiling down on me, I probably would've jumped off a bridge before finishing mine a couple years ago. Dissertations are no joke and definitely some painstaking work. Every little bit helps, so I'm trying to do my part in circulating the good dissertation karma...

Holly Wilcox, an aspiring jewelry design student from Scotland, needs your help with her dissertation research. She is studying how the internet has impacted contemporary designers/craftspeople like YOU! If you have a few minutes, please help her out by completing her survey. And if you're not a designer, she's also interested in why you buy handmade. You can definitely fill out both questionnaires if you'd like. All participants will have a chance at winning one of her original designs: this necklace!

The fruition of a vision :: Aspiring Couture

Introducing a new online boutique: Aspiring Couture

Several months ago, I was approached by Allison O'Grady, founder of Aspiring Couture. She was recruiting emerging designers for her new venture and wanted to include my work. It's one thing (a very critical thing, I might add) to believe in your own vision, but to have someone else recognize and believe in your work is truly something else... something equally important in this vast entrepreneurial world, where it's quite easy to feel minuscule and irrelevant. I definitely consider myself a newbie in this little jewelry design venture of mine, but an "emerging" or "up and coming" designer was not a part of my self-descriptive vocabulary. To me, I am just creating jewelry pieces that I personally love and would personally wear, and I adore working with gorgeous natural materials and other interesting finds. That was the extent of it in my book. It's just delicious icing on the cake when others enjoy my work as well. And of course I hopped aboard the Aspiring Couture ship, not simply because I know it's headed for great places, but because I believe in Allison's wonderful vision as well. I'll let her express it in her own words:

"I'm Allison O'Grady, creator of Aspiring Couture, with a strong purpose to help passionate designers and showcase their work for those people who are looking for something different!

I started Aspiring Couture because I want to encourage other designers to continue to create on their dreams. I have grown up in a hard working and creative environment with the belief that helping others achieve their goals is an important part of one's life. You can't get anywhere alone, so it is important to help and support other people on your journey to succeed.

I am still learning so much, but I do want to thank those who have helped and supported me thus far. I look forward to the rapid expansion of Aspiring Couture which in turn means the rapid expansion of aspiring designers."

And what is Aspiring Couture?

"Aspiring Couture is an online boutique and fashion blog featuring the original work of aspiring designers. The purpose of Aspiring Couture is two-fold; first it is to help these truly amazing designers flourish and prosper, second, it is for those who are searching for something different and original to perfectly communicate their personal style.

Aspiring Couture was created for those people who are searching for something different. Aspiring Couture features only the work of aspiring designers in an effort to give you something new and original to wear! On the other side, you can feel good knowing that you have supported those designers who have worked so hard to create something to fit your personal style."

I can't express how great of a fit it is for eNVe Designs to be a part of Aspiring Couture's overall mission. I'm a huge proponent of letting your individuality shine and work really hard to create pieces that would allow for optimal versatility to reflect the wearer's unique and multi-faceted styles. I take great pride in this because it's my heart and soul, but never truly know how well this passion extends into the real world. That's why it's such a thrill and an honor to have such encouragement. Thank you, Allison. Truly.

I am currently working on some limited edition pieces that will only be available exclusively on Aspiring Couture, so keep your eyes peeled!

Just passing along some "sweetness"...

My darling friend, Kelly of sweetnessjewelry is celebrating her 1 year anniversary on Etsy this month with an awesome sale! Not only is she the sweetest person you'll meet on etsy, with one of the sweetest shops on etsy, she's not even old enough to drive yet! And already, she's quite the entepreneur. Her jewelry is such a treat, with tons of color... I literally want to eat everything in her shop because it looks like yummy candy!

Here are the details of her sale:

**** One year Etsyversary coming up July 9!!! SALE TIME! So from today through July 9 shipping is free, and when you buy 2 you get one free! If you mention this blog in the "notes to seller" box I will take off another 2 dollars. My goal is to get to 30 sales so please help me out! I would greatly appreciate it! ****

Now what are you waiting for? Join Kelly in her celebration!

Happy etsy-versary, Kelly! :)

VERSATILE FIND :: chalk it up

Not a big fan of permanence? Change your mind often? Ever wanted people to know what you're thinking without saying a word? Then check out these versatile finds: items with chalkboard surfaces you can write and erase on infinitely, to meet your ever-changing needs!

Magnetic blackboard coasters set by duplex

These are super versatile because you can use them as fridge magnets or coasters, and you can also jot down your grocery lists, daily to-do lists, or write names on the coasters so people don't get their drinks mixed up at your parties!

Chalkboard Pots by moxiesisters

Use these to store pencils and other miscellaneous supplies and trinkets. Or use them to plant your favorite herbs and flowers.

Window sill plant holder with chalkboard stripe by trishafern

Definitely a functional item that can hold all kinds of things in addition to your herbs. They also look like they can stack well and would be great for organizing the stray items in your life. Stack them in your closet, on your bookshelves, on your desk, etc. With the ease of labeling the contents, you'll always know what's inside!

Chalk surfaced storage canister set by ddesigner0320

These cute little canisters are also a great organization tool for tiny trinkets (tacks, buttons, paperclips, beads, etc.) or maybe even dried herbs and spices!

Vinyl chalkboard wall decal by SpellitOutdesigns

Thought bubble vinyl chalkboard decal by asignofthetimes

These wall decals are stylish alternatives to your traditional rectangle bulletin/chalk boards. Adhere them to any wall in any room for a convenient place to jot down anything and everything. You can hang them low for children to draw and write on--the perfect alternative to crayons on fresh walls!

Blackboard brooch by Zowe

And if you ever feel like saying it without having to say it, this is the brooch for you. Fully customizable with your sentiment of the day. ;) These brooches are also a great alternative to name tags because they can be used and reused!

The chalk mug at i want one of those

The perfect, earth-friendly alternative to post-its. No waste.. plus, you can drink out of it (can't do that with post-its)! The ad said it best: Great for morning love notes to your sweetie, reminding your assistant how you take your morning coffee or for leaving that dreaded message to your boss... "I need a raise!"

Do you have a versatile find? Please share!


Addendum:
Mitsy from Artmind posted this fun tutorial on how to make your own sidewalk chalk! You can modify it to make smaller pieces (e.g., using small candy moulds, large bubble tea sipping straws). So now that you have all your blackboard surfaced goodies, you can make your own endless supply of chalk as well! Thanks for sharing, Mitsy!