The MomSpeak

When it comes to a mom wardrobe, accessories can definitely take your mom uniform from drab to fab in a pair of great earrings or the perfect ring.  But with the economy on shaky ground and the holidays around the corner, most of us aren’t dropping cash on things for ourselves. And we are, we’ve probably only got a few bucks to spare and that generally means something and your local mall and most certainly not handmade.

Of course, when you hear the words “handmade jewelry,” you might imagine either a noodle necklace your preschooler created at school, or a gorgeous artisan piece that will probably cost you an arm and a leg. But thanks to Etsy, a veritable online craft fair that allows anyone with internet access to thousands of artisans and their wares, handmade jewelry can be whatever you want it to be, and in this case, it’s stylish, affordable handcrafted pieces that can help make or break your wardrobe this Fall without you having to spend money on mass produced jewelry that everyone else might have.

If you’re not familiar with Etsy, then you might find yourself completely addicted and perhaps a bit overwhelmed. However, the search categories, along with their frequently updated gift guide and main page features, make finding cool items a bit easier. The key is to visit often, save your favorites, and remember that the items are handmade, so there might be some discrepancies or minor irregularities that just make it unique. But being able to support an artisan, crafter, and/or small business owner all while decking yourself out on a budget is a fantastic reason to click around and shop.

Necklaces

A great necklace can move the attention away from your post partum waist line and take a plain old shirt to another level. This handmade vintage glass beaded necklace ($22) from Heather Berry is a great addition to your jewelry box. And you’ll probably get complimented on your necklace (and maybe not your cute baby for once) in this kiln fired art glass piece from Wild Flwr Design Studio ($20).

Rings

With my penchant for losing everything, I rarely wear anything but costume rings. What’s great, like this pink vintage ring ($8) from Mom-o-Matic’s Automat is that it’s fun, simple, and won’t kill you if you happen to leave it somewhere. On the kitchier side end, Cookoorikoos’ vintage flower rings, like this bright pink one ($16), might be more difficult to pull off. But paired with a simple tee and a pair of jeans, it can make a great statement.

Earrings

If your baby is past the earring grabbing stage, then start adding to your collection. They’re a great way to dress up a pony tail (aka the mom-do) and bring the attention back up to your face, like these great wooden filigree earrings ($10) from Sharma Designs. These brass and red pod earrings ($15.50) will let you be festive without having to wear anything with flashing lights. We love these dainty crystal and lucite flower pieces ($16) from Jenny’s Jewels are great for anytime of year.

What are your etsy jewelry finds?