Featured Artist of The Week: Jason Collett

On our podcast this week we featured Jason Collett- he's AWESOME! We are definitely digging this song. Click on the arrow below to download it for free!


Jason Collett
"Charlyn, Angel of Kensington" (mp3)
from "Here's To Being Here"
(Arts & Crafts)

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Featured Artist of the Week: Phantom Blues Band

This song was composed by Ray Charles, and is really one of my new faves! Download it free below!


Little Mack Simmons
"Hooked On Your Love" (mp3)
from "The Best of Little Mack Simmons: The Electro-Fi Years"
(Electro-Fi Records)

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Featured Artist of the Week: Teuber, Peterson, Johnson, Bishop

After hearing the song, Greensleeves, played on a flute roughly 548 times today, I thought I'd have it as the featured song on our podcast. As it turns out, this is a pretty cool recording of an old song. Enjoy!

Hans Teuber / Dave Peterson / Jeff Johnson / John Bishop
"Greensleeves" (mp3)
from "Winter - An Origin Records Holiday Collection"
(Origin Records)

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Featured Artist of the Week: etypejazz

For my good friend Kyle, I wanted to find a great song to play on the podcast: this version of 'Little Drummer Boy' couldn't be better!

Download this song free by clicking the arrow next to "Little Drummer Boy".

etypejazz
"Little Drummer Boy" (mp3)
from "HOHO Volume Two"
(Etypejazz)

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Win This: Snake Charmer Bracelet!

Starting today, you can go over to theBudgetBabe.com and enter to win this completely fab Snake Charmer Bracelet!

I totally love theBudgetBabe.com, and am so excited to be collaborating with this fabulous chick on a contest! Give her some love!

Here are some other fun snake things we love:

Sizzling Snake Ring: ON SALE $28.00

Snakeskin and Chain Bracelet: $18.00

Sizzling Serpentine Necklace: $18.00

For fabulous accessories, visit AshleysBigSecret.com.

Please feel free to comment here, or give us a shout out at writeus@ashleysbigsecret.com.

© Copyright 2007. Ashley’s Big Secret, Inc.

Ashley's Faves: Dramatic Winter White

I am just crazy about lucite sets for the holiday season. They are festive, versatile, and fancy! Finding just the right accessories for winter white can be tricky- especially if you don't want to spend a lot of dough.

Clear Crystal Set $22.00

For fabulous accessories, visit AshleysBigSecret.com.

Please feel free to comment here, or give us a shout out at writeus@ashleysbigsecret.com.

© Copyright 2007. Ashley’s Big Secret, Inc.

Trend Update: Bolero Jacket Bust!

As originally posted here, I saw this bolero jacket at thebudgetbabe.com (new favorite blog!) and became OBSESSED with finding a bolero jacket of my own.

So I went over to Target to try the exact bolero jacket in the picture, and it was a total bust. Literally. I was WAY too busty to get that thing buttoned. Undeterred, I went to four different stores on my mission to find one that fit and looked good. I finally found one in a black and white houndstooth at Maurices that I thought would do the trick.

I wasn't quite sure about it, so I tried it on in front of the Style Council, which consists of:
- my mother (style icon, fashion buyer and fashionista, aka Toni of the Ashley's Big Secret Podcast)
- my boyfriend (perpetual nice-guy, incapable of saying anything negative about my appearance, possibly out of fear)
-my father (maker of infuriatingly correct, if unspecific fashion critiques, such as 'something about that just looks... wrong')

The verdict? An overwhelming 'that jacket makes you look like a giant houndstooth barrel'. Apparently, this one just isn't a trend for the busty.

So I bought this to make myself feel better:

Black Tie Optional Ring
Originally $72.00
On Sale Now! $57.20


For fabulous accessories, visit AshleysBigSecret.com.

Please feel free to comment here, or give us a shout out at writeus@ashleysbigsecret.com.
© Copyright 2007. Ashley’s Big Secret, Inc.

Ashley's Faves: Classic Rope Set

I'm totally loving the conservative, chic look of the Classic Rope Set ($27.00). With parties, people to impress, and so many places to go, I definitely need something versatile, classic and pretty. Loving it!

Classic Rope Set $27.00

For fabulous accessories, visit AshleysBigSecret.com.

Please feel free to comment here, or give us a shout out at writeus@ashleysbigsecret.com.

© Copyright 2007. Ashley’s Big Secret, Inc.

Christmas Gift Update: Frank Sinatra

Here's my sketch of Frank Sinatra for Mr. Wonderful's christmas present. It's part of a set of three styalized portraits of the rat pack. See Dean Martin here.

I'll post the completed version shortly. Wish me luck!

All my other holiday shopping is done here, of course!

For fabulous accessories, visit AshleysBigSecret.com.

Please feel free to comment here, or give us a shout out at writeus@ashleysbigsecret.com.

© Copyright 2007. Ashley’s Big Secret, Inc.

Let True Beauty Shine Through!

I am just LOVING this commercial! It's so important to teach young girls that they don't have to look like a supermodel. How long did it take you to realize that it was much more important to find a flattering look for you instead of beating yourself up about your hips/cellulite/skin/grey hair/breasts?

While I'm on my soapbox, kudos to Seventeen Magazine. I still read this mag every month to stay on top of trends, and have taken note that they now have style tips for fuller figured girls, something I would have loved (and really needed) when I read it as a teenager.

Accentuate your natural beauty!

For fabulous accessories, visit AshleysBigSecret.com. Please feel free to comment here, or give us a shout out at writeus@ashleysbigsecret.com.

Sparklers and Sparklers, Part Deux

This is the season each year when our family gets ready for the Holidays in every conceivable way, and several inconceivable ways.

For my part, I do two important things:

1. I put enough Christmas lights on the trees in our front yard to assure that our house is visible from space; and



2. I pick up our supply of sparkling wine for the Holidays in three categories (good, better and best, but more on that later).

As for the lighting our front yard, I believe that if a few lights are tasteful, then thousands of lights must be, well… really tasteful.

At last count, we have over 4,000 small lights on the trees and bushes in front of our house. I am about 2/3s done, but my budget for lights has already been depleted. Based on this year’s budget overrun, we may, or may not, break the 5,000 light barrier before 2008.

In a perfect world, we would get some sort of honorable mention for our lights based on the fact that we are spending hundreds of dollars in electricity so the 4-5 cars that drive in front of our house every evening will be amazed. Based on the lack of traffic in our neighborhood, our display is nothing if not exclusive.

As to my theory of Sparking wine for the holidays, I believe that you should have good inexpensive sparkling wine (under $10) for your everyday holiday drinking. My favorites in this first and least expensive category are Domaine Ste Michelle Blanc de Noir (white made from red wine grapes) and Cristalino, sort of a baby Kristal for $390 less per bottle than the more expensive, similar sounding Champagne.

I use the second category in holiday sparkers, the better wines, as a prelude to nice dinners with friends. My all-time favorite under $20 sparkler is the Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut Non Vintage Proprietary Blend. This is Roederer’s California vineyard in the Anderson Valley, north of Sonoma Valley. It is a beautiful winery producing a beautiful wine and Roederer is one of the premier champagne producers in the Champagne region in France. This is the same winery that makes Kristal, mentioned in the previous paragraph, which runs a cool $398 a bottle. The $20 Brut is phenomenal, without being phenomenally expensive... just like you-know-what.

As for the extra special Champagne, I like the same wine that Winston Churchill drank (why not?) - the Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Cuvee. It is a spectacular high-end wine that is wonderful to drink for a special occasion. It is a bit pricey ($198 a bottle), but what the heck, if you shop at www.AshleysBigSecret.com, you will save enough money on gifts for your friends and for yourself, that you can easily afford to splurge on a bottle of Champagne that is both wonderful and a bit of history.

Most importantly, as Sir Winston used to tell all of his friends, “shop online at www.AshleysBigSecret.com for the best in high-end costume jewelry at unbelievable prices.”

Wishing you Happy Holidays,

Your pal, Jeff

For fabulous accessories, visit AshleysBigSecret.com. Please feel free to comment here, or give us a shout out at writeus@ashleysbigsecret.com.

© Copyright 2007. Ashley’s Big Secret, Inc.

Cool Holiday Hairdo: Gwen Stefani's Look

Ok, so after my last post, if occured we might actually need some holiday hairdo ideas that were actually do-able. I think this would look so awesome at a holiday with a little black dress and a funky skull and cross bones necklace. ($12.00)

New Idea for My Holiday Look

Who doesn't want to look their best during the holidays? Do you think I could get away with showing up Christmas morning with my hair done like this?

I didn't think so either.

Funky looks that won't make your grandmother have a stroke are good, too!

Crystal Clear Set $22.00

Grandpa Rapping

For the record, this is my actual grandpa.... He's an entertainer at heart, and cracks us all up!

Look fabulous for your next holiday gathering!

For fabulous accessories, visit AshleysBigSecret.com.Please feel free to comment here, or give us a shout out at writeus@ashleysbigsecret.com.

© Copyright 2007. Ashley’s Big Secret, Inc.

Go Ahead and Tell Me This is Not Your Mother

I was flipping through The Pile Of Purge Blog that The Daily Purge boys write, and thought I would fall off my chair. Seriously though- tell me this is not your mother at Christmas time. Not only do I know it's my mother, but I know it will be me in about 2 years.

Look nice for the tree!

I am just LOVING this fabulous combination! Something about this time of year makes me want to wear lots of gold and brown... but I'm not to be boring!

These fabulous earrings are Jungle Fabulous Earrings, and are only ten bucks!

The necklace is our Dramatic Gold Circle Necklace for $30.00.

Loving it!!!

For fabulous accessories, visit AshleysBigSecret.com.
Please feel free to comment here, or give us a shout out at writeus@ashleysbigsecret.com.
© Copyright 2007. Ashley’s Big Secret, Inc.