14 Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas to Express your Love

Here are a few of our favorite gift ideas to express your love to the special Valentine in your life.

 

“Girlfriend” Face Candle by Mixture in Mission Fig and Coconut fragrance $16.99

Who could resist her sweet face?  Use the container for makeup brushes after the candle burns down!

 

Diamond Heart cuff Bracelet by Chan Luu $220

Diamonds and Hearts are the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

 

You & Me Heart Dish 4 1/2″ L $5.00

A sweet token of your love and great for a desk at work for paper clips etc.

 

“Love you More” Votive Holder 3 1/2″ H $5.00

 This votive holder is taller so the wax won’t spill out.

 

“How Sweet it is to Be Loved By You” Dish 5″ Round $6.50

Great for all kinds of little things and so much better than a card!!

 

Pink Mother of Pearl Kendra Scott Elle Earrings  $65.00

The new Spring color from the latest collection and so beautiful!

 

“Cozy Pants and Coffee” Ceramic Coffee Mug  $15.95

It is Pink and everyone loves coffee!!

 

“You Make Me Blush” Cosmetic Pouch   $15.00

Ladies love cosmetic pouches!

 

love you + forever handmade paper print 16″ x 12″ $32.00

Frame or hang using a clip in your favorite room in the house.

 

S’well Water Bottle in Bikini Pink  $35.00

To take to Yoga class or just to keep hydrated.  Drinks stay hot for 12 hours and stay cold for 24 hours!

 

Sugarboo Designs Love You + Forever Necklace  $120.00

Put this sterling silver precious necklace on and you will never take it off.

 

Rachel Marie Designs Rosewater Stone Necklace  $88.00

So beautiful even with a white T-shirt!


Fifteen Twenty Coral Cold Shoulder Top  $165.00

We love Fifteen Twenty and this newest arrival is just too cute!

and then saving the best for last is this piece that describes what true love is all about.

 

1 Corinthians 13 Framed Print  11″ x 11″  $32.00

 

Love is the Greatest Gift God ever gave Man. <3

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love,

Inspire Me!

A Rising Star for Fashion

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The goal of the photo shoot this week, was to keep it simple and show the beauty of the clothing and accessories.  We had a lot of great poses for our Rising Star Gabrielle because she has the look of several famous supermodels that we had seen in some of the past fashion shoots that we have done with her.  One in particular that I quickly shot of her on the back porch of the store last summer reminded me of a “Calvin Klein” ad because of her natural beauty.

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With this outfit, I needed to use a bootcut jean because they are back in style and I wanted to show this look for the current trend.  These particular jeans that Gabby is wearing are by Dish and they are currently on SALE at the store!

014_1148bcdefghiSIZED234Thank goodness Spring is finally arriving this week and a great pair of sunglasses as a must!!   These darling tortoise shell  “the Rita” style by Equipment look great on everyone.  She is also wearing simple crystal drop earrings  by Bud to Rose that go with every outfit.

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FLORALS, FLORALS, FLORALS!!!!   They are a HUGE fashion trend right now and it is such a relief from all our black that we have and LOVE so much!  This beautiful floral top is from Weston Wear and I added my favorite colorful threaded jewelry from Lee Angel.

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With this outfit, I wanted to use the black floppy hat that we have had FOREVER for fashion shows, displays, etc and this AMAZING jacket by Zelda because it is one of my absolute favorite pieces in the store (yes, it IS black).  When I was in New York last market, all the girls were wearing these hats, so I just HAD to use this hat with “THE JACKET”!

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The cute little cropped top by Alice and Olivia creates a bit of whimsy to this solid black outfit and simple jewelry always works well with every outfit, like this pretty 3 crystal ring by Bulatti.

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Seriously? How SPECTACULAR is this Jacket?

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Gabby looks so chic in this Isidora jacket by Zelda and these awesome, comfortable pants by Ronen Chen.  She is wearing another pair of sunglasses by Equipment in this great oversized Lana style.

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We are all crazy obsessed with these COOL crystal feather earrings by House of Harlow 1960.  We have had these awhile and can’t believe that we still have them in the store.  I had to chose these for this shoot along with this simple crystal bar necklace by Bud to Rose.

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This breathtaking set of brushed gold jewelry shown here is from the Versailles Jupiter Collection from Brighton.

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Our new Amabel Box Pleat Skirt Dress by Alice and Olivia in this beautiful floral print works beautifully with the gold accessories.

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Last, but certainly not least, is this stunning embroidered and beaded statement jacket by Alice and Olivia that I also chose to style for this post.

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I wanted to add to the glamour of this jacket by accessorizing to it with a little bit of bling like this stretch cross bracelet by Bud to Rose, 3 matte silver bangles by Holly Yashi, heart shaped earrings by Brighton and a chunky crystal ring by Bulatti.

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One of the biggest accessories right now are TASSEL NECKLACES and we received some stunning ones in recently from Zacashi out of Miami, Florida.  Here Gabby is wearing 2 styles, 1 neon single strand and the other is a pearl and black set with 1 short and 1 long necklace.  She is wearing a wonderful sleeveless lace top by Yoana Baraschi underneath the jacket,  black sheen pants by Ronen Chen and carrying a woven oversized crochet bag.

I hope you that you enjoyed this post as much as we enjoyed making it.  As you saw in the photos, you can understand why I chose the name of this post.  Gabrielle IS a Rising Star in Fashion modeling in the near future.

I hope that we inspired you!!

xo

Jeanne

Thank you Brooke from Ashley Beige Photography for these jaw-dropping photos!!  You are simply amazing!!!!

and

Thank you Gabrielle Ravotto for modeling for Inspire Me again!!  Your beauty exploded in these shots!

“Summer Fun”

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August is here and it is time to enjoy the rest of the Summer!!  We decided to take advantage of the sunny day in one of our beautiful local parks, Baugo Creek County Park, and have some fun in the sun!

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The girls were all chillin’ at the start of the shoot this early morning.

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Our lovely Sierra is wearing a white Eyelet Lauren Vidal Top and a striped scarf/sarong by Echo.

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These Egyptian style earrings and tribal style necklace and the multi colored strand bracelet below are the perfect accessories this summer.

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We tried getting 3 people in the hula hoop but it was a bit awkward so we settled for these 2 adorable girls, Sarah and Nicole.

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We just received an assortment of fun sunglasses in a variety of colors like these that Nicole is wearing here with a cute spaghetti strap top and white ruffle bottom shorts.

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These cute little owl earrings fit the style of this top.

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This chain bracelet with a few crystals gives a little edginess to her look.

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Reach for the Stars!!!!!

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Simple pieces make people look beautiful like Sarah in these Hawaiian Print shorts and black cropped top.

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We added turquoise bead chandelier earrings and a multi strand bracelet to her look to add more color.

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A great shot of Gabby displaying her incredible volleyball skills!

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Gabrielle looks amazing in this super trendy Lightweight blue jacket and neon yellow anchor tank.

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A set of 5 gold bangles are a nice accent to her beach ensemble.

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The girls were so awesome as we were figuring out the best way to spell out L_O_V_E.  The toughest one was the E on the end .  I think it turned out great!  Don’t you?

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A great shoot at the park!  Now it is time for Ice Cream!!!!

(actually it was Iced Tea)

I hope that you take some time and enjoy the beach or park soon, you deserve it!

I hope that we inspired you!

xo

Jeanne

Thank you so much Brooke from Ashley Beige Photography for the incredible work you do!!

and

Thank you to our gorgeous models Sierra Majors, Gabrielle Ravotto, Sarah Bader and Nicole Lesniwecz.

Miss Teen Illinois Visits Inspire Me!

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I was SO excited when Miss Illinois Teen USA 2014, Miranda Fenzau was visiting my home last week and she offered to model for Inspire Me!  I immediately got a hold of Brooke, my photographer to see if she could arrange her schedule to do the shoot.  The next day, we dropped everything to get this opportunity to work with Miranda.

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This dress by Weston Wear with the floral paisley and beaded detail along the neckline was so cool against this weathered looking door from the East Race Office Building.

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I added these AMAZING beaded chandelier earrings by Chan Luu to compliment the beading in the dress.

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The brown multi colored  5 wrap bracelet by Chan Luu matched the colors of the flowers in the dress perfectly and giving it an understated look.

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We absolutely loved how fun and flirty this outfit looked on Miranda!

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It is all about her and this colorful, neon gypsy skirt!

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A simple little crop top is just right for this skirt that we sell for just $9.00!

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A simple gold beaded heart bracelet by Chan Luu was just the right accessory for this playful look!

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Cool and chic is how I describe this look.  Let’s start with the awesome sleeveless scuba-like fabric dress from Red 23 that everyone is raving about.  The fabric is so stretchy and smooth and comfortable!!!  A HUGE trend right now!   The jacket from BB Dakota is this years vegan leather version that we sell out of every year.  We love the crinkle in the fabric and the draped front look it has when it is opened.

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Add a great statement necklace to any outfit like this one and you will surely get noticed!

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Another one of our scuba fabric pieces from Red 23 is this cute black mini skirt.  Again, so comfortable because the fabric stretches and feels amazing!

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We just received this sexy little lace crop top with black embroidery that has a key hole split in the back.

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The chandelier earrings and pearl and crystal wrap bracelet are both by Chan Luu.

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These black BCBG gladiator sandals, I found at DSW and I use them in almost every one of my photo shoots lately because they look great with almost everything!

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The cool mural behind Miranda is just being painted at the Purple Porch Co-op, our neighbor that connects consumers and local producers in a food cooperative with emphasis on sustainability.  It is coming along so nicely that we thought it would be a great background for this leather disc dress by Staples.  It comes with the slip underneath and is also available in a Gold color as well.

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We are all looking forward to watching Miranda compete for the Miss Teen USA crown on August 2nd at 8:00 pm!

This young, gorgeous lady was so sweet and kind to let us work with her last week.  We were in awe of your professionalism.  It was truly an honor!  THANK YOU MIRANDA!

I hope that we inspired you!!

xo

Jeanne

PHOTOGRAPHER-  Brooke from Ashley Beige Photography

MODEL- Miranda Fenzau

“Down The Rabbit Hole”

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Happy Spring everyone!  We are really ready to get outside and shoot but the weather still isn’t cooperating for us.  We decided to enjoy our time indoors and play some more in the store!  It isn’t a time to be too serious is it????

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When you get a really creative, passionate fashion guru (is that what I am?) and artistic, funky photographer together and an easy, fun loving model that doesn’t question our spontaneity , some crazy stuff happens!

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So, as you can see, our theme here is an Alice in Wonderland interpretation taking place in the kitchen of our store.  The black and white tile floors work perfectly for this theme and the pink walls just make everything POP!

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This cute little polka dot sundress will be so cute to wear when to finally warms up with the darling tie in the back but in the meantime we layered it up with this sheer white polka dot tee by Comfy USA and lace skirt and slip by Chan Luu. I added the cuffs and collar and striped tights from different costumes to complete her look.

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Our darling model and stylist from Salon Rouge this week is Nicole Biggerstaff.

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It is ALL about the photography this week!  Our photographer Brooke from Ashley Beige Photography totally showed her AMAZING talent in these shots.  Many times, we improvise along the way because both of our minds go a mile a minute coming up with different ideas.  It is so much FUN!

I hope we inspired you!

xo

Jeanne

Many thanks to our beautiful model Nicole Biggerstaff from Salon Rouge for modeling and Brooke from Ashley Beige Photography!!!

Whimsical Fever

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There is nothing more elegant than pearls, lace and crystal.  Coco Chanel was quoted saying, “A woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls.”

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In the photo shoot this week with the beautiful Rachel Thimlar of Salon Rouge, I chose a large statement necklace in cascading pearls, a triple knuckle pearl ring and a tiny crystal bow ring on her other hand.

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I was so amazed how our photographer Brooke from Ashley Beige Photography shot these pictures!  Each and every week she gets more and more creative!  I love her!  These shots were taken in the “french room” of my store.  We loved the soft blue color of the walls and the hardwood floors for this shoot.

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Here is a shot of Rachel’s hair where she softly pinned it back at the top and a picture of the pearl stretch bracelet with crystal brooch.

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Another one of Coco Chanel’s quotes that I have always loved is, “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.”  That is why I have never worn head to toe in one designer.  Here is this blog, I chose a beautiful chiffon sleeve and detachable bow blouse by Zelda and darling embroidered skirt by Chan Luu and a cute, little, silver cross body metallic bag.

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Lastly,  I was in DSW looking for shoes the week before for the previous photo shoot and saw these and knew these were the PERFECT shoes for this shoot!  I love when that happens!

I hope that I inspired you!

xo

Jeanne

Modeling,Hair and Makeup – Rachel Thimlar of Salon Rouge

Photography – Brooke of Ashley Beige Photography

“Dream of Spring”

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We are all just waiting for glimpses of Spring outside right now, but we know it is just around the corner.  And soon the flowers will begin to bloom, the birds will start chirping away and the butterflies will start soaring through the air.

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We decided to bring a little of that Spring thought indoors last week with a play with butterflies.  You can’t help but smile and dance while dreaming of Spring!

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Our simply ADORABLE model is Lyra Tirotta of  Salon Rouge.

She is wearing shimmering pink earrings and ring from the Contessa Collection of Brighton.

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Lyra is also wearing a sheer polka dot top by Comfy USA, a tube top underneath by Free People, a black swing skirt by Only Hearts and thigh high socks by Plush.

Be playful and Smile!

I hope that we inspired you!

xo

Jeanne

Photography:  Brooke from Ashley Beige Photography

Model/Hair/Makeup:  Lyra Tirotta from Salon Rouge

“Balloons in Motion”

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The snow that has fallen makes everything so incredibly beautiful.  Doesn’t it make you feel like jumping for joy and appreciating this beauty all around us?

So we decided to go outside and take advantage of it!

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Last week, I talked about going back to my roots. Part of what I meant was bringing back COLOR!  Right now my store is filled with lots of BLACK.  Trust me, I love it and it isn’t all going away but I am bringing a lot of color back in!

Our beautiful model Ashley Houser from Salon Rouge is wearing a colorful scarf from Cejon, pink crystal earrings from Chan Luu, and a darling pink flower beret and belt by Hoss Intropia.

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Even though it wasn’t too cold out last Wednesday, the wind wasn’t cooperating like we wanted, but Ashley was such a trooper and held on to those balloons tight!

White acrylic gloves

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This amazingly colorful dress is by Johnny Was.   I have fallen in love with this line all over again.  It has been awhile since I have ordered it for the store and some of my favorite pieces in my closet are from them, so I decided to look at it again when I was a market a few months ago.  I stepped into the showroom after looking at the same old stuff and I was SOOOOO excited!!!! So needless to say, I have lots of great styles from Johnny Was, Biya, and For Love and Liberty.  All divisions of Johnny Was.  Because it was a bit chilly out, I put a white polka dot tee shirt by Comfy USA underneath the dress to give a little arm coverage for Ashley.

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In this weather, we definitely need boots.  I did not have any in my store that would work for this dress, so I hunted for the right color and found these by GUESS at DSW.

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It was so beautiful out by the river that day even the geese seemed to be enjoying it.  One particular one decided to creep up to us and check out what we were up to.  Ashley decided to have a little fun with him.

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Keep on smiling!  Enjoy the beauty that this season offers because Spring will be here before you know it!

I hope that we inspired you!

xo

Jeanne

Photography:  Brooke- Ashley Beige Photography

Model-Hair-Makeup: Ashley Houser- Salon Rouge

Moi and Toi?

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Each year I look around my store and contemplate what I have done the past year and get a feeling of what I want to accomplish the next year.  This year, I want to get back to my roots of where I started in the business and what I enjoyed so much about it instead of trying to get the best selling brands in the industry. Don’t get me wrong, many of the brands that I have I love and I will keep, but I want special pieces that you will cherish for years in your closets.

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One of my favorite brands that I carry is Chan Luu.  Her exquisite jewelry and clothing are handmade and the styles are modern, simple and classic.  Here our beautiful Model Jill Cosey from Salon Rouge is wearing the crystal pearl hoop earrings and braided pearl bracelet by Chan Luu.

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We used to carry lots and lots of great whimsical accessories like this Lips Clutch that is just way too fun!  Lips are so on trend right now!  We have a lot of get “Lips” items coming in soon, just in time for Valentine’s Day!

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I love fun novelty tops and sweaters and I am always on the hunt for them.  This Moi… Toi (Me…. YOU in French) sweater from Italian sweater line Kontatto is the PERFECT way to ask your special someone to be your Valentine.

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Fun regular or infinity scarves that are striped or printed in herringbone designs like the ones Jill is wearing in these pictures are just some of the great priced ones starting at just $12.

LOVE is in the air at Inspire Me!

I hope that we inspired you!

xo

Jeanne

Model-Jill Cosey from Salon Rouge

Photography-Ashley Beige Photography

Happy Holidays!!!

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It is such a exciting time of year as we bake our cookies, put up our trees and wreaths, decorate the house, etc…. We need to take time to enjoy the moment!

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We enjoyed spending the afternoon with Miranda at her beautiful home last week where everything was so colorful and contemporary!

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She is wearing an amazing colorful 3/4 sleeve dress by Frank Lyman.  A great combination with her contemporary decor.

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Our beautiful model is Sandra Miranda of Salon Rouge where she is a senior hair stylist.

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This fun colorful statement necklace is available in 3 color combinations.

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This beautiful cocktail ring is by Noir and the bracelets are by Brighton’s Versailles Collection.

Wishing you all the merriest of holidays!

I hope that we inspired you!

XO

Jeanne

Special thanks to Sandra Miranda and Brooke from Ashley Beige Photography!

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