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.

I have these fantasies every year about making my daughters’ Halloween costumes myself. But between work and home obligations (and watching Project Runway) it never quite happens. Next thing you know it’s October 30, and I’m picking through the pathetic remnants at the local costume store, trying to decide if it’s worse to make my three year-old a sexy cheerleader to just stick her in a sheet and call her a ghost.

And yes, they really do have sexy costumes for little girls. I’ll spare you a link.

Perhaps you too want to resist the quick ‘n easy appeal of store-bought pvc masks and shoddy quality vinyl capes but also find yourself pressed for time (or, um, skills). If so, it’s easier than ever to find the accessories you’re looking for online. Just a quick poke around some of Cool Mom Picks’ favorite haunts on the web, yielded the following beautiful items.