Handmade vs. Mass Produced

Imagine my disappointment in Aldo Accessories when I found an item that looked like a Medicine Wheel for sale. Now I know that dreamcatchers are a popular massed produced item and can even be found in your local Dollarma or even the very popular moccasin rip-off that have hit the shelves. But this felt much more personal. I tried searching for this item on their website to demonstrate, but could not find it. 

Here's a look at some Real Handmade moccasins, worn by me and my friends, 

but made by my grandmother

So as much as I love shopping at the mall, I also equally love shopping handmade.

Why do I like handmade?

1. I myself, make handmade products.

2. Supporting local artisans in much more gratifying 

than paying Walmart's executives salaries.

3. I will most likely be purchasing something unique!

4. I find that the quality of handmade products are much more

durable than items purchased at most stores.

5. I can find out how and where the item was made.

6. I know that the seller has a passion for what they do.

There are many movements towards living a handmade lifestyle, and while I find

that very, very commendable, I do still purchase items that are not handmade.

Finding the right balance for your life is important. 

But I will still continue to spread the word about the handmade world and

encourage others to support their local artists. 

Want to learn more about handmade movements? Start with Hand Made News that says: The largest handmade craft blog on earth for artisans by artisans

Or to be even more specific you can try reading this article.

To Love and to Cherish

I'm heading to the mall today and am really looking forward to finding a dress for the wedding I will be attending in August! Of course any shopaholic like me now has the perfect excuse to buy an entire outfit.

Potential Dress?

Shoes?

Clutch?

Bracelet?

Earrings?

Necklace?

And of course some type of shawl or cardigan when I depart for the evening!

I did have my eye out for a certain dress, but alas, their online store only has a size zero left!

Woe is me. But of course this only leaves room for other possibilities right? I have given myself time to shop for the right outfit. Here are some other items I have my eye on.

These earrings I found on Etsy:

Aldo is one of my favourite stores to shop at and right now I have my eye on these Deviva platform sandals:

These heels were most likely inspired by the very popular Jimmy Choo Keenan Caged Sandal which I would also rock. If only Devonshire Mall carried Jimmy Choo Shoes....

I'm also really liking the leather rocker look and could top it off with something like this:

Ok Ok. So that look might be a little heavy for a wedding, but something along those lines. 

I'll probably have a change of heart 100 times beforehand anyways! And I'll probably make some of my own jewelry to wear to save money, but a girl can still look, Right?!

Of course in the midst of all this, I remember that I am also planning MY wedding for next fall! On top of shopping for all of my own accessories, I still need to shop for my future bridesmaids! (Can you tell I'm excited?!)

For now, I head to mall, where bright and sparkly things await!

A Bloggers First

Today opening a small business can be as easy as making a cup of coffee in the morning. As a small business owner, I've come to the understand that it's more than just handing out a business card and having millions of followers overnight. To become successful, one must work hard to earn the fruits of their labor.

Social networking has exploded and everyone from Starbucks, to New York Fries, to Elle Magazine and the Movies Stars have reached out with social media.

I've read many articles and blogs encouraging small business owners to reach out to potential customers in as many ways as they can. While surely my intent is to promote my own product, I also find that social networking to be a hobby of it's own. I truly enjoy setting aside an hour or two each day to focus on writing tweets for my Twitter account, or checking out new groups on Flickr. Not only am I spreading word out about my product, but I am meeting new people that I wouldn't get the chance to while taking a stroll through the mall. (And I LOVE to Shop!)

You will notice that I not only blog about Culture Shock Jewelry, but also things that catch my eye in the fashion world and right now I'm totally in love with these Balmain Suede Buckled Ankle Boots

($1 195? Not anytime soon!)

So if you are an avid fashion lover like me or another small business looking to make your mark on the blogging world, follow this blog, because I'll be looking forward to reading your thoughts!