Good evening lovelies! I hope you've had an amazing week. Tonight, I want to talk about events that go on in stores in our community. Sometimes we think "Oh, i don't need to go to that event, I'll just stop by next week" because we live by there and sometimes we think nothing will come of it. But it is ALWAYS worth it to stop in! There are always new and interesting, and you never know what deals they might be having, and also you never know who you might meet.
This evening I went to the 4 year anniversary party for Betty Belts here in Ventura, CA from 6-10pm. It was an amazing event where I drank great wine, munched on delicious french cheese, and shopped quite merrily. 20% of the profits when to help the Matilija Coalition to restore the Ventura River.
B-eautiful B-irthday Finds
Leather Flower Ring: $10.00
I have one of these in black from previous work/jewelry exchange, and it is one of my favorite rings. Since I am not always the most delicate, my black ring is near death. I decided to invest in this purple ring to take its place when it finally goes to the jewelry store in the sky. These are my favorite, and I always get compliments when I wear them.
Sale Bangle $10.00
This cuff is also made of resin, but not surfboard resin. The pattern caught my eye, and no two bracelets are alike at Donna's shop, which is why I'm willing to spend my money with her.
Leather Cuff (Second): $12.00
Donna's cuffs are $34, but she has some that are second cuffs, so they are being sold for $12. I got a second one because I love the shade of brown: a perfect neutral to go with any color, even black. It is very light, and doesn't rub on my wrist. It also doesn't have that overpowering leather smell, which I've encountered when i've purchased at other places. I enjoy the smell of leather, but I don't want to smell like a tannery.
Surfboard Resin Earrings: $44.00
Seems a bit pricey, yes, but every single pair is one of a kind. These earrings are made from surfboard resin shavings brought to Donna by a local surf shop. They collect the shavings, melt them into one batch, and bring them to her, so no two patches are alike, and no two pairs are alike because each concentration of colors is different because of how they're cut. They're also very expensive to make because of the process that is used to create the smooth finish and precise circles. They are light as a feather, and with all the different colors, they go with anything! Where you see purple showing through is actually clear resin which is showing the couch through the resin.
Leather Ring: $22.00
This beautiful ring was originally $44, but Donna is having leather rings for 50% off because there have been complaints that when you wash your hands, since the ring part is made of silver, that it warps the leather. I picked one up and intend to love it until the day I die; it is beautifully smooth red leather against gleaming silver, and I love leather and silver like white loves rice.
And, yes, while it seems like a lot, I was actually fortunate enough to trade for some of the items I featured in my post this evening. One thing local businesses are willing to do a lot of the time is trade, all you have to do is ask. I offered to give something, without expecting anything in return. Because of what I was offering her, she gave me a few of the items for free. I scurried home, picked up the items, and came back to do the trade.
Remember, ASK. If you are not even willing to ask if a local business would like to do trade, then you will not receive good things in exchange for time, or other items you may not even want or need that could just be laying around the house going to waste. Don't be afraid lovelies!
