Friendship Bracelet Swap 2.0

Hello Lovelies! I hope you all have been well. I came down with the flu this week, so I haven't been doing much other than lying around, reading, and watching TV. Still, I have some gorgeous arm candy to share with you all today! Meggy over at Chasing Davies put together a Friendship Bracelet Swap in which bloggers are partnered up and make friendship bracelets for one another! I was paired with the gorgeous and super sweet Bex from Bex...A Style Diary! She not only made me a super cute friendship bracelet, but also bought me a second one made of fabric and leather! Lucky me! I love them both and have been wearing them a ton since I received them last week!

Bex made the pastel colored chevron bracelet (so cute) and also bought me the awesome wine colored double wrap bracelet (perfect for fall)! I adore them both!

Be sure to check out Bex and Meggy's blogs! They both have amazing style and wonderful personalities that shine through in their posts! If you're interested in seeing the bracelet I made for Bex, click here. She also mentioned it in her Thursday Latelies video, which is super adorable, so be sure to watch it! Thanks to Meggy for making this possible and Bex for my awesome bracelets! I love them so much and have also loved learning more about Bex via emails and her blog!

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Keeping Busy

Hello Friends! Since I found out about the loss of my childhood pet this morning, I have been doing my best to stay positive, but it isn't easy. Luckily, I have a lot of friends (both online and in real life) who have been cheering me up. I've also been creating some new items for my Etsy shop to keep my mind off Sneaker. I honestly didn't feel up to being in public today as I was afraid I would spontaneously break out in tears, and I also couldn't focus enough to do anything requiring a ton of brain power, so making jewelry was probably the best option for me. Here are some of the items I recently added to my Etsy store. 

Sailor Knot Bracelet

Woven Bracelet Set

Three Strand Chain Necklace

Woven Leather Bracelet

Purple Silk Wrap Bracelet

Orange & Green Silk Wrap Bracelet

Which ones do you like best? Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway for your chance to win your choice of bracelet or necklace from my shop! Thanks again for being such fabulous friends!

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Tara Lane Designs Esty Store Giveaway!

This giveaway has ended. See the Giveaways page for a list of current giveaways.

Hello Gorgeous! To celebrate the grand opening of my Etsy shop, Tara Lane Designs, I am offering one lucky reader their choice of any single bracelet or necklace from my shop! Here are some of my current handmade creations you can choose from:

Woven Chain & Chevron Combo Friendship Bracelet

Silver Tone Charm Necklace

Braided Stitch Friendship Bracelet

How to Enter:

This giveaway ends Wednesday, August 10th at 11:59pm CST.  Open to all followers (international).

*Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

Mandatory Entry- Publicly follow Haute Lunch via Google Friend Connect (see sidebar to follow) and visit my Etsy Shop, Tara Lane Designs. Leave a comment telling me which item you would choose if you won.

Additional Entries-

• Follow Haute Lunch on Twitter and  tweet the following: "Enter to win your choice of handmade jewelry by Tara Lane Designs via @haute_lunch! http://bit.ly/pY7KPd #etsy #giveaway! " - leave a link to your tweet in your comment (1 entry).
• Add Tara Lane Designs to your "Favorite Shops" on Etsy and leave a comment telling me you did so along with your Etsy user name (1 entry).
• Like Haute Lunch on Facebook and leave your user name in your comment (1 entry).

Rules: Only one of each entry method listed per person/family/household. No entering on behalf of others, using extra identities or others identities, no automated program entries, etc. This giveaway is only open internationally, ages 18+. All entries must be received by 11:59 pm Central Time on Wednesday, August 10, 2011. Winning entry will be chosen using random.org and winner will be contacted via email.  Winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize. If no response, a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

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New Etsy Shop Now Open

Hello Lovelies! I'm so excited to announce that my Etsy shop, Tara Lane Designs, is now open for business! Currently, there are several bracelets and one necklace available, but I will be adding items regularly. Also, I am taking custom requests, so if you see something you like, but want to have it made using different colors, etc, just send me a message on Etsy or email me (hautelunchinfo@gmail.com) and I can create and reserve your one-of-a-kind piece! Here are a few of the items currently for sale in my shop:

Woven Coral & Purple Curb Link Bracelet

Multicolored Wrapped Bangle Bracelet

Embellished Chevron Friendship Bracelet

Also, as a thank you to all my fabulous followers, I am offering a 10% off through July! Just enter the code HAUTELUNCHJULY at checkout! Thanks for all your support! I hope you enjoy my creations!

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Beer, Brawn, & Bracelets

Hello Gorgeous! Perhaps you've been wondering where I've gone to this time. Lucky for me, I was spending some quality time with my family in Indiana! I had a great time with them, and the weather was fabulous (though the heat wave kicked in on Tuesday morning). I spent a couple mornings lounging by the pool and swimming, but I also was able to attend one of my favorite non-Chicago festivals of the year- Oldenburg's Freudenfest! Unfortunately I had to go without my beer loving fiance this year, but I still had a blast with my parents! We tasted lots of different beers, ate some delicious German food, and played some fun "drinking" games!


Although many of you know that I'm a nerd, I bet you didn't know that I'm also pretty buff (sort of). In fact, my dad and I kicked some serious butt at the beer stein holding competition. Though I ended up getting surpassed later in the day, I love this photo of my dad and I holding down the top spots!

I realize my dad and I aren't sporting the most fashionable looks ever seen on Haute Lunch, but it was hot, and we were outside all day drinking lots of beer.

And here's a shot of me setting the temporary women's record!

Cool as a cucumber...the boys were impressed! I also didn't spill a drop (because if I did, I would have been disqualified). ;)

I also did a little shopping with my mom while I was in Indiana and found some great deals! Elder-Beerman (which I believe is only in a handful of states since the Macy's monopoly began) had some great sales, and I ended up with some new Jezebel panties, a Wonderbra, and a cute Fossil scarf for just $20 total! I also did some shopping for jewelry making supplies. That's right, I've become a real (jewelry) DIY Diva! I've mostly been making bracelets, but I've also been trying my hand at earrings and necklaces! Here are some of my recent creations:

Over the last week or so I've been working to create my own Etsy shop! Hopefully it will be ready to go in the next couple days, but until then I'd love to hear any suggestions you have regarding the name, items to sell, etc! I hope you all have had an excellent week so far!

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