Handmade Jewelry from Around the World: Novica Review and Giveaway #handmade4life

*I was provided complimentary items to review for this post. The opinions expressed are my own.

I have enjoyed Novica products for a few years now and I always love to support their artist with my purchases. I like that Novica is a company that brings together artist from all over the world to be able to sell their products online. I have many great products from Novica that are from Mexico including jewelry and kitchenware. This time shopping I wanted to try a different region of the world for my jewelry. I found an artist in Thailand that had beautiful jewelry, great reviews and sterling silver. I have sensitive skin and have to purchase silver or gold jewelry. Her pieces are affordable and light weight. I wear jewelry to work everyday and I am constantly needing new pieces to wear.

I had a hard time selecting which pieces to select for my review since Aoy has many beautiful items. I wear my hair down often at work so I decided on a pair of dangle earrings, Handcrafted Sterling Silver Dangle Earrings with Spirals Whirl. I love the movement of the silver balls and the whimsy of the spiral. They are very lightweight, somewhat delicate making them easy to wear for a full work day. They are very cheerful to wear and I enjoying sharing that I found them on Novica.

I have learned over the years necklaces for me have to be versatile. I have a few necklaces I have only wore a few times because they are so very specific in their style and I knew this time I needed to make a more practical choice. I wanted to have another piece of jewelry from Aoy in Thailand so I selected the Sterling Silver Pendant Necklace, Filigree Moon. I have received many compliments from my customers at work on the filigree motifs in my crescent moon necklace. I like that the pendant feels sturdy and well made, the ball chain is a bit fragile but I have other chains I can put the moon on if I need to.



My jewelry was handmade by a woman from Thailand who is lovingly called Aoy. Here is some information on the artist:

"At our workshop, we still work with our hands to craft our jewelry collections, because we believe it is our duty to preserve this ancient art form."

"Sawasdee ka! My name is Rudklow Patanaanunwong, but everyone calls me Aoy. I come from a warm family environment from Bangkok, though I am an only child. I hold Bachelor and Master Degrees in Economy from Northeastern University."

"My intention after graduation was to work for the Bank of Thailand, but I changed my mind when I met my husband. We got married and I moved to Chiang Mai, where my husband has a silversmith workshop. I began to work there to help him."

I am happy to share that we are hosting a giveaway for a $35 Gift Code to Novica.com for one lucky reader. There are so many great items at Novica, more than jewelry there are gifts, housewares, clothing, bags, art and more.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Dec. 22 2016 and ends on January, 6 at 12:01 am PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Dune Jewelry Handmade Beach Sand Inlet Cuff Bracelet Review

My childhood was full of trips to the beach. We have always lived on the west coast and enjoyed the Pacific Ocean all summer long. Anytime I am feeling over stressed I think of or even go to the beach for renewal. The reminiscence of sunshine filled days, the smell of the salty air and the sand beneath feet remind me of one of my favorite quotes, "life is like the ocean it can be calm or still and rough or ridged but in the end always beautiful". When I came across Dune Jewelry a company that makes handmade jewelry containing sand from your favorite beach you select from their sandbank or send in your own sand I knew it would be something special to have. I love the concept of jewelry that is connected to a memory from the beach.

 There are so many beaches that hold a special place in my heart I had a hard time choosing just one, but Redondo Beach CA was the one I selected. As a kid my family and I went to Redondo many times. My Dad grew up there and the stories he told us on the drive there about his childhood always fascinated me. He told us about how he once rescued a wounded seal and it recovered in the bathtub, how they would skip class to go surfing, and the one I now realize as an adult was not true, the climbing a big hill to school in 10 feet of snow. He did show us the big hill leading to school, but I now know it does not snow there! I had my own adventures at Redondo Beach with my siblings while my Dad and Mom watched from the shore. I remember my older brother and I being taught how to body surf by a random local surfer lady. She opened my eyes to a whole new way to see the little waves I was jumping in. I can still picture my older sister standing on the shore freaking out about how cold the water was while my brother and I dove right in.

As a teenager my Dad took my sisters and I back to Redondo where my sister and I realized there was an arcade under the pier with rides and all the whole time. I giggle a bit about that one since my parents were smart to not let us go there. I am grateful they never took us in since I think it would have ruined our true beach experiences. Hearing my Dad tell my son the "seal in the bathtub" story when he came to visit made me overwhelmed with joy. Its the stories and life experience we pass down to our children that they remember the most. As I was having this bracelet made my Dad has gotten much sicker and having kidney failure making the memories even more precious and reminding me I want my own son to stick his toes in the sand at Redondo Beach. The Silver Cuff Bracelet with the sand from Redondo Beach makes all that joy I felt with those memories right there.

I have been wearing the bracelet to work a few times a week since its simple design and silver color seem to match so much of my wardrobe. I have received many comments on the uniqueness of the jewelry and hearing people tell me their beach stories has been great. Not only do I now have a lovely piece of jewelry to wear I have captured memories in sand that I will treasure forever. Now my only problem is I want like 10 more pieces of jewelry! My birthday is coming and I already know 2 sands that I would love to have a piece made for and those both have beautiful memories attached to them.

Some information about Dune Jewelry:

• Dune Jewelry the Original Beach Sand Jewelry Company® is very unique because their patented designs are custom made with beach sand!

• With Dune Jewelry you have a choice of thousands of sands worldwide, spanning all 7 continents. 

• New this year a custom wine bottle stopper!  Who doesn't love wine?  The Dune Jewelry custom wine bottle stopper is is the perfect gift for the holiday's or a special occasion you may be celebrating.   

• All of Dune Jewelry's items have a lifetime warranty, come with care instructions and literature that indicates the source of the sand.

• There is something for both men and women in the Dune Collection.

• Dune Jewelry is available to purchase online and at various retail stores nationwide.

• Visit www.dunejewelry.com for more information and to view Dune's collections.

Dune Jewelry creates tangible reminders of life’s greatest moments.  Everyone has a beach memory. It could be a childhood memory, a place you and your friends met each year, it is where he proposed, it is where you had your beautiful destination wedding, or maybe it was where you spent your honeymoon. Dune's unique custom and personalized collection is something that will provide cherished memories all year long.

You can see more of the jewelry designs by following Dune Jewelry on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

I would love to hear your favorite beach memories, please feel free to share in comments :)

Dana Renee Style Jewelry Review and Giveaway #sponsored

I love the ease of doing my holiday shopping online. Especially when I find a shop that has beautiful things at a price I can afford.

Dana Renee Style Jewelry is an online jewelry shop that makes and sells lovely and unique handmade jewelry.

 Dana Renee Style Jewelry offers earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings in a variety of styles, with something to appeal to every woman.

Dana's inspiration for creating her jewelry comes from vintage clothing, nature, photography, and whatever happens to catch her eye.