Free Giveaway!!!

Everybody likes jewelry, especially when it's FREE!  So, quick! Enter for the chance to win my Fluttering Hearts Necklace on the blog Evey's Creations for her 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!!!

http://sweetsongbird.eveyscreations.com/2014/12/12-days-of-giveaways-bonus-day-rebecca.html?m=1

Hand Painted Gifts

When our daughter was born, we appreciated all of the amazing and thoughtful gifts that our friends and family got us.  We needed everything!  The personalized gifts were especially touching, because it meant that someone spent time trying to find something that would be uniquely ours.

Many of our friends are having babies, and I thought, well, maybe we should start giving personalized gifts, because they meant so much to us.  For our friends daughter, Ava, I hand painted a wooden plaque that can be hung in her new baby room.

It started as just a plain, solid wood plaque, already in a unique shape, and I just painted away using acrylic paint.  I was inspired by a painting from Nantucket that was in my own bedroom as a kid, that was covered in dense flowers at the bottom.  For this, I chose much brighter colors, so that as she gets older, it will be something she will love to look at.

They make great gifts for baby showers, baby namings, birthdays, and holidays!  If you are interested in a hand made gift for someone you know, please let me know!  I loved making this, and would love to start selling these in addition to my jewelry!

You can email me at marks.rebecca@gmail.com

A Casual Look for the Holidays

The Holiday season means lots of time with family, friends... and deciding what to wear.  Just because you're entertaining, or going to someone else's shindig, doesn't mean you have to pull out the dress and cable knit tights.

It's all about layers, textures, and adding some jewelry to tie it all together.

This is the outfit I wore on Thanksgiving Day, prior to eating an unhealthy amount of turkey, stuffing, and three types of pies.

I started with a go-to heather gray t-shirt layered over a white tank.  I then wore a Chambray button down, left open, with a faux fur vest.  Dark Jeans rolled at the bottom were paired with argyle socks and sherpa lined suede wedge booties.

To top it off, I wore my grandmother's vintage rings with my bold wood bracelet, and my layered beaded bracelet on the other arm.  I layered my other grandmother's gold necklace with my Turquoise and Wood Beaded Necklace and Multi Tribal Wood Necklace.

...And Wallah!  A polished look that is comfy, casual, but still put together and festive!

{Target Gray T-shirt, White Tank, Chambray Button-Down, and Faux Fur Vest; Hudson Jeans; Vintage Socks; Black and White Photos in background courtesy of my talented dad, Michael Marks}

BIGGEST SALE EVER!!!!

Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday.... 

THEY ARE ALL FINALLY HERE!!!  

And to show just how extra-specially thankful I am this year for my family, friends, and all of you, I'm having the biggest sale ever!!!

Visit my Etsy shop today, November 26, through Monday, December 1, and receive 30% off with coupon code: THANKFUL

That's right, 30% off!  That's big!  Get all of the lovely ladies on your list something they'll love!  While you're at it, get some jewelry for yourself, too!

So what are you waiting for?!  Go!!! 

www.etsy.com/shop/rebeccamarksdesign

Something Old, Something New

My little brother got married a few weeks ago in the lovely Fredericksburg, Virginia.  Anyone that has a younger sibling understands how weird it is when they get hitched.  Not weird in a bad way, just weird that they aren't little anymore.  You have been protective of them all these years, and now they're all grown up.

For their wedding, his wife asked if I could take her mother's veil from the early '80s and make it something more modern and simple for her to wear on their big day.  The veil was a lace cage headpiece with pearl details.  Lightweight tulle with a lace trim was attached for the veil, as well as a tulle blusher.

Kristen, the lovely bride, decided she did not want to have a blusher and wanted to keep the veil in it's original state.  However, the cage headpiece had to go.  She wanted to somehow incorporate a piece of the lace from the headpiece, but in a much more understated way.  We decided to keep it simple and create a small comb that rest at the back of her head.  The veil would be attached, and we would use some of the original pearls in the comb.

First, I removed the veil and blusher.

I then removed a section of the lace and reattached a section of the pearl trim.  The original headpiece was made with pieces of lace laid over horsehair fabric, which is used to keep the shape and stabilize the lace.  Because of the age and construction of the headpiece, I had to piece together bits of horsehair from other areas.  

It then looked like this.  I reshaped the wire at the bottom and removed a section of the side.  I used the original clear plastic comb and reattached it to the top of the new hairpiece.  I also applied the loose pearls in random places so it did not create an obvious pattern.

The final product?

{first and final photos courtesy of Tait Photography}

www.taitphoto.com

For those Stylin' Little Girls

Baubles and beads aren't just for us big kids!  My daughter already loves putting on mommy's bracelets, rings, and scarves.  (That's my girl!!!)  So why not get your little girl, niece, grand-daughter, or any mini-buddy a pint sized accessory to brighten her day!

www.etsy.com/shop/rebeccamarksdesign

I Said I'd Never Move to New Jersey

I am currently parked in a lot that sits beside a beautiful lake in Spruce Run National Park.  Random?  Here's why...

As you may or may not know, I'm from Virginia. I was born in Maryland, but moved when I was two, so Virginia was what I always called home. And while I don't live there anymore, it will always have a piece of my heart. That being said, growing up, I always thought of New Jersey as kind of a, well, trashy place. Hey, I can say that. People from New Jersey think that Virginia folk marry their cousins... Also not true. As I was saying, I always imagined New Jersey to be like the show "Jersey Shore."  I said I'd never date anyone from there and I'd definitely never live there.

Never say never.

I now am married to an amazing guy born and raised in New Jersey, and have lived here for the last six years. And I don't think I'll be going anywhere anytime soon seeing as how we just bought a house about 2 1/2 months ago.

Anyway, the reason I'm telling you all this is because today I took an unplanned drive through the middle of nowhere. Surprisingly, there's a lot of that in New Jersey. Who knew. To know me is to know I love taking drives off the beaten path to find new and unexplored territory.

My drive began with a trip to the grocery store but a minute away from my turn, my 13-month-old daughter fell asleep in the back seat. Based on the fact that she has given up on naps for the past week and a half and desperately needed one, I decided to let her sleep.

I passed my turn and wandered down a two-lane road into the town of Hampton. It's not far from where I live, but I've never really driven through. It was especially beautiful because all of the leaves are changing and people have out, as my dad would say, their festive Halloween hazarai (yiddush for junk).

A nap and inspiration for jewelry!  Perfect!

The Holiday Decorations are Already in Stores!

After running a few errands in the last week or so, I have come to realize that the holiday season is just around the corner.  Trick-or-Treating hasn't even happened yet, but the fake snow and ornaments are out in stores.  Crazy.  And just as soon as Halloween passes, you'll be sitting around the table for turkey and thinking of all the gifts you have to buy for family and friends for the holiday season.  So before that panic hits and you're completely stressed out, let me help!  I've been working on the perfect holiday pieces for you and your lady friends!

Apple Picking, Pumpkin Patches, and Scarecrows...Oh My!

Just because you're running around with all the Fall Festivities, doesn't mean you can't add a little extra something to your ensemble.  Dress up your favorite weekend T-shirt and Jean combo with a bold Autumn-inspired necklace.  Change into some cute flats (no, not your running sneakers), and you instantly look polished, from the hayride to date night!

Don't forget, use code FALLINLOVE for 20% off your entire purchase from my etsy shop! www.etsy.com/shop/rebeccamarksdesign

Throw a Party!

The holidays are fast approaching (yikes) and that means you need to start checking off everyone on your list.  Let me make it a little easier with a one-stop shop!  All you have to do is invite your friends, and I'll do the rest.  Jewelry parties are a great way to find the perfect presents for all the ladies in your life (and some guys)!  You and your guests can take home the jewelry you buy on the spot.  See something that you'd like customized?  No problem.  I'll send it to you or the recipient in the mail once it's completed.  Plus, as the host, you receive a piece of jewelry for free.  If your guests buy 2 items, the 3rd is 15% off!  I mean, it's a win-win situation!

Contact me at marks.rebecca@gmail.com if you're interested.

What to Wear to that Party!

Going to a special event in the cooler months is tricky.  It is harder to decide on a color, fabric, length, etc, than in the warmer days of Summer.  Here is a dress I made for a wedding I had gone to in November.  This would be perfect throughout the fall and carry right into the Winter as the perfect dress for your holiday parties!  Made of a Navy Stretch Satin, this cocktail dress featured 3/4 sleeves and an open back.  The neckline and back straps were hand beaded with tons of silver and clear glass bugle and seed beads.  No need for a necklace!  I paired the dress with vintage crystal and pearl bracelets, small vintage diamond earrings and Sam Edelman spiked black suede peep toe pumps.

Fall is Here!

The temperatures are dropping, the colors of the leaves are changing, and it's time to update your wardrobe.  While you can still get away with wearing some of your summer staples with chunky cardigans, knee high socks, and boots, the right accessories can tie the whole look together.  Natural stones and wood are a great combination to carry you from the last warm days of summer into the crisp chillier days of Autumn.

Visit www.etsy.com/shop/rebeccamarksdesign and shop for the pieces you see here!  Use coupon code FALLINLOVE for 20% off your entire purchase!  Hurry!