Since my daughter, Lulu, moved to a different state, Gus and I have been traveling a bit more than usual. Like most women, I insist upon having my makeup and jewelry (and plenty of shoe options) with me. Jewelry can be tricky to pack, and today I have a guest post from Heather Lomax offering some tips on keeping your jewelry untangled while traveling!



Traveling with jewelry can be a challenge because it seems as though at least one piece is always getting tangled or lost. But there are several ways you can pack earrings, necklaces, and bracelets in a way that keeps them knot-free while you’re traveling.


1. Drinking Straws (And Not for Drinking)

This particular tip has become a favorite among travelers everywhere. To keep your necklaces from getting knotted and tangled with other jewelry, all you need are a few minutes and a package of drinking straws with bendable ends.

To get started, simply count out the same number of straws as you have necklaces to place in your suitcase or travel bag. For each of the necklaces, take a straw and thread your necklace through until it comes out the other end. Clasp the necklace and voila! No more tangles.



2. Save Those Containers!

Many travelers simply throw their jewelry into a random compartment of their luggage, but you can turn everyday containers into makeshift travel jewelry boxes. Some options that you can find in your own home range from pill boxes and bottles, mint and candy tins, glasses cases, or even travel soap dishes.

Now place your jewelry into the container of your choice and then place that in your suitcase. Mint and candy tins work well for stud earrings and collapsible bracelets, while pill boxes with the days of the week work well to hold necklaces. Just match the size of the jewelry you’re bringing along on your trip to a similarly-sized box or tin, and you’re ready to go.



3. Plastic Wrap Isn't Just for Food

Because necklaces and bracelets tangle so easily, here’s another great way to keep them ready to use at a moment’s notice after you unpack. And like the last tip, this method involves something you’ll probably already have on hand: plastic wrap (the press-and-seal type works best for this).

Start by tearing off a strip of plastic wrap that’s long enough to lay your necklaces, bracelets and any other jewelry you’d like to keep organized. Then, take your jewelry and lay it out on the wrap, taking care to stretch necklaces straight across. Finally, take a second piece of plastic wrap and cover the jewelry pressing it down so that it’s firmly in place. Your jewelry should now be protected from any movement during your trip.



4. Bags and Buttons and Pouches, Oh My!

Ziploc baggies are another item that work wonders for storing individual pieces. Just choose a size that corresponds to your items and seal them up. Stud earrings can be placed together in the same bag.

Similarly, jewelry pouches can be used for the same result. You can purchase a pre-made one, or if you need a DIY option on the cheap, simply take a piece of cloth, put some jewelry in, and tie it up with a ribbon or a piece of string – just make sure it’s a secure knot!

To keep better track of your stud earring pairs, take any buttons with more than one hole, and slide a pair of earrings into each button. Hold them in place with backs and use your Ziploc baggy or cloth pouch for safekeeping.


   
5. Don't Forget Towels

Similar to the cloth pouch, you can use a hand towel to hold even more jewelry, but this way, they won’t move around in transit. Lay the towel out flat and place each piece of jewelry with a little space between each one. When you’re finished, carefully roll up the towel and secure the ends with rubber bands, hair ties, or string.


Heather Lomax is a contributing writer and media specialist for Lovely Jewelry Organizers. She regularly produces content for a variety of lifestyle blogs, discussing solutions to various tips fashion, beauty, and travel issues.  

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. I'm exhausted - how about you? The holidays will be here before we know it - can you believe Christmas is less than 3 weeks away?

(This post was sponsored by Onecklace. All opinions are honest and strictly my own.)

I do about 90% of my holiday shopping online. I hate traffic, crowds, and standing in line, and lately it seems like my local stores never have what I'm looking for anyway. Shopping online saves me time, money - I can almost always find what I'm looking for - and I don't even need to get dressed!

While there are always a few new items that catch my eye each year, I usually fall back on the tried and true when I'm choosing gifts for the ladies on my list. Something I think you can never go wrong with is jewelry, and I think most women feel the same! Who doesn't love to open a gift to find a little sparkle and bling?

Layered necklaces are trendy right now, and I love them! One of my favorites is this sterling silver starry sky necklace - it is so pretty! It's versatile, too. I can wear it as-is, or I can add an extender to make it longer, so it really works with a lot of different tops. Priced at just $39.95, it would be a perfect gift for ages 18-81!


If you're looking for a more personal gift, engraved jewelry fits the bill! The Roman numerals on this engraved bar necklace are my wedding date. I love it so much! I've received a lot of compliments on it. I have the sterling silver version ($39.95), but you can also choose 24K Gold Plated ($44.95), or Rose Gold Plated ($44.95). Not only can you customize it with any date, but you can also choose the length and style of the chain.


This necklace isn't engraved in the traditional sense. Instead, the letters are delicately laser-cut into the metal. I love it with the box chain!


There are so many necklace options at Onecklace! Fingerprints, Braille, signature (handwriting), birthstones, names, dates, different languages - and the prices are reasonable. As I mentioned above, most necklaces give you the option of choosing the type and length of the chain. I love the linked hearts necklace and this chevron birthstone necklace. They also have some of the cutest Mother jewelry I've seen! You may remember my post from April about the Family Tree of Life necklace that coordinates with my tattoo. It's one that I find myself reaching for quite often!
 
They also have bracelets, rings, and earrings. Orders are shipped free worldwide (first class mail in the US) and you have 60 days for returns or exchanges. Each piece of jewelry comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, and you have the option of adding a gift box and bag for $4.95.


You can take advantage of their Christmas sale now through December 24, 2016:

• Save 10% off all orders with code XMAS10
• Save 15% off orders over $100 with code XMAS15
• Save 20% off orders over $200 with code XMAS20

Don't forget to check out their Christmas collection!

Stay up-to-date with the latest happenings at Onecklace on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+.

When Onecklace.com contacted me about a partnership, I had a really difficult time choosing a necklace! They have so many lovely pieces, all of which can be customized, and many which can be personalized. I ended up choosing the Sterling Silver Family Tree of Life Necklace.

  I love the quote on the second disc: "Family like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one."


As some of you know, I recently got two (more) tattoos. One is a Celtic Tree of Life on my left forearm, and the other is a Celtic heart on my left wrist. The tree represents my family, both past and present, and there is a heart in the center of the trunk which represents my children. The heart on my wrist is for my husband. So you can see why the family tree necklace spoke to my heart!

This particular necklace isn't customized with names, initials, or birthstones, but I was still able to choose the chain style and length. I prefer a slightly longer necklace, so I went with a 20" length (other length choices are 14", 16", 18", and 22") and the box chain (the other chain option is a rolo chain).

As you can see, it's a beautiful piece! I love that the discs are a nice size- not too big, but big enough to really be noticed. They measure just a little over an inch in diameter. As I mentioned, my necklace is sterling silver, so each piece is stamped with ".925".

When you place an order with Onecklace, each item is made to your specifications. They have necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings, and offer four different materials: sterling silver, 24k gold plated, 14k gold, and 14k white gold (not all types of jewelry are available in every material). The item also come in a gift box with a certificate of authenticity, and you can choose to include a gift bag if you like.

They offer a best price guarantee, free shipping worldwide, and you have 60 days for returns and exchanges! They can also personalize your jewelry in other languages as long as you can send them a sample of the writing and letters.

Some of the other beautiful necklaces that caught my eye:
This Silver Engraved Swirl Mother Necklace can be engraved with up to six names- I love the heart!

This Sterling Silver Signature Bar Nameplate Necklace is so special! You could have your child's handwriting, your significant other, a parent or grandparent - the possibilities are endless! Mother's Day is coming up soon, so if you're looking for a gift (or need to drop a hint for your own gift!), Onecklace is a great place to shop. There are a lot of really cute options for graduation gifts, too. And to make your shopping experience even better, Onecklace.com is offering my readers a 10% discount on any order with the code enjoy10!

Happy shopping!

As I mentioned in my Rocksbox #4 review,  I'm no longer a Rocksbox ItGirl, so I can't offer a free month's subscription to Rocksbox - but I have one final Rocksbox review that I want to share with you!


For those of you who may not know about Rocksbox, it's a subscription where you pay $19/month, and you receive three pieces of designer jewelry handpicked for you according to the profile you filled out when you joined. The jewelry is valued at approximately $200. You have the option of keeping one or more pieces, and purchasing them at a discounted price - or you may return them and get three new pieces. You can exchange your boxes as many times as you like during the month!

Like all of the other exchanges except the first (which took about 10-14 days for some reason), this one took 7 days from the time I mailed back the 4th box until the 5th one arrived in my mailbox. I really think that's an excellent turn-around time.

This Rocksbox contained a necklace, a pair of stud earrings, and a ring, with a combined value of approximately $153.


Hexagon Stud Earrings in silver by Kris Nations $35 (Insiders' Price $28) -
These were cute little earrings, but their inclusion in this box answered my previous question about whether or not the different stylists who chose the jewelry read the feedback you leave for the other stylists and the jewelry they chose for you. I specifically left feedback saying I did not wear stud earrings (unless they're tiny enough to fit in my cartilage piercings) after receiving a pair in an earlier box, and yet I received another pair of stud earrings. That was a real disappointment - and of course, I didn't wear the earrings. If you wear studs, these are cute - but they just weren't for me.


Double Bar Ring in silver by Sophie Harper $30 (Insiders' Price $24) -
This was a really pretty ring!! Unfortunately, once again, I couldn't wear it. I have rings here that fit, so I know what size ring I wear - and that is the size that I put on my profile. Yet none of the rings that I have received have fit. I'm just not sure what the problem is! Either the sizing is off on all of their rings or they're not sending the correct size. So that's another item that I can't wear again this month. Really, really bummed.


Kinetic Pendant in silver by House of Harlow 1960 $88 (Insiders' Price $70) -
I requested this necklace, and it didn't disappoint! It's really quite stunning! I love the pave crystals set in the elongated triangular pendant. The chain is about 22" long, and the pendant is about 2" long. I like that I can also use a chain extender to give the necklace a different look and make it work with different tops. I really wanted to buy this necklace, but upon further inspection, I felt that the chain was looking a bit dull, and that even the pendant itself looked a bit worn - or perhaps needed to be cleaned. I had $20 of Shine Spend that would've brought the price down to $50, but honestly, even for $50, I want my jewelry to look new. So after a couple of days of deliberation, I decided to just send everything back. But I really loved this necklace.

I very much enjoyed being a Rocksbox ItGirl - and I loved the idea of getting jewelry in the mail. I also liked the idea of being able to exchange it for different pieces, or purchase the pieces I wanted to keep. There were many pieces that I really liked, and that I did decide to buy.

However, I do feel that there are some things that could be improved. Several times, I received items that looked as if they had been repaired - and not well. Some items were priced much higher than what they appeared to be worth. More than once or twice I received boxes with only one piece that I could wear. More attention should be paid to all feedback, not just the initial profile. I also felt like the jewelry choices were much nicer in the beginning and then tapered off. If I had been paying for my subscription, I wouldn't have been happy at all. I don't understand, because I see such cute jewelry on their Instagram feed all of the time - and then I would get my boxes and I would end up being disappointed. Especially the last two.

Also, more than once, I was able to find the jewelry for less than the Insider Price minus my Spend Shine. I know Rocksbox doesn't claim to be a discount source - but if you're calling a price an "Insiders' Price" and then someone uses additional discounts on that price, it seems like it should be pretty difficult to find a lower price elsewhere. I wasn't always able to find items cheaper, but a lot of the time, I could find them for significantly less.

A happy ending...


The House of Harlow necklace that I loved so much? I checked around a bit, and found the same $88 necklace (that Rocksbox offered at an Insiders Price of $70), at 6pm.com for just $35.99!! Even after paying the shipping and tax, it was only $43.40, and when it arrived, it was shiny and new. So, so thrilled to have found it - and I love it, and I've worn it so many times already. It's soooo pretty! If you're a fan, it also comes in gold! Unfortunately, the last time I checked, the price had gone up to $52.99. But my point is - check around - you might just be able to find a better deal somewhere else.

What do you think of subscription boxes?

It's Rocksbox time again! My time as a Rocksbox It Girl has ended as I'm writing this post, so I can no longer offer you a free month of Rocksbox - but I can still tell you about the jewelry and my experience with the company!


I kept the last box about 9-10 days since I could only wear the necklace, and once I returned it, it took exactly 7 days to get the new box. So that seems to be the amount of time it's going to be for the average turnaround.

I've noticed that you get a new stylist each time, and I wonder if they keep the notes/feedback that you gave them on the previous boxes so that they know more about what you do/don't like? I guess I'll find out as I go along.

The approximate retail value of this Rocksbox was $189. And here's what was inside:


Nakamol Aqua Wrap Bracelet $48 (Insiders' Price $38)
I'm a big fan of wrap bracelets. I've made a few, and purchased a few. I like the way they look, and this one was no exception. I have an average-sized wrist (6"), yet wrapping this bracelet around my wrist 4 times left it very loose, and wrapping it 5 times made it very tight. There are 3 holes for the button closure, but even adjusting the closure didn't help. So, unfortunately, I didn't get to wear this bracelet at all. I guess it was just an awkward fit between my wrist and the bracelet, but again, I don't have a tiny or large wrist, so I'm not sure what to think. At any rate, it was disappointing.


Bella Boutique Ruth Cushion Station earrings in Silver Aqua $53 (Insiders' Price $42)
My favorite jewelry style is simple and understated. So, of course, I love these earrings! The pastel aqua color is gorgeous, and the simple silver setting is perfect. They're absolutely my style, I loved wearing them, and the only reason I didn't keep them is that I felt the price was too high. These are a pretty basic style should be easy to find elsewhere at a lower price, so I opted to send them back.


House of Harlow 1960 Nilotic Necklace in Silver $88 (Insiders' Price $70)
I requested this necklace, and was so excited to receive it! It's a longer Y-style necklace that is fairly dainty in appearance, which I love. It has small triangular shapes with pavé cubic zirconia spaced between fine silver chain.


I don't have a necklace this length (31") or this style, so I planned to purchase it. However, the first thing I noticed when I tried it on was that some of the triangles were turned the wrong way - and that the pave czs weren't on both sides. I tried turning those sections around, but then other sections would turn the wrong way.


I thought that was odd for a necklace in this price range. Then, the first time I wore it, I was riding in the car, and all of a sudden, the necklace fell into my lap! One of the jump ring closures wasn't tight, and the fine chain slipped right out. I was able to put it back together, but it made me wonder if this had happened before and if perhaps this was why some of the triangles were facing the wrong way. I was sooo disappointed, because I really wanted this necklace. But jewelry in this price range shouldn't be falling apart or have parts of it turned the wrong way, so back it went.


I have to admit that I was disappointed with this month's box. Especially since that's two Rocksboxes in a row that I could only wear one item out of three. I'm trying not to get discouraged, because I do love getting that box of jewelry in the mail! So I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the next one!

Do you ever have problems getting bracelets to fit?

It's Rocksbox review time again!! The next best thing to getting jewelry is bragging talking about the jewelry that you got, right?!


This was my third Rocksbox set, and I'm pretty impressed with the turnaround time. It took exactly one week from the day I dropped my last set into the mailbox for the new set to arrive.

This time I received a necklace, a set of stacking rings, and a pair of earrings. When I saw the pictures of them online, they all looked so pretty! I had requested the necklace, so I was really excited to get that, but the other pieces looked nice, too.


Slate Beyond the Horizon Necklace $56 - Insiders' Price $44
The necklace is silver with free-moving metal pieces of different lengths that form a chevron design. The middle piece of each chevron is set with pave crystals, and the chain has an extender (you know I love that!). Also, you could flip this around, and wear it so that the pave crystals weren't showing, and the necklace was just all silver - just to change it up a little and to get a 2-for-1! I wore this necklace every day for 9 days. I loved it. And I almost bought it. But I bought a necklace from the last Rocksbox, so I decided not to get this one. I think I have non-buyer's remorse.


Wanderlust+Co Chevron Stack Rings $35 - Insiders' Price $28
These were really, really pretty silver rings shaped like chevrons. I don't wear rings other than my wedding & engagement rings very often, but I would've worn these - except they were too small to fit on any fingers except my pinkies. And I thought they looked weird there. I felt like I was ready to stab something (or someone). So I ended up not wearing these at all, which was a little disappointing. You give your ring size in your profile, so I'm not sure why these didn't fit.


Perry Street Chelsea Earrings $52 - Insiders' Price $39
These were fun, blingy earrings, and I was looking forward to wearing them. But when they arrived, I noticed right away that one of them looked odd. One had a main stone that was very sparkly, but the other one was dull. When I looked at it closer, I could see crackling and lines on the back of the stone. If I held it just the right way, I could also see a fingerprint through the stone. I've worked with DIY jewelry enough to know exactly what had happened - that stone had fallen out and someone had glued it back in. When I examined both earrings more closely, I could see that the same thing had happened with a couple of the smaller stones as well.


There was no way I could wear these earrings. I contacted Rocksbox right away to let them know about the condition of the earrings. I received a response within a half hour - complete with an apology and a $10 "Forever Spend" credit to my account. This differs from Shine Spend in that Shine Spend expires at the end of each month if you don't use it, and Forever Spend doesn't expire. I was pleased that they responded so quickly.

It was a real bummer that I was only able to wear one piece out of the three that were sent, even though I enjoyed the necklace a lot. The experience did, however, give me a chance to see how the Rocksbox customer service worked. I was impressed with how quickly they responded, and that they gave me $10 "Forever Spend" as compensation. I do think that the jewelry should be checked a little more closely before it is shipped out, because it was glaringly obvious that something was wrong with that earring. And I'm shocked that their retail price is $52 if the stones fall out that easily. But anyway...


I still love the whole Rocksbox experience! I get so excited when the package arrives. I'm almost giddy when I pull that watermelon-colored ribbon to open the box! Everyone should experience it at least once. Luckily, you can give it a try and get your first month free if you use the code: enjoytheviewxoxo
No obligation to continue - you can cancel anytime after you send the jewelry back! You can't beat that deal!