6 Tips for Keeping Your Stella & Dot Jewelry Looking Good

1. Abide by the rule “Last on, first off.”  Your jewelry should be the last thing you put on when you are getting ready and the first thing you take off at the end of your day.  This minimizes the risk of the jewelry getting caught on clothing and its exposure to cosmetics and other things that will cause the jewelry to tarnish.

2. The best way to store your jewelry is in sealed, air tight plastic baggies.  Jewelry needs to be protected from humidity, so don’t keep your jewelry in the bathroom.

3. Do not wear your jewelry in the shower or pool.  But if you do, make sure to clean it often.

4. It is natural for jewelry to tarnish.  Tarnish is caused by the jewelry coming into contact with wool, perfumes, lotions, hair spray, cosmetics, your hands after you eat, or anything that has hydrogen sulfide in it.  So try to avoid these things.  But when tarnish does occur, find a polishing agent to clean it.

5. Do not use toothpaste or baking soda to clean off tarnish.  They are too abrasive.  3M makes some less abrasive jewelry polishing products that work well.

6. Use a Stella & Dot polishing cloth to wipe off your jewelry after wearing it.  The cloth has special micro-abrasives that will clean, but not scratch your jewelry.

Jewelry Quotes

Check out these famous quotes involving jewelry:

I have always felt a gift diamond shines so much better than one you buy for yourself. ~Mae West


Jewelry takes people's minds off your wrinkles. ~Sonja Henie

This diamond has so many carats it's almost a turnip. ~Richard Burton

Rich and rare were the gems she wore,
And a bright gold ring on her hand she bore.
~Thomas Moore

I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought jewelry. ~Rita Rudner

Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewelry. ~John Lennon

It is better to have old second-hand diamonds than none at all. ~Mark Twain

When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.  ~Peter Marshall

Guard well your spare moments.  They are like uncut diamonds.  Discard them and their value will never be known.  Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many individuals have, like uncut diamonds, shining qualities beneath a rough exterior.  ~Juvenal

Diamonds are a girl's best friend and a man's worst enemy.  ~Author Unknown

Stella & Dot Foundation

At Stella & Dot it is very important to us to give back.  To that end, the Stella & Dot Foundation was created.  The mission of the foundation is to empower women and children through economic and educational development.  The Stella & Dot design team has created several pieces (seen at right), the net proceeds of which go to the charities we support: Accion USA, BuildOn, and Girls, Inc.  Throughout the year we also do special promotions for other charities, like in October when we support the fight against breast cancer.

For more about our goal to build and refurbish schools, check out the below video.  

My Sister's Engagement Ring

In January of 2011 my sister, Nicole, got engaged and I had the pleasure of helping her soon-to-be fiancé, Kurt, pick out the ring.  Originally, he was going to do the ring shopping by himself.  Beforehand, we went over what she liked and discussed where he should look.  He went to the local mall to start looking around.  When he came back, the poor guy was so overwhelmed.  The sales people were pushy and Kurt worried he wouldn’t pick the right ring.  He asked some friends if they had any jewelry connections, and Nicole's best friend,Annie, connected him with the father of a friend of hers who owned a jewelry business.  So Kurt made an appointment and asked me to come along and help pick out the ring.  With the three of us living together, and Nicole working from home, Kurt and I had to be a little sneaky about getting out of the house.  Kurt said he was going out to write at Starbucks and I claimed I had a shift at work.  We met up at a parking lot not far from our house and drove down to L.A.’s Jewelry District where the friend’s father had his office.  

The jeweler brought out the first couple of sets of rings and we looked them over—nothing really jumping out at us.  He then brought out a couple of more sets and Kurt & I both zeroed in on the perfect ring for Nicole.  We both instantly knew it was the one.  It was a silver band with small, inset diamonds that would hold a square cut diamond in the center and a medium diamond on either side.  The jeweler then gave us a very entertaining lesson about the quality of diamonds.  We compared several different ones, looking at the size, cut and clarity, and we finally picked out the perfect diamond for the ring we had chosen.  Needless to say, I enjoyed myself immensely.  How could I not enjoy an afternoon at looking at rings and diamonds?!  I was so honored to help my brother-in-law pick out my sister's ring.  It was a very memorable day.

Stella & Dot: A History

Stella & Dot was founded by Jessica Herrin, the co-founder of WeddingChannel.com.  Jessica wanted to create a modern home-based business platform that allowed women to have their own lucrative, fun business, but not sacrifice when it came to their families.  She started making jewelry and doing her first trunk shows in 2003.  She left the corporate world, took on the first stylists and sales grew.  In 2007, the company really took shape.  Mike Lohner became an investor and advisor.  Danielle Redner came on board to help expand sales.  And Blythe Harris became the Chief Creative Officer and Jessica's partner in the business.  They decide to rebrand the company and call it Stella & Dot, after their grandmothers.

From there, the company has grown exponentially, becoming an Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Company.  Our jewelry and accessories are sold exclusively through at-home trunk shows and the internet by Independent Stylists, like me, throughout the U.S., Canada, and most recently, the UK.  Stella & Dot has been featured in Gossip Girl, In Style and Lucky Magazine.  Stella & Dot has created thousands of jobs and millions in commissions, while at the same time, giving back to charities through the Stella & Dot Foundation.  Through Stella & Dot, Jessica and the rest of the team have given women a way to earn money for their families in an exciting, flexible and rewarding way.

To learn more about Stella & Dot, go to www.stelladot.com/heathernassief and click on the About Us link.

My Love Affair With Jewelry

Growing up I always had a fair amount of jewelry accumulated mostly from birthday and Christmas presents.  I didn't wear my jewelry that often though.  My ears where pierced, but I played sports, so during practices and games I couldn't wear earrings, or any jewelry really.  When we went somewhere nice, I would put some jewelry on, and I typically wore one of my crosses to church, but it wasn't till high school that I started wearing jewelry more consistently.

You will hardly ever find me without a watch and over the years I have progressed to nicer looking ones.  My current one is silver with gold trim and a navy blue face.  My favorite necklace is a gold chain with a cedar tree pendent (I am half Lebanese & the cedar tree is for the Cedars of Lebanon).  Then there is my bracelet, composed of small, alternating gold & silver oval links.  Completing the look are 3 rings: a silver band with an imprinted design for my left pinky, my gold and blue high school ring for my left middle finger, and my gold and blue college ring for my right ring finger.  These were my staple jewelry choices.  Depending on the occasion, I might switch out the necklace or bracelet, but for the most part, those six items were what I wore.

I would look at other women--for example my friend, Annie--and think, "I wish I was better at accessorizing my outfits."  I never knew where to start and so never really pursued it.  Then one day, I walked into my hairdresser's salon and a whole new world of jewelry was opened up to me.  I looked at her Stella & Dot display, oohing and ahhing over everything.  I especially fell in love with the Libby Layering Necklace in gold and the Millie Necklace.  The Libby Layering is a necklace composed of several delicate gold strands connected by clover detail.  The Millie Necklace is a mix of square and round blue glass beads on a gold chain.  That combination greatly appealed to me as my favorite color is blue and I prefer gold to silver.  Plus, I had recently bought a navy dress that would look amazing with those two necklaces.

That day I took home with me the Stella & Dot catalog and some info about becoming a Stella & Dot stylist.  I soon decided to give being a stylist a try and within a week of signing up, my first order of jewelry arrived.  I lovingly opened each box, tried on each piece, and then spread them out on my bed. Since then I have hardly left the house without wearing at least one piece of jewelry from my collection.

I get excited to plan out what outfit I will wear with what jewelry.  The jewelry gives me a more feminine & sophisticated look.  I feel more put together, stylish.  I have been enjoying styling my mom and sister with the jewelry when we go out.  There was one time in particular when my sister, Nicole, was going to her friend's bachelorette party and it was cowboy themed.  Cowboy isn't exactly either of our styles, but we managed to put together an outfit and I chose the Tranquility Charm Necklace, Tribute Bracelet, and Goddess Teardrop Earrings in rose gold to complete the look.  Nicole looked fantastic!  The jewelry really raised the outfit to the next level.  It was so much fun styling Nicole, and I am very much looking forward to styling all my future customers (I'm looking at you pretty lady!).

Benefits To Hosting a Stella & Dot Trunk Show

You may be listening to me go on and on about jewelry and Stella & Dot and wondering, "Why should I host a Stella & Dot trunk show?"  You should host a trunk show because you want to have fun with your friends & family and you want to earn free jewelry.  Our hostesses earn free jewelry based on the amount sold at their party.  Hostesses also become eligible to receive half off pieces.  Our average hostess earns $250 in free jewelry and 4 half price items.  To be able to earn the free and half off jewelry, the hostess's party must have at least 2 unique orders (meaning 2 orders by different people) and $200 in sales.  Considering the average guest spends $100, it is pretty easy for your party to become rewards eligible.  And orders for your trunk show don't have to be just from the party.  You have 3 weeks after your party to collect orders.

Another bonus for hostesses is that we usually have hostess incentives.  For example, in the month of September, any hostess who has an eligible trunk show got a free Soho Wristlet.

And don't worry, you are not the one doing the selling.  That is my job.  You just have to invite the guests, provide a space, a few hours of your time, and some light freshments.  It's simple and fun.  Contact me or visit my website today if you are interested in hostessing a party or want to learn more.

Email: hanassief@gmail.com
Phone: 818-319-3655
Website: www.stelladot.com/heathernassief

Revamp Your Wardrobe Without Buying Any New Clothes

Ever go to your closet and feel like you have nothing to wear?  You have your old standbys and some relatively new, but already worn items that just don't really excite you anymore.  But you can't replace your whole wardrobe and just getting one thing won't make much of a difference.  Well I have a way for you to bring new life to your wardrobe without buying a single piece of clothing.  It's called the statement necklace.  A statement necklace is a necklace with some drama to it.  It is not a simple chain with a pendent or charm.  A statement necklace can dress up a causal outfit or give new life to that little black dress.  It can change the whole look of an outfit.

When picking out a statement necklace, think about what you have in your wardrobe.  Which necklace will go with the most outfits?  Make sure to take into consideration necklines, cut & color of the outfits. Lets look at Stella & Dot's Medina Bib (pictured at left) and Camilla Necklaces (pictured top right).  The Medina Bib Necklace goes well with a variety of colors like black, white, navy, green, red, and purple.  It is best with an open neckline so that the necklace lies against the skin.  The Camilla Necklace pairs well with white, brown, tan, black & teal.  It looks good against the skin or clothing and will be appropriate for most necklines.    So the next time you go to your closet and feel like you have nothing to wear, just find a great statement necklace and pair with one of your old favs for a fabulous new look.