Julie Vos- Sample Sale

Start your weekend out right. Julie Vos, who is known for semi-precious stones and luxe gold tones in her jewelry, is having an amazing sample sale that is starting tomorrow (January 31st). You can save up to 80% at this online sample sale. Be sure to check out a preview of the sale here.

Personally, I can't wait to check out this sale. I'm a huge fan of fashion jewelry (especially necklaces), and an even bigger fan of a good sale!

Are you ready to shop this amazing jewelry sale???

Interview with Frances of Hobo Queen

You may remember an interview I did with two adorable artists/jewelry designers on the streets of Lancaster, Pennsylvania last year for Fig Magazine. Since then I have stayed in touch with one of the designers and thought it would be fun to catch up with her about Hobo Queen, inspirations, goals, and where to buy her work. Let's all take a moment to hear a little more from one half of Hobo Queen: Frances.


Snapshot Fashion: What inspires you when you are designing jewelry?
Frances of Hobo Queen: Peeling paint, graffitied dumpsters, grandma stuff, Chinatown, fake diamonds and gold, Mexican folk art, pastel chalk pastels, hole in the wall buy and sell shops, old school nail salons, neon signs, dirty car garages, and bodegas.


SF: Use three adjectives to describe the designs of Hobo Queen.
HQ: Gritty, complex, and adorable.


SF: Tell us about the first piece of jewelry you ever created.
HQ: The first piece of jewelry I created was about seven years ago, before the birth of Hobo Queen, and it was a pair of earrings that looked like little robots. They were very simple..I was working at the front desk of a historic library in Wilkes Barre, and one day I snooped in the drawers of the very vintage employee bathroom. I found two little silver colored fluorescent light fuses, and took them home and gutted them to make earrings. I just loved the look of them so much I had to wear them on my person! That is why I make found object and mixed media jewelry. Sometimes the aesthetics of a little tiny thing are so amazing it has to be displayed...I look at myself and people who wear my jewelry as walking, talking art galleries. There are mishaps sometimes...Hillary (my HQ partner) and I were working on some jewelry one night and we ended up in the emergency room...We were trying to drill a hole through a ceramic bird's head- I said, "Here, let me do it, you hold it," and brrrrt! I drilled a tiny hole RIGHT through her forefinger...luckily it was okay, no permanent damage, but we learned that you can't drill a hole through any old thing with a household drill...Haha.


SF: You use found objects in your jewelry designs. What was the best item you have ever found to incorporate into your jewelry?
HQ: Ahh...there are so many...I try to take photos of my work but sometimes they find homes before I can get to it. The most unique thing I ever made was a piece out of was an antique sepia photograph that I found in a dumpster of a woman from Germany. There was a note on the back to her husband in her handwriting..I cut it out and turned it into a pendant, coated it with clear enamel. A high school girl bought it downtown on Prince Street a couple of years ago. I hope she still loves it!


SF: Where do you hope Hobo Queen is professionally in 5 years?
HQ: Well, my vision is to have Hobo Queen known in the underground art scene as a "lifestyle brand." I have begun to mark my street art pieces with Hobo Queen or HQ, as well as my gallery pieces. It's a lot of work to keep up with the networking and marketing side of art, and I am working on balancing that and my creative surges.. I admire the Philadelphia artist Sean Martorana- he balances his business and art really well, and does everything!

Be sure to stop by Hobo Queen's Facebook page for the latest updates! There you can also contact Frances if you would like custom pieces made. Hobo Queen uses PayPal for online payment.

Please note that if you are in central Pennsylvania, stop on by Rhyme and Reason in Lancaster. They are a new vintage shop downtown that is selling Hobo Queen's jewelry.

And The Winner Is...

A huge thank-you goes out to all of my readers that entered to win the earrings from Anjolee. But...there can only be one winner, and that lucky person is:

MICHELLE TUCKER

Michelle, I will be emailing you shortly!

Giveaway- Anjolee Earrings

I hope all my readers are having a very happy Monday! Get ready...I'm about to make your day week even better. My friends at Anjolee are teaming up with Snapshot Fashion to give one lucky reader some fantastic jewelry.

As I'm sure you know, Anjolee is know for their custom made diamond jewelry which can be custom tailored to their preference of metal, size of the diamond, quality, and length. They also offer some amazing gemstones and birthstones. No matter if you are looking for diamond stud earrings or engagement rings, Anjolee has what you are looking for.

Now you will have your chance to win an beautiful pair of earrings. In you win you will get to choose between their classic three prong or trillium studs. ***Please note: the earrings will be made in silver with high quality cz's.

classic three prong style

trillium style

Here are the rules to enter this giveaway:
1) You must have a US mailing address.
2) You must like Anjolee's Facebook page.
3) You must follow Snapshot Fashion on Google Friend Connect.
4) Please leave a comment with your name and email address.

This giveaway will be running until Sunday, February 24th at 5pm eastern time. Good luck to everyone that enters! The winner will be chosen via random.org.

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED*

And The Winners Are...

Thanks so much to everyone that entered to win the Rivington bracelet giveaway from Ashlar Jewelry. The two winners that were randomly selected via random.org were (drumroll please...):

Jen Hsieh and Cynthia Richardson

I will be emailing the two of you shortly with further instructions.

Must Have: Statement Necklace

I definitely believe that accessories truly make an outfit. Personally, the one accessory that I cannot live without is the statement necklace. It really adds something special to any outfit. No matter if you are dressed up in a cocktail dress for a party, or dressed way down in a pair of jeans...it gives you instant style!

It's even a huge trend in Hollywood. Here are some of my favorite looks worn by Hilary Swank, Emma Stone, and Nikki Reed. Now I ask that you look at their outfits and try to imagine them without the necklaces...it's just not quite the same. Right? The statement pieces really elevate their outfit to the next level.

What I love most about this look is that it is something that anyone can obtain. Statement necklaces really can range from the very affordable to the extremely expensive. Here are some of my absolute favorite picks that you must check out-

Statement of the Art Necklace available at ModCloth- $49.99

Sparkling Faux Stone Necklace available at Forever 21- $19.80

Bejeweled Necklace available at t + j Designs- $48

Kinsley available at DANNIJO- $695 $417

Miami Block Necklace available at Francesca's Collection- $26

Stone Statement Necklace available at BCBG- $148

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*Ashlar Jewelry Giveaway*

Guess what time it is? Time for an amazing giveaway!!! Starting today Snapshot Fashion will be taking entries to win an adorable Rivington bracelet from Ashlar Jewelry. This bracelet has a natural semi precious stone in the middle, and a 100% hand dyed silk band. This beautiful piece will add a little something extra to just about any outfit.

Two very lucky readers will win their choice of a large variety of silk band colors and metal colors.That's right...two of you! Good luck to everyone that enters!!!

To enter this Rivington bracelet giveaway:
1) You must have a US mailing address to enter.
2) Follow Snapshot Fashion via Google Friend Connect.
3) Leave your name and email address in the comment section below.
4) Follow Ashlar Jewelry on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway using #ashlargiveaway

For extra entries (one each):
1) Follow Snapshot Fashion on Facebook.
2) Follow Snapshot Fashion on Instagram.
3) Follow Snapshot Fashion on Twitter.

This giveaway will be running until Saturday, February 2nd at 5pm eastern time. So be sure to get your entries in by then! Winners will be chosen via random.org.


*THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED*

Fig Magazine Features Hobo Queen

Last Friday I came across Frances and Hillary (the creative team behind Hobo Queen) while out in downtown Lancaster for First Friday. Not only do these two have a great sense of style, but their creative jewelry line which is made out of found objects is so fun! Click here to check out my post about them on Fig Magazine's website.

UPDATE: Be sure to check out Hobo Queen's brand new etsy shop!

*Olivia Peach Earring Giveaway*

It's giveaway time! My dear artist/jewelry designer friend, Olivia Peach, has made these beautiful Ruby Falls earrings (valued at $40). These earrings include smokey topaz AB finish faceted Czech glass beads, with faceted gun metal grey Czech glass beads, and faceted ruby colored Swarovski bicones. They are complete with all sterling silver wire, headpins and ear hooks. They are about 2 inches in length from top of hook and are light weight.

Here are the rules to enter this giveaway:

1) You must be a US resident.

2) You must follow Snapshot Fashion via Google Friend Connect.

3) Leave a comment here stating what you would wear these earrings with, as well as your name and email address.

For extra entries:

1) For one EXTRA entry, please tweet about contest via Twitter. (provide us with the link)

2) For one EXTRA entry, make Olivia Peach's Etsy page as a favorite.

All entries must be in by 5pm eastern time on Thursday, December 15th. One winner will then be chosen via random.org. Good luck to everyone that enters!!!

T + J Designs Style Challenge

The other day I saw that one of my longtime favorite bloggers, I Am Style-ish, was having a statement jewelry style challenge where two lucky people would win jewelry prize packages from her jewelry line, T + J Designs. I really wanted to enter but wasn't really sure which piece of jewelry to wear. But yesterday my parents came back from their trip to St. Maarten and they brought me back a beautiful turquoise necklace. I knew I had to wear it for this challenge!

maxi dress- American Eagle Outfitters

shirt- Lark & Wolff

necklace- gift

shoes- Charlotte Ronson

Necklaces are usually my go to jewelry. They are a simple way to add a pop of color or some drama to any outfit. I adore necklaces because they are always noticed. I wear statement necklaces three different ways:

1) I like to match the color or metal with something else in the outfit. For instance, with this outfit I pulled the blue in my shirt out by pairing it with this pretty necklace. This pulls everything together.

2) Another way I like to wear statement pieces is with a neutral outfit. Wearing black head to toe and a bold necklace makes the necklace the star of the look.

3) Pairing jewelry with accessories is another way to go. Matching the color of your jewelry to your belt, handbag, shoes, or tights...this makes everything pop!

Huge Sale @ Olivia Peach!

I am excited to tell all of my readers about a fantastic sale happening right now on my friend's etsy account. She is having a huge Spring Cleaning Sale.

She will not be selling her stuff for such dirt cheep prices ever again. The sales will be running through the end of April. Not only does she have beautiful handmade jewelry, but she also has some of her amazing artwork on sale (prints as well as original paintings). All items will be priced at 20-30% off, and free shipping on orders of $100 or more.

Please stop on by and visit Olivia Peach.

Art, Jewelry, and Music...Oh My!

I'm sure that if you are like me you are starting to get really stressed out about shopping for those that are hard to shop for. As the holidays draw near I sort of go into a panic mode. Well even if I can't think of things to buy for my loved ones (really just my Grandma...she is impossible!)...maybe I can give you a few ideas for those on your shopping list.

This may be hard to believe, but sometimes I don't have all the answers when it comes to shopping. This is when I turn to my friends. Luckily I have two very talented artist friends that both have amazing gift ideas that they put together...and I know you all will love them!

Let's start off with a name you might remember, Kristen Terrana. Last year the CD that she put together was featured on Snapshot Fashion, and the good news is that she still has some available for sale! The CD entitled Tracks for Change is comprised of up-and-coming musicians from across the country that have donated a song for the cause. This is a gift that keeps on giving. All profits from this album will go to the charity "Sweet Home New Orleans" to help musicians who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Tracks for Change is available on CD Baby, so you have the option to simply download the MP3s or purchase the CD. It would make such a fabulous gift! 

Be sure to check out Kristen's website to view her artwork. And, if you are in the NYC area check out the amazing mural she just created for the Red Cross on W 49th St. and 10th Ave.

Now on to my other dear friend, Olivia Peach. She has just opened up an etsy account and is making some amazing jewelry which include earrings, necklaces, and pendants that actually have been created using images from her original paintings. I love this idea of wearable art! They truely are so unique and beautiful...and so affordable! Please take a moment to view all of the jewelry she has up on her shop. She keeps adding new stuff...so be sure to keep checking back.

To view more of Olivia's artwork check out her website. She has her original work for sale on there as well as prints of some of her work.

So please check out both Kristen's and Olivia's sites. Help support these artists, as well as get some very interesting and unique gifts!

Rilee and Lo Sale

Head on over to Rilee and Lo now and check out their sale on Elizabeth & James and Robert Lee Morris pieces. All are 25% off when you use this code: 25EJRLM. This sale lasts through Friday July 10th.

While you are over at Rilee and Lo be sure to check out their blog for posts on new trends and designers that they love. During the week of July 13th they will be kicking off Q&A's with new designers.



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Interview with Julia Bristow

We recently have put together an interview with jewelry designer Julia Bristow. Her work is amazing...beautiful bead work, fun fruit jewelry, and rockin' guitar straps. We definitely see a bright future ahead of this talented designer! Even though she is rather new to this line of work, she comes off as a seasoned professional.

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Snapshot Fashion: What inspires you when you are designing jewelry?
Julia Bristow: I am very much inspired by the beads themselves and when I find some beautiful gemstones or flower beads, I find that I immediately think of something in nature that they remind me of and I usually then go on to create a piece of jewelry that looks similar to the nature scene I have in mind.

SF: What is your favorite type of jewelry to make?
JB: I have quite a variety and haven't actually discovered my favorite yet. I sometimes like weaving things with seed beads, which seems to be sort of a type of meditation to me. Since I love beads so much, I really enjoy making beaded charm bracelets as that allows me to use a large amount of beads to create an item filled with the combination of beads I like at the moment. Fruit jewelry is always fun. I really enjoy making healing gemstone jewelry I love working with gemstone beads – I love making something that has a purpose and that will hopefully help someone through a difficult time.

SF: Use three adjectives to describe your designs.
JB: Colorful, natureful, abundant!

SF: I love your fruit jewelry. How did you come up with that idea?
JB: I used to collect vintage jewelry and came across some old vintage fruit "Carmen Miranda" jewelry for sale on Ebay. I bought a few of them and once I learned to make jewelry, I had the desire to create a piece that was more realistic looking. I wanted it to have grapes that looked real and juicy. When I first started making these, I thought I was just making them for myself for my own collection, but they became quite popular and they are actually one of the most popular sellers on my site.

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You'll be pleased to know that Julia will be participating in a craft show/shopping event called "Unique Los Angeles". This will be taking place December 13th & 14th.
To read the entire interview we did with Julia please check out Snapshot Fashion's MySpace blog. Also make sure you stop by Julia Bristow Jewelry's website, blog, and MySpace page.