T&T Compacts off to Cracker Barrel

Phew! This was a big job to do, but it’s finally done and out the door!

We just made about 13,000 pieces ALL BY HAND HERE IN CONNECTICUT. These are our gorgeous compact mirrors for our college line of gifts and accessories. They are available exclusively through Cracker Barrel for 35 colleges! We added each logo insert (also made here in the US) to a high quality, stainless steel plated compact with two mirrors, along with their appropriate holographic logos of authenticity and sku numbers. The compacts are 2 1/2″ in diameter, and they look so great! Now they’re on the truck and off to your local Cracker Barrel store for this year’s tailgating season!

It pretty much took a village to do all this work in the USA instead of overseas, but one of our goals this year is to do more work locally. In addition to our regular staff we brought in our sister, friends, spouses, our sons and daughters and even their dates! Even Jen’s new baby, Sawyer, came in to look on. She’s only 8 weeks old and she’s so cute!

So be sure to check these out at Cracker Barrel this fall!

College Jewelry Sale

Do you love your school?
Maybe you’re the proud parent of someone who’s off to college this fall?
T&T has the jewelry for you! Show off your college spirit with our gorgeous jewelry – and right now you can save yourself some money.

We’re offering a 40% discount on select colleges and universities we carry.

Just go to our website and shop our line of collegiate necklaces, bracelets, earrings anklets and accessories. Then use the code –  college  – to receive your discount. Works for both our wholesale and retail sites. For retail, we can even ship to multiple addresses AND gift wrap your items!

T & T loves Harry’s Place, a family tradition

If you are from Connecticut especially the area off of Route 2 you probably have visited or at least heard of Harry’s Place.  this is another of  T & T Designs favorite places. Located in Colchester at 104 Broadway (this runs right into Main St),  it has some of the best burgers you will ever taste.  Many of us locals have an emotional attachment to Harry’s because most of us grew up eating at Harry’s.  It was where you went to kick off the warm weather finely arriving after our long winters and it was a rite of passage as a teenager when you stopped at Harry’s sunburned and sandy on the way home from the beach with your friends for the first time.  Harry’s is where your parent’s brought you for a summer treat and where you then bring your children and then your grandchildren.   Waiting in line to order and get your burger, you are sure to run into someone you know or make a new friend while the smell of the burgers travels through the air.

Ice cream, milk shakes, hot dogs with chili, fries and many more treats are available at Harry’s but of course it is the burger they are famous for.  Harry’s is open for the season, and so I promise this means that Spring is here and the warm weather is coming!  So you will definitely find the T & T Designs staff at Harry’s Place, we will be there when we are not busy designing our new angel jewelry and college jewelry for the summer collections.  Eating a burger on a warm spring night can be so inspiring – hmmm think tailgating, summer themed jewelry, guardian angel jewelry, college jewelry…..

Good Karma at T & T, what goes around comes around…

What is Karma?

We all have heard the expression “Good Karma”, so what is it and how do we get it.  I know that I sure could use some Good Karma.  Don’t forget though it works both ways, there is “Bad Karma” too!

 Simplified, karma is a process of cause and effect. Each of our deeds and actions has consequences and as a result of these your fate or destiny is determined by your actions good or bad.  Your karma is being created all the time with every thought & action.  So basically what goes around comes around!

 Here are 20 Ways to get Good Karma by the Dalai Lama:

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R’s:
   – Respect for self,
   – Respect for others and
   – Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and
    think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
20. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

We do believe in Karma at T & T Designs so giving back to our community near and far is an important part of our business. In addition we have created a line of jewelry called “Good Energy” necklaces and bracelets which come in many inspiring themes. One of my favorite themes is Good Karma, the necklace comes with a Buddha charm, a peace sign and a Czech glass bead accent. Available  in both silver plate and gold plate.  I have the silver one and wear it all the time.  Listen I can use all of the Good Karma I can get and wearing this makes me feel good! So why not send someone some Good Karma! You can find both the necklaces and Good Karma bracelet by T&T Designs on line at: www.TandTdesignsllc.com.  Both of these products are Made in America, here in our factory by our own little hands!

At T & T Designs we are so ready for March Madness….

A sure sign of the approach of spring is March Madness, and it can’t come soon enough! Here at               T & T Designs we are so sick of the snow & cold. So with the beginning of Spring upon us and the start of the March Madness games it is time to get out all your team t-shirts, college jewelry, accessories, sweatshirts, hats and get ready to pile it all on to support your favorite team. 

Did you know that it is the 75^th anniversary of March Madness, and what better way to celebrate this anniversary then to have some friends over to watch the games, create your brackets and cheer on your favorite teams.  The NCAA website is perfect to get the low down on the upcoming games, find out about players, and check the schedules.  Also a great site is Madness of March, lots of good information and you can download & print the brackets form so you can fill yours out.  You can find it here:  http://www.madnessofmarch.com/bracket  Good Luck!

March Madness Schedule 2013 

First Four – Mar 19^th – Mar 20^th

Second Round – Mar 21^st – Mar 22^nd

Third Round – Mar 23^rd – Mar 24^th

Sweet 16 Mar 28^th – Mar 29^th

Elite 8 – Mar 30^th – Mar 31^st

Final Four – Apr 6^th

National Championship – Apr 8^th

Here at T & T Designs we will be filling out our brackets and cheering on our favorite teams.  If you need some team accessories & college jewelry to wear for the games and to support your team you can find it on our website: www.TandTdesignsllc.com.  Send a friend one of our Good Luck or Guardian Angel College Pocket Tokens with their team logo – great gift for the men in your life!

The Angel Lady is at it again – NEW Trinity of Angels designs

Trinity of Angels Bracelets

Patricia Victoria, The Angel Lady, as we all know her is at it again.  Adding new updated designs to her iconic Trinity of Angels collection.  We love all 4 of the new designs which consist of 2 bracelets and 2 necklaces.  For those of you that are not familiar with the Trinity of Angels collection, it is one of our best-selling inspirational designs.  The Trinity keepsake box is sterling silver  or gold-plated with amazing detail on each and every side, the 3 Trinity angels are engraved on the front.  Each trinity keepsake box charm opens to reveal 3 removable angels.  The angels are fully engraved with detailing down to the feathers on their wings, the 3 removable angels are the Angels of Protection, Peace & Promise.  It is like the  worry dolls and a prayer box in one!  You can tell the angels your problems or a prayer.  A unique, beautiful and inspirational piece of jewelry. 

 

Trinity of Angels
NEW necklaces

Trinity Keepsake Box with 3 Removable Angels

 The new bracelets both have pearls in them.  One has a vintage look with cream colored glass pearls, 3 strands with our larger size Trinity charm.  The other we call Silver & Pearls Trinity of Angels bracelet, it has 2 strands of silver Czech glass beads and 1 strand of our white glass pearls along with our smaller Trinity charm.  The new Trinity necklaces are 36″ long, these are great because you can wear them long or double them and wear short.  They come in either silver Czech glass beads or gold Czech glass beads and the smaller Trinity charm.  Love these new designs, they all are great for layering with you other pieces of jewelry.  They are all hand strung and assembled here in our factory. You can see the new designs on our  T & T Designs LLC website.

White, White and more White – Blizzard of 2013

Is it just me or is everyone else sick of the color white! At least everyone that got 2, 3 and 4 feet of snow dumped on them in 24 hours from the 2013 Blizzard called winter storm Nemo, and in Connecticut it is called Blizzard Charlotte.  I shoveled for 3 days and have discovered sore muscles I never even knew existed. Usually when I think of white I am thinking of summer, when I am looking forward to wearing white again.  I know that wearing white isn’t just for warm weather anymore but really it is not the same wearing white in the winter.  Wearing a white tank top, white summer dress, white jeans or a pretty white sandal!  BUT, after shoveling so much “white stuff” – I don’t want to see white again for a while!  I can’t wait for warm weather but instead of wearing white I think I will be wearing aqua blue, coral or a pretty shade of pink; at least until I can get the image of all that white stuff out of my mind.

So think warm weather, palm trees, the beach, starfish and mermaids – picture yourself sipping a tropical drink on the beach!  It is a short escape but it helps. Put on one of T & T Designs beach or tropical themed “I Wish…” wishing bracelets as a reminder that the “white stuff” will melt and warmer days are ahead! Send one to a friend to warm up their day, or one to Mom for Mother’s Day.  Use T & T Designs gift wrap option for $3.00 which comes with a gift card and colorful decorated gift envelope. It is a great way to brighten someone special’s day.

Did you ever wonder how Valentine’s Day got started?

Valentine card by
T & T Designs LLC reproduced from antique card.

 

Originally known as Saint Valentine’s Day which began as a celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. Still celebrated has an official feast day in many of the churches the holiday that we celebrate is believed to have stemmed from the story of Saint Valentine who was imprisoned for ministering to Christians who were prosecuted by the Romans, and also for performing weddings for soldiers.  These soldiers were forbidden to marry.  During St. Valentine’s imprisonment the legend goes that he healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius, and before his execution as a farewell to her he wrote, “From your Valentine”.

During the High Middle Ages was when it was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer, during which time the tradition of “courtly love” flourished.  Geoffrey Chaucer was one of the great English poets also known as the Father of English literature. During the 15^th century it evolved into a time when lovers expressed their love for each other through gifts of handwritten cards, flowers and confections.  Not unlike the same gifts that are still presented today to one’s Valentine. Although jewelry is now a favorite gift to receive on Valentine’s Day in addition to the cards, flowers and candy! 

You can find our reproduction of antique valentines from our extensive ephemera collection on our T & T Designs LLC website.  Send your Valentine a card done in the tradition of the beautiful old cards; ours comes with a tiny Guardian Angel pin to watch over your loved one. Click here: http://tandtdesignsllc.com/guardian-angel-card-heart-design/ Keeping in line with today’s traditions you can also include a piece of our Heart jewelry, also by T & T Designs, which is a perfect way to say “I Love you”!

For further information on the start of Valentine’s Day check out Wikipedia.

Valentine card by
T & T Designs LLC reproduced from antique card.

Valentines and Guardian Angels

Guardian Angel Pins are the perfect little item that you can wear anywhere.  Although they can be worn any season, Valentine’s is one of the times when we think of our loved ones and what we wish for them – strength, guidance, hope, faith and support. Our little angel pin that has meant so much to so many over the years and is small enough to be inconspicuous. Now is time to order for that special someone.

It is easy to donate to Toys for Tots…

The Holiday is fast approaching, and sometimes it is easy to forget in all the chaos that there are so many children out there that may go without a toy under the tree for Christmas.  Toys for Tots makes it so easy for us to help prevent this from happening. Just purchase a toy, no need to wrap it and locate a drop off point.  There are many locations, and I am sure there is one near you!  This photo is from Monaco Ford in Glastonbury on New London Turnpike, they are a drop off for Toys for Tots, they are collecting toys in the back of a pick-up truck in their showroom.  So if you are in town stop by and drop off a toy!  If you are not from the area you can go to the Toys for Tots website, you can search by state, town and zip code: www.toysfortots.org  Another option is you can make a donation on-line! 

Be a Guardian Angel, and add a smile to a child’s face for Christmas by dropping off a toy, or two or three at a location near you!  At T&T Designs we like to do what we can to give back so we will be dropping off some toys ourselves!  Everyone can be a Guardian Angel to someone this Holiday season, donate a toy, food to the food bank or your time at a shelter! If you know someone that has been a Guardian Angel send them a Guardian Angel to let them know you appreciate it, you can find many designs on our website at:  www.TandTdesignsllc.com