Belle Pearl {Review & Coupon Code}

What are the most popular gifts given for Mother's Day? Flowers and jewelry, right? And even though flowers are a very thoughtful and beautiful gesture, they don't last nearly as long as the gorgeous jewelry, which can be worn and treasured forever. There's just something about a piece of jewelry, particularly an item that is so very classic, that can make a woman feel like a princess every time she puts it on.

For me, that item arrived in the form of the amazing Eden Pearl Stud Earrings from Belle Pearl.


I had to work to keep my heart from pounding out of my chest while untying the perfect ribbon that came around the signature Belle Pearl pink box. And when I saw the 7mm AAA grade genuine freshwater pearl stud earrings neatly waiting inside, there wasn't much more that I could do but stand there and stare.

After running my fingers over the silky smooth pearls for a while, I finally broke out of the trance and had to try them on. Reaching behind to see the high quality sterling silver backs, I was happy to see that Belle Pearl had also added plastic security backings that I have previously had to purchase separately for my earrings. The feeling of reaching up and finding an earring missing is one that I definitely don't want to have again.


Just putting on the Eden Stud Pearl Earrings made me feel both beautiful and special. They're large enough to be noticed but not too big or flashy that I wouldn't want to wear them all the time. Whether completing the look with a black dress or adding fashionable style to a sweater and jeans, these pearl earrings are absolutely classic and striking.

Initially offering only freshwater pearls, Belle Pearl has expanded to now include semi-precious stones in their beautiful collection of jewelry for all ages. From adorable items for Baby & Children to stunning Bridal pieces (can I pull off wearing the Victoria Tiara to story time at the library?) to Awareness Jewelry for a good cause, Belle Pearl's products are handmade with attention to both quality and detail.

A unique gift item, Belle Pearl's personalized Name Bracelets for children or adults would be sure to grab the attention of Mom this Mother's Day or for an upcoming birthday or baby shower. Available in a variety of colors and styles of pearls, gemstones and silver, you are able to select not only the name(s) but an added charm, the colors and the right size to create a one-of-a-kind item that is safe for all ages.

For genuine freshwater pearls and gemstones (no imitations here), Belle Pearl jewelry does a wonderful job of complementing a woman's beauty without being overpowering. No matter if you are shopping for elegance, sophistication or charm, their pieces are timeless and will be treasured for years (and generations) to come.

Be sure to connect with Belle Pearl on their blog, Twitter and Facebook for all of the latest news and announcements. Plus, for a great deal, enter the coupon code mailcarrier15 at checkout to receive a 15% discount on your purchase through May 31, 2010!

Thanks, Belle Pearl, for allowing the lucky recipients of your jewelry to feel beautiful and stylish (me included) and for taking the time to handcraft such wonderful items. And, for making me feel special on a daily basis just by coming down the block, thanks, Mail Carrier.

(Other than the Eden Stud Pearl Earrings that I was sent from Belle Pearl, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of this company and their gorgeous products.)

Summer Stars and the Pepsi Refresh Project

Have you heard about the Pepsi Refresh Project? Giving people a chance to help change the world, Pepsi encouraged anyone and everyone to submit their ideas for various categories (such as health & fitness, education and the planet) and have the public vote for their favorites to help make them a reality. The ideas with the most votes will receive a Pepsi Refresh grant to help make them happen, which would benefit communities all over the nation.

The voting for this month's ideas ends April 30, so there is still time to head over and do your part to help fund some of the wonderful dreams that are in the competition, particularly those to send 250 underprivileged kids to the nation's leading performing arts camp, Summer Stars.


One of the largest non-profit summer programs in the country, Summer Stars works each year to send hundreds of urban youth to a free, ten-day performing arts and music education excursion. The program, which is completely free to campers, relies entirely on donations for funding and would be helped out greatly by winning a grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project.

Founded in 1999 as the Britney Spears Camp for the Performing Arts, and later the American Idol Camp, Summer Stars was renamed in 2006 as the leading non-profit summer arts program in the country. Now in their 11th year of bringing art, music and nature to children who need it most, it's the perfect time for all of us to get involved and join their cause.


To learn more about the great program at Summer Stars, visit their website and then go to Refresh Everything every 24 hours to cast a new vote each day! Together with Pepsi, we can help children learn about performance, themselves and to succeed - and that's definitely a good idea.

More Winners!

Did the Pillow Pet theme song stuck get stuck in your head recently? Sorry! These cute plush pals really are fun for all ages and my girls have been hugging, resting and playing with Puffy Duck since it arrived and loving it just as much as much as when he first came out of the box. The lucky person who will get to bring home an adorable friend for their child this spring is...

Congratulations, LeeAnn!

I can honestly say that I haven't touched any of the other water bottles in my house since I started using my KOR ONE Hydration Vessel. I love knowing it is completely leak-proof and have even tossed it into a bag with my phone and camera for a walk to the park and not worried that any water was going to ruin my electronics. Plus, the water just seems to taste better! The lucky person who will get to stay hydrated in style is...

Congratulations, Elena!

Cooking has definitely been a little more fun around here with my cute apron from Flirty Aprons. Now if it could just come with a personal chef, that would make things even better. The lucky person who will be fashionable in the kitchen is...

Congratulaions, Sarah-Paige Copeland!

I love getting cards in the mail, who doesn't? And with Hallmark's Kids Collection, they have made it even easier to surprise kids of all ages with a fun card or gift to show that you care... I think quite a few of them would work for adults as well! The lucky person who will receive a selection of these fun cards to show their love is...

Congratulations, Rachel C!

Thank you to everyone who entered these great giveaways!

$100 shopping spree from beso.com {Review & Giveaway} Choose from thousands of items from your favorite sites all across the internet!

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

I'll admit that I have a love-hate relationship with online shopping.

On the one hand, the options are endless and the savings can be huge, especially with free shipping. A few clicks and your purchases show up right at your door, what could be better? On the other hand, however, those endless options can start to be overwhelming, at least for me. Do I really have to click back and forth between multiple sites searching for the best deal?

Or, when I decide to shop online for a particular item, such as a new pair of jeans, a cute top or amazing items for my home, I'd like to be able to see the options at my favorite sites all together. That way what capris are available at, for instance, BananaRepublic.com, Gap.com and JCrew.com could all be viewed at once. Or, even, better, the variety of drool-worthy kitchen mixers could all be seen together to increase my dreams of becoming an expert in the kitchen. Convenient? Definitely. And it exists at the hot online shopping destination called beso.

This is only a small selection of the pages and pages of wonderful options that beso compiled from all across the internet.

If you're never heard of beso (pronounced bee-soh), you're missing out on a search engine that compiles the best of the best from across the internet and brings it all together in one place customized just for you. Narrow down the selections by Women, Men, Home, Jewelry or Beauty and then by item, brand, store and more. The result is a website personalized exactly to suit your shopping needs - what a novelty!

If a gorgeous stand mixer isn't your thing for this spring, maybe you're in the market for a great new pair of shoes?

I probably don't need new shoes, but there are just so many stylish options - beso has almost 600,000 women's shoes to browse through!

Whether you are looking for fashion, function or just looking for a great sale, beso has made online shopping a customizable experience. Search for what you want the way that you want it without the hassle while saving both time and money. Who can pass up a great deal?

If that's not enough, thanks to the generosity of beso, one person will get to stock up on their essentials for spring with a fantastic shopping spree, because...

One lucky person will win a $100 gift certificate to the online store of their choice from beso.com!

To enter to win: Visit beso.com, browse their amazing selection and tell me your favorite item. You MUST also leave the BESO link (from beso, not the actual store) in your comment.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you tell me which online store you think you would like your gift certificate to be for if you win. From Amazon to Zappos, there are a TON of choices!
1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow beso on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, subscribe to the RSS feed of the beso blog and/or enter the beso.com $250 weekly sweeps (in your comment provide the nickname you used when entering).
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

$100 GIFT CARD to your favorite online site! Amazon? Gap? Target? @beso lets YOU decide @thxmailcarrier! http://bit.ly/bLKqVt #win #giveaway

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect (see sidebar), subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and beso.com (please use that particular link for beso). Please leave an address where it can be found.


Giveaway will end on May 6th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.

A huge thank you to beso.com for providing a gift certificate to use for review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.