I’m Back!

Don’t worry, folks; Olivia’s alive.

Sorry about the long hiatus between posts on the site — I had some technical difficulties that I won’t bore you with, except to put in a li’l plug for Verizon FiOS, my internet savior.

I also want to take this opportunity to formally introduce blogger Jewels, the latest edition to the WooMeOver family. She’s a jewelry enthusiast and web search magician — she’s notorious for her great finds off the beaten path!

Check out her first three posts:

Charmed: Alice in Wonderland Series by Summerpoet Studios
All You Need is LOVE
Love Hurts… and Love Heals

Welcome, Jewels!! :)

And for all you Woobies out there, stay tuned for a new post soon!

Back for Good,
Olivia

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Love Hurts … and Love Heals

lydia2

Lydia Necklace ($550.00)

Bring some romance into your life with Love Heals‘ delicate necklaces, influenced by spirituality and religion. Or glam up even the plainest of tank tops with their wonderful chunky pieces.

Not only has Love Heals mended broken hearts all over with the beauty of their jewelry, they are also doing their part to heal Mother Earth. The company works with Trees for the Future and plants 10 trees for every piece of jewelry sold. Since the program’s inception a year ago, they have planted over 250,000 trees in Africa and the United States. Now that’s a “good” buy!

mala_silver2

Mala Necklace ($372.00)

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Pearls Double Strand ($437.00)

practice1

Practice Necklace ($295.00)

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Spring Necklace ($355.00)

lucques-bracelet2

Lucques Bracelet ($257.00)

The company’s story is a fascinating read. From the website:

“Love Heals Jewelry is a mother son and daughter team of Adriana, Gunnar and Elisa. We make our jewelry on our family hippy commune and organic farm in Ojai California inside a 30 food Geodesic dome.

As a young woman, Adriana fled a dangerous military dictatorship in Argentina for London, where she began supporting herself as an artist selling her jewelry on Portobello Rd. Her roaming gypsy spirit took her around Europe - she settled in Ibiza - where she gave birth to Gunnar, in a 400 year-old house with no electricity, running water, car or stores within many miles. In 1979, the family relocated to Santa Barbara, California.”

about_us-copy

The Love Heals family: Adriana, Gunnar and Elisa

Visit the Love Heals website.

x o x o
~ jewels

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All You Need is LOVE

campise-love-ring-ron-herman-11

Ron Herman CAMPISE Love 14K Gold Ring ($720)

I am in love! And I am not talking about my infatuation with you, David Beckham.

David Beckham

No, I am truly, madly, deeply, head-over-heels for the LOVE RING from Ron Herman, an exclusive and extraordinary piece designed by a Ron Herman employee. Both the gold and silver versions are 14K Gold.

Who cares if the world is coming to an end? LOVE is all you need.

LOVE Ring Ron Herman

LOVE Ring Ron Herman Gold

Available for purchase on the Ron Herman official website.

x o x o

~ jewels

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My Favorite Things: Missoni Solid Parfum Charm Bracelet

I love the smell of fashion in the morning.

Missoni Solid Parfum Charm Bracelet
Missoni Solid Parfum Charm Bracelet, $50 at nordstrom.com.

Now, thanks to Missoni’s Solid Parfum Charm Bracelet, you can take the smell of style with you wherever you go! This chic charm bracelet contains 0.03 grams of solid perfume, so that you can refresh your scent on the go!

I love the Missoni fragrance. Margherita Missoni has really outdone herself with this one! She’s always had the look, but now she’s combining the look with the scent. And that’s an idea that I find absolutely… charming.

Scents-ibly,
Olivia

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Charmed: Alice in Wonderland Series by Summerpoet Studios

For a daytripper like me, Alice in Wonderland remains one of my favorite storybooks ever.

I love Sir John Tenniel’s acid-laced illustrations from Lewis Carroll’s original.

alice-lewis-carroll

I love Disney’s dizzying, imaginative animation.

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Storytime with Tweedledee and Tweedledum!

I especially love American McGee/EA’s (and almost Wes Craven’s) twisted interpretation.

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American McGee's Alice - grrr

Beautiful, whimsical, edgy and heartbreaking in parts - the story is masterfully retold through bracelets and nacklaces by Summerpoet Studios. Down the rabbit hole we go, to the absurd, lovely world of Summerpoet Studios.

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Alice In Wonderland in Black and White Bracelet by Summerpoet Studios ($59.99)

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Alice In Wonderland Altered Art Photo Charm Bracelet by Summerpoet Studios ($65.99)

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Alice In Wonderland Altered Art Photo Charm Bracelet by Summerpoet Studios ($19.99)

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Alice In Wonderland Bobby Pins by Summerpoet Studios ($10.99)

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Alice In Wonderland Steampunk Necklace by Summerpoet Studios ($39.99)

Summerpoet Studios’ online store boasts more than 600 items for sale, including this awesome Edgar Allen Poe pendant (Alice in Wonderland and EAP? I am so in love!). Find them on ETSY.

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Edgar Allen Poe Steampunk Pendant by Summerpoet Studios ($49.99)

x o x o,
~ jewels

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Birthstone for October: Opal

Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday to me
Happy birthday, dear Olivia
Happy birthday to me!

That’s right, folks; the “O” in “Olivia” stands for “October Opal.”

Last month, I mentioned that I used to be jealous of my sister because my favorite color is blue, but sapphire is her birthstone instead of mine. Well, that was before I knew just how cool opals are!

Flame Queen Opal Green
The Flame Queen Opal, the world’s largest cut and polished opal.

Opals are actually not a stone, but a mineraloid gel! They’re typically about 3-10% water, but can be up to 20%, which explains its rating of 5.5-6.5 on the Mohs scale. They’re basically a form of hydrated silica. Sounds simple, but the resulting gem is intriguingly complex!

Thanks to its lattice structure, it can be iridescent (or “opalescent,” if we’re going to get technical), and just about any color under the sun! Some of them even exhibit “eye-of-opal”, in which the gem takes on an eye-like appearance when it in-fills a cavity.

Flame Queen Opal Blue
The Flame Queen Opal, viewed from a different angle.

The most famous example of this characteristic is also the world’s largest cut and polished opal: the Flame Queen Opal. Not only does it exhibit “eye-of-opal,” but it also changes colors when viewed from different angles. The two pictures above are the same gem, shot from different angles!

So, I’m convinced: the opal is just as good a birthstone as a sapphire! So let’s get to some ways to show your true colors by sporting opal jewelry!

Affordable Accent

Macy's 14K Gold Opal & Diamond Earrings
Macy’s 14K Gold Opal & Diamond Earrings, $131.75 at macys.com.

White opal gives these earrings an antique look and feel. But the milky opalescence (well, what else would you have me call it?) gives them a hint of mystery — which will leave admirers turning back for a second look.

The Investment Piece

Annette Ferdinandsen Tiny Matrix Opal Ring with Orange Fire
Annette Ferdinandsen Tiny Matrix Opal Ring with Orange Fire, $840 at ylang23.com.

Fire opal.

Sounds exotic, doesn’t it? Well, the name certainly does justice to the bright orange lick of flame showcased in this fire opal ring. The Investment Piece should always make a statement, and this ring’s statement is: “This is why I’m hot.”

Living in Luxury

Ten Thousand Things Pinned Black Opal Buttercup Bracelet
Ten Thousand Things Pinned Black Opal Buttercup Bracelet, $7,745 at ylang23.com.

Once you go black, you can never go back.

Black opal is so versatile; it’s simultaneously sleek, sophisticated, and mysterious. The colors and opalescence (there’s that word again) combine to give it great depth.

October Opals (like Olivia) are cute and fun, but there’s definitely more to us than meets the eye. There’s more to us than what’s on the surface, and we’re always going to keep everybody guessing.

Mysteriously,
Olivia

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Trend Watch: Brass Bells

Dries Van Noten has bells of brass.

At Paris Fashion Week, Dries Van Noten showed his Spring 2008 Ready-to-Wear line.

One of the most striking aspects of this collection was how he accessorized it: lots of big sunglasses and chunky jewelry. My favorite aspect of these great pieces was the bells!

Dries Van Noten Spring 2009

Dries Van Noten Spring 2009 - 2

I love how the bells lend substance without overwhelming the outfits! That’s what accessories are meant to do: they accentuate the clothing, make it look better, make it more complete — much like the way a harmony fills out a melody. And the harmony of these bells: it’s music to my ears.

Lyrically,
Olivia

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PollMeOver: What’s Your Favorite Fall Trend?

We’ve seen a lot of cool trends so far this fall! So tell us:


Clockwise, from top: coral, New York & Co. City Style Black Rose Pin, Loeffler Randall Layered Sleeve Dress, Banana Republic Ombre 3-Strand Necklace.

What's your favorite fall trend so far?

View Results

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Just for Men: Three Tips to a Thrilling Engagement Ring

Oh, you poor boys.

Some of you read this blog because you’re looking for help in navigating the stormy waters of gift selection. Some of you are hoping that we’ll throw you a bone and write about men’s jewelry. Maybe some of you even wandered in by mistake and are waiting for me to give you a reason to stick around.

Well, we hope you’re happy. We’re introducing a new regular feature just for men called (what else?) “Just for Men.”

And to kick off this new segment, I’d like to address the number one thing that men want to find here.

Engagement Ring Shopping
An important decision to make.

Next to picking the girl to give it to, picking out an engagement ring is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make.

A lot of guys have been telling me that they need help. Most men have spent their entire lives NOT thinking about jewelry, and then they’re suddenly thrust into a position where they have to make a HUGE purchase.

Some of you are tempted to panic. What if you get the wrong ring? What if you pay too much? What if she hates it so much she dumps you?

Well, here are Olivia’s top three tips to make sure that you get a ring that will WOW the love of your life!

Counting down:

3. Be Prepared.

Ring Pop
Delicious, but not quite right for this occasion.

You know what’s disappointing? You decide to marry the woman of your dreams and then discover that you only have enough money to buy her a Ring Pop.

This is where the Boy Scout Motto comes in handy: “Be prepared.”

Even if you don’t know who she is yet, it couldn’t hurt to have enough money saved. Start squirreling money away into a savings account. Even if it seems premature, saving is generally a good idea. You never know when you might meet The One. And, trust me, nothing will impress her more than if you have the means to buy her a nice ring — not because she’s materialistic, but because YOU’RE practical.

And, trust me, nothing will impress her less than if you have to wait to propose for six months after you decide you want to marry her, while you save up to buy her a decent symbol of your affection.

2. Do Your Homework.

Studying
Research is good.

Knowing what to buy is good. But there’s no need to make it hard on yourself. Learn about different options for bands. Learn about different options for stones. Learn about how to know a good quality stone when you see one.

Most importantly, don’t do things the hard way. Let others do the legwork for you. Check the web for the essentials — specifically, keep checking out our blog. We’re looking out for you.

1. Your Greatest Resource

BFF
If she’s going to be the Maid of Honor, chances are she’s your greatest ally.

Utilize the best friend/sister. Most guys want to surprise their lady with the ring, which means that a lot of them are on their own when it comes to ring shopping. This is also what leads to the panic and the hopelessness.

Don’t do that to yourself. Ask her closest girlfriend or sister for help. Most girls love to talk about their dream ring. She is your inside track to everything that your future fiancee wants.

Hopefully, this can save you some time and headache as you prepare for one of the biggest moments of your life. We hope you check back soon for more tips and tricks from everybody’s favorite jewelry blog! :)

Helpfully,
Olivia

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Trend Watch: Jewelry in Hair

Hair we go again.

Gwen Stefani Hair Brooch
Gwen Stefani

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Mischa Barton

Lots of celebs have been spotted on the red carpet lately sporting jewelry in unorthodox places: they’ve been pinning brooches in their hair. What an innovative way to put a unique twist on a new trend!

Some celebs have even been using pieces other than brooches! Scarlett Johansson is wearing a necklace as a tiara — what a “crowning” achievement!

Scarlett Johansson Necklace in Hair
Scarlett Johansson

Take this trend and make it your own! Use your favorite necklace. Use an antique brooch. Heck, use a bracelet! There’s no wrong way to do it!

Tressed for Success,
Olivia

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