Stash: Robot

I know it has been months since I've updated. Sorry :( But the good news is that I'm updating with a brand new charm, right?

I love, love, love this one! It's so cute and perfect in every way.. it's too top heavy to stand on its own, but the arms and legs do swing. The detail along the joint of the arm is especially cute -- a little crystal on each side, which really compliments the crystal eyes nicely. Juicy really executed the idea of a girlie robot perfectly.

Now I have to divert for a second and rant about the boxes. I was surprised when I opened my package and saw what the new ones looked like. It seems like they removed all metal pieces & supports within the box, which now results in the box opening like this:

Which I find disappointing, especially because it means I can no longer hang charms by their clasp to take a photo with them in the box. I also think the style is a little more flimsy -- I never really worried about dropping charms while they were in the box before, because the foam provided enough cushion that nothing ever broke, and the clasp ensured that the box didn't pop open on contact. And of course I miss the terry lining.. it is what Juicy is known for, and this new plain pink fabric feels cheap to me. Additionally, it seems like silver charms no longer have a different box than the gold ones (I don't know about the rest of you, but this is going to make organizing my collection even harder than it already is).

I'd be willing to bet that this was a cost cutting measure, but notice how the price of charms didn't drop at all? :/ As much as I love Juicy charms, everyone has their point of no return. I'm not saying that I've reached that point yet, but this box thing coupled with increasing prices and reduced quality has me double and triple thinking every charm I want.

Price: 52.00
Box: Brown/Pink (New Style; No Clasp)
Code: YJRU4249

Stash: Pave Blue Bird

Even though I have a ton of older charms that I should be posting first, I had to drop everything when this came yesterday.

I love birds. It's no secret. The only bird charm I haven't bothered to pick up yet is the new caged one -- and that's only because it's almost identical to the older one, save for replacing the weird red rooster birds with lovebirds.

There wasn't much time at all between when this charm started popping up on eBay and when it was actually released. I love when that happens -- it's fun to be surprised by what Juicy puts out! My favorite thing about this charm is the blue color. You can see in the third photo that there's a very distinct change between the lighter blue color and the darker blue around the tail area. It transitions from a pretty sky blue cream to this translucent oceany blue. I want handbags in this color. I want shoes in this color. I want sheets and plates and socks and towels and nail polish and soap and wrapping paper in this color.

You'll notice that the tail has two different sides; one is straight color and the other is pave crystals in blue and green. I like both side equally and I'm glad that they did it this way.

The chest and face area is very reminiscent of the sparrow (which is one of my favorite charms). I love that they didn't overkill the whole charm with too many crystals, and I think that the tan branch it's clinging on to is a nice touch. The change in color really makes the blue stand out that much more.

Zero complaints about this one. I don't even care that it's silver. Please, Juicy, remake this in a wide assortment of colors so I can have a whole aviary in my closet!

Price: 52.00
Box: Silver/Pink
Code: YJRU3871

Diversion: Pansy Ring

Grrr. The best intentions, right? I really spaced out on the posting-once-a-day thing. But unfortunately for you and me both, real world things have to come before blogging. :(

Anyway. CHECK THIS BABY OUT! I was waiting and waiting and waiting for this to show up on any website besides Neiman Marcus and it just wasn't happening. I caved in and called Juicy to see if they had it in stores, and sure enough they did.

I won't lie to you; this ring looks significantly better in photos than it does in person. That's not to say that it isn't gorgeous, because it is. It just doesn't exactly have that amazing color depth that it appears to. I absolutely love this ring, though. It is huge; it covers from the base of my ring finger all the way up to the knuckle. The sizes also seem to run a little on the big side. Juicy usually stocks their non-adjustable rings in sizes from 6-8.

Unfortunately, there were no promotions going on that I knew of when I went to the boutique so I got stuck paying the full price. That definitely stung a little bit, especially since I have become pretty accustomed to nabbing things from S&C at a 20% discount. It's hit and miss when it comes to knowing if you'll be able to wait it out for a sale. The white MOP flower ring from a few seasons back stuck around for awhile, but never seemed to go on sale and then vanished entirely. The re-released darker fall version, however, lingered around long enough to be marked down before it was gone.

The pansy was a good choice of flower for this spring, especially since Alice In Wonderland is hitting theaters in a few weeks. This ring is definitely Alice-esque!

Price: 88.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3728

On The Horizon: Pansy Ring

Again I must take a slight detour from the world of charms to rave about something else.

The Pansy Ring popped up on Neiman's website not too long ago, along with a whole other slew of spring jewelry pieces by Juicy. I may be more excited about this ring than I am about any of the upcoming charms (including the chocolate bunny!).

It's gorgeous. Of course this is only a stock photo but I just can't stop myself from tripping head over heels for it. I love the blending of the purple hues and the almost-black color that is skirting around the edges of the petals. I'm sure that the large crystal in the middle will attract an insane amount of sparkle, and I love that smaller crystals are intermittently sprinkled all over.

I'm also excessively happy that this ring isn't "adjustable" and comes in sizes 6, 7, and 8. Ship date is listed in February; pay no mind to the "back order" status that nearly every item has. The pieces aren't actually back ordered, this is just Neiman's way of letting you know that things are immediately available for shipping. You can check out this ring and all of the other upcoming accessories by Juicy on Neiman's Juicy New Arrivals Page.

Stash: Kite

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

Stash: Mitten

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: Painter's Charm (Palette)

Surprisingly enough, I haven't been able to locate this charm yet on some of the more mainstream websites like Juicy's own, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom's, or Revolve. So far it looks like you're going to have to resort to Sak's or Bloomingdale's to pick this one up online (for the time being).

Now down to business! I love the palette half of this charm, for the most part. The only thing that disappoints me is the color selection of the crystals they used to represent the paint. Why so pastel and dull, Juicy? We have light pink, light green, dark blue, light purple, and light yellow. The pink and purple are very close in color, as are the green and yellow. The blue however gives a startling contrast to the color scheme and leaves a rather uneven feeling to the whole thing. The overcast weather gives my photos a darker hue; all of the colors are much brighter in person.

The brush is a cute touch, but not to scale. There is a great amount of detail on the head of the brush; the subtle lines definitely suggest it's full of big and fluffy bristles.

On the reverse side of the palette you'll find the words "paint yourself in couture" printed in old-fashioned letters. If you're picking this up in person you should be sure to check this area out carefully, as Juicy often doesn't do even prints when it comes to letters on charms or tags. Mine is missing color from the top half of the "f", for instance.

Although the palette charm is thin it has significant weight, and feels like the whole thing is made out of metal. This is a refreshing change from some of the disappointing plastic charms from earlier this year (such as the mouse and cheese or the 3-tier cake).

Price: 48.00
Box: Silver/Pink
Code: YJRU3464

P.S. Just today and tomorrow left before a winner is picked for the candy cane charm!

Stash: Polar Bear

Well, so much for my resolve to go back to posting daily! I wish you all a belated Happy Thanksgiving (if you were celebrating), and thank you for sticking in there with my erratic schedule. Fortunately for me -- and you -- a sweet little package from Shirley & Company landed in my mailbox this week.

This is hands down the charm I was most excited about. Don't get me wrong.. the LE holiday releases are sparkly and pretty. But none of them were grabbing me the way that past holiday charms had (like the nutcracker, reindeer, or original gingerbread house). Until this little guy ambled on up.

I love animals and if you've ever had the fortune to watch a polar bear up close you already know what magnificent creatures they are. Their strength is massive; I saw two play-fight at the San Diego Zoo a few summers ago and I might as well have been watching boulders slam into one another. Despite their untamed nature, polar bears are often represented as cute and cuddly. This charm is no exception. First of all, look at the face. The eyes are a deep rich black and I think Juicy made the right decision to use paint rather than crystals. It makes them look far more realstic, same goes for the nose. They didn't skimp on the crystals all together, though; check out the legs! This bear has got some fancy footwork going on.. perhaps they are to be interpreted as pieces of ice? Either way they don't overwhelm the bear entirely and really add to the festive feeling. The pads on the paws may be the best detail of all, though. Little golden hearts! Can you imagine how cute those footprints would be?

I have zero complaints about this one. It's really heavy but that's a good thing for me this time around, as I think it conveys how sturdy this charm is.

I love that this was a winter release; sure you think of cold climates when you think of polar bears, but I'm also reminded of the Coca Cola bear this time of year. Find it at a discount if you can but don't hesitate too long -- this is definitely one of those charms that will be hard to secure at reasonable prices once it's off shelves. It's one of the most realistic animal charms that they've done in quite some time, which will really make it stand out in your collection.

Price: 48.00
Box: Silver/Pink
Code: YJRU3427

P.S. Don't forget that the contest to win the Candy Cane charm ends in 4 days on 12/1. Every comment you leave (from this post forward) counts as one entry!

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: Silver Cupcake (2009 Style)

For sometime now there have been wistful sighs from charm collectors, wishing for a more realistic cupcake. Not that the older style isn't appreciated; it's just a little.. well, flat. So meet the new, improved, more dimensional cupcake!

I like it. I'm really into the whipped appearance of the frosting, and I love that they chose violet and yellow (contrasting colors) for the color scheme. I'm tickled with the yellow crystal "sprinkles" and the fact that this is a chocolate cupcake -- you can't tell from my photos, but there is just the tiniest hint of brown that lies beneath the edges of the icing. The inside top area is pink (a bit odd) and the rest is silver. The only thing that I'm not completely wild about is the size. This cupcake charm is HUGE! Smaller than a quarter, but maybe twice as big as the older cupcake charms.

Not everyone is into the silver charms, so have no fear: a gold version is set to be released this holiday season and can already be found on a couple of websites (S&Co) and in some stores. These are definitely some of the cutest food charms that Juicy has put out in awhile.

Price: 48.00
Box: Pink/Silver
Code: YJRU3177

On The Horizon: Lipstick

Again, another re-release dipped in a different color.. but with a slightly different twist!

What's new? The actual lipstick color, for one. Juicy switched it up from a typical girly-girl pink to a hot fuchsia. Next? Gone is the boxy lower half, replaced by a wavy circular tube topped off with a row of crystals. The crown logo has been removed from the bottom and in its place is a patch of pave crystals.

The tube part has me curious, but I'm going to wait until I can see it in person. It's not a must-have for me yet and, once again, the price is a little steep for my liking.

$: 48.00
Where: Pre-order from JuicyCouture.com
Buyin' or Eyein'?: Eyein' for now, but probably buyin' further down the road.
Plus One?: Nope
Misc.: late Summer 09 - listed ship date is 08/05.

On The Horizon: Chinese Takeout

I'll keep this short and simple, since this charm is pretty much a re-release in a different color. It's adorable, compact, and ohmygosh how sweet is the little fortune cookie inside?

Despite already owning the gold version I fully intend to pick up a silver one as well. Many dinners have come in those iconic little white takeout boxes and I'm looking forward to having both versions. It's available for pre-order on Juicy's website but has already hit stores and other retail sites so don't hesitate if you're after it!

$: 48.00
Where: Pre-order from JuicyCouture.com
Buyin' or Eyein'?: Buyin'!!!
Plus One?: Nope
Misc.: late Summer 09 - listed ship date is 08/03.

On The Horizon: Unicorn

I am sure that at least 90% of us went through that mythical phase as children where we drew unicorns and fairies and castles with princesses drawn in our image. I read all of Bruce Coville's books that took me to worlds where such things existed, so I'll admit that my inner child shrieked a bit when I saw this on Juicy's website.

I will wait to see this one in person, though. I kind of wish it were an entire unicorn rather than just a head and I'm not sure if I like the silver hair mixed with the gold horn and nose/mouth/eye detail. I'm also not wild about the price at all. The hair looks ornate but everything else seems to be lacking that "wow" factor so trying to justify the $52 tag will be hard.

$: 52.00
Where: Pre-order from JuicyCouture.com
Buyin' or Eyein'?: Buyin'!
Plus One?: Nope
Misc.: late Summer 09 - listed ship date is 08/12.

On The Horizon: Trophy

Although I won't be picking up this charm, I give a huge BRAVO! to Juicy for making a trophy for a non-specific reason. Is it a racing trophy? It surely will be for Nicole! Is it a riding trophy? Most definitely for you equestrians. The number one trophy for the world's best Scrabble player? Sure! Even though there's a horseshoe on the front, I think you could definitely get away with making it relate to whatever you want.

The only thing I don't quite understand is why Juicy decided to make it silver. Gold is traditionally the color reserved for first place or the winner, while second is usually second place. What gives? Cross your fingers and hope for a gold re-release sometime in the future, I guess!

$: 48.00
Where: Pre-order from JuicyCouture.com
Buyin' or Eyein'?: Eyein'
Plus One?: Nope
Misc.: late Summer 09 - listed ship date is 08/12.

On The Horizon: Silver Shield

Holy crackerjacks Batman, I'm alive! My sincerest apologies for being gone so long - I tend to totally disconnect whenever I go on vacation or I'm out of town. I had a great time though, and it feels good to be home now. Enough neglecting - on with the good stuff!!

Debuting in under a month is Juicy's rather pretty silver shield. That means a little something, given that I traditionally am not a fan of the shield charms at all. I think they'd be perfect for a Juicy employee to wear, or maybe for a die hard fanatic of the brand. I am neither and often pass on them. But there's something about this one that has piqued my interest. Is it the contrasting pink and silver? Possibly. Is it the sweet little banner that wraps around the middle and gives it some dimension? Could be. The shield keeps it cute and simple and would look great on a small handbag or clutch.

$: 48.00
Where: Pre-order from JuicyCouture.com
Buyin' or Eyein'?: Eyein' for now, unless the price drops by quite a bit
Plus One?: Nope
Misc.: late Summer 09 - listed ship date is 08/12.

Diversion: Fortune Necklace

This little necklace and box set is quickly climbing its way to the top of my wish list.

In case you missed it, Juicy released hinged cupcake boxes that came with either a pair of earrings or a necklace awhile back. They didn't exactly fly off the shelves, but they went quick enough that resellers on eBay made a tidy profit once they could no longer be found.

Will the same thing happen with these new fortune cookie boxes and necklaces? Not sure, but I'm definitely liking them. I especially like that each fortune cookie comes with a different fortune necklace. Here's a rundown of what they are:

Fortune Royalty (pink, pictured above): "You Will Always Be Surrounded By Royalty."

Fortune Fairest (blue, not pictured): "You Are The Fairest."

Fortune Don't Know (white, not pictured): "You Don't Know What You Got 'Til It's Gone."

Fortune Lighten Up (yellow, not pictured): "Lighten Up Be Juicy."

Note that the Royalty and Lighten Up sets are gold, while the Fairest and Don't Know sets are silver. I'm definitely going to need at least one, if not two. At $68 a pop I will definitely have to be choosy about which ones, though. You can see pictures of the other colors on the New Arrivals page at NeimanMarcus.com.

Diversion: Bow Bracelet

This popped up on the New Arrivals page at Neiman Marcus. I was intrigued, but to tell you the truth it looks better from far away (or, in this case, I guess smaller)

The colors -- or lack thereof -- are rather dull and the textures of the ribbon leave something to be desired. Still, I'm intrigued and wonder what this will look like in person and on the wrist.

Asking price is $78, which I find to be rather ridiculous. Even starter bracelets don't cost that much and have a more versatile purpose. If I do end up liking this when I see it in person I'll be searching for it at a sizable discount.

On The Horizon: Silver Soccer Ball

This charm has got everything except the "borrowed" part from the whole "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" line. Old would be the style - a pink soccer ball in gold was released some time back and is still available on a few select websites. The new bit would be that it's a re-release, dressed up in silver. And the blue? Well, I hope that's obvious.

Again, I'm not wild about soccer so this is a pass for me. It's great for you soccer fans though, since now you will have a choice between both metal colors and blue and pink.

$: 38.00
Where: Pre-order from JuicyCouture.com
Buyin' or Eyein'?: Eyein'
Plus One?: Nope
Misc.: late Summer 09 - listed ship date is 07/15.

On The Horizon: Silver Ice Cream Cone

Well, there's not much to say or rave over for this one. It has already been released in gold, and can still be found in most regular boutiques and department stores. If you're trying to expand your silver collection this would be a good one to start with.

It's up for pre-order at Neiman's, and you can get free shipping on any item right now with the code NMSHIP.




$: 48.00
Where: Pre-order from NeimanMarcus.com
Buyin' or Eyein'?: Eyein', already have the gold version.
Plus One?: Nope
Misc.: Fall 09 - listed ship date is 09/11.

Sweet: Contest!

Between the release of summer charms, the discount and freebie, and other things that are going on, I've had a really good week. And I want to share that with you.

Charm Candy is holding its first ever contest - I'm looking for one lucky person to adopt the very sweet Panda charm! This contest is open to everyone (however the charm cannot be shipped to Italy or Greece due to delivery issues)!



Simply leave a comment here (you do not need an account to leave a comment; I changed the settings) with one of the following:
1. Your e-mail address or
2. Your tPF ID or
3. Your eBay ID

You can earn an additional chance to win by joining Charm Candy's Facebook page and leaving a comment there (you do not need to disclose any identifying information when entering via the Facebook page). Once you've joined please feel free to add photos of your collections or favorite charms, start discussions, and meet other Juicy charm collectors! Invite your friends to join, and direct them back here - the more followers & readers there are, the more often I can arrange contests!

Entries for this contest will be accepted until Friday, May 22nd 2009 at 11:59pm HST. The winner will be randomly chosen (through random.org) and notified on Saturday, May 23rd! I will ask that if you are not interested in the Panda charm or are looking to win just to re-sell that you do not enter. The spirit of Charm Candy is to share and assist one another, not take advantage. :) Good luck to everyone!