MuiChic jewelry is made from the tagua nut, a botanical alternative to ivory (a.k.a. vegetable ivory), is a seed that comes from the ivory-nut palm or tagua palm which grows in the humid tropical forest of South America. Its use stimulates the local economies in the region providing an alternative to cutting down rainforests for farming and also prevents elephant hunting and killing for their ivory. Thus, tagua can serve a dual function: helping to save the rare and diverse rainforest environment, and assisting with elephant conservation.  All MuiChic jewelry is assembled by women artisans in Bogotá, Colombia who earn fair wages in a safe, healthy and humane workplace.

Tagua Nuts... from rough shell to pretty pebble!

The Tazo necklace is perfect to give boho flair to an otherwise ordinary outfit. It is truly a unique statement piece and possibly a great conversation piece.

Tazo necklace, $34

Would look fabulous with:

Circle summer dress from Wet Seal,$26.50

Smartfish Navy Flats, $95

It’s a blob! On your finger! It sounds gross/weird but its really adorable.  I love chunky finger jewelry!

Blob ring, $20

Would look stupendous with:

Limerick Lass Dress, $124.99

Green Fedora, $28

These dangly, circle-y, fun ear decorations are a great finishing touch to any party outfit!

Trio earrings, $24

Would look marvelous with:

Red and Ruffled Peep-Toe Pump, $33

Sing Along Lace top, $40

Be warned, you should never wear more than one sparkly accoutrement at one time. It just doesn’t work. You will break the fabric of time and the universe will grind to a halt – or something like that.  Most of all it is a serious assault on the eyes. We can only handle one glistening treat at a time!

Here are some lovelies to make your day (or night) magical.

Spark and Thorne hair pin

Pink Sparkle Sin City Motor Tote

Chevron Stripe Sequin Dress

At the Gift Shop Headband

Eyedust in Mirror Mirror and Dragon Scales

Dark Crystal Octopus Ring

Sparkle in the City Purse

Twist Racerback Top

Faux the Love of Sparkle Necklace

Sika Ankle Boot

*pink sparkles image by Moranga

Etsy is overflowing with all of these things and more, including incredibly talented jewelry designers. Every time I peruse through the jewelry category I find myself making a  ridiculously long list of “I want”s and wearing out the “favorite” button.  Here are the best of the best from recent Etsy excursions.

Black Pearl Industrial Elegance by Cleverlittlething (Don’t worry, its a faux pearl)

Domino Linked Bracelet with Rhinestones by Designer135

Cascade by t8designs

Ornate Floral Spoon Bracelet by dankartistry

Cervidae by UntamedMenagerie

The Time Traveler’s Wife recycled vintage earrings by gypsymoonart

Drink Me Alice in Wonderland Necklace from RubyRouge, who has a whole shop full of fairytale inspired jewelry!

Silver Plated Antique Spoon Ring by Revisions

Tree of Life Pendant by glassgoddessjewelry

Snow Blossom Ring by Paperhill

Whatever your reason is for buying handmade, its good enough. You can almost feel the love pouring out of your monitor while browsing Etsy. Everything is so…personal.

On a recent Etsy binge I stumbled across some creators that I fell in love with and I hope you will too. Here is some stuff that might help you transition to the fall with great peace of mind.

OMG Ponies! The Equestrian Wayfarer Purse is one of the many adorable cotton totes from peskycatdesigns. If ponies aren’t your thing, check out her other simple and clean designs such as flowers, birds or even seahorses!

The Trip Top is the mohop of shirts. The limitless ways to wear this includes  a halter, dress, vest, scarf or tank. It is very affordable and available in many different colors. Check out lileeloo’s Shop for all color and style variations.

The Keyhole flat (left) and the Amelie Ballet Flat (right)  are just two of the amazingly cute styles of flats in HydraHeart’s Shop.

Crystalyn Kae needs no introduction. Her Burgundy Drawstring Messenger is one of many beautiful bags in her Etsy shop.

The Ribbon Ruffle hoodie is one of many cutesy-punk fashions in Healingheart’s shop. If you prefer to wear your ethics on your sleeve (or dress)  you can check out the duds with bold statements like “Puppy Mills Kill” , “I will never wear fur” and my fave -the Vegan panties.

I love this serotonin molecule necklace by molecularmuse. Serotonin is the molecule that makes us feel happy, and it turns out it is very pretty. Check out other jewelry inspired by molecules like caffeine, dopamine, and chocolate.

This TAXI  doctor style tote will make a statement with its simple geometric shapes and contrasting colors.

These Hot Pink cotton strap Sandals are comfy, original and look great with jeans or a day dress.

The twiggy dress is a perfect fall dress. I love the cowl neck, with the long sleeves. Its perfectly 80′s but not in an obnoxious sort of way. JAlvo has tons of mod styles in her shop that are sure to turn heads just as quickly as this one does.

I absolutely love and adore this Time and Again Star Steampunk Necklace by ElvesGarden. All of their jewelry is absolutely fascinating and beautifully made. These pieces will whisk you away to a steampunk wonderland or to a fantasy Tolkien landscape. love, love, LOVE.

Green Vintage Purse - This adorable bag is made from a soft faux leather.  I like the fact that it looks like a mini duffle bag, and has tons of pockets!

Large Brown Hobo Purse – I love big slouchy bags, and I especially love big slouchy bags that can easily transition from a casual day to a night out on the town. This faux leather piece is a great addition to your essential wardrobe.

Blowfish “Falls Whiskey Trapper” vegan buckle boots – Super warm and comfy winter boots are the must-have item for every chick living in a brisk winter climate. These come in brown and black and I can’t imagine one ensemble that they wouldnt look good with.

Teardrop Filigree Earrings – These earrings are bold and beautiful and add power with a touch of elegance to any outfit. At only $6, you can’t lose.

Turquoise turtleneck organic dress -Made from 100% organic cotton, this dress is soft and comfy and can be a bright addition to your winter layers.

For more fashion ideas check out Ruche’s Lookbook.

Embodies really embodies (sorry I couldn’t resist) the idea of a fashion forward eco and health conscious existence.  Everything that is sold on this site is beautiful, unique and of fantastic quality from many companies which pride themselves on a sustainable product.

Shoes from Form & Fauna, unique pieces from linda loudermilk, and cute neutral styles from Prairie Undeground litter this site with fashion that you will truly feel good buying. Regardless of what brand, you are guaranteed to be exposed to designers that pride themselves in discovering innovative, organic, and sustainable fabrics and business methods that benefit the world in positive ways.

For more info on Embodies check out their very informative about us page or stop by their shop in Larkspur, CA.

My personal fave is this unicorn made from a special purple record:

Some other cute necklaces to dig upon:

And  earrings:

Vling’s parent company, Alarm Industries, creates fun screenprinted clothing that you should probably check out as well. Like this Helicopter of love…

For more info on Vling, check out their site.