Sometimes, I really wish I could be a badass. I really wish I can break out into barfights and pierce my nose and drink whiskey for breakfast. But I can’t. At least with the Silver Double Fingered Ring by Ija Designs, I can pretend I have a little bit of badassness to me. Sleek and modern, this ring will be sure to knock others out. But the beauty in the ring is that it can fit in at a dive bar or at an elegant cocktail party. Because let’s face it, a girl can’t be a badass 24/7.

OOoh! It’s gold! It’s silver! It’s shiny! It’s pretty! This gold and silver bars necklace from Aiko Designs takes me back to the days of my girlhood when I read Sweet Valley High books (remember them?).  I remember how Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield were always described as wearing these delicate “lavalieres” that they got as presents from their parents and I always wanted one! I’d imagine what they wore might look something like this one. Dude, how cool is that? If you get this, you could look like the girls from Sweet Valley High! You know that’s cool.

modestpeach "The First Date" earrings.

When I buy jewelry, I buy pieces that I can wear for both special events and for everyday wear. Sometimes it’s hard to find such jewelry because this bracelet is too clunky for my LBD or this necklace is too glitzy. But jewelry from modestpeach is “not only capable of being worn once or twice, but will [also] become a collection piece that can be worn time and time again.”

This is the mantra designer, buyer and owner of modestpeach jewelry Catherine Cindy Leo upholds with each delicate design. Of Thai and Chinese descent, she grew up watching her father produce lovely sterling silver and gold jewelry for many different stores. With this memory and experience and her travels to Thailand as an inspiration, she established modestpeach jewelry in June 2009.

Her line of jewelry was named after a paint color swatch that stood out to her as “clean, crisp, and somewhat feminine,” a quality that resonates with all of her pieces. Hence, the timeless quality her jewelry has. Although not particularly a wedding jewelry based company, many of her pieces have been sought out by brides and people all over the country as wedding gifts and jewelry.

modestpeach "The Cocktail Party" earrings.

They have been also featured in wedding magazines, websites, and blogs such as Southern Weddings magazine, Clover and Bee, and Snippet and Ink. The demand for her pieces are due to the fine detail and beautiful work put into each piece. The care Leo artfully puts into her jewelry is evident in the naming of her jewelry. Each bracelet, necklace and ring is given a female name, while earrings are named for special events.

modestpeach "The First Date" earrings.

For this week’s giveaway, we have “The Cocktail Party” and “The First Date,” two pairs of exquisite earrings. “The Cocktail Party” has six freshwater black pearls threaded onto the slightest strand of sterling silver, perfect for any cocktail dress. “The First Date” is made of delicate sterling silver hammered into two textured, vermeil circles that dangle over each other, ideal for an evening out on a first, or 21st, date.

Sometimes the best things in life come free. Don’t miss your chance to get your hands on these earrings.

Comment below by July 28, 11:59 pm for a chance to win. (You must have a U.S. mailing addy.) Don’t forget to double your chances by retweeting for an additional entry! Good luck!

A tangle of dainty silver wires strung on a minimalist sterling silver strand. Nestled within are two delicate grey pearls. What does it mean to you? Perhaps you and your adorable boyfriend. Or maybe the twins on the way, or your little boy and girl. Or it could be you and your best friend, just two peas in a pod, so to speak.

Allison Dayton delicate silver strung nest necklace.

Allison Dayton Jewelry Designs features a whole slew of thoughtfully designed, handmade jewelry, from rings to necklaces, even for the little girl in your life. And now we’ve got three of her stunning nest necklace for our lucky readers.

Just comment below and you may win one of three necklaces. Remember, you have until June 16, 2010, 11:59 pm to enter, and you must have a U.S. mailing address to win. Good luck!

Congratulations to Audrey reader Sasha, who won Tina Tang’s sterling silver “Crescent” necklace from our Thank Goodness It’s Free Friday Giveaway! Isn’t she adorable?

Audrey reader Sasha and her Tina Tang "Crescent" necklace.

Writes Sasha:

“I have just received the Tina Tang ‘Crescent’ necklace in the mail today! Somehow, I love it even more in person. It happens to be just the right length on me as well! It is, in a word, stellar. Wow, really didn’t mean to end on a pun like that . . .”

Thanks Sasha for being a loyal reader! And if you haven’t won anything yet, don’t lose heart. We have a lot more goodies to give away every Friday, so keep checking back!

By the way, are you a part of The Audrey Community? If you’re a loyal reader, or even a newcomer, let us know! We wanna see your faces, hear your thoughts, have you join in the conversation! Let us know what you want to see in Audrey — the print magazine or online. Or just tell us about yourself — you may find yourself profiled in a future post!

Just comment below or email me at anna@audreymagazine.com!

Oh, the minimalist ’90s. Sometimes, I have to admit, I do miss it.

Well, I’m in luck because based on the fall 2010 runway shows this past February, the ’90s is going to have a huge comeback in a handful of months.

Maybe you’re a minimalist or a classicist at heart. Or maybe you just like to get a leg up on the fashion competition. Either way, you’re gonna wanna get your hands on Ija’s large clasping bangle in sterling silver.

Ija large clasping bangle in sterling silver.

So simple and yet … what a statement.

Kayo:NYC "Petri" earrings.

I’m a nerd. A geek. I love jewelry that has science, math or historical underpinnings. I know. Nerd.

Kayo Naruse of Kayo:NYC Jewelry is also a geek, but in the best way. Her designs are inspired by science, like her “Petri” earrings which mimic the bacterial growth seen in many a petri dish. Gross? Maybe. But wait till you see how cool it looks on. It’ll add a few points to your IQ, and the weighty sterling silver gives the earrings a heft that makes it really substantial.

Fit for a brainiac? At the very least, a Ph.D in style.

KidViskous "Heart" pin.

I am not a fan of Valentine’s Day. In fact, you may consider me a bit of a Valentine grinch. Maybe it’s the years of over-hyped expectations and the inevitable resulting disappointment. I mean, seriously, who can live up to the Hallmark-Godiva-De Beers hype ingrained into our young Cinderella-saturated brains?

Which is why I take not a small amount of pleasure in the slightly dark,self-deprecatingly humorous side of the holiday.

I like to think of these Valentine’s-themed accessories as the equivalent of crooning Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You” to your loved one.

Like Tiffany Lee‘s graphic nod to Valentine’s for her accessories line KidViskous. The bleeding heart would look really cool pinned on a cardigan and boyfriend jeans. Continue Reading »