As many of you know, I'm involved in various networks and one of them is being a Lucky Style Blogger (we all remember when I got to throw the super fun Lucky Magazine's Pretty Party that I hosted with Dior Beauty and Bloomingdales event in May)! Lucky Magazine reached out to me awhile ago and let me know that they had a challenge that involved me going to Michaels Art and Crafts store (courtesy of their gift card) to make the ultimate jewelry Statement Piece! Now this challenge may have been deemed unfair (but I'm an Accessories Expert so obviously I knew this would be fun) as my most dedicated Kittens know that for years I had my own jewelry line of natural stones under the label Kitten Couture which focused on necklaces. But with my new love of stacked bracelets, it allowed me to have some fun and get back into something that I find to be truly calming in the midst of filming segments, traveling and designing. I knew I should make something fab for Fourth of July to unveil it at a fun penthouse party. Below, you can see me rocking my signature Summer 2011 look kaftan which I simply paired with flip flops and my wrap bracelet. Below, you can find out how I did this and how super easy it is!

Pictured above, my boyfriend Paul, my sister and publicist Dorian and me (I'm rocking my Kaftan [Forever 21], Oversized Sunnies [Marc Jacobs], Necklace [Judith Jack] and Lizbeth [Wrap Bracelet of my design courtesy of Michaels Arts & Crafts] - Additional Accessories detailed below as they are on my other wrist)!

So my readers know I love a boho chic sense of style utilizing neutrals and a pop of color here or there. In addition, I love having lots of charms bracelets to add a little depth, whimsy and personality into the overall look. In addition, it's super important to me that I have natural pieces in my look. So a la my design days in jewelry, I created a piece that incorporated Carnelian which is a gorge orange/peach tone, Turquoise, Citrine, Mother of Pearl, Snail Shell and Agate to create a look that played with texture and can truly be worn with anything. I also opted to select stringing cord in an orange hue as well. What I love about this thread is that it is meant to be used on beading, is durable and after cutting your desired length, I find that it is best to get at least 2 additional strings of the same length so that it is more durable for the beads, especially if you have large ones with smaller ones! Simply put, this style of bracelet can be done with the beads of your choice and can be completed by tying off the ends. Moments before heading out the door you can have a fab new look without worrying about closures which can take a bit more time!

Celeb Stylist, Lori Goldstein, once told me that you definitely should rock bracelets on both sides of your wrists as it makes everything look much better. I took that advice from last September' NY Fashion Week and have definitely put it to good use! On my left hand, I can be found rocking a number of charm bracelets from Good Charma, Swarovski, Alex & Ani and so much more. But in creating this wrap style bracelet, I love that it goes around my wrist three times, wears very lightly but that I added extra string for times I want it tightened and times I don't. I also love that you can let it hang which only enhances the boho look that I was going for!

The result is a fun, easy breezy look that you can opt to wear alone as well as with a number of fun pieces! If you opt to make it longer, you can also do it as a necklace! The big take away for me in this project was that Michaels is everywhere in my hometown of Indianapolis; however, in NYC you have to go to Columbus Ave in the 90's to get your fix - but it's worth it! They've come a long way from being my destination to get puffy paints to make those cute tees. Being someone who has designed jewelry, I have my fave spots in the garment district that are meant for wholesalers; however, I was pleasantly surprised that Michaels had many of the same items within their own selection! I opted to go with a threading version as you don't need all the tools that you would need if you wanted to use flex wire; however, they did have this as well as the cutting tools, nose pliers to squeeze the findings for closures and more! You can definitely do a fun DIY project and with my $50 card, I was able to make a successful piece that will be so cute to continue to wear and plays well with my existing jewelry!

My creation plays well with my go to pieces: Ring [Virgins, Saints & Angels Ring], Silver Beaded Bracelet [Good Charma], Turquoise Bracelet and Silver Bracelets [Alex & Ani], Green and Fuschia Bracelets [Swarovski] and Beaded Bracelet [Nagicia]

Make sure you channel your style and create your own Statement Piece by enjoying this Michaels Coupon offer! They're definitely a great place to assist in making your accessory look your own!

One of my favorite days of the year is finally here and today it's all about spending the day with friends, family etc! Whether you're here in NYC, Miami (the image above is the Sunset Lounge at the Mondrian Hotel in Miami) or who knows where - celebrate our nation's birthday in style! If it's as hot where you are as it is here, then you should enjoy a Classic Caipirinha which is the drink of choice at the Sunset Lounge but it's easy enough to make! What are your go to beverages whether you're going out or doing something at home? I will be drinking this or a Lychee Martini as I hang out at my friend's penthouse off of the Hudson to see the fireworks!

Classic Caipirinha

3 flat bar spoons of Hawaiian Sugar

1 whole lime cut into 6-8 wedges

1 ½ oz Cachaca (brazilian cane rum)

Muddle limes, sugar, add cachaca stir with crushed ice

Served in a double old fashioned glass

Fourth of July was an interesting night! It rained a little but yet my boyfriend and I, saw fireworks in Red Hook at a great bar which made an amazing lemonade that had Triple Sec and Vodka - it went down nicely. We decided that it was time to check out some places that will be in our new area shortly and came upon Baja. Now, we had went past this restaurant before but ended up going to Sushi House (although we weren't pleased that they closed early on the Fourth of July even though people were still there and they were making fresh rolls). On this night, two revelers were looking for great food and found it here. This weekend's theme ended up being Mexican food as we had a lot of it but the chips and salsa hit the spot and I was quite a fan of the Enchiladas that had spinach and chicken! Although they were closing up soon, I could see why this is a favorite in Hoboken and that they also have another location in Jersey City.

If you can't pop in for lunch, dinner or brunch, you'll love their daily Happy Hour specials (I had a Pear Margarita that was really tasty). If you visit during a weekend for lunch, this is a nice place to stroll too and to also visit other places to get a drink and then to head to the many shops that Hoboken has to offer. I would also suggest this for a dinner as the food  had a lot of of flavor and the staff was so pleasant to everyone that was there. Take some time to visit Baja to see for yourself if you find yourself in the neighborhood.

Baja
104 14th St
Hoboken, NJ 07030

You may not be heading to the Hamptons or St Tropez for an amazing Fourth of July weekend; however, if you have a yard, rooftop or something of this nature, this Chesapeake Changing Cabana could add to the theme of your party. If you don't use it as a changing room, it could be a perfect space to sit in and get a little shade from the hot sun! If you were in NYC or nearby areas, you know how hot it was today and although it's raining up a storm, it's actually making things a bit cooler. I love the colors of this cabana which works well into this theme and it's on sale which is amazing and is currently going on at Pottery Barn!

Now that you have the shade covered, you can think of cute plates, beverages and a lot more to make your party one to remember all the way to the fireworks! Take some time to check out the site and if you have some tips, let us know as well!