Stash: Kite

12.31.2009


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Aw, go fly a kite why don'tcha!

If you insist. This was the second charm I ordered unseen and I am super thankful that the turnout was better than the bust incident (I promise.. I will post it eventually).

The first thing I have to tell you about is that the kite is more of a dark fuchsia color, not red like my pictures might suggest. The color of the kite itself was just too hard to capture, but the tassels (which are pretty much the color that the kite should be) and bow are true to life.

No complaints from me on this one. They used a simple design, kept the front clean, and got the structure of the kite right on. The tassels, both chain and string, are cute and the bow is such an adorable feminine touch. The pink, green, and white look great with the silver; should Juicy ever reissue this charm in gold I hope they pick a fitting color scheme (perhaps something blue?).

Size-wise it's pretty big! Maybe 2 inches, including the tail. Between that and the bright coloring I wouldn't call this one of the more subtle charms. I think this would look fantastic grouped with some of the other "outdoorsy" charms, such as the picnic basket, ladybug, hotdog, bucket of seashells, and so on.

Same story as the last few; it's cute but it's not vanishing like a magician and the price is elevated for what it is. I bet this one makes it to at least a few outlets, though it may go quick as spring and summer roll around (when people usually get the hankering to fly a kite).

Price: 42.00
Box: Silver/Pink
Code: YJRU3610

Diversion: Rainbow Heart Studs

12.30.2009


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When I saw these on Nordstrom's website I didn't hesitate for even a second. It could have been the impatience of the holiday shopping season creeping around, or it could just have been that these were too cute to pass up.

What's not to love? Color? Check. Hearts? Check. Sparkly? Check! If these earrings (and the rainbow charm and rainbow wish necklace) are any indication of what Juicy's spring and summer lines look like then I'm doomed for sure. I love bright, happy stuff and these fit right into that category.

The earrings are studs, and they're quite small -- maybe half the size of my pinkie finger? Absolutely perfect for adding just a drop of cheerfulness to work outfits. Click here to check them out on Nordstrom's site.

Price: 42.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3642
Misc: The bottom of the box reads Heart w/Rainbow Studs. I titled my post differently because it looked weird writing it out that way.

Stash: Mitten


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I'll admit that I wasn't too excited about this charm at first. The color scheme seemed like an odd choice (really, how often do yellow, pink, and gray work?) and there's not much that's thrilling when it comes to mittens.

However I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the mitten in person. It really is cute, and the colors are working. It has that puffy quality that all mittens should aspire to, and reminds me of being a kid and putting on those marshmallow-like things before sprinting out into the snow.

Very subtly printed on the pink, the front side reads Juicy and the back of the mitten says Couture. It's nice that Juicy didn't emblazon their logo all over the place on this one. The band of crystals kind of chops up the smoothness of the shape, but they really seem to dress it up.

The best detail, in my opinion, are the little dangling puffs off to the side. I don't know exactly what they're meant to represent (do most mittens these days come with little puffs?) but it makes the whole charm playful. The only thing I'm not totally wild about is the cuff.. but then again cuffs aren't really something to get excited about, now are they? ;)

This is another one that you could probably wait on. It's silver (they never sell as fast; even the re-issue of the Gingerbread house in silver made it all the way to sale tables), it doesn't have universal appeal, and once again it's overpriced for how basic it is. I imagine these will crop up at outlets during the spring.

Price: 48.00
Box: Silver/Pink
Code: YJRU3314

Stash: Ballerina

12.29.2009


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I took ballet, tap, and jazz lessons from ages 3 to 10. I loved it, but gave it up when it came time to go switch to en pointe; that's pretty much when you either dedicate yourself to it (along with stunting your growth and speeding along the aging of your bones) or get out of the game. En pointe was never going to be my style, so I gave up the lessons.

That doesn't mean I love ballet or dance any less. I was so tickled when the first images of this charm started to pop up! Tiny ballerinas are a hallmark image of being a little girl; usually one of the first jewelry boxes you ever own has a spinning ballerina inside. My favorite book series was Angelina Ballerina, I was hopelessly in love with the waltz scene from Sleeping Beauty (pink! blue! pink! blue!), and I did so ever adore the lone pair of lace-up ballet shoes I had for my Barbie. So even if Juicy had wrecked this charm further than they already have, I still would have gotten it.

Now. By wrecking it, I mean they did some weird things with what should be a dainty and porcelain-like figurine. By no means do I hate this charm. I rather like it, a lot! So let's talk about the good things first. Number one, it's tiny. An inch and a half tall, I think. Perfect size for a little bitty dancing queen. Second, I'm really glad that they went with the white coloring instead of traditional ballet pink. It's refreshing and almost lends a snow fairy quality to the charm. Third, I'm definitely down with the large crystals on the front of the skirt. I know it's too chunky and odd to some but I like the contrast and sparkle. Last but not least I think they really hit it out of the park with the shape and design of the arms, torso, and legs. Very slim and airy, just as a classical dancer's should be.

So what isn't so good about this charm? I think the major complaint from most (and myself as well) is that there is no face -- it has been replaced by a round crystal. ?? Why, Juicy, why?! There's all kinds of psychology behind creating a drawing/sculpture and leaving out faces or hands. It's just kind of spooky that there's no face there. Next we have the bizarre-o Turbie Twist thing going on on top of her head. It seriously looks like a wrapped up towel or turban up there. Again.. why?!? Why not just plop a little golden bun on her head and call it a day? Her head dressing leads me to her choice of footwear. It's a sweet touch to put ballet shoes on her but her ankles must have gotten cut off in the transition somewhere because it looks like the ends of her feet were dipped in white paint and left that way. I can't complain too much about this part; I can only imagine how hard it would be to sculpt an accurately shaped foot onto a charm this size. My last issue is that the crystals on the skirt stop midway. Sure, no one is really going to be checking out the back of the charm but continuity is always worth something, is it not? The sudden shift to pleats makes it look a little bit like the crystals either fell off, or someone gave up on the skirt halfway through.

Other than all of THAT, I really do like having this charm! I think a lot of the reasons I outlined will prevent people from buying it -- you can't blame people for disliking a faceless ballerina. It's just creepy! It will also keep her on the shelves longer; I'd say it's safe to put off buying this if you're still debating on it. I have a feeling that even when it does land on eBay it will be selling for less than retail to start with.

Price: 52.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3429

Stash: Tiered Cake


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So this charm probably doesn't warrant three photos since it's the same all the way around, but I had problems getting the strawberries in focus. Hopefully between these you can get a good idea of what this charm looks like. For the record, the middle photo has the most accurate coloring. It's more of a dark, warm pink than the other two make it out to be.

Now. Who doesn't love cake?! I suspect very few. I love to bake and have, so far, collected all of Juicy's baked good charms (that I know of) so this one had to join the family.

The pink definitely might be a little overkill for some. The entire cake itself is coated in dark pink; not even the piping detail is in a different color. Still, it stands out pretty well. I don't know if it's the same on all charms, but on mine the top two tiers have sharper piping than the bottom tier. It's not really noticeable unless you've been staring at it for half an hour, trying to get a good picture of it. ;)

I think that the strawberries set atop each tier are what really makes this cake worth having. They're small, have exceptionally little seed detail on each one, and add that flare of decadence you often see in boutique bakery windows. A dollop of whipped cream on top finishes off this very sweet little piece. Again, I have no pictures of the bottom of the charm but it's nothing to write home about; the Juicy banner and a small crown stamped on.

The Tiered Cake seems to have gone from most websites, however I see that it's still available on Revolve. This is a good indicator that it isn't too hard to find yet. The MSRP is absurd, so I would really hesitate on paying full price if you can't find it at a discount. As much as I love Juicy charms they're really losing me lately with their near-constant releases, and wild pricing for what is just costume jewelry at the end of the day.

Price: 52.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3313

Stash: Double Decker Bus

12.28.2009


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London calling! This is the last of the British series charms that I picked up; I do not have the wellie boot or the guard's head.

So. If you've been to London (my second favorite city, only to be outdone by Vegas) then you have seen the red double decker buses without a doubt. You've probably even ridden on one or two -- I sure did both times I was there! Almost got mowed down by one, too.

There was no doubt in my mind that I HAD to have this one when it came out. Not only was it my love for London spurring me on, but it has a yorkie inside! The charm keeps the details fairly minimal; you've got the windows and crystal headlights/taillights and some gold edges thrown in. One thing the pictures don't convey? The wheels actually spin! Very nice touch, Juicy. I wish there were more to say about this charm but it's all pretty straightforward and right there for you to see.

This charm came out in late summer so you're not likely to find it on websites any longer. You may have luck calling up individual Juicy stores or department stores like Nordstrom's, but it's more likely that you'll have to rely on outlets getting some in (if there were any left; the London series was quite popular) or the dreaded eBay.

Price: 52.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3130

Stash: Vintage Camera (Polaroid)


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I keep a small Juicy bag near my bed with all of my newest charms in it, since those are the ones I'd most like to photograph and write about before I put them into the Armoire-O-Doom, which is quickly running out of shelf space. So is my little Juicy bag! I apologize profusely (sorry, sorry, sorry!) for severely neglecting the blog these last few months. Suffice to say that the last quarter of 2009 has been a rough one for me, and many things have fallen to the wayside.

Anyway, on with the goods!

This charm created quite a buzz when it first started popping up on eBay. If you were born prior to the age of digital cameras then you are quite likely to know what a Polaroid camera is. Or, I guess was -- the cameras have been since phased out and the film is no longer being produced. :( Juicy has given us a permanent monument to times past; this charm is SO CUTE! They captured the shape spot-on and I'm glad they went with a cream color instead of the traditional black.. it makes it feel happy and light.

The front of the charm has the most detail. A crystal "light bulb", a red heart, a rainbow stripe, and the word Juicy deck out the face of the camera. The heart and rainbow are a nice touch -- kind of throws me back into the 80's. The back and bottom (no picture, it's just the logo stamped on though) are minimal, which is good. There's a nice little surprise waiting for you inside the camera, though. A picture! There are whispers that the image is of Marie Antoinette, following with the indulgent French theme that many pieces carried this fall/winter. Who it is I can't say for sure but it's adorable. Click on the middle photo for a bigger image.

This charm isn't exactly flying off the shelves, so I'd say you're safe in waiting for it to come down in price (because really, the price is very inflated for what it is) or possibly even hit the outlets. It's really cute but I think it's too specific to appeal to everyone, especially Juicy's younger demographic.

Price: 58.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3465

Pink Alert: 40% Off at ShopBellaBeach

12.02.2009

Holy moly! A really great deal just landed in my inbox -- 40% off all Juicy Couture products at ShopBellaBeach.com (formerly SDR) with the code JUICY. They're even throwing in free shipping for the time being!

Their charm selection isn't huge; right now they have the Mitten, Silver Candy Cane, Silver Hot Chocolate, Lucky 7, Flamingo, LE Present, Orange Slice, and LE '09 Snowflake. They also have the Charm Box.. talk about an amazing deal! So far I've found that it doesn't apply to sale items, but you can use the code SANTA for 20% off sale and non-sale items from any brand.

You better move quick on this deal.. I imagine lots of people will be reading their own e-mails tomorrow and supplies won't last, especially for the holiday charms. It doesn't get much better than this!

Candy Cane: Winner!

Congratulations are in order for Sue, whose persistence paid off. I added up the number of eligible comments plus one entry for every Charm Candy board member, and the total came out to 50. Sue nabbed the prize by leaving several comments.. she really wanted that candy cane!

Thanks to everyone who reads CC, even if you don't comment. I appreciate it nonetheless!

More charm posts coming up soon.. including the polaroid camera, tiered cake, silver gingerbread house vs gold gingerbread house, mitten, gold cupcake, and 2009 snowflake!
 
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