Jewelry and Accessory Reviews

Gorgeous Eco Jewelry by muichic – Natural, Sustainable and Organic

by Kirsten on October 29, 2010

Always wanting to leave a more positive footprint on the world, I find it important to support causes and businesses that go out of their way to be environmentally friendly.

muichic, does just that.

muichic, prounounced (moo·ee·sheek), is deliciously natural, sustainable & organic jewelry designed & handmade in Colombia. Each piece is beautiful, and the quality is truly amazing.

To learn a bit more about muichic, here is some information from their site:

Tagua is our raw material. All of our pieces are made by hand from “tagua nut”. The tagua nut, a botanical alternative to ivory (a.k.a. vegetable ivory), is a seed that comes from the ivory-nut palm or tagua palm which grows in the humid tropical forest of South America. Its use stimulates the local economies in the region providing an alternative to cutting down rainforests for farming.

Unique accessories that are environmentally friendly & gracefully chic make up our natural bijoux collection…bold, playful & colorful goodness for your body. All of our pieces come in different colors and like snowflakes they all differ from one another. Each tagua nut has its own distinctive grain and shape which gives a remarkably uncommon quality to each piece of jewelry

I find it fascinating how the tagua nut can created such amazing pieces of jewelry. Check out this amazing picture of the life of the tagua nut from start to beautiful finish!

I was lucky enough to try out one of their trapezio rings in their natural color. It is bold, chunky, and absolutely gorgeous! I get complimented on it all the time. It comes in a variety of other colors, from turquoise to red!

Here are some of my other favorites from their site, all equally beautiful and unique.

I definitely suggest checking out their website, and doing a bit of shopping. You know it will support an amazing business, and you’ll end up with some gorgeous pieces of jewelry!

Pick up a piece of jewelry from muichic here!

Love, K.

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Beautiful, Handmade Luggage Tags by Tagsmith

by Kirsten on October 19, 2010

I often get asked about the various ways one can spice up their travel wardrobe and accessories. You would think that it’s all about the clothes, shoes, and handbags, but travel style goes much beyond the usual suspects. Picking up a new piece of luggage is one way to achieve a new travel look, but the price-tag associated with it is usually on the expensive side. So what about the little things?

Tagsmith, by Steve Neal, has created a line of handmade leather luggage tags that are eye-stoppers. Each are individually dyed and stamped with a beautiful design – all by hand.

In addition to beautifying your travels, they also help distinguish your bag from others. It has become increasingly difficult to find a piece of luggage that not only looks good, is functional, and lasts a long time – but also one that appears different from the hoards of other luggage on the baggage carousel. I have seen everything from people tying different pieces of string, to stickers, to even – gasp! – marker written on their bags. None of these options accomplish what I am looking for; I would much rather have a hand-made item, a luxury artisan crafted piece of artwork that is the Tagsmith Luggage Tag.

Take a look at how he makes the them; it is intricate work, and you know you are receiving something special.

Isn’t it amazing! I am so excited to share his stuff with you. Here is a bit more info from his website:

In handcrafting TAGSMITH tags, I combine timeless leatherworking techniques with a fresh eye for hip design and modern style. I’m known for my tooled leather, but I make non-tooled leather tags as well. I’ve created a truly unique travel accessory, using the finest American vegetable-tanned leather, nickel-plated brass hardware, and the highest quality thread and dyes. My tags are crafted for durability and will get more beautiful with age. A TAGSMITH luggage tag is also a unique gift for the stylish traveler.

Here is an actual picture of the one I was sent. As you can see, it is just as beautiful as the online pictures, and the real life version is exactly what you would hope for and expect!

Pick up your Tagsmith Original Luggage Tag here!

Love, K.

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Space Savers – Going Green with Shop Miss Malaprop

by Kirsten on October 8, 2010

When traveling becomes a larger part of your life, particularly my own, I have learned that “going green” and purchasing items that are both eco-friendly and fair-trade, are imperative to sustaining a better life for everyone on this planet. This is why I am happy to share with you a new website that I think many of you will appreciate.

Mallory started ShopMissMalaprop.com to share some of her favorite handmade products that she has found from a variety of different artists and designers. This came after a few years of featuring such items on her blog, something she could feel good about recommending to her family, friends, and readers. Her goal is to become a conscious consumer – she wants to know where it came from, who made it, how it was made, and what it is made from. In her online shop, she shares this information, so we too can make informed shopping decisions.

I was lucky enough to get to try out one of the products she features on her site, a reusable bag that comes in array of bold prints and patterns from b.b. begonia. It’s a perfect bag to bring traveling, and can also be used on a daily basis when at home! Here is a bit of some information about b.b.begonia:

Based on the belief that “going green” does not mean sacrificing style, b.b.begonia is proud to offer reusable shopping bags in a wide range of beautiful, fashionable prints. b.b.begonia eco-friendly products are designed and developed in Winnipeg, Canada and manufactured in China under fully socially-compliant, fair wage and fair labor conditions.

Reusable bags have become a huge part of many people’s daily routine. They are carried to the grocery store, left behind in our cars for that “just in case moment”, and now are a must-have item for our travels.

Here are a few photos of the bag I chose from b.b.begonia, it’s fun, sassy, and I love how much stuff it holds. As you can see from the photos below, it shrinks down to just about nothing, and yet when fully opened, is pretty substantial in size!

Isn’t this bag totally adorable?!? I love it and know you will too!

ShopMissMalaprop.com not only has these great bags, but she carries SO much more. Even better – a portion of all proceeds from sales on her site, and in person, currently go to The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies to help with their wildlife rescue efforts related to the recent Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill disaster.

A wonderful site to support, and a big kudos to Mallory for sharing this with me, and now YOU!

Happy Shopping!

Love, K.