Stash: Chihuahua

Put a fork in me, I'm done.

I LOVE this charm. I don't really have too much to say about it, because it's all right there for you to see. Great bronze-gold color on the body, little white paws capped off with gold pads, happy stance, face is spot on, and the collar is such a nice detail. Maybe a tad too big, but then again most small dogs have collars that look huge on them.

Chihuahuas aren't for everyone (I adore them), but I think this charm won't last all that long. It's very different from any Yorkie charm they've ever put out, and lots of younger girls are geared toward small dogs. Personally, I bought two -- one for me and one for Little E, whose own chihuahua looks almost exactly like this charm. I can see Juicy putting out an entire line of different breeds of dogs!

Price: 48.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3815

Limited Edition: Goose

A tisket, a tasket!

Sorry that my goose charm appears to have only one foot. I promise you that it has two. I really should have taken pictures from the front and the back, but the light was disappearing outside.

So, you know me and animal charms. I love them! The goose is no exception, even if its back end is shaped a little strangely. The egg inside is a fantastic detail; I love that it has small crystals on it instead of being just plain gold.

My favorite part of this charm is the pearly white finish. The flash in my picture washes it out but it's very subtle and just so pretty. Now let's talk about the two things I don't like: the stamp on the butt and the snap. Juicy usually places a logo (either the banner or the crown) somewhere on each charm. I think the crown might have looked better on the chest area than the butt. And the snap is something I always take issue with. Some are too loose, some are too tight, and some can go from being too tight to too loose with just one drop. Like mine did this afternoon when I was taking it out to photograph it.

This charm flew off S&C's website like nobody's business. In fact, I never even saw it and I had been obsessively checking the site for days! So I just picked it up when I went to the Juicy boutique today, and swallowed the full cost. Why? Because the Prince Charming swan charm (which I have.. somewhere.. and am dying to find it and post photos because it's so adorable) will run you about $150-$200 on eBay these days. Animal charms, the bird ones in particular, always climb in value once they're gone. This one being a limited edition will only increase the value and is definitely worth picking up.

LE Tag Year: 2010
Price: 52.00
Box: Gold/Pink
Code: YJRU3743

Stash: Pink Roses

New Year's isn't even a distant thought yet and they're already rolling out the Valentine's Day stuff. Although I guess this charm doesn't have to be for Valentine's Day specifically..

This is an odd charm. Don't get me wrong because I really really like it. I love that the clear plastic almost acts as a prism out in the sun, I love the metal roses, and I love the thin wiry stems. The colors are vibrant and gorgeous, the bow is the perfect size, and the crystal in the middle really hits one out of the park when the charm is in the sun.

But this one won't be for everyone. I'm well aware of how prone that shiny shiny plastic is to scratching, and how easy it would be for one of the stems to bend or even snap off. Plus I'm a little puzzled as to why the clasp is in the middle -- when worn it hangs completely upside down! That's disappointing.

Still, I like it quite a bit and can't wait for the alleged Prom Queen bouquet to be released so I can take pictures of all three together. A word of caution if you plan on getting this one: mine came from S&C and the roses are totally off-center within the casing (a Juicy manufacturing error, not S&C's fault). So much so that one of the rose's edges is just barely poking out of the side. Really barely; it's more just like a blemish in the plastic. Also, this charm is a pain to get clasped back in the box!

Price: 48.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3788

Stash: Ferris Wheel

Okay. My pictures are a little funny because I can't get the exact dimensions right so clicking on them to see them full size would be a good idea.

I. Love. This. Charm. Failure it is not! At least, not in my opinion.

What I love the most are the colored stones on the outside of the ferris wheel. Just look at them! They used gorgeous colors, even though I could stand without the mixture of pastel and primary stones. The gold is a perfect choice to accent the clear crystals and the white pearls (eight little dangling ones, made to represent the seats I presume).

The ferris wheel does indeed spin around, same as the carousel charm. I know this is going to seem like a super short entry, but that's how it usually is when I'm ecstatic about them. There are very few complaints concerning this charm! You might have problems with the pearls occasionally catching along the bottom of the charm, but it's not a big deal at all. Unless your plans are to just sit around and spin it all day, of course.

Also, I'd be pretty careful with this charm. It's totally packed with crystals and we all know how hard they can be to find an exact match to and replace.

It's getting harder and harder to gauge whether charms will sell out or not. The panda had all of the makings of a hit but it's still plentiful everywhere you look. I personally think this one will become hard to find and highly valued - it moves, almost every inch is covered in sparkle, and they've never made a charm like this before. Perhaps Juicy has been producing more and more charms? I'm not sure. Either way, grab this one if you like it if for no other reason than that you want it!

Price: 58.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3615

Limited Edition: Ring (Purple Neiman Marcus Exclusive)

Much like the shoe, purse, and snowflake charms I'm not really one for the ring charms either. Juicy has done several different versions of the engagement ring, and I think I only have two including this one.

But there is a very good reason for having this one: it's the only colored stone they've done on an engagement ring charm. And it's beautiful. I purposely used flash on the third photo so you could see just how many colors are hiding inside of the purple stone.

I really love the detailing along the inner sides of the ring. It's intricate and rather than overwhelming the entire piece, it really elevates the purple stone and brightens everything up.

Now the bad news, as there usually is with older charms. This was a limited edition piece made exclusively for Neiman Marcus in 2008. That means that even if this charm had made it to the sale tables it would have eventually gone to Neiman Marcus Last Call outlets (of which there are quite a few less), not Juicy outlets. Your odds of finding this in a retail establishment are about as good as Juicy re-releasing the original globe. You will have to resort to the secondary market for this one, and it is still hard to come by. Prepare to pay (on average) double MSRP!

LE Tag Year: 2008
Price: 38.00
Box: Gold/Pink
Code: YJRU1729
Misc: Produced exclusively for Neiman Marcus; make sure their logo is on the tag.

Diversion: Pave Petals Flower Ring

Oh. No.

The Neiman Marcus website has a window into Juicy's spring offerings and I have to tell you, it's kind of thrilling.

On the horizon are a plethora of flower rings. If Juicy can really hit something out of the park, it's flowers. Their Garden Party lines have sold out repeatedly, and fetch some big dollars on the secondary market. I suspect that this spring's line won't go quite as quickly, seeing as how many pieces they're putting out.

Some are already available and this is one of them (though this came from Nordstrom's, not Neiman's). Behold the Pave Petals Flower Adjustable Ring! So many beautiful elements! Cannot.. contain.. excitement!

Let's get the box talk out of the way. Appealing packaging is a great marketing move; I'm not too proud to admit that I'm shallow and have caved in to things based purely on their packaging once or twice. The box itself looks a little boring from the outside - standard cylinder shape with a lid and some girly designs scrawled on there. When the lid comes off, however, it's a completely different story. A pink rose full of soft petals blooms as soon as it's released and, voilà! A creamy white flower with pave crystals sprinkled on the petals is revealed.

The pave petals are kept to a minimal two; this is good. Any more and they might become overwhelming. The larger crystal in the center is very eye-catching and looks amazing in the sun. I forgot to take pictures of the band, but Juicy's idea of 'adjustable' is really only adjustable to a certain point. There is a solid band that is probably a size 8 with a smaller, thin sideways C shape inside of it. This is the part that's adjustable. It's hard to explain, but the smaller band inside will expand or shrink with your finger to hold the ring on.

Don't expect to wear this ring on your pinkie; not only is it huge (maybe about an inch across, if not a little more), but it's heavy. Your hand will definitely feel unbalanced if it's not on one of your three inner fingers.

As much as I love Juicy's rings, they are always way way way too expensive and aren't usually stocked on websites that offer frequent discounts, like S&C or SBB. Juicy has been offering a lot more in-store promotions lately, but they're sporadic and sometimes don't apply to regularly priced jewelry.

Price: 78.00
Box: Round Pink Rose
Code: YJRU3625

Stash: Carousel

So maybe this charm fell a little short of everyone's expectations. The stock photos are terrible (really, Juicy.. hire someone to do justice to these things) and flat disproportionate ponies are not what one thinks of when they hear "carousel!"

But you have to give this one a chance. I promise you several things: first, it looks SO much better in person than it does in any picture you're going to see of it, and second, there is a lot of great detail in this charm that's hard to capture.

My favorite thing on this charm is the top. Which sounds weird, but it just has that classic "big top" kind of feel to it. Black and cream (not white, as the pictures suggest) stripes that all tie together nicely at the top give it a more modern spin. There is also a black and cream striped pole that runs down the center of the charm; you can see it barely peeking out from behind the horse in the first picture.

The horses themselves are my main disappointment with this charm. Carousels should be a huge source of inspiration; they've had everything from horses to zoo animals to movie and book characters. So why just horses? I'm not sure. What's worse is that they're totally flat! I'm sure this was more of a physical constraint than a design flaw; I can't imagine that it would have been easy or cost efficient to make fully 3-D horses that small. The pink color ties in nicely with the black and white, and each one is anchored by a crystal set in the middle.

Each horse is attached to a twisted golden pole. This is one of those little details that I'm talking about; it really contributes playfulness to the charm. There's also a ring of crystals that run all the way around the bottom, and let's not forget that the horses DO spin around on this one!

Overall, I do like this charm a lot. I think I've said it a few times before, but my childhood bedroom was nothing but carousel horses for 10 years. Even if this had been a completely ugly charm (like the prototype photos many of us saw floating around a few months ago) I still would have gotten it just for the sake of nostalgia. If you're going back and forth on this one you should definitely go check it out in person before deciding. The price is slightly absurd, but I can kind of understand it for a charm that has a moving piece. Still, seek out all possible discount codes and websites before committing to the MSRP!

Price: 58.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3614

Limited Edition: 2009 Snowflake

I've never been particularly interested in the Snowflake charms, despite this being the only charm so far that Juicy changes every winter season. The concept is great; it immediately creates a set for anyone who is ambitious enough to get them every year.

Even though I love snow, they just never swayed me enough to spend the money on them. Not to mention that they all kind of looked the same, even if they were different. However, I was totally sold on the 2009 Snowflake when I saw it in person.

Perhaps because it looks more like a starbust than an actual snowflake? Whatever the reason, it's gorgeous. It has a wild amount of sparkle! The size crystals that Juicy chose for the tips of the flake are amazing; they're so big you don't even need much light for this charm to shine. 6 lines with pave crystals come streaming out from the center to add a little big of weight to the otherwise delicate lines holding the larger crystals in place. Even the back of this charm is pretty -- how often can you say that??

If you haven't picked this one up yet but are feeling like you should, then you're in luck. The ones that are left have made it to sales tables, and are discounted on websites (check Nordstroms.com!). I am fairly confident in saying that this particular charm will not be reissued; Juicy has been putting out a different Snowflake every year and doesn't do repeats of these, that I'm aware of.

LE Tag Year: 2009
Price: 58.00
Box: Gold/Pink
Code: YJRU3317

Diversion: Rainbow Heart Studs

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: Ballerina

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

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

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)

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

Limited Edition: TeePee

I am loving that Juicy is pumping out more of the charms that open up to reveal a little scene on the inside. Granted, they could switch it up a bit and give the Yorkie something else to do other than warm his paws over a fire. But as long as stuff this cute keeps coming along I'm not complaining.

Instead of talking about my favorite thing last I'm going to do it first. I LOVE the little printed buffalo on the outside of the teepee. 100% totally enamored with this detail. It could be my affinity for tiny animals that makes this stand out to me, but come on! They're adorable. The rest of the teepee decorations are kind of bland - the jagged red stripe along the bottom, the Juicy crown logo, and the zipper. There is a tiny hole on the front that allows you to see inside the teepee; this is such an adorable idea but would have come off just a little better if the fire inside didn't immediately block your view of everything else.

It seems that they kept the best stuff out of immediate view on this charm. Here you can spot our little Yorkie hanging out on a carpet in full headdress gear with a fire going. The fire doesn't come across quite as well as it did in the igloo -- it looks more like a container of french fries to me. But the little sticks of wood give it enough character to pull it off. And of course you should be sure not to skip out on taking a peek at the bottom. I love the little double entendre that they slipped in there.

This charm hasn't exactly been hard to find since it hit shelves, but you are pretty much guaranteed that once they're gone they're gone. Same as the igloo and gingerbread houses; a year from now this could be pretty hard to track down for a reasonable price. I'm also surprised to see that this charm, with all of its detail, came out to be $6 less than the LE Present which I consider to be much simpler. I'm dying to know how Juicy prices their charms.

LE Tag Year: 2009
Price: 52.00
Box: Gold/Pink
Code: YJRU3181

Limited Edition: Present

I know, I know. It's not even Thanksgiving yet. But every year Christmas starts earlier and earlier, as Juicy released their Holiday charms well before Halloween had even made its appearance.

So I present you with.. the present!! Haha. I really love almost everything about this charm. I was excited to see Juicy release a new style, especially since they've really been upping the number of re-releases. The red box is cheery and festive, and of course it's countered with a green "ribbon" around the box. Juicy is printed down the bottom of the ribbon, and Couture along the right side. It opens up to reveal -- nothing?? Oh, except for a clever note to Santa printed on the side. And then we have the standard logo stamped on the bottom.

The one thing I don't love? The bow. The dual bows seem like they're competing for attention and overshadow the rest of the piece. Juicy really could have made this stand out more by having only one bow; either silver or gold. Not to mention that rumors of a pearl bow were floating around before the charm was actually released and I'd really had my heart set on that. Oh well! I hold out hope that Juicy will get the bright idea to do charms in series, like Hallmark does their ornaments. They could come out with a new present every year and I'd get it even if it were ugly because that's what you do when you're too in-the-box to not collect all the pieces of a set.

LE Tag Year: 2009
Price: 58.00
Box: Gold/Pink
Code: YJRU3318

Limited Edition: Candy Cane (2007)

Leave it to me to find a great deal on this Christmases-past charm over the summer, only to see it re-released (albeit in silver) this winter. I'm not too upset about it, though; this was my second LE 2007 Candy Cane as I had gotten one when they first came out. Why do I need/have two, you ask? I'll tell you in just a bit.

First let's talk about this charm. It's pretty perfect, save for the fact that the crystals are pink and not red. Would it have been better done in red? Possibly.. I mean the red and the white stripes are what makes candy canes so iconic. Red and white striped anything will usually remind people of candy canes, even if they're not shaped as such. But that's about my only complaint with this charm because I think the rest of it is perfect. The white enamel is smooth and makes for a great contrast against the chunky pink crystal stripes. The silver and crystal bow is a gorgeous little detail. It doesn't overwhelm the candy cane and adds an extra dimension of presentation to it, as if someone has wrapped this candy cane up just for you.

This charm was pretty hard to find at a decent price before it was revealed that it was being re-released in silver this season. The OCD part of me wants the candy cane in silver but I have resisted it thus far because they really are exactly the same except for the plating color and tag. Still, I think the gold is just a little bit shinier than the silver anyway. ;)

Now the good news. My amazing-summer-find Candy Cane was purchased just for Charm Candy! I'm giving it away and you have all of November to enter to win. Every comment you leave (from this post forward) will count as one entry. On December 1st a winner will be randomly selected, via the same method as last time. I know that seems like a long time away, but this gives everyone time to increase their odds and will be a nice little holiday surprise in the mail for someone by the time the deadline rolls around. Also, I'm hoping it will force me to return to my 1-a-day posting system I had going earlier this year. So comment away -- this is open to everyone (unless you're in Greece or Italy :[ .. mail mysteriously vanishes in that area too often)!

LE Tag Year: 2007
Price: 48.00
Box: Gold/Pink
Code: YJRU1459

Diversion: Betsey Johnson Duck Necklace

I have returned! And with a little something special for today.

I've said it before and I'll say it many times more -- I love rubber duckies. When Nordstrom's holiday catalog appeared in my mailbox I found it stuffed with a whole Snow Bunny line from Betsey Johnson that I was swooning for as soon as I saw it. So when I went to check out the pieces online I found this little guy! Why, oh why Betsey Johnson, are there not more duck pieces??

Look at him. Or her? I'm not sure, but I have a tendency to make all animals male at first sight. Anyway, I have included two different sets of pictures because it's really rainy and overcast today which is my kind of weather, but makes for lousy pictures. The first two were taken with flash and you can really see how vibrant the colors are. The other three are natural light and may wash him out, but bring the details into better focus.

The classic yellow color on this one is perfect. It's bright and cheery and is accentuated quite nicely by the gold and orange detail on the wings. Be sure to click on the second picture to enlarge it so you can really get a sense of how amazing the blue eyes are. Perfectly clear ocean blue crystals really bring the face to life, in addition to the gold and orange beak. Topping off the head is a cute silver crown that is adorned with very small fuchsia crystals and orange hearts. But my favorite detail of all? The pearl necklace. At first glance it really looks like your standard little addition of pearls but when I was going through my photos I noticed small fibers on the back of the duck. At first I figured it was dust or an errant cat hair but then I realized that the pearls are actually on their own string and are tied in the back. That's right. The duck is wearing it's own pearl necklace. That kind of detail isn't something you see very often; usually these things are solidly attached in some way or another. This is both good and bad; good because it's just such a sweet finishing touch (to me) and bad because it increases the potential for the little pearls to pop off, and the string lends itself to fraying (hence the fibers). You can see the knot in the last picture.

I adore this ducky necklace. It's double stranded, all gold colored, and the second strand holds just a single crystal that doesn't overwhelm the charm. In fact I was so enamored with this that I totally forgot about the Snow Bunny line! Another bonus for this necklace is the price -- you really can't beat that these days.

Price: 35.00
Found at: Nordstrom.com (direct link to product page)

A Juicy Exclusive

It isn't too often that Juicy produces pieces that are exclusive to their boutiques or website. It's even less often that they send out e-mails about it!

This is the only charm-related piece from their new exclusives.. other items include tracksuits and handbags, so you may want to check out all of their exclusives here.

I've never been wild about the engagement ring charms, despite my deep and undying love for diamonds. I won't be getting this bracelet but it's a really cute concept for those of you who are into the ring charms. The stone colors don't vary at all; they're all clear with the exception of one ring that has pearls. The cuts don't change much, either.. everything is pretty round. The band styles are somewhat similar, as well. The only really unique piece I see on the bracelet is the "flat" engagement ring on the right.

At $118 I would have expected a lot more detail and variety! The bracelet is available now at JuicyCouture.com.

Stash: London Phone Booth

With the first round of exams over I feel like I finally have some time to catch up on taking pictures and writing posts. So this Phone Booth charm probably isn't new to anyone by now, but it's still one of my latest additions.

If you've been to London you know what the deal is. I loved using the iconic red phone booths a few times while I was there; touristy it may have been but it was cool since phone booths are pretty much a thing of the past. I'm so thrilled that I can have a little tiny piece of London with me at all times now. The door doesn't swing open, which is disappointing, but the overall design is pretty realistic. There's not a lot of extra sparkle on this one; the only crystal is a super tiny one on the handle of the door. The Juicy emblem sits above the word "Telephone" on the front and the back. I think the bottom has the cutest logo, though. I can never get enough of that tiny crown.

You may recall having seen this charm previously on the Jet Set bracelet. Back then it was made out of a rather cheap plastic and did not have an individual clasp. Be really careful when buying this charm on eBay or any other secondary website -- the differences between the two versions should be pretty visible (especially since this one is made out of a good, solid metal), but it never hurts to triple check these things when buying a charm. The bottom of the tag reads C-LDN PHONE BOOTH CHARM -- the LDN stands for London.

Price: 48.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3129

Archive: Owl

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

Sorry. I couldn't resist. Meet the Owl. Loved by those who have him, highly sought after and hunted by those who want him. It's not hard to see why.

Juicy's interpretation is just perfect. Look at the framed eyes.. they're exceptional, with the little fringe "feather" rings and the bezel set pave eyes. I included the third photo so that you can see that, depending on the light, the eyes can either look true to color (a clear lemony yellow), or like a little chunk of onyx. When you're searching on eBay the eyes can be a key detail; ask for more pictures with and without flash of the face area for more clarification.

Blink and you'll miss it - his tiny gold beak is right between the bottom of his eyes. It points down to his puffy crystal chest, bordered by smooth, regal brown wings. You can see that on his back there is quite a bit of detail to suggest that he's properly covered in feathers. It looks almost like the texture of an acorn top or something, but the entire backside, top of the head, and wings you can see from the front are all smooth. I completely forgot until I started writing this -- the front opens! I included one picture and it's not the best, but there is no logo or anything inside of the opening that is important. I'm not even sure why it was necessary, but it's there.

Prepare yourself to pay a lot of money for this if you're buying it second hand. :( Unfortunately, as is the case with many of Juicy's past animal charms, an authentic one is hard to come by so the price is driven up. There are replicas of this charm floating around out there, so really do your research before committing to buying one.

Price: 48.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU1368