Wordless Wednesday: Dresses Paired with my Cuff Designs

 

 

 

Find these and other cuff designs on my web site.

NJ Housewife Auctions Possessions, So Sad :(

From Yahoo TV today...
NJ 'Housewife' Teresa Auctions Off Contents of Foreclosed Mansion

Joe and Teresa Giudice

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

I don't know if you watch any of the Bravo Housewives shows...I've watched them all...and I can't tell you why. I have no explanation for my actions.

I know an auction of possessions is public information.

Forclosure proceedings on a property is public information.

Not only is this public information, but it also becomes a media feed, which begets a media circus, which begets a fan frenzy...even if you are a "any list celebrity".

As much as I might watch this sort of "reality" television, I really didn't want to know this foreclosure information about Teresa and her family. It makes me sad, like if it happened to my neighbor or my friend. There's nothing you can do about it as they are being smeared publicly.

This particular headline hit a blog, and the comments that followed the blog were alarming.  Who in their right mind would say that someone "deserves" the loss of their home and possessions?

If you are interested, you can read the post for yourself at http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/nj-housewife-teresa-auctions-off-contents-of-foreclosed-mansion--1417

I wish her and her family the best, and I'm sorry that they have had to file for chapter 7. Irregardless as to how they have handled their real estate business, that's none of my business. As a human being, I wish them the best. These have been some hard times on some industries, real estate being one in particular. 

What do you think about property auctions and forclosures being public information?

Art on Fire at Artfire!

WHAT?!?!?!?!?! I know, I hadn't heard of it either, but I bought some artist supplies there once...


I'm taking about Artfire.  A marketplace for handmade Arts... You name it, it is a virtual artists gallery, art show, crafts bazzar, art fair all online.


I encourage you to poke around on their site here...
http://www.artfire.com


I have just opened up a little store on Artfire.com, and my store name is of course, CarolinaClover. One word.


You can view my new handcrafted site here...
http://www.artfire.com/users/carolinaclover


I am so excited about a competing virtual venue for Etsy. If you are a happy shopper at Etsy, good for you. But you might want to click away now because this is going to get ugly.


As a seller on Etsy I became increasingly frustrated at how they manage their site.  Etsy has "written" and "posted" and "quoted" on many occasions their guidelines for items to be sold in their "Handmade Marketplace". Basically what I'm talking about here is the difference between "ARTs and CRAFTS" and mass machine produced bits that get a manufactured bow put on it by the seller and sold on Etsy as handmade. The integrity of Art on Etsy has been lost and I don't mind saying so publicly.


Etsy has let this happen, it is unfortunate, yes and they have defended their decisions to run their site into the ground by "not turning away anyone who wants to sell on Etsy"...as stated by an admin in their forums.  "Everyone has  a platform on Etsy".


Well, I have news for Etsy. As soon as you stop caring what people post to sell on your site, you become eBay and you are no longer a "handmade" marketplace.


I can only hope that the competing marketplace of Artfire, and some other art oriented start ups, can remind Etsy, via virtual competition, what exactly is considered Art. People vote with their dollars, and my dollars are headed to Artfire.


I hope you join me.

Who buys your jewelry????

I was reading a lovely blog the other day that was featuring beautiful pictures and descriptions of a fantastic piece of jewelry. This was not an expensive piece of jewelry, we're talking less than a few hundred dollars.

That's not what struck me as I was reading this blog. In fact, what moved me deeply was in the comment section under the blog.

Dozens of ladies had responded to this featured piece of jewelry.  All loving it more than the next.  Swooning with love and comments and admiration at this relatively affordable piece of jewelry.

So getting to the point of what shocked me.

Tell me if this shocks you too.

Not a single one of the lovely ladies thought for a second that they could buy this piece of jewelry for themselves.

Be it motherly, womanly nature to put everybody's needs foremost before they fulfill their own wants and desires.

I get that.

Each one of these ladies commented that "maybe for my birthday", "maybe for Christmas", maybe for "Valentines day" I'll put this on my wish list as a gift my "other" can get me.

Here's the thing.

We treat ourselves to spa treatments and dozens of mani-pedi's that in total cost more than this piece of jewelry.

We buy designer bags at hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars.

We get our hair done, cut, colored and styled for as much as this piece of jewelry costs.

We hit the one day sale at Kohls with our cash back bonus and spend more money than this piece of jewelry.

Why do women sometimes feel like they can't buy themselves jewelry? Do their husbands give them grief? Do they feel guilty?  Tell me your thoughts!

Ribbons and Beads

Ribbon...

Classic Large Silver Beads...

Links for behind the neck..

Blue, Gray, Silver Ribbon...

Signature Clover for Good Luck...

http://www.carolinaclover.com

Morning Full of New Cuff Designs

Here are my current cuff bracelets in progress...unfinished at the moment, but creative forces at work...

Tropical Fish with Beach Bag Stripe Fabric Cuff Bracelet

Chic Taupe Pearls with Champagne Rhinestone Cuff Bracelet

Preppy Pink and Green Fabric with Rhinestone Flower Cuff Bracelet

Zebra and Preppy Pink Ribbon Cuff Bracelet with Gloss Finish

Rhinestone Belts are IN...BLING, BLING!

I am sooo excited about Carolina Clover carrying these new Rhinestone Belts!  

White Leather, Rhinestones

The story with these belts goes back several years to a boutique in Carmel By the Sea in California.  I saw these belts in the window, stopped for a bite to eat in a little cafe with my hubby (sans children!), went back to shop these belts in the boutique and the boutique was closed!  We were driving back to San Francisco that evening...gone were the rhinestone belts. 

Silver Leather, Rhinestones, Cross Embellishments

Fast forward years later, I discovered these belts in a shop in Las Vegas!  The search was on to find awesome QUALITY rhinestone belts for Carolina Clover. And here they are! Made of Genuine Leather with Riveted Rhinestones, I've stocked them in black, white, silver, and hot pink!  They will be available in my shop opening in August in the Cotton Company.  Until then, let me know if you are interested and I'll get measurements and pricing to you via email.

A little bit western, a little bit rock 'n roll!

I love wearing mine with jeans and a t-shirt!

Helloooo Wake Forest! Rhinestone Belts are at Carolina Clover!

Back to School!?!?!?!

Seems like summer just started and already the stores are stocked with back to school supplies and school supply lists are being mailed!  In North Carolina, the "tax free" weekend for purchasing school supplies is less than a month away! Year round schools in NC started their new school year last Friday!


Carolina Clover has added some personalized/monogrammed back to school supplies to the web site.  They also make great gifts if you know a student who is getting ready to ship off to college.  

Check our our monogrammed laundry bag...

Our monogrammed laptop sleeve...

My favorite for sake of avoiding the "lost and found", the monogrammed luggage/book bag tag...

Don't be caught at the bus stop without one of our Monogrammed Umbrellas...

And for everything else that must be labeled, don't forget your Vinyl Monogram Decal for store bought portfolios, lap desks, travel mugs etc....

Check out these items and more at http://carolinaclover.com/category_40/Back-to-School.htm

Have a great school year!

Carolina Clover's First Retail Space!

Carolina Clover is opening up shop in historic downtown Wake Forest! Beginning in mid-August, we'll be opening a boutique in the Cotton Company!

Located on main street in downtown Wake Forest, the cotton company is a major contributor to our lively historic downtown hosting local artists, boutique shops and hosting events. The Cotton Company has also received the award for... 

10Best.com  

Top 10 Raleigh Shopping Malls & Centers!

Travel Editors from Southern Living, Southern Accent, Cooking Light, 

& Customer Reviews Decide Who Make the List.

History of the The Cotton Company

The cotton was sold and loaded out the back, onto the train; where it then made its way to the factories to be made into clothing and various other items and now, thanks to Bob and Elizabeth Johnson, the Cotton Company has been renovated and is home to retail shops, artists galleries, an event space and Over the Falls Deli.

Carolina Clover will still offer our personalized and monogrammed gifts online at www.carolinaclover.com!  But if you live or travel to our little downtown, be sure to visit the Cotton Company where Carolina Clover will be featuring our handcrafted jewelry designs and unique gifts!  More information about Cotton Company shopping events, shopping hours, and  sales will be coming soon!