Monogram Jewelry

Posted in Beauty & Style by listen2mama

My daughter on her lst birthday, wearing her monogrammed acrylic necklace from Moon & Lola

My daughter wearing her monogram acrylic necklace from M&L

In the past few years, monogram and personalized jewelry have made a huge comeback. You see everyone wearing the large initial necklaces and the nameplates, almost everywhere you look. I remember my “Carrie” necklace from the 80’s (I think I still have it), and I’m glad I kept it! One of my favorite stores to find these fun pieces is Moon & Lola, a jewelry boutique featuring necklaces, earrings, bracelets and other high fashion items, all designed and produced in Apex, NC, a few towns over from Raleigh. There is also a flagship store in downtown Raleigh, and one in Charleston, SC. But of course, if you don’t live near to any of these locations, you can always visit their website to find numerous retailers that carry their items, nationwide, including Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. And by the way, their colorful monogrammed cuff links ended up on Oprah’s 72-item “Favorite Things” holiday list for 2014, read all about it, here.

Just having visited Raleigh a few weeks ago, I can tell you M&L is a place not to be missed. First, the store is gorgeous! When you walk in, you’re not sure where to look. So many cute, comfy, pink couches, and all of their displays are beautiful.

Moon & Lola, Raleigh

Also, the staff could not be friendlier. Each time I’ve visited the store I have always been greeted by very attentive, sweet, young ladies that really take the time to help you personalize just about any item they sell. Needless to say, we made a few purchases, and my daughter loved everything about this place, so I’m sure we will be returning on our future Raleigh visits. And if we don’t make it back soon…there’s always the website!

Gorgeous displays at Moon & Lola

My daughter in heaven…designing some bracelets with charms…

More beautiful displays…

Moon & Lola

219 North Salem Street, Suite 100
Apex, NC
919.367.6838

208 South Wilmington Street
Raleigh, NC
919.322.4277

http://www.MoonandLola.com

Many other retailers sell monogram jewelry as well, as it’s very much a trend right now, especially among the younger crowds. A few of my other favorite online monogram jewelry websites include:

Allison & Ivy

Alison and Ivy Cutout Heart Name Necklace, $125.

Marley Lilly

Marley Lilly Monogrammed Wire And Stone Bangle Set, $45

Three Hip Chicks

Dalton Initial Charm Necklace with 3 Charms, Threee Hip Chicks, $68

Three Hip Chicks, Dalton Initial Charm Necklace with 3 Charms, $68.

Max and Chloe

Max & Chloe, Jenny Present Pink Lauren Wrap Bracelet, $85

Swell Caroline

Swell Caroline, Nantucket Charm Bracelet, $40

Do you like or own any monogram jewelry, and if you do, which are your favorite pieces?

6Oct2014

My Favorite Pink Things

Posted in Beauty & Style by listen2mama

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I decided to create a fun list of all things pink (some items might make my Christmas wish list to hubby):

Who doesn’t love pink tulips…available any place flowers are sold!
Fujifilm INSTAX Camera; $65 at http://www.amazon.com or http://www.bestbuy.com.
Strawberry cupcakes; available at most cupcake shops, but my all time favorite is the vanilla with strawberry frosting from Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee in Coral Gables $2.75 each http://www.buttercreamcupcakes.com
UGG Nala clogs in English Primrose; $80 http://www.uggaustralia.com
Coach DREE stainless steel wrap watch; $198 http://www.coach.com
Classic Cambridge Satchel bag; $155 http://www.cambridgesatchel.com
Strawberry Milkshake Oreos…no explanation needed!
Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer; $570 http://www.kitchenaid.com

And my favorite Audrey Hepburn quote, which my daughter has up in her room:

I believe in pink…

Many of these items are available in various other colors, but this month, it’s all about PINK! What are your favorite pink things?

8Sep2014

Very Vera

Posted in Beauty & Style by listen2mama

Who hasn’t heard of Vera Bradley? I have been a Vera Bradley fan for over 13 years now. The first item I ever owned was my daughter’s diaper bag, a surprise gift from my husband. Of course, he had no idea who Vera Bradley was back then, he just thought I would really like it, and I did (I still have it). Ever since then, I have been a bit obsessed with Vera. What I’m really addicted to are the travel bags and accessories (smaller pouches, phone cases, beach towels). I became a real fan when we lived in Raleigh a few years ago, where Veras were sold everywhere and everyone uses them. Eventually, my daughter became obsessed too. She loves all the binders, pens, sticky notes, and every year she gets a new backpack and lunch bag with the latest pattern for school. We now live in Miami, and you don’t see many Veras around this neck of the woods, but we still love our bags! And lucky for us, there is a Vera Bradley store at the Falls Shopping Center.

The large duffel bag in beautiful prints. Photo courtesy of VeraBradley.com.

What I like most about these bags is that they’re washable. We travel a lot as a family, and I’m a bit of a “germaphobe”, so I love the fact that once we’ve returned from our trips, I can just pop these bags in the washer, and they’re ready to go again. They are also full of great compartments and pockets, which make packing a carry-on bag very easy.

A Vera fan from the start!

I also like that they’re quite durable. My daughter’s backpack is always in pretty good condition by the time schools ends, and I usually wash both the backpack and lunch bag several times during the year. This makes it very easy for resale on eBay or to give them away to friends.

Now, they are a bit pricey, but they are really well made. They only drawback that I see, is that in the past few years, they have changed the patterns and styles quite often, making it difficult to complete a collection (not an issue for me). But if you’re lucky you can still find some of the retired patterns on eBay.

And of course if you live anywhere near Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Vera is headquartered, you can attend their Annual Spring Outlet Sale, always held in April, with discounts of 40-60% off retail prices. I have never been to one of these sales (probably a good thing), but I have had the pleasure of visiting their outlet store in Orlando, which was quite the adventure. People were running all over the place grabbing anything they could get their hands on, so I can only imagine the craziness that takes place in Indiana!

The latest in Vera…the baby collection. Photo courtesy of VeraBradley.com

Vera Bradley Annual Spring Outlet Sale in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Do you own any Vera Bradley bags, and if you do, which are your favorites?

21Jul2014

Summer Sandals

Posted in Beauty & Style by listen2mama

Sandals always remind me of summer. Lucky for me that I live in Miami because I love to wear sandals all the time, and I usually do. I probably own more pairs of sandals than any other type of shoe! But for those of you that do not live down south and can enjoy wearing sandals the next few months, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite ones:

My Favorite Sandals

Jack Rogers; http://www.jackrogersusa.com; these are my all time favorite summer sandals. They come in a variety of colors, and are also available in wedges. Prices range from $110-$128. They also offer jelly beach sandals for $68. I’ve owned many of these, and they last a super long time. They’re also really comfortable after you break them in!
Havaianas; www.havaianas.com; these are simply the best flip-flops all around. They also come in a variety of colors and patterns. Prices range from $26-$32. They also come in wedges and new t-sandal styles. If you’re undecided, you can design your own Havaiana on their website!
Sam Edelman; www.samedelman.com; Gigi style, comes in various color combinations, $65. These are very comfortable and you can match them to almost any summertime outfit.
Espadrilles; www.zappos.com; Sesto Meucci style, $65.99. Who doesn’t love espadrilles in the summer? I often buy mine in Spain or Italy, but Zappos offers tons of styles of espadrilles, in all colors, prices and styles!
Born; http://www.bornshoes.com; Neeli style, $85. While at first glance Born shoes may not always appear the most fashionable, they are definitely very comfortable. These are the best type of sandals to take on vacations where you’ll be walking a lot! Trust me, they come in very handy.

What are your favorite summer sandals?

26Jun2014

Flipping Out at Old Navy

Posted in Beauty & Style by listen2mama

If you’re planning on shopping this weekend, then head on over to your local Old Navy this Saturday, June 28, 2014, for their annual $1 Flip Flop Sale. If you have a Gap, Old Navy or Banana Republic credit card you can stop in stores on Friday and get the deal a day early.

This is Old Navy’s biggest sale of the year (as you can imagine) and the stores are super busy with very long lines. But how can you beat $1 for a pair of summer flip flops? Unfortunately, this offer is only valid on in-store purchases, so for those of you who enjoy internet shopping (like me), the deal is not available online.

According to the Old Navy Facebook Page, each store will be opening as early as they are permitted. The stores will be updating their store hours on the store locator at oldnavy.com. So make sure you check your local store’s opening time to be certain you don’t arrive two hours later, and be faced with much less selection. There is a limit of five pairs per person.

While you’re there, check out the mix and match bathing suits styles, which are also pretty well priced. My daughter just picked up a few pieces for our upcoming trip!

Photo Courtesy of Old Navy

2Jun2014

Preppy Mama

Posted in Beauty & Style by listen2mama

Photo Courtesy of The College Prepster

Browsing through Pinterest, as you can find me on most days, I came across some really interesting pins by a pinner named The College Prepster, who pens an amazing blog. I happen to love preppy styles, Lilly Pulitzer, Jack Rogers sandals (my daughter and I have had them in all of the colors of the rainbow) Vera Bradley, J. Crew, LandsEnd, and of course, anything that’s monogrammed!

When my daughter was little, she had tons of monogrammed hair bows, backpacks and clothing. This was especially true when we lived in Raleigh, where you could find shops that monogrammed in almost all the shopping centers in town.

Now that we are back in Miami, it’s a little bit different. But I’m always coming across preppy websites through Facebook pages or Pinterest pins, and when I found this cute list, (and there are many more of these cute lists on her blog) I thought I would share it with you.

Don’t forget to check out this website, especially for those of you with young ladies heading off to college soon, it’s full of great ideas and advice! Happy Monday!

8May2014

I Mustache You a Question…

Posted in Beauty & Style by listen2mama

Carolina & I at a school event last year!

Carolina & I with mustache props at a school event last year!

It seems that lately, everywhere we look we see mustaches! On cards, websites, logos, cupcakes, photo props, jewelry… But where did this bizarre trend come from? All you have to do is search for “mustache” on my beloved Etsy, and you’ll find over 54,000 results! Well, it’s been rumored that the fake mustache fad originated with hipsters as a way to mock conventional ideals of fashion and style.

Photo Courtesy of PETA

It’s also believed that PETA started the whole mustache craze with their campaign “Grow Your Own Fur” back in 2010. PETA posted a picture of a rabbit wearing a fake mustache with “You can help stop the killing of animals for their fur by growing your own fur” as the slogan for the campaign.

It doesn’t really matter where this originated from…the fact is that everyone is going crazy for mustaches! The craze started off slow, but gained momentum by late 2011 with Movember,(mustache+November) a campaign in which men grow mustaches throughout the month of November to help gain awareness to men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer and other male cancers. Women decided to support the Movember movement, by also sporting fake mustaches throughout the month.

Mustaches have also become a subject of humor. There’s even a picture of Sean Connery that’s been re-posted lots of times over the internet where the heading says, “I mustache you a question but I’m shaving it for later”. There is also a Fake Mustache Day celebrated on February 24, (the international celebration is held on February 3). So, even if you’re not into the whole false ‘stache thing, (and I know many of you aren’t) give it a try on Mustache Day, you might actually have some fun!