Over the Kitchen Counter: Angie's Place for Cooking and Crafts

My Pandora ME Collection & How I Organize It All!

The latest release of new Pandora ME jewelry really got me back into this line. In the video above, I share my entire collection, from the very first bracelets and charms to the brand new 14K Gold-plated Link Chain Bracelet. The STACKERS jewelry box system works perfectly to organize and protect all the styling links, dangles, medallions, and other design accents available for this versatile and customizable Pandora ME range.

PANDORA BRACELET Asia Design

I was inspired to make a Pandora Asia bracelet design because of the new Mahjong Dangle Charm. This gorgeous charm is a symbol of good fortune and includes the Chinese character for "get rich" in hand applied red enamel with a sparkling stone on the front. There is a thick layer of transparent red enamel on the back overtop the Pandora crown logo. I can't decide which side I love best! The bale is a pavé of clear cubic zirconia and it really sparkles on the bracelet! Here is my video showing all the other charms I picked to style this Pandora Barrel Clasp bracelet, including two fantastic OHM Beads from the Chinese New Year Collection.

Pandora Moments Heart T-Bar Snake Chain Bracelet & Beaded Pavé Stack

I love my Pandora Moments T-Bar Snake Chain Bracelet so much and knew I had to have the Heart version as well. These are both hand-finished in sterling silver and feature that pretty T-bar closure; such a fun update to the traditional Pandora clasp.

The original T-Bar features the clever double circle closure which makes sure the bracelet is safe and secure on the wrist. It has non-threaded ends, the snake chain pattern on the main part of the bracelet, and clip stations. It can hold up to 15-20 Pandora Moments charms and dangles.

The Heart T-Bar features that shiny heart disc with an open circle where the T-bar is fed through to keep the bracelet securely fastened. One side of the heart includes the Pandora name and the reverse polished side can be engraved. There are no clip stations on this smooth style bracelet and even though they are both the same size, the chain links are slightly longer on the Heart T-Bar. It is recommended to style this bracelet with 10-13 charms.

It's always fun to style new bracelets and I love pairing these two special T-bar designs with the Beaded Pavé bracelet. It is a perfect, sweet addition to the stack, so delicate with the little silver beads and that fantastic, sparkly centre ball. I added only 2 charms to this design: the Open Centre Pandora Crown O Pendant (which I permanently keep on the Pavé bracelet), and the Disney Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse Happily Ever After Dangle Charm. This simple styling is atypical for me since I usually fill up snake chain real estate with charms but for this look, I love it! Ideal for the warmer weather ahead - light and delicate.

The following affilate links will take you to each item shown if you want more information or to go shopping! Let me know if you have the T-Bar Pandora bracelets and if so, do you love them as much as I do?

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The following affiliate links are for each item mentioned.  I get commission for any clicks made through links in this post at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Over the Kitchen Counter.

Pandora Beads & Pavé Bracelet

Pandora Moments Heart T-Bar Snake Chain Bracelet

Pandora Moments T-Bar Snake Chain Bracelet

Open Centre Pandora Crown O Pendant

Disney Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse Happily Ever After Dangle Charm

The New Pandora Jewellery Care Kit Review!

I have enjoyed using the Pandora Care Kit currently available in Canada. It contains a clasp opener, a brush, two polishing cloths, two pouches and a care guide. Not everyone bothers to read how to look after their Pandora jewelry but it is really, really critical in order to keep it looking shiny and untarnished. I have purchased pre-loved charms and much to my dismay, they have arrived completely ruined by improper cleaning. In general, washing silver charms with a mild dish soap solution, rinsing and then polishing with a Pandora polishing cloth is the only method I use. There are exceptions when it comes to pearls, other metals (such as Pandora Rose), glass, wood, and leather, etc.

Following the care and cleaning instructions given on the Pandora website and in the catalogues is always very important to ensure the proper maintenance of your special bracelets and charms. Some guidelines include:

POLISH frequently with a soft polishing cloth to maintain the shine. A polishing cloth won’t remove scratches, so it’s important that you protect your jewellery. You can buy polishing cloths and care kits from your local Pandora store.

• STORE jewellery separately in a tarnish-resistant jewellery box or jewellery pouch and keep it away from abrasive surfaces.

• SHADE freshwater cultured pearls and leather from direct sunlight or strong lighting, to prevent fading.

• HANDLE jewellery with love and care, especially freshwater cultured pearls, mother of pearl, glass charms and charms made entirely of a stone (with a metal core). Be extra careful not to drop them on the floor or knock them against hard surfaces as this could hurt their delicate structures.

• REMOVE jewellery prior to swimming, bathing and doing sports or other physical activity.

• LIMIT CONTACT with make-up, creams, perfume and lotions.

• AVOID silver dips, polishing liquids, ultrasonic cleaning and strong chemicals.

• TAKE CARE OF the hidden silicone grips that some designs feature to keep jewellery fixed in perfect position. They are sensitive, so don’t use the dips and chemicals we mention above or expose them to extreme hot or cold temperatures. This could weaken the silicone’s gripping ability.

• GET AN ANNUAL SERVICE: If you wear your jewellery a lot, it’s a good idea to take it to a goldsmith at least once a year so they can check the clasps, mountings and soldered details.

Cleaning
The cleaning instructions describe and outline care for all Pandora jewellery and collections, from Moments to Pandora ESSENCE COLLECTION and Pandora Reflexions.

Choose the care instructions based on the metal of your jewellery and its embellishments.

Recently, Pandora came out with a liquid Care Kit. I was very interested in buying it because I had a couple stubborn 'used' charms that I felt could use some extra cleaning. Unfortunately, for some reason the cleaning kit is not available in Canada but I was able to pick one up during a recent vacation in the States. I was so excited to try it out and am quite happy with the results. The kit contains a plastic container of cleaning solution (with a dip basket within), a cloth, brush, and instructions. The jewelry is soaked for 2 minutes, brushed and polished. The liquid smells very pleasant and I think it worked well. This is a similar method to the dish soap process but very convenient to use and store. I feel confident knowing it is Pandora approved and love having the little dip basket.

Here is a before and after of a very worn charm I found for my daughter. You can see that cleaning and polishing did a nice job restoring a bit of shine to a very abused loved charm! Obviously, this is an extreme case of a tarnished and pitted charm. I did clean a few of my own charms with excellent results. The plan is to clean a few bracelets, which are in need of a deeper soak, this week and I look forward to using this new kit.

Innovative Kitchen Composter by Polder

Mother's Day was a couple weeks ago now but I wanted to share what a great gift I received! This Polder kitchen composter is a practical and well designed addition to the counter. The kids (and my daughter's boyfriend) know that we are pretty serious about keeping those organic food scraps out of the landfill and in our garden. They also know that it is father's job to empty the container and the little one I was using was always full!

This cool design consists of a thick stainless steel stand and silicone bin liner with well fitting, ventilated lid. It holds one gallon of standard kitchen compost (fruit & veg scraps, coffee grinds, tea leaves, egg shells, pasta & rice {I didn't even know carbs such as those could go in!!}, etc.) and the lid adjusts for air flow with a simple turn to open the vents. It's easy to grab the bucket to empty into the outdoor composter, using the tab at the bottom of the silicone liner. Push it through to invert and dump the contents then rinse if needed. Simply pull the silicone bucket back in place.

The bin is actually dishwasher safe (not really a necessary step, but nice if things get real' bad!) and so far it has been wonderful. I love how easy it is to clean and the lid can be separated for a more thorough wash. My old system consisted of reusing produce bags from the grocery store held up in a dollar store plastic container. Inevitably rushed family members wouldn't extend the bag before casually tossing in fruit peels, leaving me to sort out the gooey mess. Also, the coffee filters and grounds were so drippy and wet, yuck. I'm glad to not have to use plastic bags any more and deal with trying to shake the compost out of them!

I was so blessed with a lovely dinner prepared by my kids at home and a gorgeous family-themed Pandora charm as well. The messages of love in the card and via text (from my city girl daughter) meant the most and I am such a lucky mother to have such thoughtful children!!!  One last surprise was a beautiful bouquet of colourful tulips from my son's girlfriend, a sweet daughter from another mother. My heart is full of gratitude to be surrounded by loving family!

P.S. I think they bought the compost bin from Costco!!!

My Pandora Bracelet: Purple for Mom

I have been 'working' on a purple Pandora bracelet in honour of my mom...for three years! Purple was her favourite colour and when I picked up a CZ purple pavé clasp bracelet in Vegas years ago I knew it would be the perfect one to use for this project. I had gathered several gorgeous charms to suit the colour scheme and played around with many design variations. I had two Muranos, one dark and one light (Purple & Dark Purple Shimmer), and the lovely Regal Beauty charm with purple enamel for the centrepiece. The retired Whimsical Lights and Ocean Wave were both excellent additions and I thought I might include some kind of elephant charm (mom collected elephant ornaments and decor pieces).

Once I started putting all the charms together the bracelet looked great but was simply too tight. The snake chain was new and stiff and the extra Murano glass beads and heavier accent charms were just too bulky. I removed some, re-arranged and still wasn't happy with the result. I never wore the bracelet and was disappointed I just couldn't get it right.

I finally had some time last month to pull out this purple project and figure out what I could do to make use of it. I think buying the purple leather bracelet gave me the idea to separate the charms and split the design into two. I also decided to break up the mega violet colour scheme with a complimentary Peridot green and a few charms I'd been able to buy pre-loved were perfect for the job. I also gave up having both Muranos on the bracelet at the same time and will swap them out or use one in a different design.

I was so pleased with the final style and absolutely love wearing the set now. They are comfortable and beautiful, reminding me of mum whenever I glance down. We just got back from a quick trip to Florida and I was finally able to score the last missing charms I've been looking for. I wanted a pair of Purple Petite Facets, gorgeous accent charms I'd never previously invested in (preferring to spend my budget on character beads instead) but sadly, they are retired and now hard to find. A small, local shop-in-shop in the town where we stayed had two and I was thrilled to finally add them to my leather design. This bracelet theme is now complete and I am so happy to wear them often. Sometimes with creative projects it turns out well to shelve them for a while until inspiration hits and the stars align, resulting in a renewed passion for the design process and a beautiful finale, whether it be a quilt, a bracelet, or another work of art!

Pandora Disney Snow White Bracelet

Today I'm sharing my Pandora Disney Snow White bracelet. This was a lot of fun to put together using both actual Disney Snow White charms and a few other non-themed beads. As I say in the video, I was very fortunate to find a pair of Snow White Signature Color Muranos, which are now retired. These glass charms in particular really add a lot of red to the bracelet. I'm trying to double up the versatility of my bracelet collection by not only having them represent a theme but also a colour scheme. So my Snow White bracelet is both an adorable way to honour one of my favourite Disney movies and also works great when I'm wearing red!

I hope you enjoy seeing how I put it together...

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Pandora Leather Bracelets

I have really been enjoying designing my Pandora leather bracelets. These are inexpensive, beautiful pieces that can be styled in so many different ways. The braided leather bracelets are available in many colours and in single and double lengths. I only have the double wrap style because I love how the extra length of leather looks on the wrist. The charms are threaded onto the silver ends of the bracelet and the sterling silver clasp snaps shut to keep them safe. Silicone clips can be added to keep the charms together in one spot and they're also a great idea to protect the charms from falling off if no safety chain is used.

Because of the natural composition of leather it is recommended to keep the charm count to between 7-9. The leather bracelet can stretch if too much weight is added and I find the look more appealing with just a few favourite charms and a pair of clips anyway. I love stacking my leather bracelets with a regular silver Moments snake chain (and Pandora bangles) and since they are light, it's a very comfortable way to layer bracelets. It's fun to make a mini-set of charms to highlight a theme or use extra charms left over from a standard, full bracelet design. I also like being able to wear that one special-to-me signature charm on a day to day basis in a way that goes with whichever other bracelets I might have on. They are so quick and easy to change up, although, care is needed not to stress the ends of the bracelet when adding or removing charms.

It is even possible to join the end of one bracelet to the clasp of another to make a super long, multiple-wrap, unique bracelet design. You can add extra clips around the leather to keep charms in place in a fun design. I think the leather bracelets are a great, affordable way to get started with Pandora. They are perfect for teens or males, or anyone who wants a casual look with their jewelry. I love them!!! I am slowly collecting the available colours and there are currently a few older, retired leathers on sale!!! Check them out!

 

** P.S. I can't believe it has been a month since I posted. While I wish I could say I was cruising the Mediterranean for 30 days, in reality, I have just not made the effort to write. We lost a very close, dear friend two weeks ago and it was so hard to think of anything else for the last months of his life. I am a go, go, go person but sometimes if I'm emotional I have a hard time applying myself and concentrating. No crafting, no cooking, no blogging. I'm hoping spring will brighten and lift my spirits...<3

Happy New Year! Let's Look at the Year Ahead...

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a lovely holiday season and are looking forward to 2019. It was a fast and furious few weeks around here and I'm definitely in the mood for some quiet and creative time. I have many goals for the year ahead and the first few months should offer me some time to get started on achieving them.

First up is re-designing some of my Pandora bracelets, incorporating the gorgeous new charms I was spoiled with this Christmas and my birthday. So much to play with and I absolutely love thinking about new themes to build upon. Disney was really represented this year in our family so that will be where I start, with both the Peter Pan charm I picked up at Disney World and the Beauty and the Beast Belle's Rose I was gifted by my sweet hubby. I can't wait to get started!

I also have fitness goals I want to pursue. We added a weight bench and more free weights to our setup so further toning is definitely in the books! I'm up a few pounds from this time last year so getting that in check is priority. I'm feeling very motivated and happy with where I am and realized this is my 3 year anniversary of re-committing to WW. Other than shaking things up a bit exercise wise, nutrition and healthy eating (and my 'plan' in general) are all going well and sustainable. I will only add to what I'm doing and have a great starting point!

Planning is still front and centre in my day and I feel it has totally helped me achieve my objectives. For some reason, keeping track and writing things down is a powerful tool for me and I really do believe it has been key. I am pretty certain I might not ever go back and revisit what I wrote but just the act of journaling itself is a big motivator. I highly recommend it if you need some accountability! I purchased a new daily Happy Planner and just got a new fitness Happy Planner. I was holding out to see if any kits were released at Michaels, with the same layout as my 2018 planner, but they never appeared. I ended up with a new version that is completely redesigned. It will take a few days to get used to the new format but I can make it work! There is less room for food tracking but now includes a water tracker and different boxes for either goals, plans, or motivational stickers. Those are all good things in my book!

Hello Fresh meals have continued to impress me and I will still take delivery once a month when the menus work for me. The last box I received was on the 18th of December and the food was delicious! I'm looking forward to the next mid-January and it will include Coconut Dal, Mushroom Freekeh Bowl, and a repeat - Vegetable Packed Calzone, which was one of my favourites so far, so a welcome duplicate!

What are your plans for the coming months and did you make any resolutions or set any goals for yourself? I'd love to hear about them so please feel free to comment below!!

Exlcusive Disney Pandora

Of course I was excited to visit the Pandora store in Disney World and I had a couple more exclusive park items on my wish list. I was able to get the Disney Parks bangle, which has a beautiful CZ castle logo clasp and is engraved with 'where dreams come true'. The Pandora bangle bracelets have been a go-to for me lately because they are so comfortable and versatile. I love being able to feature a few stunning and special charms and stack my bracelets.

I knew I was going to come home with the sweet Peter Pan dangle charm. There is a lovely, detailed ship with enamel sail and an adorable Peter with his green enamel outfit. I was super excited to just randomly 'run into' Peter himself in Fantasyland! He was not at a special meeting spot, and I happened to see him casually walking around with his Cast Member attendant. I plucked up the courage to ask for a minute, and showed him my new charm! He was so kind and really took a good look and exclaimed "oh that is beautiful and fabulous and look! It has my name on it P.A.N." I'm working on a bracelet theme featuring this lovely charm!

We also had to get an ornament for our tree...