Hopefully you were one of the lucky people to receive a fine quality piece of Charming Chick sterling silver jewelry over the holiday. If you were - or you already own, love and enjoy this gorgeous metal - we have some tips on how to keep it looking it's best. There are just a few things you need to know about silver before we talk about how to care for it.

 

 

 

Sterling Silver consists of 92.5% silver and 7.5% of another metal, which is usually copper or some other alloy. You can tell if a piece of jewelry is Sterling silver because it is commonly stamped with -- 925 or sterling. Silver is much more abundant than gold and platinum, so the price of the piece is largely determined by the craftsmanship and labor involved in its creation.

 

As some of you may know, over time sterling silver reacts with the sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the air and the metal can become tarnished. Tarnish (which appears as black patches) occurs when the compound silver sulfide if formed. It is important to note that silver can react poorly when it comes in contact with other things like; rubber gloves, cleaning products, chlorinated water, perfumes, hairsprays, etc.

 

How to Reduce Tarnishing:

To reduce tarnishing, we recommend keeping your sterling silver jewelry in an air-tight protective bag made of tarnish proof cloth or a plastic zip lock bag made of Mylar or polyethylene. Charming Chick stores and ships our jewelry in small zip-lock style bags for this reason. You can continue to store your jewelry in this bag if you wish, or purchase another larger bag for storing your sterling silver collection. If you properly store your sterling silver charms, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, rings, brooches, etc., they will require minimal cleaning to keep that beautiful shine. We also recommend storing it away from other articles that might rub against it and causes scratches. Sometimes wood finishes can contain chemicals that are not good for sterling silver, so avoid storing on wood surfaces.

 

 

Flower Girl

Aside from seeing the bride for the first time,  many wedding guests look forward to seeing the adorable flower girl and ring bearer make their way down the aisle. What exactly are the duties of the flower girl? Is there anything you can do to ensure that she is able to perform her duties? What are some gifts that a flower girl might enjoy? We will be answering these questions  for you on the Charming Chick Blog today.

 

 

 

What is a flower girl?

 

Flower girls were first used in weddings as a symbol of fertility. They are typically a young female family member or friend of the family who is between the ages of 3-8 years old. If you have several darling little girls to choose from it may be hard to select just one but there aren't any rules that state you can't have more than one.

 

What are flower girl duties?

 

The flower girl attends the bridal shower, the rehearsal dinner and of course walks down the aisle in front of the bride spreading flower petals or carrying a bouquet, kissing ball or wreath of flowers. Oh and .of course looking adorable and possibly adding a little comic relief.

 

 

What can you do to avoid wedding day jitters?

 

If the flower girl is too young, she may get too nervous, shy or be too young to understand what she needs to do. Choosing a flower girl who is a little older can definitely help thwart the jitters. Regardless of age, it is very helpful to have the flower girl's parents up at the front either. It will help her want to walk down the aisle if she see the face of oune of her parents waiting for her at the other end. Also, having more that one flower girl provides added confidence and security.

 

 

Flower Girl Gifts

Click on the images below to learn more about each gift item....

 

Delta Delta Delta ~ ΔΔΔ

• Open Motto: "Let us steadfastly love one another."
  Mascot: Dolphin
  Jewel: Pearl
  Colors: Silver, Gold, Cerulean Blue
  Flower: Pansy

 

 

The women's fraternity Delta Delta Delta is also known as Tri Delta. It was founded in November 1888 by Sarah Ida Shaw, Eleanor Dorcas Pond,  Florence Isabelle Stewart and Isabel Morgan Breed At Boston University. During this time in history women were just starting to slowly enter the world of higher education. Many of these young women came to rely on others like them who were paving the way for a whole new generation of women. This was a time when public opinion was that women didn't need higher education because there were very few women in the workplace at this time; in fact women weren't even allowed to vote.

Although there were already three women's organizations on the Boston University campus Sarah Ida Shaw wanted to start a women's fraternity that was different from the others. It is noted on Tri Delta's Official Website  that she said to her friend Eleanor Dorcas Pond:

"Let us found a society that shall be kind alike to all and think more of a girl's inner self and character than of her personal appearance."

So the two enthusiastic friends set out to create the organization they both envisioned. They got to work writing the constitution, rituals and designing an emblem. From the very beginning these two friends pour their heart and soul into the sorority. They set a strong foundation before the official founding took place. Delta Delta Delta was also the first organization to be founded without the help of a men's fraternity. Tri Delta was not a weak struggling sorority -- instead their numbers grew and quickly surpassed a new chapter of Gamma Phi Beta. They were a strong tightly knit group of devoted sisters.

Today Delta Delta Delta has 180 Chapters (in the US and Canada) and since it's founding in 1888, it has welcomed 235,000 members into the Tri Delta Sisterhood.

As noted on the Tri Delta website their purpose is:

 

"THE PURPOSE OF DELTA DELTA DELTA shall be to establish a perpetual bond of friendship among its members, to develop a stronger and more womanly character, to broaden the moral and intellectual life, and to assist its members in every possible way.

IT SHALL ALSO BE THE PURPOSE OF DELTA DELTA DELTA to promote and develop mutually beneficial relationships between the Fraternity and the colleges and universities where the Fraternity has established chapters, to develop qualities of unselfish leadership among its members, and to encourage them to assume, with integrity and devotion to moral and democratic principles, the highest responsibilities of college women." 

The Tri Deltas also do all they can to help their members and to give improve their community. They volunteer their time and talents to many causes and their national philanthropy is Children's Cancer Research and they partner with St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

 

 

(photo via www.biography.com)

Happy Birthday Princess Kate!!! Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge is turning 30 and we think that she is a true Charming Chick. She is beautiful, sweet and is quickly becoming a style icon.  Reports say that she has decided to forgo a lavish and loud birthday party and instead has opted for a quiet celebration. One of the things we long about the Duchess is how conservative she and her husband Prince William are -- so much so that they decided not to have servants. How very common. We love it! She has also been spotted grocery shopping among the common folks and has bought clothing off the rack. The best thing about Kate is that she seems to be a really down to Earth royal.

 

At Charming Chick we carry many items that any frugally minded, fashionable princess would love. Today we will feature some of our most popular princess items in honor of Kate's  30th birthday.

 

 

 

What does every princess need? Princess cut earrings of course! These gorgeous princess cut CZ earrings are set in beautiful .925 sterling silver. They are perfect for everyday wear and look just as stunning with formal evening wear -- and a tiara! If your princess is having a birthday these would make an excellent gift.

 

 

 

This is a necklace fit for royalty but at a price anyone can afford. It is set in stunning sterling silver and features an exquisite five-point crown with dazzling CZs. Another notable feature is the toggle clasp. It adds a unique element to this already special piece.  The crown measures 3/4" and the necklace is 18" long which is a great complement to almost any neckline. This piece usually ships in about 3-5 days so you'll want to give yourself plenty of time before ordering.

 

 

 

If you buy the necklace above you will definitely want to add these gorgeous matching earrings to complete the look. Treat yourself or someone you love. This set is completely versatile and looks just as great with a pair of jeans as it does with an evening gown. As with the necklace, these earrings are set in precious sterling silver and when the light hits the CZs the sparkle is sure to catch everyone's eye. They look like a million bucks but are very affordable.

 

 

 

 

(via www.fg-a.com)

 

Did you get engaged over the holiday? Have you started to plan your wedding day? Have you also begun to think about your wedding budget and now realize how expensive things can be? It's true, making your wedding day perfect does cost a lot of money - money well spent - but still it's a lot.  We have great news for you though. Now through January 31st Charming Chick is having a fantastic sale and we have included many of our beautiful wedding items. So now is the time to start planning. Even if your wedding day is a year away, it's best to start getting things little by little so it's not such a financial strain so close to your big day. Take your time to look through all of our reasonably price wedding accessories. Even at their regular prices they can work well with your wedding budget -- but that fact that many items are on sale make those prices so much sweeter.

 

 

 

If your wedding day includes a ceremony on the beach, on a boat or you just want to have a nautical theme, this white satin garter will be an nice touch. Now through January 31st, 2012 it is on sale for ONLY $7.99. This is an absolute steal for a garter of this quality. It features a nautical bow and a gold star fish.  One size fits most.

 

 

 

 

Many brides like to give their bridesmaids a special gift that can be worn on the day of the wedding. This personalized pearl necklace and earring set makes an absolutely stunning gift!  This set will look perfect with any dress style and it is something your girls can cherish for years to come. You can be sure that they will always be reminded of you and your special day every time they put it on. This set is on sale  now through January 31st 2012 an at this low price won't put a huge dent in your budget. You can even pick one up for your mother and/or grandmothers to wear.

 

 

Top your cake off right with this beautiful cake topper. Even if you don't have to watch every penny of your wedding budget, you'll still appreciate the uniqueness that this photo cake topper has to offer --- and at an unbelievable price. Going on now through January 31, 2012 this cake topper is on sale for only $16.99! This topper is crafted of sturdy acrylic and makes a wonderful keepsake that you can enjoy for many years to come.

 

 

 

You'll definitely need  some champagne flutes to make a toast with and these elegant glasses are just perfect -- and on sale! The flutes are crafted of hand blown glass and will ensure that you will make your wedding day toast in style. The great sale price also means you can keep within your wedding budget.

 

 

 

You simply cannot pass up the deal on this gorgeous flower girl basket! At the time of this posting it is listed at only $9.99 -- very affordable! It's so affordable in fact that you could buy several to use to hold candy, favors or flowers to decorate on the tables at your reception. There are so many things you could do with these -- you just have to let your creativity soar!

 

These are just a few of the wedding items that we have on sale right now. Again, all you have to do is peruse our affordable wedding items to see the other things we have on sale. Shop Charming Chick and you'll be able to stick with your wedding budget while shopping for wedding decor, favors accessories and more

 

Happy Planning!!! 

 

 

Leather Goods

 

We are thrilled to introduce a new collection into our Charming Chick family -- Rowallan of Scotland!  These leather goods feature designs that are simple, yet elegant. The colors are vibrant and stunning. The organizational features mean you will have everything you need - right at your finger tips - as you navigate through your busy day. You'll also love the clean, classic stylish designs. Let's take a closer look at some of these gorgeous yet, practical leather accessories.

 

 

 

Rowallan of Scotland's Personalized Leather Jewelry Case is a fantastic way to store your jewelry or to safely take it with you. The soft micro-suede interior is gentle on your jewelry and won't scratch or damage your beautiful items. This jewelry case features two leather loops for chains and necklaces and eight padded ring forms and four open compartments for smaller items -- all of which are covered by a removable suede pad that ensures your items stay in place during transport.

 

 

 

Another of Rowallan of Scotland's leather goods are the Personalized Leather Business Card Cases -- a very stylish career accessory. It is available in six vibrant colors and has been expertly crafted to keep your business cards, credit cards, ID, etc. in perfect condition. The fine leather is stretched over a sturdy metal frame. It can be embossed with up to three letters and is perfect for women and men.

 

 

 

Rowallan of Scotland's Personalized Leather Clutch Wallet offers maximum storage is and sleek and beautiful design. These leather goods are available in three eye-catching colors and can be embossed with up to three letters. This mini purse is features two spacious compartments divided by a zippered pocket. There is also an open section that includes nine credit card slots, a window for picture ID and additional compartments ideal for checks or receipts.

 

 

 

 

With this Rowallan of Scotland Personalized Leather Passport Cover Wallet you can travel in style. Crafted of a full-grain leather exterior, this wallet features an interior passport pocket as well as slits that will securely hold your credit cards and travelers checks all in one organized location. This passport wallet is available in six beautiful colors and can be embossed with up to three block letters.

 

 

 

 

The last Rowallan of Scotland's leather goods that we will be featuring are the Personalized Leather Keychain Wallets.  This gorgeous wallet features a key ring so it can easily and conveniently attach to your keys. It also features three slots for credit cards, a clear window for your ID and a compartment to hold cash or receipts.

 

 

 

 

New Year's Eve the end of one year and the beginning of the next. Many folks gladly welcome the New year  as a time to celebrate last year's accomplishments and/or to put behind them and to look forward to the new year. We generally look forward to the year ahead with hope, excitement and great anticipation for things to come. It's a time to start a new, clear out the cobwebs, get organized and make resolutions that can help us to grow and become the people we want to be. Whatever you are planning for  this New Year - 2012, we hope you have fun, celebrate responsibly and receive many blessings throughout the year ahead.

 

Today on the Charming Chick Blog we are going to feature a few New Year's Eve Fun Facts for your reading pleasure.

 

 

It was once believed that the first people you saw in the New Year would bring you good or bad luck depending on if those people were friends or enemies, for this reason most people generally celebrate with friends and family.

 

If the first person to visit you in the New Year was a tall dark haired man, this was believed to be especially lucky.

 

Serving food in a ring shape represents coming full circle and is thought to be good luck for the year ahead. So make sure you eat a lot of "ring food" tonight!

 

The current New Year's ball that drops in New York City's Times Square is made of Waterford crystal and weighs over 1,000 pounds. The ball begins to drop at 11:59pm and continues down until it reaches the bottom at 12:00am January 1st.

 

December 31st 1907 mark the first ball drop in Times Square.

 

The act of celebrating the New Year dates back over 4,000 years. Back in those days the celebrations would last 11 days! However, it was usually celebrated during the Spring Equinox.

 

It was Julius Caesar that set January 1st as the beginning of the New Year but not all cultures celebrate it as the New Year.

 

Some of the most popular New Year's Resolutions today are to:

* Lose Weight/get healthy

* Deduce Debt/save money

* Get Organized

*Try new things

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charming Chick is announcing our biggest sale of the year -- our End of Year Clearance. We have dozens of deeply discounted items to choose from and some items are priced as low as $.99 so it's is definitely worth checking out. We want to clear out these clearance items to make room for new ones. Quantities are limited so you'll want to take advantage of these prices before they are gone. Today we are featuring just a few of the items we have on clearance. Be sure to check out our entire selection.

 

 

 

This stunning, hand-crafted crystal bracelet features only the finest Swarovski Crystal beads, genuine sterling silver spacer beads and toggle. The attached elephant charm is also crafted of of genuine sterling silver. Each bracelet measures about 7.25 inches and comes in a gift box free of charge, which makes it the perfect gift for someone special. You are sure to admire the beauty and superb quality of this gorgeous bracelet for years to come. Regularly priced at $24.99 - it is now ONLY $8.99 (at the time of this posting). Only a few left so order now. Ships in just 24 hours.

 

 

 

This personalized tote bag is perfect for any girl-on-the-go! It is ideal for toting books, workout clothes, overnight toiletries, teacher's school supplies, and much more. The tote bag is made of 100% cotton natural canvas with pink accents, and pink embroidery and a single slash pocket lies between the colored handles. The tote bag measures 18.5 inches wide by 13 inches tall and 8 inches wide. Handle measures 12 inches from the top of the bag. May be embroidered with a three letter scripted monogram or block initials at no additional charge. This tote was regularly priced at $26.99 but it is clearance priced to $16.99 (at the time of this posting).

 

Do you know a girl turning 16 this year? This is a beautiful Sweet 16 sterling silver charm makes an ideal gift. It is crafted of genuine .925 sterling silver. It measures about one inch wide and 5/8 of an inch tall. This Sweet 16 charm is the perfect size for any necklace, bracelet, earrings, anklet, etc. and includes one sterling silver link with this charm so that you can easily attach it to any custom jewelry item you choose.  This item was regularly priced at $7.99 band is clearance priced to $2.99 (at the time of this posting).

 

We have many wonderful clearance items to choose from so take a look at our selection today to take advantage of these amazing prices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chi Omega ~ ΧΩ

 

Open Motto: "Hellenic Culture and Christian Ideals."
Mascot: Owl
Jewel: Diamond, Pearl
Colors: Cardinal and straw
Flower: White Carnation

 

 

Chi Omega women's fraternity was founded April 5, 1895 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The women founders, Ina Mae Boles, Jean Vincenheller, Joebelle Holcombe and Alice Simonds came together during  new and promising time in history. They embraced their independence and moved forward to blaze a trail for all the other women who would come after them Dr. Charles Richardson of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity also helped to found Chi Omega. According to the official Chi Omega website Dr. Richardson was a dentist by trade and crafted the first badge of dental gold.

 

 

 

According to Chi Omega's official website, the women's fraternity was originally founded with the intent of becoming a national organization and expanding all across the country. Each time a new chapter was established, current members would write warm letters of welcome and congratulations. In the 1900's philanthropy was of the greatest importance to the women's fraternity. They gave of their time, talents and raised money to help local organizations as well. It was also the first organization of it's kind to make a substantial gift to a University.

 

 

 

Today Chi Omega has 174 collegiate chapters and over 230 alumni chapters. The Chi Omega Foundation was established in 1982 to help fund the educational goals of the women's fraternity. The organization has always put philanthropy at the top of their to-do list. From the very beginning they worked hard to make a difference in their communities but in 2002 they announced the Chi Omega/Make-a-Wish Alliance. So, in addition to helping out in their communities they are also making a difference nationally through Make-a-Wish. According to the Chi Omega website they have donated over 6.4 million dollars and 400,000 volunteers hours to this worthwhile organization.

 

Chi Omega provides its members with the tools they need to excel in the real world and to become successful in whatever they choose to do. They will have enormous support from members and alumnae throughout their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of us at Charming Chick would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your business and to let you know that we appreciate you all very much!

 

 

 

We would also like to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas. May your homes be full of love, warmth and all of the blessings that this joyous season has to offer.