Host an Accessory Exchange!

Okay, dreary weather. Time to combat you with something fun and girlie...something totally not depressing and bleak...

For those of you who haven't been convinced to hold some kind of happy gathering during the month of January, here's another idea we're throwing your way. This one is fun and it will appeal to most of the females in your life...
Hold an Accessory Exchange! Choose a night to have your little party, print up cute invitations, send them to the stylish gals in your life, and prepare to have a good time! Have everyone bring an accessory (bracelet, necklace, ring, whatever) and set a price limit. (Times are tough...so tell everyone to keep it under $10.00 or make it clear that they can bring a gently used item that is still in good condition). Have your guests wrap the accessory in a fun way (seeing how women wrap their gifts is sometimes half the fun!). Then, on the evening of your shindig, when everyone has arrived and has a fabulous girlie drink in hand (think something pink---like 3/4 champagne and 1/4 sparkling pomegranate juice in a champagne flute), pick numbers out of a hat and let your guests select a gift from the pile. You can do this however you like---you can make it okay to "steal" the accessories once they've been opened, or you can purely pick numbers and call it good. Make it clear that trading is fine once the game is over---that way people with different tastes have a shot at trading for something they like better.

The jewelry is a fun excuse to get together, but really, the point of the evening is to get the girls together for a giggle and a night out. If you are concerned about people having to go out and buy something for under $10, you can decide to make it a rule that the accessory has to be something used from each person's jewelry box. Also, you'll want to make it clear that this is a costume jewelry exchange...so leave the Tiffany boxes at home. :)

Target is a great place to buy a piece of jewelry for under $10. Or, check out Ebay for something vintage! OR...check out Etsy, for something handmade and utterly fabulous...

In honor of the "accessory exchange" idea, check out one our favorite artists on Etsy.com.
Luxe Deluxe has so many beautiful, vintage-styled pieces...you'll be drooling in no time! Here's a sampling (for more, go to Luxe Deluxe's site!):

Coming Next Monday...

Our New Year's Resolution looks different this year. Sure, there are the usuals: shed extra pounds, get organized, write more handwritten notes to people, etc. But those aren't just for New Year's...those little mantras are constantly with us! This year, we are going to try something different to kick off January. Beginning on Monday, the two of us are going to participate in the H2O Project and you are invited to join us...

Beginning on Monday, we are going to drink only water. No other beverage, just water. Trust us, it's going to take a little willpower. Both of us love our morning mochas, our Starbucks breaks, a good glass of red wine from time to time...we like a cosmo with the girls and we enjoy the convenience of the soda machine on occasion. But on Monday, it's water only for two weeks. Join us as we take this challenge (come on, it's not really that big of a challenge!) and bring awareness to the need for clean water on every corner of the planet. For two weeks, we'll be saving the money that would have gone to Starbucks or the soda machine and, at the end of those two weeks, we'll be writing checks to Living Water International. Check out the website here for more info.
Info on The H2O Project:

"Help bring water to the world by moving from consumption to contribution.

Every 15 seconds a child dies due to lack of clean water, while as little as $10 can provide one person with a lifetime supply of clean water!

The H2O Project helps educate people about the global water crisis and offers an opportunity to make a tangible difference by providing clean water for communities in developing countries.

Did you know that Americans spend more than $61 billion on soft drinks every year? That’s fifteen times the budget of USAID (United States Agency for International Development).

The Challenge
For two weeks, make water your only beverage. Save the money that you would normally spend on sodas, coffee, and sport drinks for two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, contribute the money you saved to Living Water International for the drilling of wells. Churches, youth groups, clubs, and other organizations have all participated in the H2O Project. "

Oh...by the way...if you want to participate with The Babs Blog on this two week project, sign in to our comments section or send us an email. We want to hear how you're doing with this challenge and we'd be happy to point you in the direction of more information. We'll be reminding you all up until Monday and then it's go-time! (If your big New Year's Resolution was to get healthier, this challenge will help you with that, too. It's a two-for-one deal!) :)