Valentine Sweet Deals

Our bead jewelry necklaces are the perfect accessories to wear on Valentine's Day. Their craftsmanship, intricacy, and artistic beauty makes them a great gift for the woman of your dreams. As a treat, we are selling the Bella and Queen of Thorns bead jewelry pieces on sale until February 12, 2014. You can order these pieces through our website's contact form.

Step out of the box and find alternative gifts apart from predictable roses and chocolates! Make this year's Valentine's Day a date to remember with  unique and artistic accessories handmade by Filipino women artisans, dedicated to the art of bead embroidery.

 QUEEN OF THORNS

USD: $60.00
VALENTINE SPECIAL SALE PRICE: $48.00

 QUEEN OF THORNS

USD: $60.00
VALENTINE SPECIAL SALE PRICE: $48.00

BELLA

 USD: $35.00
VALENTINE SPECIAL SALE PRICE: $28.00

Summer Gift Suggestions for your 18 Candles

For every debutante's celebration here in the Philippines, part of the ritual is her eighteen candles. The eighteen candles are comprised of the debutant's female friends or family members, willing to give a speech of good wishes and encouragement to the debutante as they light their candle.To show your appreciation for these people, here are some customized and personalized gift ideas:

1. Friendship Charm Bracelets 
PERSONALIZE IT BY:
- Choose charms that tell the story of your relationship. Use beads with her favorite colors and add letter charms of her initials.

2. Bohemian Fringe Earrings 
PERSONALIZE IT BY: 
- Change materials for every earring. The following items spell out 'Boho': feathers, seed beads, ribbons and colorful wax threads.

3. Detachable Slipper Clip-ons 
PERSONALIZE IT BY: 
- Have sandal clip-ons designed based on personality. If she's the experimental sort of person, add a detachable anklet to the clip!

4.Chic Fabric Flower Brooches
PERSONALIZE IT BY:
- Get familiar with fabrics and choose from them based on your knowledge of their style. Charmeuse is usually used to connote sophisticated and classical taste, while denim is a staple for casual chic wardrobes.

We have a new blog focused solely on weddings and debuts.  

Visit http://www.weddingsanddebutsbypjv.blogspot.com 

March Celebrant

March Birthstone poem - the Aquamarine
"A March born shall always be
Soothed by Aqua, gem of sea
This mermaid's treasured stone you wear
Will bring happiness, love, affection and care."

Photo Credit: http://www.list-of-birthstones.com/March%20Birthstone.html

"Aquamarine, meaning "water of the sea" is a birthstones for the month of March

 (along with bloodstone and jasper). "

 March Celebrants are associated with the Aquamarine gemstone; which comes from the the latin word "aqua marina". When translated,  means "water of the sea ". For female loved ones celebrating their birthday on March, giving them accessories based on their birthstones can be done with style! One can simply walk into any retail market for accessories and choose from a vast selection. However, if you want to give something unique for a very special person, you can have their accessories customized, with or without incorporating the gem stone. 

Here are some of our suggestions: 

1. Make use of gemstone's color, if not the gemstone itself.

"Mermaid Out of Water" Wire Art

Set using aquamarine crystals

"Mermaid Out of Water"

2. Use materials that are evocative of the sea

Painted Capiz by Nikki Valenzuela

Daily Palamuti

Remind yourself of the beach and sun.

3. Commission concept pieces based on your ideas

Child of the Sea by PJ Valenciano

"For those who were born in the month of March the Aquamarine is the traditional birthstone. The March birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Aquamarine is associated - faithfulness, courage and friendship. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the March Birthstone Aquamarine are  awareness, quick response and easing communication problems. The healing properties of the March birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to throat problems and stress-related illness."

http://www.birthdaygems.org/march-birthstone.htm 

The Enigma of a Tropical Beach Wedding

Gone are the days of traditional church weddings. Nowadays, soon-to-wed couples have the freedom to organize their wedding and to choose a setting of their choice. One of the top recurring themes is a tropical beach wedding. The elemental beauty of the beach, fresh sea breeze, music made by the waves, barefoot on the sand, and contemplative view of the sun at the horizon, appeals to many. So why not celebrate your big day with mother nature as your backdrop? Nothing is more romantic declaring your love to the “one and only” with the sea and sun serving as your witnesses. 

Here are some great ideas to help you orchestrate your very own beach wedding.

1) Break away from the "all white" theme by wearing a necklace, or a set of costume jewelries made from mother of pearl in blue. Have your entourage wear flowing long dresses in shades of coral and aqua. Add an embellished necklace with mother of pearl components to complete your mood and ensemble. You can give your female godparents mother of pearl brooches as tokens. 
 

Source for Bridal Gown and Maxi Dress: www.polyvore.com 

Accessories by Palamuti by PJ Valenciano

 

2) Encourage your guests to lose their shoes and enjoy the sand between their toes. You can give linked accessories such as this ring anklet to the members of your female entourage for them to wear at the beach.

  Source for Photo (Lose Your Shoes): http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/273379/destination-wedding-anne-and-josh-turks-and-caicos/@center/272506/destination-weddings#/278505

3) Use shells, mini-parasols or mother of pearl wired into flowers as place-holders for your guests' name cards placed at the reception table. They can also serve as take home keepsakes.

 

 Sources for Photos:

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/228724/beach-wedding-ideas#/104424

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/228724/beach-wedding-ideas#/98066

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/228724/beach-wedding-ideas#/178362

   

 

4) Incorporate elements that remind you of the sea into your bouquet. Most common of which is combining shells with the flowers. Another option is to put shell hangings at the base of the bouquet. You can replicate the shell hangings that can be given as souvenirs. You can use it as a multipurpose accessory, which can be used as a bag tag, key chain, and door knob chime long after your special day.

  Sources for Photos:

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/228724/beach-wedding-ideas#/167697

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/228724/beach-wedding-ideas#/105215

 http://beautiful-bridal.blogspot.com/2011/05/starfish-inspired-wedding-bouquet.html

We have a new blog focused solely on weddings and debuts.  

Visit http://www.weddingsanddebutsbypjv.blogspot.com 

What Women Want: Personalizing Gifts

Last night I was reading an old issue of Reader’s Digest. I was intrigued by the story of Waris Dirie, a supermodel turned advocate and activist against female genital mutilation (FGM). After reading her story, I flipped through the pages and saw an article by Beth Levine.

Here’s an excerpt: 

Secrets About Women Husbands Should Know by Beth Levine (Reader's Digest, October 1999)

"SHE DOESN'T WANT SEXY LINGERIE OR KITCHEN APPLIANCES AS GIFTS." 

Why do gifts, which seem so trivial, sometimes cause such major problems for couples? " Women consider a gift's meaning, " says Albert Watson, associate professor of counseling at the University of Cincinnati. "When a husband gets his wife the latest book by her favourite author, the message is, "When you talk, I listen. I want to please you." But a toaster, or lingerie that makes her feel like a cow, says, " I don't know or care what you would like, so I'm going to please myself."

According to Cathleen Gray, "Men complain, If she wants me to get something in particular for her birthday, why doesn't she tell me? Meanwhile, she's thinking, If I have to tell you, I feel diminished as a woman because it means you haven't thought about me at all."

Christine Schrodt suffered for years while her husband, David, gave her gifts such as steak knives. But he's learned the hard way how important gifts are to her. "Now if he sees me admiring something, he makes a mental note," says Christine. "Six months later, on my birthday, he'll surprise me with it. It makes me feel loved."

I found myself grinning and immediately showed the article to my beau. Women put a lot of value and meaning to gifts. Whenever I think of gifts to give female friends and family, I want to make sure it’s something they want to have. I want my gifts to reflect them. For me they are not mere gifts but gifts that are well thought of, something that they will keep not one that’ll soon find its way to a garage sale.  

Before  Palamuti, making accessories was a hobby. I made accessories for myself and as gifts to female friends who like me are into wearing trinkets. I customize the pieces based on their personality and style. It’s not giving a gift convenient to give; the gift was about them not about me.Here’s a tip for men and women alike:  showing appreciation with the gift of sharing your time is a gift that will never go out of style. - PJV