I Have A Confession To Make . . .

I, Michelle Matthews-Calloway, am an addict.

A jewelry addict, that is.

My earliest recollection of liking – no, loving jewelry is traceable to my maternal Grandmother, who had a small, yet wonderful collection of classic pieces: A beautiful strand of lustrous pearls (with the earrings to match – gifts from my Grandfather), a lovely, dainty real gold watch, and some simple, yet elegant brooches that were to die for.

She was a soft-spoken, plain woman, my Grandmother, yet she always starched her dresses – and her aprons. Her cloth shoes were always impeccably clean; her leather shoes shined to perfection. Of very modest taste, she wasn’t one for flashy jewelry, and she definitely adhered to a philosophy of “less is more.”

My Mother’s tastes in jewelry began as modestly as my Grandmother’s, yet, as the years progressed, she began to love bolder pieces. Having a husband in the military who supported – even encouraged – her affinity for jewelry was the coup de grâce to any ideas of restraint, particularly as far as purchasing jewelry was concerned.

Enter me.

(I had probably just seen a new necklace when this photo was taken)

What choice did I have in the matter???

From my Grandmother I learned about the importance of style and quality when selecting jewelry. From my Mother I learned the sheer sense of pure indulgence that expensive jewelry provides – particularly when you (a) purchase it for yourself, or (b) have it lavished on you by your husband, father, brother or significant other.

Some people run to the shoe department, the makeup counter or to the handbags when they enter a store.

Me? You’d better believe I’m headed to the jewelry counters.

So when I heard over at Beyond Black & White that Tanisha Everette a.k.a. Tanisha Shulamit, world traveler, fashion-meister, and Blog Mistress of Lattes and Lipstick had launched a new jewelry line, I promptly clicked the link to check it out.

I mean, I had no choice, right?

And of course, once I viewed Tanisha’s stunning designs, I had to order something.

I couldn’t just  . . . look at it – why, that jewelry was literally begging me to purchase it.

And so I did: A set of beautiful citrine bracelets.

(Citrine is my birthstone, dontchaknow).

I made the order, and soon received a nice email from Tanisha thanking me for my purchase.

My fix bracelets promptly arrived in a beautiful gift box:

Inside, the cutest business card you’d ever want to see:

And then . . . the bracelets! Two delightful charmers in all their vintagy- understated goodness:

I saw these and immediately thought of my precious Grandmother. Words like . . . quiet . . . elegant . . . and beautiful came to mind.

And if those weren’t special enough, Tanisha had included a bit of lagniappe:

A third bracelet!

I must say that I was very pleased with my purchase. The bracelets are made of high-quality materials and are a joy to wear. Elegant, chic and affordable for Fashionistas on a budget. I certainly plan to place more orders.

Tanisha assured me that her new fall collection is going to blow me away. If these bracelets are any indication, you’re looking at one happy addict customer.

After all – what are bracelets without the matching earrings and necklace???

I’m just saying.

Join in the Fray: What’s your addiction?

I received no compensation or free jewelry for this post. I’m just a happy and satisfied customer!

Tanisha Shulamit is a blogger, jewelry designer, make up artist and stylist extraordinaire. Check out her blog at Lattes and Lipstick, and her posts on Beyond Black & White.

Copyright © 2013 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, All rights reserved.