The Never Ending Project...

So I promised a blog with some updates on the house renovation/demolition/never-ending project... Of course, as usual, I am behind on updating my pictures, so these are not totally current...we are a little farther along now, but it will give you a little glimpse into our world of construction.

This was the day we closed on the house. Soon wanted to get straight to work! He's been working really hard on the house and I honestly don't know how he has all the energy to go to his daytime job early in the morning and then straight to the house to work on that. It's definitely a HUGE project that we're undertaking and it's definitely taken it's toll on all of us in different ways...I will be very happy when it's all over and we can resume some sort of normalcy.

The back of the house...it's a really nice size yard which will be great for Maddie to play in! Eventually we'll have the kitchen bump out and a wrap around deck....baby steps, right?

Some of the construction pictures...the house was really a MESS when we bought  it, but remarkably we were both able to see the potential. Literally, everything had to come out and was trashed!

This is the last picture that we have uploaded. This was after the new windows were put in! Since then, the rooms have been prepared for dry wall, we're waiting for the siding to come in, the brick has been redone in the front, we're working on the plumbing, ordering toilets, picked out roofing...
The latest is we settled on a mailbox, LOL...it's the little things sometimes. But seriously, the mailbox needed to go with the style of the house, so we couldn't just get any mailbox.

I will definitely have more updates soon, as every day bring something new with the house! (sometimes good and sometimes bad...it's a roller coaster ride)

And The Bride Wore White...

If you weren't up at 3am sipping your tea and eating a scone, fear not! The wedding watched around the world will be airing all day...probably everyday for a while! I tried to wake up that early, but just couldn't get myself together...I think I rolled out of bed around 5:30am, which was actually perfect timing! I was able to catch some pre-wedding footage and then watch the wedding live. (However, I was drinking coffee not tea...and unfortunately no scones and clotted cream)

I am, and have been for YEARS, obsessed with English history. Living in England for three years definitely has had a play in that. If there's a movie about Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII, Mary Queen of Scotts, etc...I've seen it! I'm also a Tudors addict and really into the history of the Tudors in general...just can't get enough! So needless to say, witnessing English history right before my eyes was amazing! I love William and Kate's commitment to family tradition while not losing themselves through the pomp and circumstance. When I think of a royal wedding or just a royal event in general, I think of being proper, not cracking a smile, being poised... Somehow the new royal couple managed to be proper and poised, yet crack several smiles and just appear to be really real and down to earth (as much as royalty could be I suppose...)
So of course I have to post some pictures from The Wedding!!

Here are the parents of the bride with the Prince Charles. Carole Middleton was wearing a sky blue wool coat dress and a matching crepe dress underneath by Catherine Walker. I read that Catherine Walker was actually one of Princess Diana's favorite designers.

Prince William and Prince Harry entering Westminster Abbey.

Catherine arriving with her father. PS. with a name like Catherine Elizabeth, I would say she was born to be royalty...wouldn't you??

How stunning is she?? Here's what I love...I love that out of all the tiaras she could have chosen, she chose such simple, yet so beautiful, one. Her tiara is 1930's Cartier, loaned to her by the Queen. Her earrings were a gift from her parents (tear drop diamonds), her bouquet was a fraction of the size of most Royal's, but fit her simple and elegant style! Her veil was gorgeous and had the perfect amount of fabric...we could actually see her face under it! Did I mention that she did her own makeup?? I mean, seriously...love that (having done that myself...hehe) ANNNNND last, but not least, THE DRESS. Let's first talk about how it's an absolute miracle that the design/designer of the dress was not leaked to the press! I personally was in such anticipation to see the dress and find out who designed it. Kate's dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen (perfect choice)! I thought it was simply gorgeous. Traditional with a modern twist, which I love! Her sister, and lady in waiting (pictured above) also wore a dress by Sarah Burton and I have to say that I loved that dress too, although was caught off guard by how low cut it was in the front! ps. Kate's sister, Phillipa Middleton aka "Pippa" was a trending topic on twitter this morning! I read that Pippa is now one of the MOST popular baby names for a girl...just sayin'.

Fergie's girls...the Princesses of York. If you love a good hat, then this wedding would have been a field day for you! The invitation did request that women wear hats (which all proper British women do, to events such as this) although somehow the Prime Minister's wife didn't get the memo *gasp* The Princesses' hats were designed by Phillip Treacy, a favorite of Kate's. He also is the designer of the crazy, yet beautiful, hats worn by SJP on the Sex and the City red carpets. Phillip Treacy dressed over 65 guests from the Royal wedding!! And by looking at some of those hats, it is no surprise!

Some of the pictures from the ceremony...it truly was lovely.

The Queen and Prince Phillip leaving the ceremony...as usual the Queen wore a pastel color, but the yellow was in keeping with the trends!

The Royals being escorted to the Palace after the ceremony...it was gorgeous and the crowd was going crazy!

The newlyweds waiving to the public! I was really impressed by how calm and poised Kate was through the whole thing. She was proper, yet not shy and seemed really comfortable in her new role!

Here are just a few of some really great shots from the crowd! Many dressed up and some REALLY got into character! I love it! I'm glad I got to see it on tv, but really wish I could have been there in person!

THE KISS! We waited about an hour for the newlyweds to come out on to the balcony to kiss! A tradition started by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The crowd cheered for a kiss and they couple willingly obliged...TWICE!

Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge! I am very excited to see what great things they bring to the monarchy, and I have no doubts that they will last! (I hope) :)

If you missed the actual wedding, you can download it online or just turn on the tv...it's replaying on several channels. If you like the fashion aspect of it, tune in to E! for the fashion commentary AND don't forget to tune into fashion police! This royal wedding is a historical moment not to be missed.

Thanks for reading my little recap! 

Life is But a Dream...

So as I've stated many times before...sometimes life takes over and you can barely keep your head above water. I could say the same thing to describe my life lately...but what I will say is that I have also had an overwhelming peace that has been so calming in the midst of craziness! It's been weird and unexplainable, but definitely good!

I had hoped to have pictures of the house construction, but I haven't been able to transfer them on to my laptop, so I'll have to do another post from Soon's. Anyway, the house is well under way and they have done SO much!! the outside brick has been replaced, the whole entire inside has been gutted and the rooms have been blocked out and ready for dry wall. Oh, and we have new windows! They look great! I've picked out siding, hardwood, carpet, paint, lighting, bathroom vanities....new bedding. I still have a few things left on my list as well as the whole kitchen to pick out, but we're making progress! We have been on a serious time crunch, as we need to vacate our apartment June1st. We just found out that the inspectors are not able to get to the house in time, which puts everything back another month! So needless to say, I was stressing about where we are going to live, the possibility of moving AGAIN before the actual move and packing up so quickly...it has just been A LOT. And that along with the other stresses of life, my mental health has been questionable! LOL BUT as usual the Lord worked everything out and, for now, we're able to extend our stay at our apartment. Righ now it just seems like we'll never move in it's just a dream...BUT if you follow me on facebook, then this is all old news! Sooo on to the new/more interesting...


Maddie's 2nd birthday party is Saturday and I'm super excited for that! I will have pictures of that and our recent trip to Butler's Orchard very soon! She's growing up so fast...I can't believe it!!!

I mean seriously...I just want to squeeze her constantly...and I do!



So I've gone a month since writing a post, so it wouldn't be right for me not to include some Stella & Dot News! So here you go!

Former Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky was just recently spotted on the red carpet wearing Stella & Dot's new Casablanca Bib Necklace! I haven't worn mine yet, but this is definitely inspiring! Love her and love the necklace! Get yours here!

Right now through April 30th at midnight you can grab yourself the mocha disc necklace at 50% off! This is one of my favorite necklaces and will be yours too! Just enter MOCHA as the promo code at checkout. Not only can you get this necklace, but if you shop under the hostess name "Mystery Hostess" you will be entered to win free jewelry of your choice! The winner will be announced on Monday May1st. Orders must be placed before Saturday April 30th at 9pm. *See below for more details!

Anyway, that's about it for now...I have a cake and a bunch of cupcakes to make! I'm attempting to make a hello kitty cake for Maddie, so we'll see! I'll definitely post pictures...if it comes out good :) LOL

*To place an order to win free jewelry of your choice go here and click on "find your hostess." Type in "Mystery Hostess" as the name and start shopping! Don't forget to add MOCHA as a promotional code if you're buying the Mocha Disc Necklace. All orders must be placed before April 30th at 9pm in order to qualify for the giveaway. The winner will be announced here on my blog and my facebook page May 1st. Take advantage of this and get your Mother's Day shopping done!!

Here We Go!!

So we finally did it, we closed on our home! We signed and the project started right away. Soon and his friends have been enjoying the demolition part. If I didn't say before, this is a total rehab project. We are totally gutting the inside, adding a bump-out and redo-ing the outside...so basically we're keeping the structure. So, it's a long, but exciting road ahead!

In other news, I'm going to Florida to surprise a close friend for her baby shower! I bought my plane ticket a couple months ago and just told her I'm coming last week...so I'm super excited! I'll hopefully have some pictures (of the new house and my trip...providing I find my camera) :)

 

Stella News! ...there has been a clearance sale going on and things are going really quickly!! There are still some items left, so check it out! Also Check out next month's In Style Magazine and People's Style issue for must have S&D pieces.
www.stelladot.com/RachelMoon

Could It Be???

The entrance to our new neighborhood!

So after a looooong looooong time of searching for the perfect house, then finding it, then losing it, then getting it again and then another looooooooooong time of waiting to close on the house, could it be that we're actually doing it??

I think so! After the bank lifted the hold on all of their foreclosures, we got word that our paperwork was finally being processed. Then after a long weekend of rain we found out, from our appraiser, that the basement had flooded because the power had gone out and the pump could not work :( So we had decide if we wanted to proceed or start looking for a new house...AGAIN. So needless to say, it was a little stressful. BUT the water quickly was drained and our closing was only put off for another week. We're all set to close this Friday!! And then the house project will begin! It will be months of hard work to revamp this into our dream house, but I promise to blog about it and upload pictures of the process!! I'm excited and praying that we really are approaching the end of the waiting.

Fallsmead here we come!!

Okay, so on another note...I don't know if any of you get sucked into reality tv like I do, BUT regardless I couldn't let the recent Stella & Dot tv appearances go unmentioned!

As you may or may not know, I love the BRAVO franchise that is The Real Housewives and I was super excited to see that the new season of The Real Housewives of Orange County is jam packed with Stella & Dot. The Metropolitan Mixed Chain Necklace, The Garden Chandelier Earrings and The Turquoise Cortez & Suede Necklace all made appearances in the first two episodes of this season's series!



http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N161







http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N113



http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=E1007TU



Another reality favorite of mine, I'm sorry to say, is The Bachelor. I have seen just about all of them and in the last year Stella & Dot has made multiple appearances! In fact there was not a single episode of the Bachelor Pad that did not feature a piece from last year's collections. You've seen in other blog entries that The Bachelor's Jillian Harris LOVES Stella & Dot and is often photographed wearing it, but to my excitement Trista Sutter decided to sport two Stella necklaces on Monday night's "After the Final Rose" show. She paired her Hale Bob dress with Stella's Bridget Bauble Necklace and the Chelsea Necklace in Gold! She looked amazing...and prior to the show, I would have never thought to pair those together...they are definitely my new favorite pieces! I couldn't find a picture from the show, but thanks to Twitter I was able to get one from Trista.

Here's Trista (far left) with Molly and Ali from past seasons



http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N169G



http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N131G

So as you can see, this has been a good week for Stella & Dot...and me! I hope that you're having just as good of a week, if not better...and if not, stop by my website and pick up your own jewels. I promise it will add a little sparkle to your week!

Bling for Spring!

As the second installment of "my favorite things" I have decided to do two separate entries on jewelry! If you know me, you know I love jewelry and I'm always looking for a fresh new way to update my wardrobe. What better way than changing up your accessories and jewelry wardrobe?

Every jewelry wardrobe should have an every day piece, a statement piece and a dressy or trendy piece that you just HAVE to have! I'm breaking down my favorite, must have, Stella & Dot styles based upon 3 basic fashion styles. Whether you're style is Classic and Preppy (do you love J.Crew?), Boho-Chic (could buy your whole wardrobe at Anthropologie?), Trendy (Always looking for the latest trends at H&M?) or a combination of all three...you're sure to find the perfect jewelry to update your look for Spring!


Statement Necklaces:

Calling all fashionistas! The Bamboleo Necklace is a new favorite of mine! This necklace is a trendy STATEMENT and definitely a commitment piece, as it is a little on the heavy side, but totally worth it!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N185



If you follow me on facebook, then you know that the Metropolitan Mixed Chain Necklace is one of my all time favorites. Look familiar? I'm sure you've seen it on several celebrities...Giuliana Rancic to name one!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N161



The Marrakesh Bib Necklace is fabulous! It gives a Moroccan twist to the modern bib necklace. I love it. It's totally Boho, yet very trendy! I wore mine the other day over a basic black and white striped T!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N176




The picture of the Medina Bib Necklace does not even come close to doing it justice! This piece will not disappoint! So fabulous and chic!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N199S




The Rio Triple Strand Coin Necklace is a definite MUST HAVE for the Spring/Summer...and the other day I saw a picture of someone wearing it in the transition months too! So perfect and versatile. This is a statement necklace for all wardrobe styles! Throw it on over a simple tank, t-shirt or even a bathing suit cover up while lounging by the pool....THEN change into a Maxi dress or jumpsuit in the evening and it becomes a total day to night necklace.
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N187G




The Stella Vintage Necklace is totally trendy and up to date, yet also really classic. It goes with everything...how could you not love it?? 90210's very own Annalyn McCord was just seen wearing it!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N136G




Did you see my post on facebook the other day?! It's no secret that the Bachelor's Jillian Harris loves Stella & Dot. She was recently seen sporting the Turquoise Sea Necklace! Every summer wardrobe must have a turquoise necklace! Love this one.
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N625




February's issue of In-Style Magazine featured the Revival Tassel Necklace as a must have piece for Spring! Oh so Boho!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N200




I don't know whether to call these necklaces, Boho, classic or trendy....they really are for every style. These customized charm necklaces make a fabulous gift! Whether it's for yourself, mom, grandmother, sister, babysitter, etc... I have one with my daughter's birthstone charm, initial and the leaf, to add a little flair...a perfect and meaningful everyday piece!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productlisting.category&categoryId=1129








Delicate Necklaces:


Most delicate necklaces can be worn everyday. This particular one is classic and trendy. It can be worn long or doubled...and the clovers are everywhere in jewelry fashion, so you'll be sure to be up to date with the trends!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N101G




Love lariat necklaces, they are so versatile! The Adrienne Mixed Chain Gold Necklace is my favorite for Spring/Summer. It does not exactly fit in the "delicate" category, but because of it's versatility, I had to add it to my list. I love it doubled and paired with the Large Gold Fringe Hoop Earrings (see below for the earrings)!!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N1012G





The Penelope Necklace, as seen on Penelope Cruz, is a fabulous everyday Boho piece! Not sure what to get? Get this! You'll definitely get your money's worth and TONS of wear out of it.
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=N149



The next two necklaces are fabulous every day pieces for all wardrobe styles! I wear them layered together all the time! Tiny delicate necklaces are definitely in style and these next few were all designed by celebrity jewelry designer Mara Brenner.
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productlisting.category&categoryId=1000

Bracelets!

I LOVE LOVE the Petra Braided Bracelet...and so do the celebrity stylists! I've seen this bracelet on a number of celebs recently...Cheryl Burke (DWTS) , Giuliana Rancic and on "Blair Waldrof's" Gossip Girl, to name a couple! Pair it with the Petra Earrings and you're totally set (see below in earrings)!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productlisting.category&categoryId=11

Leather bracelets are really in style right now and I don't think they'll be going anywhere anytime soon. Perfect for everyday or throw on a little extra bling with it for evening! They come double wrapped in Black w/Gold and Brown w/Silver AND the single style bracelet in Purple w/Gold, Teal w/Silver and Metallic w/silver. Make a statement and stack them all together!

The combination of leather and pearls makes this so boho, yet so classic...the wrap style of the bracelet gives it a touch of trend too! I love it paired with the double wrap leather bracelet in Brown w/Silver (see above)!

Attention boho beach babes: this is for you! The Costal Azur wrap bracelet is a combination of semi precious stones and leather....definitely a summer must have!

Pave Soiree bracelets are for everyone. Wear just one or wear a bunch stacked together...you'll be sure to love them as much as I do! They also come in Black and Turquoise....AND they all come with a fabulous pave ball for a little extra bling!

I LOVE LOVE this bracelet and the two others that are from the same collection (see on my website listed above)! I wear all three together...can you say Boho Chic?

I love the Mira Bangles in Gold (they also come in Silver)! They come in sets of three. Love the style, but want a little more bling than the turquoise offers? See the Devi bangles in Gold or Silver! The exact same style, but with scattered CZ stones!

More clovers please! The Signature Clover Bangle is a everyday must have. Pair it with the Signature Clover Chandelier Earrings (see below in earrings) OR need more clovers? See the Signature Clover Cuff (See the website listed under bracelets for more).

The Stella Vintage Links Bracelet is great for any wardrobe style! Pair it with a simple stud and you've got a subtle statement piece.

Earrings:

I love the Garden Party Chandelier Earrings! They come in green too! I've seen these on numerous Bachelorette's, including Jillian Harris!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productlisting.category&categoryId=12

Leaf earrings and necklaces can be seen everywhere these days. I love Stella & Dot's version!

Jill CZ hoops work with every wardrobe style. Everyone needs a hoop earring in their jewelry box and these are a must have!

The Petra Earrings look fabulous by themselves or with the Petra Braided Bracelet for an extra pop! They're my go-to earrings for evening. Fashion risk taker? Try wearing these with a casual plaid shirt and skinnies!

I LOOOOVE the Signature Clover Chandelier Earrings...and so does Giuliana Rancic! Saw her wearing them on an episode of E!'s Giuliana & Bill.

Love the clover necklace in gold (see above in delicate necklaces)? Pair is with these (Signature Clover Drop Earrings) and it's sure to be a hit!

The Fringe hoop earrings come in a small hoop (seen here) and the LARGE (which are my fav)! They come in Silver and Gold and I can't get enough of them!

People often ask me at trunk shows which earrings they should get if they can only get one pair and I always say the Jasmine Filigree Earrings! I favor them in gold, but they are just as fabulous in Silver!

The pearl bouquet earrings are even more gorgeous in person! The picture does not do them justice! Just want a subtle bit of bling? These are for you!

I love the Rio Chandalier earrinngs paired with the Rio Triple Strand Coin Necklace! Yet again, oh so Boho! These earrings also come in Silver!

These are my newest Stella & Dot item and I really love them! Love delicate gold pieces? These are for you! I love that it's a large hoop, but yet so delicate you won't even realize you're wearing them. Perfect for everyday!

The Pave Starfish Earrings are for the classic girl who also like to make a statement! I love beach themed jewelry! Live at the beach or go there often? You NEED these! (See the other assortment of beach themed jewelry in the PALM BEACH category of my website)



The Glint Studs are a necessity for every wardrobe. They go with everything and are perfect to wear with the Metropolitan Mixed Chain Necklace...as well as any other statement piece OR just by themselves.

Stella & Dot finally added basic ball studs to their fabulous selection of earrings! Sometimes you want to wear a big statement necklace or bib necklace and you don't want a bare ear. These are a perfect solution! They are small studs that go with literally EVERYTHING! (They come in silver too)

The Belle Fleur Earrings are my best selling pair of earrings (next to the Garden Party Chandalier and the Jasmine Filigree). They come in post AND clip! I absolutely love them for any occassion! Aside from a simple diamond or CZ stud, these are my go to studs. They make the perfect gift for anyone (have yet to find someone who doesn't love them). Planning a wedding? They make the perfect bridesmaid gift!

RINGS:

The Stackable CZ Deco Rings are my best seller rings! Everyone loves them and wants them! Look familiar? They just like the Tiffany's art deco stackable rings...but a fraction of the price! No one will ever suspect they are costume! They come in sets of three and are available in most ring sizes.
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productgroup&productGroupId=16

I love the stackable band rings because I really love mixing gold and silver...this set of 5 rings are simple and go with everything!!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productgroup&productGroupId=17

Fit into the Boho-Chic category? Then you will LOVE the Camilla Ring! I looked everywhere for a fabulous green jade ring and couldn't find what I wanted that wasn't super cheap looking or just way out of my price range. Stella & Dot came to the rescue with their version of Gold and Aventurine. This ring is adjustable from inside the band, which is awesome...it can be worn on any sized finger and it won't pinch you!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=R113

The Belle Fleur ring is the perfect way to make a statement! It's a trendy, yet classic piece that can be worn with or without the belle fleur earrings! (This ring is also a non-pinching adjustable ring that also comes in Hematite with a Black Stone....makes a FABULOUS gift for anyone)
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=R105G

The Vintage Cluster Ring falls under trendy AND classic...I swear I have seen an almost identical ring at J. Crew! (but not nearly as fabulous, of course) This is a big statement ring ready to amp up any outfit!
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/productcatalog?page=productdetail&sku=R104G

I'm sure you've seen one or two things that you really love or like...BUT if you love everything then you should seriously consider hosting a trunk show for you and your girlfriends! Another perk to hosting, besides seeing all this (and more) fabulous jewelry in person...FREE jewelry! The average hostess gets $250 in free jewelry...who doesn't love that? Have a friend that already has hosted a show? Don't worry! Your friends will still want to come to yours...there's always something new to see and try on, plus who doesn't want 2 hours of fun with the girls?!

Either way, I hope you've enjoyed seeing a little of Stella & Dot and that it's helped motivate you to update your wardrobe with a little Bling for Spring! (it's much cheaper than going out and buying a whole new wardobe)

*To find out more about hosting a trunk show or the opportunity of becoming a stylist go to
http://www.stelladot.com/sites/rachelmoon/my-business