Create a Decorative Jewelry Stand using a Tabletop Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree Bling
Holiday Jewelry Display

If you get tired of looking for that holiday pin you know you have, then you want to read the tips below to find these items quickly by displaying them during the holiday rather than hiding them in jewelry boxes or cabinet drawers.  Included are ideas to enhance the holiday project and better display the jewelry.  Also watch this blog or YouTube for a demonstration video on this technique later.

Steps to create the jewelry tree include:

   1.      Remove artificial tree from box and assemble.

   2.      Optional:  Add garland if desired.

   3.      Hang collected pins/brooches on tree.

   4.      Put rings, bracelets, and earrings on tree.

   5.      Drape necklaces on tree.

   6.      Optional:  Fill in gaps on tree with bows.

   7.      Optional:  Use holiday scarves around bottom tree if desired.

Tips for decorating the tree:

I use a traditional 2-foot green table-top tree with bendable branches.  However, it is ok to select a color tree that matches the décor of the room where it will be displayed. If you do not have much jewelry or the jewelry is light, you can use the metal ornamental trees often found in home goods or house wares section at department stores.  You do not want lights on the tree if you have jewelry with wood, plastic, or fabric parts as the heat from bulbs may damage fashion jewelry.  Be sure to keep the original box to store the tree in for next year.

If the tree came with garland and you want to use that, go ahead.  Otherwise if you want garland, you can buy the smallest size you can find at the drugstore.  Or use what you have by unclasping a long strand of faux pearls and draping that around the tree from top to bottom.  Another alternative is to use Madi Gras beads that you still have.  You can cut these apart for single strands or knot together to keep the double strand look.  If you cut up your beads, store them in the tree box to re-use each year. 

There are different ways to hang the pins on your tree.  I like to put heavy pins on the top branch to create a strong line of pins to represent tree topper.  For the other pins, you can pin them on branches or place the clasp over the bent end of a branch.  Of if the brooches are delicate or heirloom, you may want to hang them using small ornament hooks or make ribbon loops from the clasp.  Put the pins on first so you can hang other jewelry items around them.

Stretch or bangle bracelets can be hung on branches.  Bracelets with clasp can be hung like icicles/tensile or opened and draped in mini-garland sections.  If you want to add your earrings to the tree as well, you can hang pairs of clips, hoops, or shepherd-style hooks over branches mixing them in among the other pieces.  For stud-type earrings, take a needle or safety pin to poke holes in a gift tag so you can add the posts and backs.  Put a ribbon or ornament hook through top if the gift tag and hang it on the back of the tree

Finishing with jewelry, drape any holiday necklaces on tree to get a ribbon effect.  Gently hang the cord or chain over the top branch with all the heavy pins and then holding the pendant portion drape it down the tree where it is not behind or over another piece of jewelry.  You do this so that the necklaces and other jewelry items to not get knocked off when the necklace is removed.  Remove the necklace in the opposite way by grasping the clasp and lifting upward until pendant is above the top of tree, then you can remove the cord/chain that is over top branch.

Some optional ideas to fill out the tree include adding bows to fill gaps or empty spaces and draping one or more holiday scarf around the bottom as a tree skirt.  You can choose a contrasting ribbon color to match your décor.  For instance if you choose a light pink tree for a bedroom where it will be displayed that has colors of cream, light pink and mauve, then you may want mauve or wine colored bows.  You can buy ribbon from a craft store to tie your own bows onto branches.  Or you can buy the twist-tie bows from drug or dollar stores Christmas displays in different velvety colors or get them in metallic versions.  If you have just one holiday scarf, let it be a tree skirt when you are not wearing it.  If you have lots of holiday scarves, place the tree in a small round tub before you begin decorating it.  Then just fill the tub with the scarves so you can see them all. 

How to Make Your Own Christmas Stockings

Thanksgiving is over and now everyone is thinking about Christmas.  I already covered some early shopping tips last month, so now it is time to move to decorations.  Years ago, I made Christmas stockings for everyone in my family by buying holiday fabric remnants and hand-embroidered the names on each of them.  I added lace (instead of top cuff) and satin ribbon to mine to make it more feminine looking.  The guys got jingle bells hand-sewn onto theirs. These were not much work.  Yet the stockings were very cute, personal, and different from what you might see on other people’s mantels.  Using stockings is a quick decorating idea that can also increase your Christmas day fun as you hide candy and trinkets inside each year and watch for surprise and merriment.

At bottom of this post is the best video on making Christmas stockings I have seen, because Jenny does not leave out any steps.  This stocking pattern does not require a lining or quilting.  You just need to get creative with the fabrics you choose, then you can embellish as desired.  Here’s an additional time-saving tip to add to this  video, when you put the loop part in the stocking to sew go ahead and double it over so the one seam takes care of making the loop and you will not need to tack it down at the end.  

If you do not have an old stocking to use as a model and are not good at free-hand drawing a pattern or estimating fabric needed for stocking,  check out About.com for PDF pattern and material requirements.  If you want more ideas, check out these 12 ideas at Tips Junkie.

More Jewelry Deals for Christmas Gift Ideas

Earlier this month, I did a series of posts on budget gifts of jewelry for the holidays.  I hope you checked them out and are reading your Sunday ads to find other great deals too.  Just in case you missed something, I will share some other great specials I have seen since those I posted earlier in this new post below.   These will be ongoing items or limited time offers, but not Black Friday deals or one-day only sales.  If you miss out on Black Friday shopping early-bird/door-busters at stores, check their website as many are offering the same specials all day on-line.

To add to the diamond post, Helzberg offers diamond accent silver pendants for under $50 and they have an alternative white topaz set of 3 holiday necklaces for under $100.  Each necklace in the set comes in its own gift box so you can split it into 3 gifts (at under $34 per gift) or give them all to someone who loves Christmas jewelry.  They also have non-diamond, colored stone gift sets available.  Check everything out on the Helzberg website for holiday gifts under $100.  Also, at the stores they offer a BOGO where you can buy a square black and white diamond ring for $199 and they will give the matching pendant for free until 12/24/11 or when they run out.  If you order on-line you get 60 days to return and you can check out their free shipping options too.  While you are on their site, check out the clearance items to find lots of cute heart items you can buy and give now or save for Valentine’s Day.



Diamond Dazzle Stik



If you know someone who already has lots of diamonds, buy them the new Diamond Dazzle Stik by CONNOISSEURS as a stocking stuffer.  For more info on this product, view the hilarious videos on their marketing website.

As mentioned above, be sure to check your ads for gem deals during the holidays.  Many department stores are offering birthstone rings, earrings, or necklaces as weekly specials for under $50 each.  Birthstones make a great first jewelry gift for most females.  If you miss the weekly special you can usually get the item for a slightly reduced price for a few weeks after that sale so ask at the store or check their website.  Most stores will only carry the rings in size 7 so if you need a different size ask the store clerk to check their website to see if they can order you another size.  If you have it shipped to the store, you may not have to pay for shipping - so ask about that too.  The department stores like Sears, Macy’s, Kohls, and JC Penneys also have birthstone sets with 2 or 3 items available for $100 or less.  The sets are nice as the recipient gets a jewelry wardrobe all at once.  However, if you choose to buy the separate pieces it may cost a little more but you can save different pieces to have a series of gifts for future giving on birthdays, anniversaries, or other special occasions after Christmas.

Have a great time shopping.  Let me know if you found any of the gifting or holiday posts helpful by using the comments feature on this blog.

Save Stress, Let Kids Do Thanksgiving Decorations

Below is a video showing an easy decoration children can make for Thanksgiving tables.  Get them started the day before and on the day, have them set the table.  You need to buy the blue, tissue paper, and construction paper in advance.  So that you have time to do the evening prep for the meal the next day, you might want to put an older kid in charge of the craft session and let them use the video as a reference to start the projects. 

For other ideas to keep children busy on the holiday, see these videos of Thanksgiving Day games and songs.

Yum, Thanksgiving Dinner – Cooking It Up with Martha Stewart

Rather than give my own tips on preparing for the great American holiday of Thanksgiving, I decided to check YouTube for videos on prep from a well-known cook.  I’m providing this the week before so you have time to shop for ingredients.  Below are the Martha Stewart’s how to video links for a few of the different options in the standard holiday meal.  Check out her tips for the items you are not sure how to make and then go get similar recipes from the link in the paragraph below the YouTube links. 

·         Turkey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDAm3XXQnls

·         Gravy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llk7t17ggNU

·         Bread Stuffing (Northern) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKUermw3yB8&NR

·         Corn Bread Stuffing (Southern) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2YNw_tgb40

·         Greens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfKP6Qn9_6I

·         Macaroni and Cheese http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwnDs6LWA6w

·         Mashed White Potatoes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ocre0kXgvg

·         Sweet Potatoes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNx2eT-pgvE

·         Pumpkin Pie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7GA29gzCN4

Wow, that is a lot of carbs!  Go to Martha’s Everything Thanksgiving Recipes webpage.  There are tabs near the top of the page for main dishes, side dishes, deserts, and decorations for the big day.  She even provides a tab with ideas of what to do with leftovers!  If your favorite side was not included, let me know what it is in the comments.

He! He!  Some of the guests on those cooking videos were really funny, huh?  For another tiny chuckle, check out this cartoon Martha Stewart Serves Up Thanksgiving Turkey.

Finding Diamond Deals for Holiday Gift Giving

We have covered Christmas gifts of bangles, pearls, and gold in previous posts.  Since diamonds are supposed to be a girl’s best friend in the jewelry world, I thought it only right to include some ideas on that as well.

First of all, before buying you need to know if the person you are shopping for wants a noticeable gem.  The reason you need to know this is so you know what size in karats (chart link shows KT as MM size) and the type of cut or shape (can change KT size chart to show by shape) they would prefer.  The bigger the karat numbers the larger the diamond solitaire or the more diamonds set in the cocktail ring or pendant as a cluster (arrangement of multiple stones) or to create a design.  If shopping for someone who wants lots of glitter, skip jewelry that says it has a diamond accent.  However, you should consider these diamond accent items because they do make great gifts if you want to be the person who gives a girl her first diamond.

For a starter diamond or if you just want to claim diamonds on a particular type of shape, then go with diamond accents.  Many animal shape pendants may include diamond accents.  Diamond accents usually are only a single tiny chip somewhere on the gold or silver pendant, bracelet, or ring design.  The other glitter on the jewelry comes from special cutting of the metal; special coloring using overlay may also exist on the piece to accentuate color diamonds or create special effects to enhance the character of the piece.  JTV has lots of diamond accent jewelry between $20 and $50.  Most department stores also have a few diamond accent items for around $40-$50 and occasionally some even lower as loss-leaders for the holidays and special occasions to get customers in the store.  Check department store ads and websites for special deals.

If you are shopping for more high-end diamond jewelry, watch jewelry store and department store ads for what may fit your needs.  Before going to the store to pick one up, check their website to see if they are offering a discount on the items for ordering on-line.  By ordering rings on-line, you usually get a larger choice of ring sizes so you do not have to bring it back for sizing.  If you shop early (did not wait until the last minute to shop), you may want to consider doing an internet search using key words from the item description (shape, color, metal type, size) to see if someone else may be selling the same item for less.  You may be able to find an equivalent or better item by searching the home shopping sites that sell jewelry too.

If you do not have a particular item in mind and have at least 2-3 weeks for shipping time, then check out the home shopping sites like ICE, JTV, Overstock, Ross-Simons,  and ShopNBC because most will let you shop the jewelry category by how much you want to spend.  Same with many department store sites and some of those will offer free shipping if you have the item sent to a store and you pick it up there rather than have it delivered to your home.  If you are located in a different city from the person you are shopping for, using the internet can save you time since you can have the item shipped directly to the recipient.  Some websites also offer gift wrapping for an additional charge.

Expand your holiday gift budget buying gold jewelry

HSN Technibond Chain Necklace

Maybe pearls or fashion bracelets are not the gift you want to give.  Instead, you want to give the look and feel of real gold as a gift.  But who can afford gold prices today!?  You could consider gold-bonded to another metal or an overlay/plated option.  You can find gold overlay in most department stores. 




For gold bonded to silver (usually has a life-time guarantee that gold will not flake or wear off), you will have to visit a shopping channel.  HSN will have Technibond all day on November 16 and JTV offers a Stratify collection.  ShopNBC offers gold-plated or vermeil.  Most have rose and yellow gold options.  In addition to women’s styles, most shopping channels also have a few chains and rings for men.  Before you buy, you may want to check the reviews on the item you are considering, especially if it contains gemstones.

If you want other jewelry options or desire full gold pieces (or perhaps silver pieces), you can check the shopping channel websites above by searching jewelry for the desired metal.  I suggest looking in the clearance section as well as that could save you some money.  Some shopping channels are putting real gold on clearance because they can not afford to stock items containing it anymore.  Or you might also check out the Liquidation Channel.  This channel has some interesting stainless steel designs that teen boys and girls may like. Wherever you shop, you need to order soon so you can get it and look at it before you wrap it.  Most shopping channels are offering extended returns from now until January 31.  All offering shipping direct to gift recipient and most also will gift wrap for a small fee.

If you do not have time to watch the shopping channels and find perusing their website tedious, then you may want to follow the Home Shoppingista Blog where Linda Moss lets you now what was hot or cool on 1 of 3 shopping channels each day, as well as sharing some gossip about hosts and vendors.   Come back to this blog in a few days for diamonds.

Extending your holiday pearl gift dollars

Pearl Necklace, Bracalet
and Earring Set with Bag

In my last post, I shared a way to save some money on teen jewelry gifts for the holiday.  This time I want to share a simple idea for adult women, whether the gift will be for a sister, cousin, aunt, friend, or teacher – they all will love this idea.   It is the gift of real pearls.  If you have been reading my blog for some time, you know so many of us women are really pearl girls.  The focus of this gift giving idea is an extension of the idea presented in previous post. 

On JTV they sell a set of small (5-6mm) freshwater pearl strands in 6 colors that are the perfect starter size.  They also sell matching sets of 6-7mm stretch bracelets and 8-9 mm earring studs.  Currently you cold buy all 3 sets for $100 (not including shipping).  Then divide the 3 sets into 6 different colored sets.  You now have 6 different gifts most females of any age would appreciate.  And it only cost you about $17 per gift.  If you did the splitting, since the gift was not too expensive be sure to go to the dollar store to buy jewelry gift boxes, tiny paper or fabric gift bags, or better yet make cloth jewelry pouches to put each gift set in.  Add a gift tag and you are done!  Or, you can let JTV put sets together for you at about $30 each – at the time of this post they had 7 different colors with various pearl sizes at that price and even options above that price. 

If you have someone special on your Christmas list who is a real pearl lover, you could consider giving them one of the sets above or the interchangeable potato-style pearl on a silver chain with the new green color for a little more money as a gift.  You can also purchase with the matching dangle earring set for under $100 total.  Or if you want these for yourself, as a hint you might want to pull up the links and accidentally leave them on the computer for your significant other to find.  If you want all the sets above for yourself, then get creative with hints or other spending ideas. 

JTV did not leave out the younger females either when it came to pearl selections.  I pointed out how teens to twenties love bangles in previous post.  JTV offers a colorful leather and freshwater pearl set of 5 bangle-like bracelets.  At the current price, this can work out to $5 per bracelet if you choose to split set into multiple gifts.

Finally, if the ladies you are giving pearls to are familiar with the famous Honora brand, you might want to order QVC’s pack of 4 individually boxed 8.5mm pearl studs for just over $40 (with shipping) in bright fashion or classic colors.  You can easily split these into 4 gifts of around $10 each.  These are a great option for teachers and co-workers.  Please come back for my next post on golden gifts.

Stretching the bracelet gift budget for teen girls

Assorted Metal-tone Bangles
from Charming Charlie

If you are looking to stretch your personal shopping budget for nieces, daughters, or granddaughters at Christmas, consider buying bracelet sets and dividing them into multiple presents or stocking stuffers (great for tweens to twenty-somethings).  This works too if you want to help your daughter find cost-effective alternatives for her friends.  Let us say you find a 6-bracelet set for $30.  Depending on the type of bracelet and style, you now have 6 individual gifts at $5 each, or either 3 double-bracelet sets or 2 triple-bracelet sets you can tie together with a ribbon for either $15 or $10 per gift. 

If you want to shop on-line, then check out the HSN fashion bracelet lines of R.J. Graziano or Diane Gilman for sets that can be split up to make multiple gifts.  If the people you are buying for really love color and you want to go with a more traditional style bangle, try the Cloisonne on ShopNBC. These work for any age that can appreciate hand-made painted jewelry.  If you prefer to touch and feel the sets before you buy on-line or in-store, check out your local department stores then watch for sales in the paper or special on-line discounts for the items you liked best.

If there are multiple (daughters or granddaughters) sisters to buy for, consider getting a different set of metal colors for each.  This way they know which bracelet set it theirs, yet can borrow from each other to create great stacking combinations for different outfits and special occasions.  What colors should you buy for each sister?  For the one who loves blue, give silver tone.  For the girl who likes pink or orange or chocolate, get the popular rose tone.  The sister who prefers greens or earth tones will want traditional yellow gold tone.  For the lady who dresses mostly in black or grey, get the new trend of gun metal. 

If your daughter wants to do the shopping herself for her friends, you can let her peruse the shopping sites with you or do a similar split idea by letting her pick from options at Charming Charlie (CC) stores for teens and mature friends (or a smaller store like Claires if you do not have a CC in your town for teens, tweens, and kids).  They can get similar bracelets with the same metal looks or multi-color options in wood or plastic, as well as stretchy bead bracelet options.  Give your daughter a “per friend” budget and let her pick the items to split up.  At this store she even may be able to build a bracelet, necklace, earring set instead of just bracelets using her set budget.  If she and her friends really enjoy shopping together, save time and choose to get them all CC gift cards. (You can give your daughter a little more on a card as a surprise stocking stuffer than what she allows for her friends too.)  With the gift cards, they can have fun in January by all going to the store together and spending hours helping each other select just the right accessories to go with the new outfit they got at Christmas.  By-the-way, you can save stress and time with gift cards, because can get gift cards from most stores on their website and save yourself a trip to another store during the holiday rush. 

FYI - $$ saving note:  If the girls can wait until the end of January or the start of February – they may get more bang for their bucks as many items will move to half-price clearance after the holidays are over.

If you or your daughter is the crafty sort, make a jewelry bag or stocking to hold the gift card or jewelry instead of traditional wrapping.  If you want a similar money-saving idea for women’s gifts, check out my next post.

The Short and Long of Skirt Lengths

MORE magazine cover
November 2011 issue

In the latest MORE magazine, an article on “The Long and Longer of It” (divided into 5 parts on web:  Wear #1, History #2, Maxi #3, Midi #4, Knee #5) reflects on the history of skirts and fashion lengths, as well as how each looks best.  In the 3 text pages of the article, the focus is on knee-length and below.  The article ignores the mini and the micro.  Currently with skirt lengths anything goes.  You see young people in anything from the super-short micro (This length is only appropriate for nightclubs yet it is impractical for that because it makes shaking one’s booty a problem because you risk too much movement of skirt up the hips.) to the floor-length maxi (This looks great anywhere but the work office by-the-way, also be aware of the trip factor if you or another steps on the hem.) skirts.  I think the resurgence of multiple skirt lengths may be in part due to the popularity of That 70’s Show.  Seeing this trend, sent me down memory lane as I was a youth during the earliest trend-setting on anything goes in skirt lengths.

The ankle-length maxi dress was very IN this past summer.  Some fashion magazines and websites are even encouraging stretching the wardrobe by wearing the maxi as a jumper over a long-sleeve shirt or turtleneck for winter.  This is reminiscent of what we did when I was a teen.  My first maxi dress was made for me by my grandmother.  She made one for every granddaughter in her teens that year and we each got a different color.  The dress was a peasant style with an elastic neckline, a high waist belt-look, and quilt-look gathered skirt.  It was definitely the flower-power hippie chic look just as that style was going out.  I wore mine often with great pride and am sure my cousins did the same.  I was also a big fan of the midi in high school, which was a mid-calve style. 

Getting off memory lane and into the closet, we all have skirts that we thought we loved when in the store, but we just don’t wear them that much.  Why could that be?  Maybe the lighting in the store was bad or we were in too much of a hurry to try it on.  Before shopping for a new skirt or dress, consider the shape and height tips from Greatest Look, The Chic Fashionista, and 29 Secrets advice blogs for choosing your best hemline length.  The best tip for fit-right shopping is to bring along a friend who will be honest with you.  A friend will tell you if something flatters or makes you look frumpy, whereas a salesclerk almost always loves everything you try on.