My New Fall Cuff Designs and What to Wear with Them!

It's the first fews days of fall, and I think these change of seasonal designs posts are my favorite.  I envision a design and what I would wear with it while I'm creating it my wide cuff bracelets. On the flipside of the design process, there's a finished product... what. do. I . do. with. this. hmmm.

So this is what I do, I try as best I can to communicate my designs to you by incorporating today's seasonal styles from popular stores and designers to let you know what I was thinking when I constructed it...So here goes. Can't wait to read your comments!

Faux Leather Fleur-de-Lis Cuff

Click here to view this cuff in my store.

With this White House Black Market Pairing

White House Black Market Photo

Next...

My Houndstooth Tweed Cuff Design

Click here to view this cuff in my store.

With this White House Black Market Outfit...

White House Black Market Photo

Or...

My Faux Brown Leather Cuff Design...

Click here to view this cuff in my store.

Paired with this 

Ralph Lauren's Black Label Classic Camel

Ralph Lauren Photo

Next...

This dress ensemble...

Marie Claire Photo

With my Faux Brown Leather Cuff Bracelet

Click here to view this cuff in my store.

Whatcha think? Would you wear any of these styles?

Happy Fall!

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My Super Chili

Fall is upon us, and after a scorching summer here in the south, it is a welcome relief! We always look forward to football and a new menu of fall comfort foods in our house.  Everybody loves a burger, but after a summer full of barbecues, burgers, and hot dogs, we are looking for a change of season!

Last night, I made my first pot of chili for the season!  Even though this is an awesome comfort food, our family is really health conscious, so I thought I'd share with my blog readers my recipe for my super yummy, super nutrient filled chili that even my kids love! So here goes:


Dawn's Super Chili 
(makes enough to feed a party or a family of 4 and freezes well)


2lbs of extra lean ground sirloin/beef (97/3)
1 large sweet onion
Chili Power to taste
Ground Cumin to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
Salt to taste
1 large can of red kidney beans
4 cans of pinto beans
2 cans of diced tomatoes with chilies
1 Fresh Jalapeno for additional heat (optional)
1 large bottle of V8 vegetable juice


In a large stockpot get the super lean ground beef browning. Do not add additional oil, cook the beef on medium heat to it releases its fat and creates its own non-stick fats and oils. Cook it too fast and it will burn and not use its own fats. 


After breaking up the beef, toss in the chopped onion, a palm full of chili powder, a palm full of ground cumin,  approximately 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, and approximately 1 tsp of salt to season the beef.  If you like your chili hot, add a diced Jalapeno now (optional)


Open up the cans of beans over the sink and put them in a pasta strainer and drain and rinse them!  Packagers pack most beans in corn syrup and nobody needs this extra SUGAR!!!!!!! uGH!!!!!


After the meat is browned, do not drain. There should be no more than a teaspoon of liquid left in the bottom of the pot if your beef is super lean. If you have more, drain. Do not rinse your meat. You loose ALLLLLLL of the seasoning you put in the pot when browning.


Return meat to medium low heat, add tomatoes, drained and rinsed beans, and pour in enough V8 juice to just cover the beans in the pot.  You'll use all but about 1 or 1/2 cups of the V8. Bring to a simmer and simmer for approximately 5 minutes on medium low. Stir and taste.  Add more spices to your liking. I usually add about a tablespoon of chili powder and a half a tablespoon of cumin and a dash of salt toward the end of simmering.  Simmer an additional 10 minutes on low and taste again. If you have seasoned enough, you will not taste the V8 juice at all. (I don't like V8 juice on its own, so this is how I gauge a good pot O' Chili) Simmer on low until ready to serve. The longer it warms on low the better it is.


Garnish with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, and corn chips....all optional, but my kids love the garnishes and I know that they are getting a ton of V8 juice, so I don't mind!


I hope you give my Super Chili a try!

New Styles in Monogram Necklaces

It might be time to start building your Christmas list and doing some Christmas shopping. I tell myself every year to get a head start on my list vs waiting for the family to ask what I want for Christmas, I tell them "I'll get back to ya"...then comes more stress, now I'm holding them up while I think about what I want/need  =)


I just couldn't wait until Christmas to show you these brand new designs in jewelry monograms. Starting with our Cut-Out Monogram Necklace in Sterling Silver. Like my little girl says, "it is to die for!" Mom or Grandma's Monogram is featured in the middle and children's names are black letter engraved around the edge.

Get details on CarolinaClover.com's Monogram and Black Letter Engraved Mom Necklace here.

We've got another great design for you! This one is a floating cut out monogram necklace that any girl would love! This necklace comes in three different sizes and is available in Sterling Silver or the budget minded pewter.

Find out more about this gorgeous floating cut-out monogram pendant necklace here.

Variety is the spice of life, so CarolinaClover.com offers a cut-out monogram necklace design available in every color and every style.  These monogram pendants are made of acrylic, so they hold a deep color and are so budget friendly you could order one in all your favorite colors and styles!

Find out more about our acrylic line of monogrammed pendant necklaces here.

I hope we have inspired you to think about gift giving for any occasion, maybe even Christmas too. Our monogrammed pendant necklaces make for thoughtful gifts whether they are on your wish list or you buying list!

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Notes of Southern Charm

Is it time to write an obituary to the charm and grace of the handwritten note? Has email, twitter, and facebook and texting taken the place of writing a traditional "Thank You" or "Thinking of You" note?  In a rush, rush, now, not later world, do we accept thanks and compliments via electronic means versus the time it takes us to sit down, gather our thoughts, write out a note, address it and stamp it?

Some ladies still issue the traditional card, picture and/or letter to our dear friends and family for the holidays. Some us still write a card with a gift.  Some of us even still write handwritten notes to the teacher and she returns the favor with a still handwritten note. Do you remember what it feels like to get a personally addressed letter in the mail that is not a bill or junk mail?

It's that very feeling that inspired me to add Carolina Clover's new collection of personalized note cards. One in every color and style you can imagine. Choose the pattern and personalization that reflects you the most.  With 14 styles available, 7 ink colors, 14 monogram styles, including Greek fraternity or sorority letters you are sure to create a card that will feel like your own creation.


 Write a thank you note to the couple that hosted the last cocktail party, checked on you or your child when was ill, or for the gifts your child receives for a birthday party.  We even have "girl" and "boy" patterns, so you can order some in your child's name and begin teaching your child how to say "thank you".

Like these...

"Stationary" like this also makes a thoughtful gift for teachers and other moms, then you'll be doing your part to keep the handwritten note alive!


To see the entire line of our personalized note cards, visit our site here. 

Day Trip Inspired Jewelry Designs; Crabs Can be Sparkly and Chic too!

This new cuff design was road trip inspired.  We spent the day exploring the coast of Wilmington, NC with visiting family.  We hopped the ferry at Southport and cruised over to Bald Head Island where we toured the Smith Museum and Old Baldy Lighthouse. What a fabulous piece of paradise.  If you've never ferried over to Bald Head, you must. If you find yourself at any of the North Carolina Beaches, south of the Outer Banks look up Southport ferry for a day trip.

First, they have the most fabulous new ferry terminal where you sit out on the porch underneath the fans, and rock in a good ol' southern rocker while looking out over the water waiting for the ferry.  They have a snack bar, restrooms, air conditioned areas, a gift shop, information, and plenty of parking!

  

Little bit hanging out waiting for ferry ride!

I highly recommend renting a golf cart in advance if you would like to explore the island on your own. There are no cars allowed on Bald Head Island and there aren't any golf carts to rent if you haven't reserved in advance. But if you would like to see the lighthouse, it is within walking distance of the ferry landing, which is what we did.

Thank goodness for a few provisional shops along the way! Grandma blew out her flip flop, and instead of cruising on back home, we stopped in one of the beach shops and bought her a new pair of treads.

"Old Baldy"

And none such inspiration comes to me except when I'm away from the office and my workshop that I come up with inspiration like my new crabby chic cuff bracelet design.

Eeeek! How cute is he? And he won't pinch you, I swear!

For more information on this sassy crab, check out my Etsy Store at

Http://www.carolinaclover.etsy.com

Pink and Green Thursday, Carolina Clover Style

Welcome to our first Pink and Green Thursday, this should be fun, we're doing Carolina Clover Style.

Introducing Carolina Clover's Blog Button

If you post mine, I'll post yours.

Send me an email to let me know here.

Carolina Clover, Pink and Green Monogrammed Cuff Design

Find out more about our monogrammed cuffs here.

The Crepe Myrtles are in bloom!

Green High Polish Sterling Silver Pendant for a STEAL!

Available for sale in Carolina Clover's web boutique

Click here for more information on this pendant.

I can't wear these, but these pink Crocs look adorable on my little one!

Monogrammed Backpack, send the kiddies off to school in preppy style

Find out our pink and green daisy backpack here.

This is a Pink Sperry Top-Sider I just bought for my oldest, she loves them!

She's preppy and she doesn't know it yet, shhhhhh.

And of course a matching lunch box in Pink and Green Daisy Style!

Find out more about this lunch box here.

This is another Carolina Clover pink and green cuff design 

with green rhinestones!

You can find out more about this cuff in my Etsy Store here.

Happy Pink and Green Thursday, Everybody!

The Monogram Handbook by CarolinaClover.Com

Monograms are a uniquely personal, they make gifts truly thoughtful! With so many options available today for monogramming gifts, jewelry, and cars and home decor, I thought I would publish a handbook, some etiquette or "the monogramming bible" guidelines, per se, that are traditionally used for monogramming. This is what CarolinaClover.Com's research has discovered on how to monogram gifts...

About monograms, what is a monogram?


It seems obvious, but a monogram is a letter used to signify one’s entire name. A monogram may be one or more letters. The “more” letters will be explained in a bit. Here is an example of a single monogram for “Dawn”, choosing to use her first name monogram.

When a single letter is used, it is usually the first letter of the persons first name or last name. For example, if Jane Doe Smith you would monogram with a single J or a single S.  


Depending on the item you are having monogrammed, you might choose the first name or the last name.  If I was buying Jane a monogrammed coffee tumbler or a piece of jewelry especially for her, I would probably monogram it with and "J". If I am putting a single letter monogrammed license plate on her family's car or for a flag for her mailbox, I would monogram it with a "S" for the family.


Two letters - Two letters can symbolize one persons first and last name. In Jane Doe Smith's two letter monogram it would be "JS". This would be done in any single letter font with no structural design like this:

JS

Three letters - The first letter of one persons first, middle, and last names. You would be monogramming their initials if for Jane Doe Smith your monogrammed "JDS". Special formats are used to set the last name off and in this case, Jane Doe Smith looks like this "jSd", the family name or the initial of the person's last name is featured in the middle with a fancy font like this:

The first letter of the persons last name is larger and placed in the center with the first initial and the middle initial on each side. With all three letters the same size, the letters appear in the order the name is normally written and this is referred to one's initial's like this:

Monogram for Couples


One letter - A single letter can symbolize the first letter of a couples or families last name. Jane and John Doe's monogram could be just "D"


Two letters - Two letters can symbolize two persons first names. Jane and John Doe's monogram could be:
JJ, but this is not really common.


Three letters - Three letters can stand for or a couples first and last names. For weddings, usually the order is like this:
1. First initial is woman's first name initial
2. Middle initial is initial of couples last name
3. Last initial is man's first name initial
So in the example below, if couples names were Brenda and Gregory Martin, you would list the monogram as: BMG

A Post-Publish on Wedding Monograms...

A couple may use their first name initials prior to the wedding and during the ceremony. For example, their wedding invitation may state J + J for John and Jane. However, their last name initial should be reserved for use for post wedding ceremony and their married life. For example, a couple could use their married initial of "S" for Smith on the beverage napkins for the cocktail hour after the ceremony.

A Word on Gender Monograms


Interlocking monogram is normally used for females only. With both the Interlocking and Round Monograms, the last name will be the largest letter in the center. Like this:

Interlocking

 Round Monogram

The Round Monogram can be used for both males and females. The Block Monogram (normally the male monogram) will appear First Name, Middle Name, and Last Name in all caps. Like this:

Cursive lettering is for full names like "Jane", dates, or written text like a team name, etc. Like the example below:

CarolinaClover.com hopes this monogram handbook helps you feel confident in making your gifts personal for that special wedding gift or piece of jewelry that commemorates a special event in someone's life. Check out Carolina Clover's Web Store for a complete selection of monogrammed jewelry, gifts, and accessories. Thanks for visiting!

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