Bargainista’s visit from Little Kitchen

About a month ago I was on Facebook and saw my friend Alexa Clark won a dinner for four prepared in her home from a company I’d never heard of called Little Kitchen. They give away a dinner for four to one of their Facebook fans through a random draw each month.

I’d never entered a Facebook contest before but with Alexa’s pedigree, I figured if it was good enough for her, it was good enough for me. Speaks volumes for the value of recommendations from friends doesn’t it? So, I entered and next thing you know, I was the next month’s winner. Whoohoo!

Chef Matt Kantor spent the evening at our house last night. He designed the menu, prepared, served and cleaned up one of the most enjoyable meals we’d ever had. Talk about hidden gems. Little did I know Little Kitchen had a chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America at the helm. You can check out our dinner pics in the slideshow and watch for my interview with Matt coming soon.

Hidden gems in Ann Arbour

Wondering why I’ve been so quiet lately? My family was on a road trip to Chicago with a stopover in Ann Arbour, Michigan.

As you know, no vacation is complete without a visit to at least one local treasure. And we found one in Vault of Midnight Comics Books and Stuff. It was no surprise this place has a 4.5 star rating on yelp.

This comic lovers’ dream is a haven for indie comic book creators. Don’t you just love this sign on a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf designated for local talent?
There’s also a 6’ tall, 100 lb Uglydoll on display that you can custom order and have delivered to your home directly from the manufacturer. Apparently, it arrives in a box the size of a fridge.

We had a lovely dinner at Grizzly Peak Brewing Company – it was perfect family fare with tasty food and a descent children’s menu. One day I’d like to go back with Mr. B and dine on the patio of one of the lovely restaurants on Main Street. The food looked and smelled delicious. We had no idea that it was named one of the best Midwest food towns by Midwest Living Magazine earlier this year.

Ann Arbour’s Foodie Nation


Oh ya, and there’s one more cool thing about Ann Arbour – all the cafes seem to have free wifi.

Did you find any hidden gems this summer?

Celebrating local merchants

One of the main attractions about living my neighbourhood is the access to local shops and services. I live within walking distance of merchant villages and I do my best to support the local merchants, especially the ones that are independent businesses. They tend to place a bigger focus on their customers. Sometimes their prices may not be as competitive as a chain store but nothing compares to the level of service they offer.

Yesterday was Village Day & Sidewalk Sale in Yonge-Lawrence Village. Merchants couldn’t have asked for better weather. The community was out in droves – I was there twice – once by myself and once with my family. There was lots of entertainment, freebies and special offers. There were also several spaces for rent and just as many new neighbourhood businesses popping up.

It’s in everyone’s best interest to support local businesses and keep our neighbourhoods sustainable.

Here are some of the places I “supported” yesterday:
• Cozy Nails
• Calia Hair Design
• Narnia – I bought a cute dress for ½ price
• Adrian’s
• Tim Hortons
• Starbucks

UPDATE
Here are some of the photos I took. The Olive Oil Boutique was smart to take advantage of the passersby with big signs in the window. Had they been sharing samples of some of the gourmet foods they’ll be selling, the impact could have been greater. FYI, opening day is next Saturday, June 20.



What have you done to support your local merchants lately?

Cashmere Day at Narnia

I’m sitting here wearing an amazing cashmere blend shrug from one of my favourite neighbourhood clothing stores. I bought it last spring in case it was too cold for my new dress. I didn’t need it then but I’ve been getting a lot of wear out of it this season.

Yesterday I was at Banana Republic and they had similar ones in several for $85 but they aren’t as soft as mine. (I think mine was $120).

Anyway, if you want personalized service and like supporting local merchants, check out Narnia.

What?
• 20% off on all cashmere sweaters

When?
Sun., Nov. 2: 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
One day only!

Where?
Narnia
3236 Yonge St. (see map)
Toronto, ON. M4N 2L4
416 487-7287

Let is know what you get if you go.

Wii Fit may be just what I need

Even before it hit store shelves last May, I had every intention of trying out the Wii Fit the first chance I could get. Knowing it would be next to impossible to actually find one when they came on the market, I did something I’ve never done before. I used my twitter connections to find the PR company Nintendo hired to oversee the Canadian launch. Birdman Dodd was a great help.

As luck would have it, Shannon Morton from APEX PR introduced herself to me at mesh. She had read my weekly wish and offered me a loaner. Unfortuately, I succumbed to an injury and wasn't allowed to use it until I recovered. Lucky for me, the offer was still good months later.

After my recent weight loss, I needed to get exercising again so you can imagine how excited I was (as was the rest of my family) when the Wii Fit arrived. I was hoping it would be something we could all use. My kids couldn't wait to try it out but the novelty wore off quickly after they tested out the various activities (aerobics, yoga, strengthening, balance). Mr. B. had pretty much the same response. I have a bit of a Wii-phobia and kept on putting it off.

I stared at it for a long time before I actually gave it a whirl and I have to say, the activities weren't as well executed as other Wii games and activities. However, it's ability to provide fitness tests, track my progress, yoga lessons and weight loss goals are impressive.

The balance board doubles as a scale and an accurate one at that. I was pleased to learn that my Body Mass Index (BMI) is now in the normal range –– yipee! I wasn't as pleased to learn I had gained a few pounds since I last stepped on a scale. At least it was nothing major.

My fitness test results were pretty scary ’cause I'm in bad shape –– at least I can do something about that. Aerobics and yoga were my favourites. I regret not trying skiing. I learned I suck at balance activities.

While I wasn’t as wowed as expected, I am sold. Nintendo is also producing new activities for Wii Fit so people don’t get bored of doing the same exercises over and over again. Although there are lots of Wii Fit accessories on store shelves, the actual game is still hard to find even four months after it’s release. (Psst, if you don’t tell anyone, you may want to try Toy Town – this hidden gem started selling Nintendo accessories about a year ago. ☺)

Have you tried Wii Fit? If so, does it work for you?

Waiting at the hairdresser with wi-fi

Earlier I told you about my hair mishaps and how I switched to another salon offering better service – and better stylists as well.

On a whim, I brought my laptop along last week when I went to Calia for colour and a cut. It was a weeknight and I really wanted to write a blog post or two instead of reading gossip mags.

Imagine my surprise when I sat down and saw a wireless router on the floor. Besides that, my colour technician told me I could use it – for free!

I was so excited, I shared the news on Twitter. Doug Walker replied: “@EdenSpodek sounds like a great way to wedge hair clippings into your keyboard...”

He’s naturally blond, but those of us who need some help to maintain our brunette locks, have to spend a lot of time sitting around waiting, waiting and waiting. People were still talking about it three days later.

Peter, the salon owner came to talk to me and tell me about his plans to renovate and create a wi-fi environment for clients while they’re waiting…

I told him about my blog and my twittering about how awesome it was to have wi-fi while having my hair done. He gave me some amazing new shampoo and conditioner for free. I had no idea he understood this space. He’s leaps and bounds ahead of the competition in my humble opinion. Now if only I could convince him to update his website...

If you decide to make an appointment and drop by, tell them I sent you.

Do you know of any local businesses providing wi-fi other than coffee shops? Do tell.

Loving LittleMissMatched

Ever buy a pair of socks and lose one?
How about poking a hole in one while the other is perfectly fine?
Do you like the idea of having soft and cuddly feet adorned with cheery colours on a dark dreary day?

If you’re answer was “Yes” to any of the above, check out LittleMissMatched.

I first discovered LittleMissMatched at my favourite toy store. The bright display tree filled with trios of fluffly, unmatched girls socks and gloves, in playful patterns and bright cheery colours, caught my eye. No adult sizes. Bummer!

Saturday, I took a long walk. I under estimated how cold it was outside and needed something to cover my ears. They were literally burning from the cold. I went into Out on a Limb, a cosy boutique with all kinds of goodies catering to the trendy set with full wallets.

Winter accessories were regular price while all other winter clothing was 50% off (lots of cool items left in stock, you should check it out). How disappointing! They knew they could take advantage of suckers like me who were left out in the cold.

While paying for a pair of earmuffs, I spotted a basket of brightly coloured mis-matched socks and gloves at the cash. I was lucky enough to snag the last package of LittleMissMatched socks in the store!

They weren’t on sale and at $18 they weren’t cheap either (especially compared to $14 online in the U.S.) They were oh so cute. I figured what the heck and decided to treat myself.

So what’s the deal, what makes LittleMissMatched socks remarkable?
• You get 3 to a pack so if you lose one, you’ll still have a mate, solving the age-old problem of the disappearing sock (or glove)
• Your socks are never the same, yet they always (mis)match
• They’ll invite your inner-child to come out and play
• You can either submit your own design or help choose one
• If you have lots of time, you can hang out on her website and blog for hours ;)

I’m somewhat ticked they won’t ship to Canada but they will send me a list of retailers in my area. If you do live in the U.S. and sign up for the email list, you’ll get a free pack of socks with your first order and chances to win more goodies if your friends join the mailing list too.

By the way, LittleMissMatch sells a lot more than socks. Is this a cool concept or what?

Give a green gift this Valentine's Day

Dandelion Mud Pie, a new environmentally friendly neighbourhood store, has designed a collection of six Valentine gift baskets inspired by the “spirit, creativity and works” of four authors and four Canadian eco-heros. Each “green” basket is filled with Canadian-crafted products that are natural, organic, easily biodegradable and comes with it’s own handmade gift card.

Here’s the description of the “Love Struck Eco Goddess” basket (photo) inspired by Elizabeth Barret Browning and Adria Vasil:
Products include a Mountain Sky pure beeswax heart candle, Two Herbal Mamas lip balm, Soap Stone dead sea salts, a silk herbal eye pillow, a bar of Zazubean Nakid organic chocolate and more.

This basket comes with a handcrafted gift card with the following message on the one side and blank on the other for your own words:

“I love thee to the depth and breadth and height/My soul can reach - I love thee with the breath/ Smiles, tears, of all my life!”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Valentine gift baskets are range in price from $55-$65 and are available in-store or online until February 14.

Susie Love’s trunk sale at Y5

What?
Susie Love Trunk Sale
Lots of unique jewellery and more...

Where?
Y5
5 Yorkville Ave. (map)
Toronto, ON
416.920.9173

When?
Fri., Dec. 21: 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

And, if you want a custom illustration like the one Danielle drew for Susie, you better place your order now. Danielle’s offer ends Dec. 31.

Tags: Susie Love, Y5

Brain Age mania

I used to think the Nintendo DS was for just kids even though I was wowed last year when my son showed me all the cool interactive tricks he could do with his pet Nintendog.

Now all my grown-up friends are adding the DS to their wish lists. One even swore she’d never buy a game console for anyone in her family. But all that has changed! Why? Brain Age mania!

I decided to jump on the bandwagon and see what all the hype was about. We already have a DS at home; I just needed the games. In true Bargainista fashion, I bought them both for a mere $26.98 + tax. Here’s how:

I went to EBgames looking for a used version of Brain Age (it’s been around for a while). They were sold out. Next I tried Gamerama. I should have gone there first. Gamerama is a neighbourhood shop with all the newest games plus a huge used game biz. They wanted $14.99. I told them EBgames was rumoured to be selling them for $10 (at least according to a guy I met in the electronics department at ToysRUs who was stocking up). Gamerama met me halfway: $11.99 plus tax.

This week, ToysRUs is selling Brain Age 2 for $14.99. Other retailers have it priced at $19.99 and up. Today I needed wanted some retail therapy at lunchtime. I work near a Future Shop and they were happy to price match.

I’ve been playing Brain Age for the past five days and my score is steadily improving. Has it increased my brain power? Who knows? What about you? Have you jumped on the Brain Age bandwagon?

Tags: Brain Age, Brain Age 2, EBgames, Future Shop, Gamerama, Nintendo DS, ToysRUs

Tip of the Week - MizPee

Okay, so this may seem a bit silly to you but honestly, it’s a shopping tip you may thank me for one day.

Have you ever found yourself shopping or running errands in an unfamiliar part of town and suddenly have the need to pee? You’re not alone. MizPee can help. Just enter your location into this free web app and you’ll get a list of the nearest public washrooms along with ratings and info. about whether or not you need to be a paying customer before you can use the can.

MizPee is also WAP-enabled. My son thought the idea of being able to find the location of the nearest public washroom on his mobile phone was pretty cool. MizPee is available in 15 other North American cities and has a lot of potential for Torontonians. Like tracking the latest local shopping deals but note these features aren’t available here just yet

In order for it to succeed in our fair city, MizPee needs your help! Add public toilets you’ve used and rate them on the site (check out the toilet paper icons). I quite like the embedded Yahoo! maps feature as well.

Here are some bugs to watch for:

Finding toilets
• I tried entering a couple different locations in central and downtown Toronto. I had limited success but more often than not, I got a list of toilets in NYC instead of Toronto. I suspect as more of us useMizPee, it will work a whole lot better.
• The listing for mobile companies doesn’t include Canadian carriers, at least not yet.

Profile (if you want to join the community)
• User names must be 5-8 characters long, so I can’t use “Bargainista”. Bummer!
• The zip code field doesn’t appear to be alphanumeric so us Canadians can’t enter our postal codes properly.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Would you like to see more info. like this on Bargainista?

Tags: MizPee, public washrooms

Tip of the Week: make friends with local retailers

Chances of getting a discount on regular merchandise at a chain store are slim to none. However, smaller independent retailers need your business and smart ones will bend over backwards to be your friend. They want you coming back for more.

There is a specialty store about a 10 min. walk from my house. The most I spend there is about $20 a visit. Usually, I spend less than $10. I don’t think I’ve spent more than $100 this year and I often wait for sales. I’m always friendly to the owner, lots of customers are.

I’m not sure why, but the last few visits, the owner has given me between 20%-30% off the regular price. He knows I blog but my readers are quite different from his target demographic. Needless to say, I’ve become a loyal customer. Once or twice a year, when his shop a sale or is involved in a special event, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, I appreciate the discount and I’ll stay a loyal customer.

Are you friends with any of your local retailers? What have they done for you lately? Share your experience, leave a comment.

Weekly wish - Foreign Affair

Foreign Affair on Barrington
Originally uploaded by espodek

I just returned from a five-day trip to Halifax, N.S. and checked out lots of shops during my stay.

Foreign Affair is somewhat sentimental for two reasons:
• It was my favourite place to shop during my high-school years whenever I needed special something to wear. (FYI, I was born there and grew up in both Halifax and Toronto.)
• My grandfather's last store was at the same location on Barrington St. now occupied by one of two Foreign Affair shops in the downtown core.

During my high school and university days, Foreign Affair was always known for carrying fashions more comparable to what was available in bigger cities like Montreal and Toronto, yet still somewhat affordable.

Over the years, it’s become a high-end boutique carrying an interesting collection of designer fashions. Labels vary by store and include: Lida Baday, Missoni, Seven, Citizens of Humanity, Fidelity, Ella Moss, Elle Tahari, HUGO, Juicy Couture and many others.

So why am I including Foreign Affair as one of my Weekly wishes? Well, I was with Mr. Bargainista and I didn’t want to make him spend his vacation waiting for me to try stuff on.

Despite the big sale signs in the window, I resisted the temptation to go inside. Well sort of. I waited until the last hour of our trip then I took the plunge and went inside the Spring Garden Rd. location. What a mistake - the front of the store was filled with amazing stuff with huge markdowns. For instance, I saw $700 dresses for $125! Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to try anything on. I don’t know about you but I don’t usually see such big markdowns in Toronto.

So this week, although I usually say there’s no use crying over spilled milk, I’m admitting my regrets and wishing I’d left some time for shopping at Foreign Affair. On the bright side, I didn’t leave Halifax empty-handed. I’ll be sharing more of my Halifax shopping adventures soon.

Do you have a favourite store in another city? Do you regret not buying something on sale lately? Leave a comment.

Technorati tags: Foreign Affair, Halifax

Weekly wish - a trip to Colette

I don’t travel much so to get outside of Canada (or even Toronto for that matter), I often have to do so vicariously through others, tv, movies or online. Last Sunday, I watched the last 30 seconds of Fashion File and a preview for a segment about Colette on an upcoming episode, caught my eye.

I’d never heard of Colette before but I was intrigued. It’s a magnificent looking shop on Sainte-Honoré in Paris. Their tag line is “styledesignartfood” and from what I can see on their website, it seems like a cornucopia of everything awesome under one roof.

I’m not going to tell you too much because you should see for yourself. Colette even offers “Justin” dance lessons and special screenings. I’ve included several screenshots to give you an idea of what it’s all about but nothing beats the real thing. So this week, you guessed it, I want a trip to Paris including an all-expense paid visit to Colette - who wouldn’t?

But if Paris isn’t in the cards, visit the website. I know it’s not like visiting Paris but it’s so engaging and you’ll enjoy the virtual escape. Just be prepared to spend at least a half hour checking it out. There are wonderful animated robot-like mascots, cool music - 5 new tunes each week, games and of course shopping! You can even download Colette wallpaper designed by Jeremy Scott.

Have you been to Colette? What did you think? Did you visit the website? Was it awe-inspiring for you too? Leave a comment.

Technorati tags: Colette, Fashion File, Jeremy Scott, Paris, style, trends

Club Monaco linen Bermuda shorts

It’s easy to find sale items this time of year but it’s not always easy to find good basic summer pieces that will still be in style next year.

Although I had to check out two Club Monaco stores until I found what I wanted in the right size and colour, I found a great pair of linen Bermuda shorts for half-price! They are well-made, comfortable and dressy enough for the office when paired with a co-ordinating blazer and easy to dress down for casual weekend and evening wear.

If you’ve been following the fashion mags, Club Monaco has been singled out for designing great shorts this season. I’m so thrilled to have a pair. If you like them, try and catch them before they’re gone. I also snagged a nice, basic sage green v-neck tee for $15.

Note: Club Monaco is still receiving new summer merchandise. Be prepared for a lot of fashionable finds still at regular price.

Have you found any special items on sale lately? Leave a comment.

Technorati tags: Bermuda shorts, Club Monaco

Cumbrae’s: It’s mainly because of the meat

Feeding a family of four, especially with two growing boys, is expensive. But when it comes to food, I won’t sacrifice quality. I’m every brand manager’s dream 'cause I’m a sucker for name brands. I’ll bet anyone I can tell the difference in any soft drink taste test any day!

Until recently, I’d been buying all my meat at Loblaws with the exception of a couple of celebratory steaks from Pusateri’s. I started buying more meat and poultry at Costco - excellent quality and value. But then, from out of the woodwork, a best kept secret hiding out on Church just south of Wellesley moved uptown. Cumbrae's opened shop on Bayview at Manor Rd. I’d been told it was the best meat in town but I just figured that meant expensive. I just drooled from the outside.

It’s all his fault! A couple weeks ago my husband who had never heard of Cumbrae’s before, decided to step inside. He suggested I join him. So I did. We started slow and tried the Asian marinated chicken breast - grilled it on the BBQ. Until then, I thought chicken was chicken and the only difference was in the cooking. Boy, was I wrong. I'd never tasted anything like it before. Guess what? We’ve been back a couple times tried a few other things. Tonight was pepper steak - yummy!

Anyway, like I’ve said before, sometimes quality is the better bargain even when you’re paying a bit more. It’s worth it, trust me.

Where do you buy your meat? Are you a sucker for brand-name groceries too? Leave a comment.

Technorati tags: bbq, butcher, chicken, Costco, Cumbrae, groceries, Loblaws, Pusateri, steak

Talk to Me

While at Vortex trading some old CDs, my husband picked up a free movie pass for the Mix 99-sponsored, Toronto premiere of Talk to Me.

What? Never heard of it? Neither had I ’til then and it’s too bad this hidden gem of a film hasn’t been getting much attention in the shadow of summer blockbusters like Harry Potter and Transformers.

Don Cheadle (one of my favorite actors) is wonderful in his portrayal of Ralph “Petey” Greene, an ex-con turned DJ and community activist in Washington, DC, during the turbulent ’60s. Director Kasi Lemmons elicits brilliant performances from the entire cast.

At any price, tickets for this movie are a bargain. But don’t just take my word for it. As I write this post, Talk to Me has a 74 rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In case you’re curious, here’s a video of Petey Green I dug up on YouTube:


Technorati Tags: Don Cheadle, Kasi Lemmons, Mix 99, Ralph “Petey” Greene, Talk to Me, Vortex

Weekly wish - a personalized necklace from Citrus Silver Products

I woke up early this morning and had time to net surf before work. I checked out this week’s Sweetdeals on Sweetspot and learned about Citrus Silver Products.

The idea of having the names of my kids stamped on a piece of my jewellery is quite appealing. Until now, the items I’ve seen just haven’t been my style.

Enter Citrus, a Toronto-based jeweler who hand-stamps names and significant dates on hand-made sterling silver pendants in several awesome designs and a selection of chains to choose from. All merchandise is sold only on their website, it isn’t available in stores.

I’m wishing for my own personalized pendant (and chain) from Citrus so I can wear my boys’ names wherever I go. Not one for following routine, I decided to do something a bit different this week. Since I got a code from Sweetspot to save 25% off the chain, I was going to get my wish and order a “tart” or “zing” pendant with the “thin ball” chain. (FYI, the discount code is WOSL2 and the offer is valid through July 7.)

I went through the steps:
• set up an account
• chose a pendant
• typed in my boys names
• added any additional notes
• chose a chain (including length)
• chose another pendant as a gift
• went to the checkout
• checked my order
• typed in the discount code
• decided to change my order– whoops! – trouble begins

When I saw the total, I decided I would only get one pendant and chain. I went back to update my order but I couldn’t! I followed the instructions – they were pretty simple – just put a checkmark in the box beside the item I no longer wanted and click on “Update”. I tried several times but my order didn’t change. Oops! They lost me at the checkout.

I’m not giving up. I think this is a really great product, reasonably priced, locally designed and I want one! This week I’m still wishing for a personalized pendant from Citrus. So, I’m going to e-mail a copy of this post to the designer and see what happens. I’ll keep you posted. ; )

UPDATE: I’m now the proud owner wearer of a zing pendant with my both my boys’ names. It took a bit of perseverance but after a few tries and an IT fix on Citrus Silver’s end, I ordered my new necklace. I even ordered a pendant with my nephews’ names as a gift for my sister.

The items came gift wrapped in a lime coloured gift box with a pretty fuchsia bow and a postcard with a handwritten note from Karen (the designer) on one side and “Citrus Silver Care” instructions on the other.

Technorati tags: Citrus Silver Products, Sweetspot

Sometimes it pays to spend more

Sometimes it’s worth spending an extra couple of dollars. It all depends on how you define value.

On Sunday, I took my kids out for a walk along Bayview. Being with the boys, we didn’t enter any of the cool clothing or accessory shops. Instead we went to a wonderful bookstore - The Flying Dragon - one of the few independents left in the city. I gladly bought my son a book even though I have a discount and gift card at the big box bookstore, you know which one I mean. ; )

Next we stumbled upon a nondescript no-frills shop, Strategy Games and Accessories. My 8-year-old found the TipOver game he wanted. I had promised him something special earlier that day. He’s become acutely aware of prices. (Hmm, maybe it has something to do with having a mom also known as Bargainista.) So, he quickly pointed out the game was less expensive than it had been at a store where he’d seen it the day before, but still more expensive than our neighbourhood toy store. We decided to stop there on our way home but had a change in plans...

After speaking with the man running the store, we learned it was part of a non-profit organization. The Chess’n Math Association runs chess clubs in schools in Ontario and Quebec. (My younger son is a member; my older son used to belong.) The man looked up an obscure game my son had played in school. It wasn’t available anymore. He told us about boardgamegeek.com - a game rating website - he’d try and find us a new copy of the game even though it hasn’t been manufactured in years.

I couldn’t get the boys out of the store. They shared some brainteasers with him and he reciprocated. So much for our walk! In the end, I bought my son his game right then and there - an additional $3 well spent.

Technorati tags: chess, Chess’n Math Association, Strategy Games and Accessories, The Flying Dragon

Stones 4 the Soul

Samantha Steen is a talented jewellery designer with an interesting concept: Stones 4 the Soul. Her 30” long necklaces are hand-made using semi-precious stones. Each design has individual healing powers.

Samantha has written a different poem for each design explaining their healing powers. Here’s what she wrote about the “Peace” necklace pictured:

Amethyst will bring mental peace and harmony to your core
Being over worked and over stressed will happen no more
By the calming mental affect that illuminates from this purple stone
Promoting unity and connection, so one does not feel so alone
It focuses on healing, moving away from physical and emotional pain
Feel compelled to wear an amethyst stone around a silver plated chain

Prices range from $40-$50. Currently, these special works of art aren’t available at any stores. They are sold through jewellery parties or you can contact Samantha directly if you like what you see. Learn more about her collection on her new website.

Have you ever been to a jewellery party? What did you buy? Leave a comment.

Disclosure: Samantha’s mother is my friend but I wouldn't write about her necklaces if I didn’t like them, promise.

Technorati tags: Samantha Steen, Stones 4 the Soul