Upcycling those Vintage Bottle Caps

So you want to save the earth, you want a great piece of jewelry and you don't want children mining for diamonds or gold. You have to check out these unique vintage necklaces, bracelets and earrings designed by Esther Cohen-Eskin. Cohen-Eskin is a Haverford artist who creates and designs one of a kind bottle-cap jewelry.She has worked as an artist in residence at various schools in the Delaware Valley teaching students to create mosaic murals using found objects, glass, tiles, stones and pebbles.   

A trained glassblower for sixteen years she became a full time personal trainer and runs a boot camp class  in the wee hours of the morning.  Cohen-Eskin creates her own jewelry out of vintage bottle caps and pieces of discarded jewelry she finds.

" I start with vintage bottle caps to create mini treasures. Vintage caps conjure up emotions in people of all ages. From Hires Root Beer to Moxie soda, everyone shares their memories. At first, people are drawn to the intricate worlds inside the caps. They are equally excited when they turn the pieces over to find a blast from their pasts on the backs," writes Cohen-Eskin describing her pieces on her website Creations by Esther.com

"Each item has a history. Starting as an antique piece of jewelry that no longer gets worn, an earring missing it’s mate, or a cherished trinket long forgotten, these parts get put together to become a brand new piece.

Combining my love of found objects and desire to create, this new medium quickly became the perfect match. When I sit down to make these small treasures, time suddenly has no relevance. Hours can go by and my attention never wavers. To me, making these pieces is more of a meditation than work."

Cohen-Eskin will be at the Clover Market at E. Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore on June 3. If you can't make it check out her website, you'll definitely find something love and saving the planet too. CreationsbyEsther.com

Prom beauties wear lots of color

It's that time again when seniors at high schools are graduating but before graduation there is Prom Night.  Monsignor Bonner's prom proved that basic black is not the only color to wear on a special date. Check out these beauties from Delco.

Colors in all shades were worn and in all shapes: some gowns flowed, some were form fitting, and some had a mermaid effect or were made of tulle showing of the grace of a ballerina. The steps of  Archbishop Prendergast took on a red carpet feel.

Joanna Saunder was ready to dance wearing her trusty sneaks with her sequin trimmed gown all smiles ready for the night to begin.

Marc Voci brings makeovers to moms too

Surprised with a knock on her door, Dianne Gray-Quinn was greeted by the Style My Mom Makeover Team and swept away to a day of pampering for a special mom. The fourth grade students at St. Madeline School in Ridley wrote an essay on why their mom deserves a free makeover for Mother’s Day. Fourth grade teacher Ms. Carmichael, Father Louis Bellopede and Voci judged the entries. The winner was ten year old, Emily Quinn. She wrote about her mom Dianne Gray-Quinn.


The Style My Mom Makeover included haircut, color, and an image consultation. The lucky mom was chauffeured to the Marc Voci Color Bar Salon where she was made over with television cameras and photographers awaiting the outcome making her feel like a celebrity as her new look emerged. Her makeup was done by Emmy winner makeup artist, Jim DeMarco as Voci styled her hair.

Marc Voci, creator of The Style Me Hired Makeover Show just added a new twist to his creation; Style My Mom Makeover. His team at The Style Me Hired Makeover Show teamed up with St. Madeline School to give one lucky mom a makeover.

“Moms work hard caring for their children and we wanted to do something special for them this year, so we came up with Style My Mom Makeover,” said Voci.

When the makeover was complete, Emily greeted her mom with a big smile and a bouquet of flowers. Emily read her essay to her mom and presented her with a bouquet of flowers. Mom and daughter both were in tears as they hugged each other tight. Little sister Alison, age 7 and her cousin Jessica Drass was there too. Drass from Springfield turned 21 on Mother’s Day and was just as excited as Gray-Quinn’s daughters with her aunt’s new look.

Here is the winning essay written by Emily Quinn about her mom:

My mom deserves a makeover because she works like a slave. I like to do activities so she drives me to girl scouts, dance, swimming practice; and much much more. After school my sister and I need to study so she helps us study and do homework. Also she works 2 jobs. She is a full time mom, she works night shift as a nurse and a part time baking job. I feel bad for her because she doesn’t get enough sleep so it is very hard to do daytime things. The only daytime thing that isn’t hard for her is to love me.

My mom pays taxes, bills and my education. My mother never gets enough time to talk to my dad. She does lunch mom for my sister and fixes most of the problems in the house. She tells me to do all my homework in advance, makes sure I have all my homework done and makes sure we have all our clothes for the next day folded neatly on the beds.


I usually cry over small things. My mother tells me not to cry over small things, loves me, comforts me and does the laundry. I would like to win this because she is super beautiful on the inside, so I want her to be just as beautiful on the outside (even though she is already beautiful on the outside.) She is the best mom ever!

Voci and his team at The Style Me Hired Makeover Show have been giving away free makeovers for years to women who are unemployed and seeking employment.

“It’s such a great experience giving back to the community.” “I have seen firsthand how a makeover can restore a woman’s self-esteem, ”said Voci

Voci and his makeover show are gearing up for two big shows; the first in Philadelphia on September 24th at the Omni Hotel and the second in New York. Voci’s future plans are to spread his makeover magic by going across America, city to city, and change lives one makeover at a time. Women who are currently unemployed and actively seeking employment can apply to win a Style Me Hired Makeover at http://www.stylemehired.com/

Lansdowne designer shows off romantic collection

Cari Brezina

Cari Brezina is a young fashion designer out of  Lansdowne PA. A graduate of Moore College of Art Brezina teaches classes at Lansdowne ArtSpace and also had a preview showing of her fashions at the famous Sycamore Tree in Lansdowne this April. Her collections are called Secret Bohemia and you can find her fashions and contact her through her website secretbohemia.com.

  Brezina designs imaginative clothing for kids. She  uses pastels. Her fabrics are sheer  and flowing creating a feeling of freedom and romanticism.

"This is kids clothing that can be worn for a long time with adjustable straps. It can fit  an eight year old or a  49 year old. I like color layering. The dresses have a fairy feeling. You  can twirl in these dresses. Girls  feel like they are floating .My parents are engineers so I am influenced by geometric shapes like triangles and interesting cuts," says Brezina."

 Secret Bohemia clothing is available at the U.S. Designer’s Co-op, located at 323 Arch Street in Philadelphia. You can contact Cari Brezina by e- mail at caribrezina@gmail.com

Put on Some Fun with Glory B Hats

It’s time for hats. Easter is the time to wear your bonnet. But don’t put those hats away the Devon Horse Show is coming, the Radnor Hunt and those Kentucky Derby parties. If you are ecologically correct. Beauty Art Gallery in Newtown Square has just the hat for you.

All hats are original designs by Jennie Hart Robinson, an artist from Georgia who started creating hats at the age of 14. She followed her calling as a milliner and now has a hat business called Glory B Hats. Her hats are made from recycled paper but wait before you turn up your nose, they are so cool. Inspired by nature, they can fit anyone because you can mold them to your head. Robinson’s motto is put on some fun and fun they are.

If you aren’t really a hat person, you can get a whimsie. What is a whimsie? Whimisies are decorated hats but instead the look is attached to a headband. Whimsies give you the feeling of freedom but still give you the feeling of being a lady. Some whimisies are great for future brides going to a bachelor party and are awesome looking for any event.

Princess Beatrice and the Royal family eat your heart out. American women have hats to die for and are saving the earth too.

Gallery owner, Paula Jackson found these hats at an Art show and fell in love with them.

“These are perfect for folks out here. I think they are great for garden parties, bridal showers and equestrian events too. It’s an affordable way to have a unique hat and feel like a princess or a queen. They are so whimsical,” said Jackson. 

Check out the hats and whimises at Beauty Art Gallery at 3857 Providence Rd. in Newtown Square,PA  19073 http://www.beautyartgallery.net/. Keep Styling in Delco!

Greening of Fashion

It's April so its time think about the earth, our earth.  How does fashion impact the earth? How does what you buy, wear, and throw out make a difference in the world? Does that cotton shirt you wear exploit children?

So I picked up a book called Green is the New Black by Tamsin Blanchard who gives us 

a fashionista's bible to follow by being ethical and still glamorous. Her book shows us how to change the world and still be styling. 

I am going to throw out some ideas from her book. Each week we'll explore one of her ideas, give suggestions on how to change. So before you huff and puff and blow me away, think for a minute about global warming and the effect it is having on the planet and polar bears.  Everyone of us has a responsibility to planet Earth.

Shop ethically, buy and wear second hand clothes. Recreate what you have, learn to knit, Recycle, shop and sell. There are sites where you can find what you are looking for and be ethically responsible to the people of the world.   See you here next week for a lesson the the greening of fashion. Keep Styling in Delco.

Spring fashion is a menegerie of color

Spring is here, even though in Delco it feels like summer. But weather permitting or even not permitting, you always want to be styling.

So here it goes. Color and more color. Color is so intense that it could be an artist’s palate and then so neutral that it blends with everything. Beige and white are all the rage. Pastels have come into their own in mint green, powder blue and bubblegum pink.

. Navy is the new black. That black leather motorcycle jacket has a whole new feel in colors like yellow, blue and red. Jeans take on color too in reds, blues, oranges and yellows.

Think bright flowered prints with the palate of van Gogh’s yellow sunflowers and the blues in Monet’s Water Lilies.

Orange breaks through on its own from apricot to tangerine in shoes, watches, skirts, pants, dresses and necklaces. The sixties look inspired by Mad Men is bringing back that romantic looks of lace patterns dresses. If you want a more Mod look, try a geometric dress and don’t forget those Jackie O sunglasses. If you were around during the sixties you remember the nautical look, navy and stripped tops. The look is back.

Speaking of accessories; army watches are trendy, so are poppy colored totes and Sperry rose print boat shoes. These little beauties are definitely not your father’s boat shoe. Earrings are geometric and classically structured. Colored chunky clunky necklaces and bracelets will set off that outfit. Let’s not forget wedged shoes or platform soles to complete your look. Wear more edgy shoes with those pastel romantic look.  Keep Styling in Delco.