Pretty Pink

New Arrival

2008-07-01T21:34:00.003+01:00

Coming Soon!

2008-06-24T10:56:00.009+01:00

Look out for our new range of jewellery incorporating the simply beautiful Jarina, which is known as Tagua in Spanish. Jarina comes from a large husky nut which grows on a palm tree in the Western Amazon near the Colombian border. It is known in English as Vegetable Ivory because of its remarkable similarity to ivory.

Up until recently it was predominately carved into all manner of shapes and pieces that originally could only be produced with elephant ivory, but now more and more it's being sliced, dyed and polished for use in eco-jewellery.

Not only is it extremely hard-wearing and gorgeous to look at, but it also accepts different coloured natural dyes, and its cultivation and harvesting within the greater Amazonian area is reckoned to keep some 35,000 people gainfully employed, as well as avoiding loggers chopping down trees to plant soya for biofuels. It not only saves the trees - but also the elephants!

Focus Brazil

2008-06-23T11:20:00.006+01:00

Brazil Creates New Indian Reservation

Kudos to Brazil’s President Lula who on Friday decreed a new 3.8 million acre Indian reservation in the heart of the Amazon rain forest's logging frontier. The Bau Reservation in Para had been sought by the Kayapo Indians in their ancestral territory since 1994 but resistance from settlers and loggers slowed its official creation.

Brazil's 1988 constitution declared that all Indian ancestral lands be demarcated and turned over to Indian tribes within five years. While that process has not yet been completed, today about 11% of Brazilian territory and nearly 22 % of the Amazon is in Indian hands. It is reckoned that there are about 1 million Indians in Brazil - about half of them on reservations.

However there has been increasing pressure on the government to limit the size of reservations as logging, ranching and farming expand into the Amazon and some settlers have violently resisted efforts to relocate them.

Studies show that Indian reservations tend to be the best preserved areas of the rain forest because the tribes protect the borders. National parks and ecological reserves rarely have enough staff to police their territory.

Source: The Associated Press

Friday's Featured Item

2008-05-30T10:53:00.007+01:00

Friday's Featured Item is this delicious Pink Bombon Leather Handbag.

This sweet litle handbag is hand-woven by the ladies at Alzira's in Fortaleza, Brazil, from specially cured coloured leather strands, and is finished with sturdy pink carrying handles. The bag also features a zipper and is internally lined.

The bag is comfortable to carry and small enough to be feminine and dainty, yet also large enough to fit all your essentials and will be the perfect addition to your wardrobe this summer.

*If you are interested in this beautiful Pink Bombon Leather Handbag

Focus Brazil

2008-05-15T11:48:00.008+01:00

The BBC World Service is dedicating Thursday 15th of May to the Amazon and The Amazon Paradox is a series of articles which will be focusing on the economic and environmental state of the region.

As part of this special day, The Beat is joined by 'Forro in the Dark', a Brazilian band who incorporate Amazonian instruments in to their sound. The distinct sound of the flute that they play - the pifano, is from the region of Cariri, in Ceara (my state!) in the north-east of Brazil. The pifano is a wooden flute made of bamboo, it resembles a bansuri - an Indian flute and is played sideways.

The pifano descends from the Cariri Indians, who believe that they originated from an enchanted Amazonian lake. They were driven out of the Amazon by another tribe, the Tupy as well as by the Europeans. They came to inhabit the Crato Region, one of the main Forro Regions of Brazil - this is where Forro music takes it Amazonian roots.

Forro music can best be described as Brazilian country music. It uses simple melodies and interesting lyrics - driven rhythm that makes you want to dance.

'Forro in the Dark' are not a traditional forro band, they bring an updated style of the music to the club-goers of New York City.

It’s well worth a listen as the group play a live session and talk about the roots of their music on The Beat – just click the links to go to the BBC’s sites, visit http://forrointhedark.com/, or go to their excellent Myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/forrointhedark), where you can listen to a selection of their catchy and upbeat songs.

Wednesday's Featured Item

2008-04-11T09:52:00.005+01:00

Wednesday's Featured Item is the Chocole Meia Lua hobo handbag, which is the partner to the Bronze Meia Lua hobo handbag. Chocole Meia Lua literally means 'chocolate half moon' in Portuguese and this gorgeous and practical hobo style handbag is good enough to eat and made with the softest Brazilian leather and big enough to fit all your essentials and wear all day long.

Monday's Featured Item

2008-04-08T09:49:00.004+01:00

Monday's Featured Item is this Bronze Meia Lua hobo handbag. Bronze Meia Lua literally means bronzed half moon in Portuguese and this gorgeous and practical hobo style handbag is made with the softest Brazilian leather and is big enough to fit all your essentials and wear all day long. This bag is also available in sumptuous chocolate brown.

*If you are interested in this beautiful Bronze Meia Luahandbag

Wednesday's Featured Item

2008-03-12T09:36:00.003Z

Wednesday's Featured Item is this beautiful Yellow Weave handbag made from hand-woven leather by our Brazilian supplier Alzira's. Alzira's is a small family-run handbag factory in Fortaleza, and specialises in small (but beautifully handmade) product runs.

Pretty and fun, this bag will add a touch of delicate colour to your wardrobe.

If you are interested in this beautiful Yellow Weave handbag

Focus Brazil

2008-03-11T18:26:00.008Z

Buzios

Buzios, which means shells in Portuguese, located 170 Km from Rio, is a beautiful fishing village on a peninsula composed of some 25 beautiful beaches, and found fame in the summer of 1964 with the first of several visits by French actress Brigitte Bardot.

Bardot spent a few days there trying to relax and escape the attentions of the intrusive Brazilian press, and from then on the location became a prime attraction for both international jet-setters and local tourists, drawn by warm temperatures and amazing beaches.

In recognition of her input in putting the area on the map, Buzios erected a statute in Bardot's honour, which looks out across one of the most beautiful bays.

Historically, Buzios was inhabited by Tamoios Indians when Brazil was discovered by Portugal, and in the 16th century become the supply point of French pirate ships and slave traders because of its numerous small bays and abundant sweet waters.

Buzios has a good infrastructure with hotels and fancy restaurants, and has about three hundred small lodgings, including those with famous frequent visitors like Bill Gates, Naomi Campbell and Michael Johnson.

Yet despite the sophistication you will not find a single three storey building on the peninsula, and no major holiday resorts.

This is because construction isn’t allowed on most of the beaches, and consequently Buzios has managed to keep some of its original rustic fishing village charm.

Wednesday's Featured Item

2008-03-08T16:14:00.007Z

Wednesday's Featured Item is this Multi-Stone Green and Brown Necklace which can be yours for £33.00.

The necklace has a double twisted layer of assorted multi-stones with a beautiful and highly-polished dark brown coconut pendant attached, and the varying shades of greens, browns and whites will compliment many outfits.

Multi-Stone Green and Brown Necklace

*If you are interested in this beautiful Multi-Stone Green and Brown Necklace

Focus Brazil

2008-03-01T17:31:00.008Z

Foz do Iguaçu

Foz do Iguaçu or the Iguaçu Falls (at the junction between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay at a bend in the Rio Iguaçu), are waterfalls that are sometimes described as being one of the seven natural Wonders of the World.

Yet these waterfalls are neither the widest waterfalls nor the tallest waterfalls in the world. In fact they are an extensive combination of over 270 separate falls and act as a natural border to the countries of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.

The falls have a flow capacity equal to three Niagara Falls – having a peak flow of about 400,000 square metres, cover 1.67 miles, are 318 feet at their highest and include the infamous Garganta do Diabo (Devil’s Throat) – which afford the viewer a 260 degrees view of waterfall, as water thunders in on three sides.

The name of the falls comes from the Guarani or Tupi words and means big water. Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful aborigine named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In a rage, the god sliced the river - creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.

The best time of year to see the falls is between October and December and for intrepid adventurers the thundering of millions of gallons of water falling 250 feet can be experienced up close on the strategically placed walkways and footbridges.

The Paseo Garganta del Diablo, for example, is a one kilometer long walkway directly over the falls of the Garganta del Diablo – and not for the faint of heart!

Monday's Featured Item

2008-02-28T11:41:00.003Z

Monday's Featured Item is this beautiful Rubino Luxe handbag which oozes style and character. It is a must have item for your wardrobe and we are certain it will become a firm favourite.

It is made of butter soft red leather and has fantastic leopard print lining and an internal pocket and cell phone holder as well as two large side pockets with magnetic fasteners. This red bag with black boots, skirt and a black coat would look great, but it could be used as a powerful focal point for almost any outfit you choose to wear. It would look fantastic with a white maxi dress, for example, or even with a pair of jeans and a floaty top.

*If you are interested in this beautiful Rubino Luxe handbag

Focus Brazil

2008-02-27T12:56:00.003Z

The Quetzal

Brazil consists of cloud forests, marshes, swamplands, arid plateaus and immense rainforests, and within this varied terrain live some 1,600 recorded bird species.

The Amazon Basin contains one-third of the planet's living species, and it is here that you can find Short-billed Leaftossers, Rufus-Necked Puffbirds, Hardy's Pygmy-Owl, the Black-Girdled Barbet, as well as the Quetzal.

The name comes from the Nahuatl word QUETZALLI and means large brilliant tail feather.

One variety, the Resplendent Quetzal, is often held to be the most beautiful bird in the Western Hemisphere as the male’s tail feathers can reach feet 60cm in length.

The Quetzal features heavily in Central and South American mythology, and Aztec royalty wore headdresses including plumes removed from the males and Guatemalans chose it as their national bird, and even named their monetary unit the quetzal.

Quetzals rely on wild avocados (which grow widely throughout tropical regions), and it is thought that the wild avocados are quite reliant on the Quetzal to disperse their seeds as they are the only bird large enough to and swallow the avocado fruits whole (including the seeds!)

WE HAVE A WINNER

2008-02-26T13:14:00.004Z

CONGRATULATIONS to Ginette in London who was the winner of our Valentine's Day Prize Draw and wins the beautiful red leather handbag shown below.

Many thanks to the rest of you who participated in the prize draw. You didn't win this time but maybe next time you'll get lucky, so look out for our next prize draw in early spring.

REMINDER: Mother's Day

2008-02-25T09:43:00.010Z

Just a little reminder that Sunday 2nd March is Mother's Day, and whilst youth may indeed fade, love might droop and your friends may fall away like leaves in Autumn, your Mother's secret hopes (perhaps for one of our handbags or for some of our jewellery) - shines eternal.

It doesn't necessarily need to be your own mother. It could be your sister, your aunt, your female friends or your mother-in-law! Anyone in your life who is a woman and has children is a mother, a deserves to be treated especially well this coming Sunday.

But what to get her? Flowers are good (but they die!), chocolates are good (for you...but not for her!), lingerie... (don't go there!), something for doing the housework perhaps? (only if you want to die!)

No. The thing to do is to let us do all the work and make some helpful suggestions for you - suggestions which we know any mother would love. So here goes:

Friday's Featured Item

2008-02-24T16:13:00.003Z

Friday's Featured Item is this stunning Chocole Shoulder Bag which will go with most outfits, so if you like classic and stylish then this is the bag for you!

This chocolate coloured handbag is made from the softest Brazilian leather, and has sturdy crock-effect carrying handles with reinforced chrome rings, leather-stitched detailing, chrome studding and leather tassles.

Internally the bag is spacious, beautifully lined and has a mobile phone pocket, and the bag's measurements are: Height 23cm; Width 34cm; Depth 18cm Handle drop 24cm.

*If you are interested in this beautiful handbag

Focus Brazil

2008-02-23T12:08:00.007Z

Everyone with a hangover look away now, because todays Focus Brazil is looking at Brazil's national drink - Caipirinha (pronounced [kaj.pi.'ɾĩ.jɐ]).

Caipirinha is a delicious cocktail made with Cachaça (pronounced [ˌkaˈʃasɐ]), sugar, lime and crushed ice and is drunk in restaurants, bars and at the beach, and is usually sold in a plastic cup and drunk with a straw.

Not only is it a deliciously healthy (!) refreshing drink, but it's also extremely potent and cheap - about 75p for a big cup (compare that to here in Edinburgh where it can cost as much as £5 for a glass!)

According to Wikipedia, 'caipirinha' is the diminutive version of 'caipira' which refers to someone from the countryside, being an equivalent of 'hillbilly', althougth the word is now almost exclusively associated with the drink.

There are a number of variations of the drink: Caipiroska/Caipivodka uses vodka in place of cachaça; a Batida is any cachaça and fruit juice drink, and a Caipifruta consists of cachaça, crushed fresh fruits (such as tangerine, kiwi, passion fruit (maracuja), grapes, mango, acerola, caju, caja or siriguela), condensed milk and crushed ice - delicious!

After all this reading you're probably desperate for a drink, so:

Put a freshly sliced lime and 2 teaspoons of sugar into a glass
Mash these ingredients together with a wooden spoon
Fill the glass with crushed ice
Add the Cachaça – about 5cl / a shot
Taste (adding either more sugar / Cachaça as desired)
Enjoy with moderation - and use a straw!

Wednesday's Featured Item

2008-02-23T11:57:00.006Z

Wednesday's Featured Item is this stunning Ostrich and Alligator Handbag by Marcello Marcellino (a young Brazilian handbag designer) which is made from beautiful ostrich and alligator skin and has a pair of double-knotted carrying handles and features the Marcello Marcellino label as a chrome pendant. All the skins used in this bag are ethically sourced.

Like the black clutch handbag, this is a unique one-off piece of outstanding craftsmanship and allows you to possess a luxurious designer handbag at a fraction of the price - because good fashion shouldn't cost the earth.

*If you are interested in this beautiful handbag (£454.00)

Monday's Featured Item

2008-02-19T10:06:00.008Z

Monday's Featured Item is this stunning pair of Green Acai earrings which are made from green coloured Acai seeds and wooden tubed beads.

These earrings are beautifully bright and colourful, and compliment the eye-catching Green Grass Acai necklace which is made from dyed Acai seeds with wooden bamboo separators and a polished coconut ring pendant.

The necklace is mounted on wax-cotton thread with silver tassel details, and is adjustable in length. This piece will look lovely with the floaty tops that we are hoping to add to our product line this summer.

*If you are interested in this necklace and earring set (£33.00)

Spotlight on Materials

2008-02-19T09:04:00.009Z

Every week we will be featuring a new section on the Blog called Spotlight on Materials which will, funnily enough, shine a spotlight on some of the materials we use in our products.

The first spotlight we shall be shining is on the wonderfully named Flamboyant tree - which produces the Flamboyant seed - a seed that is widely used by indigenous societies in their ethnic jewellery.
The Flamboyant was named for Phillipe de Longviliers de Poincy (1583 - 1660) who is credited with introducing the plant to the Americas. Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy was a French nobleman and Bailiff Grand Cross of the Knights of Malta. He specifically imported the flamboyant plant from Madagascar for his garden, and is credited with introducing the beautiful plant to the Americas. It was thus re-named Royal Poinciana in his honour.

The Flamboyant tree is also known as Royal Poinciana, Gulmohar, Peacock Flower, the Flame Tree and Flame of the Forest due to its brightly coloured foliage, and is one of the most conspicuous flowering trees seen in the tropics, and is consistently voted as one of the five most beautiful trees in the world.

It is commonly grown for its bright red blossoms and has delicate mimosa type leaves which drop before the tree flowers. At the same time as the new leaves appear, the tree is covered with numerous five-petalled flowers that are usually bright red-orange.

This blooming is followed by the appearance of long, flattened, leathery dark brown or black seed pods. These pods are then collected where they fall, opened, and the small elongated seeds are collected and widely used in ethnic jewellery.

Another interesting fact about the Flamboyant is that the seed pods, but not the seeds, are used to make the Maraca.

REMINDER - Valentine’s Day Prize Draw (Win a Free Handbag!)

2008-02-14T00:16:00.006Z

REMINDER - You have exactly 24 hours to register to win our stunning red leather handbag (worth £83).

Simply register for our newsletter by clicking on the link below and leave a short comment about our website, and you’ll be entered into our Valentine’s Day Prize Draw, and have the chance of winning a beautiful Rococco red leather handbag – absolutely free.

You can enter from today until midnight on the 14th of February. The draw will take place on the 15th of February and the winner will be announced by email on the same day.

See the website for Terms & Conditions.

Friday's Featured Item

2008-02-09T00:17:00.000Z

Friday's Featured Item is a Red Agate Necklace - a beautifully bright and fiery necklace with assorted red Agate stones and brown coconut pendant attached.

Red Agate is a fascinating quartz that is also known as Blood Agate, and was worn in ancient Rome to guard against insect bites, to heal the blood, and to promote calm and peace.

It belongs to the extended Agate family and occurs as nodular masses found in volcanic rocks. When opened these nodules reveal amazing colours (from the silica rich fluids) and patterns, and agates can be opaque, waxy or translucent.

It was not only the Romans who believed that Agate had numerous benefits, however:

Ancient man carried Agate to ensure a bountiful crop, to ward off skin diseases, and used it in love spells to avoid envious thoughts and to remove spite.

Greek sailors believed Agate reinforced strength and provided protection, and used it in the 4th Century to overcome fear of ocean storms.
Agate jewellery was given to children to be worn as protective amulets as Agate was thought to prevent children from falling.

Agates were a popular talisman in the Middle East to ensure the healthy state of the blood, and many Moslims claimed that powdered Agate drunk in water would cure insanity, sharpen eyesight, increase physical strength, and alleviate thirst.

The Book of Saxon Leechdoms said in 1864 that Agate prevents harm from thunder, sorcery, demonic possession, poison, disease, drunkenness, and skin eruptions.

In modern times New Age Mystics believe that agate will prevent nightmares, help eyesight, improve blood circulation, strengthen the heart, stomach, and hair, protect children from falls, prevent poisonings and give you extra courage or extra energy to relieve stress.

*We can’t guarantee that our necklace will stop you falling over or cure insanity, but it may help you get noticed and fall in love, so if you’re interested in this necklace (£25.00) please visit http://www.prettypink.eu/product,25357,Red_Agate_Necklace.html

Saboneteira Turquoise

2008-02-07T23:12:00.000Z

This long necklace is made with natural black coloured Sabonteira seeds interspersed with turquoise stones, and is held together with a sumptuous black ribbon which can be worn at different lengths to suit your outfit.

The Saboneteira tree is commonly found in Brazil and it’s seeds, which naturally matt black in colour, are are are widely used in ornaments, like necklaces, bracelets and earrings, and are highly valued by the Indigenous tribes for their luminescence. The Saboneteira fruit is interesting in that, if squeezed when semi-mature, they produce a peculiar foam – almost like soap bubbles.

In fact Saboneteira is used as a soap substitute by Amazonian Indians living in the densest parts of the forest, and the name Saboneteira is derived from the Portuguese word soap or Sabão. It is also said that the seed gives out an oil which rivals many current washing powders for effectiveness.

Other names for this interesting fruit are:

Soaptree
Soapberry
Soapfruit (Fruta-De-Sabão) [Pt (Brazil)]
Fortune Seed
Wing-Leaf Soapberry
Bois De Panama [French]
Seifenbaum [German]
Jequiriguaçú [Pt Brazil)]
Pau-De-Sabão [Pt (Brazil)
Monkey Soap (Sabão-De-Macaco) [Pt (Brazil)
Soldier’s Soap (Sabão-De-Soldado) [Pt (Brazil)
Jaboncillo [Spanish]

The Saboneteira Turquoise necklace is complimented by the Sabonteira Turquoise Earrings.

*If you are interested in this necklace and earring set (£37.00) visit http://www.prettypink.eu/product,25369,Saboneteira_Turquoise.html

It’s Carnival!

2008-02-06T13:24:00.000Z

This week in Brazil it’s Carnival, so we thought we’d attempt to describe what many have called: ‘the greatest party on earth’.

The first records of Carnival festivities in Rio date back to 1723 when Portuguese immigrants introduced the Entrudo - where people would go out with buckets of water and soak passersby. However, the authorities soon frowned upon thiese frivolities and eventually it was banned.

In the 19th Century people began to march in the streets playing drums, tambourines, pans, and whistles, and this evolved into the Grandes Sociedades which was a more organized parade that debuted in 1855, and included the Emperor and aristocrats in masks and costumes. In 1870 the Cordão Carnavalesco started – and characters like queens, kings, witches, peasants and dancers would perform according to their costumes. There were also the Cordões de Velhos, where participants would wear huge papier-mâché masks and walk in an old man's gait.

Ranchos Carnavalescos started in 1872 as a working class festivity, and people would dress up in costumes and perform on the parade accompanied by an orchestra. These Ranchos soon gained sponsorship and started organized competitions which became one of the main attractions of Rio Carnival, together with the Great Societies. The Corso was introduced in 1907 with a parade of cars (the granddaddy’s of today's floats), and in the 30's this celebration became so popular that almost all car-owners in Rio participated! Eventually the Cordões evolved into Blocos de Sujos (where everyone could join in plain clothes), and Blocos de Baianas (composed of people from Salvador, usually men dressed in white colonial clothes).

At the end of the 19th Century in what was known as Little Africa, which was the residence of the Tias Baianas - ladies who came from Bahia - Tia Ciata held meetings in her living room where visitors were entertained with live music played by local musicians, and at the back of the house there was samba, a term then used to describe the ritual Candomble ceremony. Eventually the two beats got together, and the first samba song was composed in her house.

This samba was adapted, and at the end of the 1920’s organizers of the Blocos felt the need to evolve, and inspired by the Ranchos, the Escolas de Samba (Samba schools) were developed - Mangueira (founded in 1928) being the first samba school. In the 1940's and 1950's the samba schools evolved further, adopting themes, theme songs, costumes and floats, and artists began to design their parade – resulting in today's Carnavalescos.

In the 1960's and 1970's the samba started to gain prestige with the middle and upper middle class and Carnival balls were organised. The Samba Parade started to become more popular and in 1984 the Sambadrome, with its capacity of 65,000, was built, with each samba school being given eighty minutes to parade from one end of the Sambadrome to the other with all its thousands of dancers, its drum section (Bateria), and a number of floats.

However, inflated prices to watch the samba schools parade ($150-$500) has excluded many Brazilians from attending, and as a reaction to the high levels of commercialization, many neighbourhoods in Rio (and indeed in cities all over Brazil), have experienced a resurgence in the Carnival Bandas or Blocos.

A Banda plays well-known Carnival hits and consists of an orchestra marching along (or even stationary!) a pre-determined route, followed by hordes of enthusiastic samba dancers who come dressed in costumes, trunks or even in drag!

A Bloco consists of several huge floats covered in loudspeakers, plays a variety of up-beat Carnival music and is followed by as many as 10,000 dancing Brazilians who are inside a block (usually surrounded by a cordão, or rope, which is held by thousands of security men who prevent anybody who hasn’t paid from joining the party).

In cities such as Fortaleza and Recife, for example, up to 12 Blocos (100,000+ people!) can follow one after another along a pre-determined route in a party that can last up to 24 hours – which in itself surely earns the Brazilian Carnival the deserved title of ‘the greatest party on earth’.

New Arrivals!

2008-02-05T16:32:00.000Z

Newly arrived today we have some fabulous new additions to our jewellery line.

Firstly we have the Green Grass Acai, which is an eye-catching coloured necklace made from dyed Acai seeds with wooden bamboo separators and a polished coconut ring pendant.

The necklace is mounted on wax-cotton thread with siver tassle details, and is adjustable in length. This piece will look lovelly with the floaty tops that are we are hoping to add this summer.

We also have the stunning Multidisco Coco and Orange Glass, which is an adjustable length necklace made from diferent sizes of coconut discs separated by silver beads, and finished off with two distinctive orange glass beads and orange plastic tubes. A beautiful piece which is perfect for brightening up your days!

The third arrival is the wonderful Tuorquoise Nuggets Bracelet, which is a two-strand bracelet with polished Tourquoise nuggets separated by detailed silver tubing and highly-polished silver beads.

It has a spring metal frame for an easy fit, and is a wonderfully bright and cheerful piece of jewellery. This item would look fantastic with a black outfit and is sure to draw admiring stares!

Our next new arrival is a gorgeous choker called Eco Modern, which is a simple yet chic statement item that is sure to complement, change or even to make any outfit. The piece is composed of polished coconut discs, separated with two bamboo tubes, with a stunning round blood red Murano bead centrepiece.

The final arrival is Onyx Feast - two strands of black onyx chips with a circular pendant and fertility symbol, and finished with detailed silver tubing and clasp. This piece is beautiful, chic and sophisticated and would look great with any outfit.

Monday's Featured Item

2008-02-04T19:41:00.000Z

Wednesday's Featured Item is Peacock Feather Earring* which is a stunning peacock-eye feather with glaze-cracked seed from the Amazon. This is a fun piece of jewellery, fits perfectly with jewellery trends for 2008, and the beautifully vibrant colour of the feather mixed with the seed gives it a natural earthy feel. To bring out the best in this earring (and its user!) it should only be worn in one ear. (Pierced ears only).

*If you are interested in this earring (£10.00) visit http://www.prettypink.eu/product,25457,Peacock_Feather_Earring_.html

Handbag of the Month

2008-02-02T19:25:00.000Z

January's Handbag of the Month is a divine black clutch handbag* by Marcello Marcellino (a young and up 'n' coming Brazilian handbag designer), and is made from beautiful alligator skin and lined with soft purple silk.

The clutch has a carrying handle and also features the Marcello Marcellino label in chrome.

The alligator skin is ethically sourced from alligator farms in the Pantanal in Brazil which are registered by IBAMA (the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) and comes with its own IBAMA registration number.

This clutch is a unique piece and as Vogue recently stated: If you invest in one special bag this spring, make it a clutch - it's the new season's star buy.

*If you are interested in this handbag visit http://www.prettypink.eu/product,25486,Alligator_Clutch_.html

Friday's Featured Item

2008-02-01T14:50:00.000Z

Friday's Featured Item is Wooden Beads which is a beautifully natural piece that was chosen because 2008 is going to be the year of eco fashion, and this necklace combines natural elements with semi-precious stones to create a funky and eclectic fusion look.*

The chunky natural wooden beads from Manaus (in the Amazon) are interspersed with chips of 'Fio de Turquesa Azul' (Blue Tourquoise) - which is one of the oldest gemstones known, and the birthstone of December and the anniversary gemstone for the 11th year of marriage.

Turquoise was worn by the Pharaohs and Aztec Kings, and Native American and the Indian tribes in Mexico also used it extensively, for ex:

the Pima Indians considered it brought good fortune and strength and that it helped overcome illness;

Pueblo Indians thought that its colour was stolen from the sky;

the Apache felt that turquoise on a gun or bow made it shoot straight, and

the Navajo considered it as good fortune to wear and believed it could appease the Wind Spirit.

The necklace is finished with a fabulous chocolate-coloured velvet ribbon tie which can be worn at different lengths to suit almost any outfit. Adjusted short the necklace acts as a choker and brings attention to the neck and shoulders, or left long it focus attention on those areas you wish to promote.*

This featured item is currently retailing for £25, down from £30.

*To see more Spring 08 Fashion Trends & Tips visit www.prettypink.eu

Valentine’s Day Prize Draw - Win a Free Handbag

2008-01-31T16:12:00.000Z

To win a beautiful leather handbag (worth £83) simply register for our newsletter by clicking on the link below and leave a short comment about our website, and you’ll be entered into our Valentine’s Day Prize Draw, and have the chance of winning a beautiful Rococco red leather handbag – absolutely free.

You can enter from today until midnight on the 14th of February. The draw will take place on the 15th of February and the winner will be announced by email on the same day. See the website for Terms & Conditions.

Brazilian Flair - Only a Click Away

2008-01-31T14:45:00.001Z

Pretty Pink sells jewellery and handbags sourced directly from Brazil. Ilana Ewing started researching the idea and contacting Brazilian suppliers at the beginning of 2007 and since then haslaunched a fabulous website - http://www.prettypink.eu/.

The handbags are all sourced directly from Brazil and include: designer leather handbags by Marcello Marcellini in ostrich and alligator (such as this divine black clutch handbag) - and all registered by the Brazilian enviromental protection agency IBAMA; lovely eco-friendly recycled bags made by 1001 Retalhos from old lorry tarpaulins, and decorated in typical Brazilian patchwork designs - such as the Paraty Casinha.

Ratifhy's sumptious range of contemporary handbags such as Clean Cut Red, Bronze Meia Lua (only £39!), Porcelena and Robino Studs. And finally Alzira's - a small family run factory in the North-East of Brazil - which produces high quality handmade straw handbags, such as Brown Straw, which is a natural straw bag with brown leather features.

The majority of the jewellery and accessories on our site are handmade by Ilana Ewing, who uses a variety of natural Brazilian products in her work. Many of the beads are seeds, beans, reclaimed wood and coconut shell from the Amazon Rainforest, such as Coquinho - which combines coquinho seeds with glass beads.

The seeds used in Ilana's pieces are collected from The Amazon and The Pantanal and harvested in such a way that there is no danger or damage to the trees, plants or the environment, and are chosen so that the natural beauty of the wood and seeds shines through in every piece.

Some of the jewellery features semi-precious stones, again sourced naturally from Brazil, and works include: Chunky Onyx Necklace, Amethyst Dreamer and Turquoise and Murano Choker. We also have a wonderful selection of bracelets, chokers - such as the gorgeous Six-Strand Acai Choker at (£27) and earrings - such as the colourful Red Agate Earrings.

As well as all these beautiful handbags and accessories, our site also features our Handbag of the Month, information about Eco-Fashion, and discusses the Fashion Trends & Tips for Spring 2008 - which includes an analysis of the colours for 2008 in the Pantone Fashion Colour Report.

All of the items have been especially chosen to add a slice of South American flair to your wardrobe, and offer a fashionable, yet classical range, carefully chosen to suit the tastes of the modern woman. So give us a go – because Brazilian flair is only a click away.