Adorned With Shrinky Dinks

I was watching QVC one evening a few years ago when Jill Bauer was hosting one of her "You're Home With Jill" shows. Jill was just bursting with excitement that night because she was presenting a product called shrinky dinks. Shrinky dinks were her favorite thing to play with when she was a child. Everyone played with shrinky dinks when they were children, Jill said.

Everyone? Not true, Jill. I'd never even heard of them until I turned on QVC that night. I didn't know anything about these shrinkable plastic figures that are canvases for the creative child in all of us.

Irina Blok knows about shrinky dinks. She's also super-creative. Irina has taken shrinky dinks and turned them into beautiful jewelry. Her company i Love Blocks produces pendants and bracelets like the ones below:












Irina's a graphic designer but, as she reports on her website, she loves designing "all kinds of things." I love her jewelry. I think you might love it, too. Check it out and let her know what you think!

Buzzing off for now...

Are You Madewell?

Yesterday I went somewhere I've been meaning to get to for some time now. I went to a store called Madewell.

Madewell was originally a high-quality workwear company founded in Massachuessets in 1937. In 2003 J Crew acquired the name and, pretty soon, Madwell stores began opening around the country.

Well, now Madwell has arrived here in New York City! The company recently opened a temporary store down in Soho, at 532 Broadway, and will be moving to permanent headquarters a few blocks away early in 2008.

Think of Madwell as J Crew's laid-back cousin. Where J Crew is more uptown preppie, Madewell is downtown chic. They're known for their perfectly cut jeans and their scarves are starting to get a lot of play now as well. They also have some of the cutest t-shirts I've ever seen.

Soho's always tough to get to from where I live, but once I got down to the store I felt it was definitely worth my trip. I think you'll feel the same way.

One more thing: If you live in or near New York City, you'll have the opportunity to win something really cute from Madwell! Check back here soon to find out what it is!

Buzzing off for now...

Persephone Perfume Oil: Sinfully Delicious

My friend the performer-perfumer Sali Oguri recently sent me a large package of perfume samples to explore at my convenience. Included in the package was a small vial of pale-yellow oil attached to a black card.

I turned the card over in my hands and saw pink writing, which said, "Persephone, Forbidden skin scent: a sinful blend of dark chocolate, amber, blackberry, pomegranate and Mysore sandalwood." It was Sali's latest creation and it smelled delicious. Sinfully delicious.

A short time later I wore Persephone to work. If I could have, I would have walked around all day with my wrist to my nose. That's how much I loved it. Instead, I enjoyed "forbidden," clandestine meetings with this sinful scent while I thought no one was watching.

Are you tempted to indulge in Persephone? Well, you had better do it quickly. I read on Sali's blog today that this fragrance is actually a limited edition, available only until February 14, 2008. Sali will be offering free shipping on all orders (inluding $6 carded samples) until December 31, 2007. To find out how to order, click here.

Buzzing off for now...

Be ClipChic This Holiday Season

Ladies, have you ever heard of purse hooks? I hadn't until I received the one on the left from Anne R.

Anne was introduced to purse hooks by a friend who'd bought a rather large one at a small store in Hawaii. She wanted one that was compact enough to fit inside her purse but it didn't exist. So, she invented the Stylagio ClipChic.

According to the Stylagio website, 1) handbags carry millions of bacteria, 2) We don't take care of our handbags with the same dedication we use to take care of ourselves, and 3) We're constantly thinking about securing our handbags while we're out in public.

Stylagio promises that we'll worry no more with ClipChic. No more putting bags on surfaces that God knows what has been on before-hand. No more sitting with a huge purse on your lap while you try to eat or conduct business. No more purse spills or otherwise just having your purse fall to the floor, be stepped on or accidentally kicked around.

I think ClipChic is a great idea. However, I also think it should be reiterated that it is a purse hook, not a purse lock. A woman should still keep an eye on her bag when using it.

Interested in purchasing Clipchic? It's available in several fashion colors for $19.95. If you order one now you'll save 20%. No minimum purchase is necessary. Just go to Stylagio.com and use promo code GLAMBEE20 at checkout. The code is good through December 31st. Happy shopping!

Buzzing off for now...

Have Yourself An Eco-Friendly Christmas

Looking for an eco-friendly place to shop online this holiday season? Well, Tobi might be just the place for you.

Tobi's Eco-Tobi page features dozens of environmentally-friendly products, from the worlds of fashion, accessories and beauty, including Nvey Cosmetics and Threads For Thought organic cotton tees. Also, if you spend $250 you can receive free gift wrapping. And, of course, the gift boxes are eco-friendly.

This company was the last one I was introduced to at the press preview I attended a little over a month ago. Their representative gave me a Threads For Thought tee and a beautiful pan of Nvey eyeshadow. I also learned that Sarah Jessica Parker and Jessical Biel are big fans of the site. So, have a look!

Buzzing off for now...happy shopping.

On eBay: Handcrafted Necklaces By Toni Roberts

If you're a regular reader of this blog you might remember that earlier this year, I introduced you to Toni Roberts. Toni makes the most beautiful handcrafted necklaces, one-of-a-kind semi-precious gemstone pieces which she says are "as beautiful as diamonds...but not dripping with the blood of Africans."

Toni's necklaces are now on eBay. Bidding begins today on these wonderful pieces! Simply go to eBay.com and search for "handcrafted necklaces by Toni Roberts." A new necklace will be put up for bidding each week, so check often to find a necklace for yourself or for any woman on your gift list.

Also, if you live or work in the New York City area, you can host a Toni Roberts jewelry party. If you're interested, drop me an email at glamour.bee@hotmail.com and I'll give Toni your information.

Buzzing off for now... happy shopping.