HG and I did not get into a fight and decided to stop working together on I am Fashion and started our own blogs instead. (Even our mutual friends wondered about it!) We still email each other daily about the intricate details of our lives and random thoughts we have, and feel extremely empty when the other is away and has no access to the internet. When I freak out, she is the first person I call and she is still my maid of honor when I fantasize about my wedding. Our reasons for closing down I am Fashion still stands, though I do think that my later rationalization of it in this blog is a better articulation of how we feel.

As for us continuing to blog even more regularly than before, I attribute it to the “newness” of our blogs. Starting a new blog is like starting a relationship. At the beginning everything is new and exciting as you get to know the other person and watch your relationship grow and mature. Every up and every down is a significant moment. Then the honeymoon phase eventually wears off and you reach a happy medium, where your relationship becomes a part of your daily life. With any luck, you will live happily ever after in this state with a few surprises here and there to spice up the norm. If not, your relationship will wane and you grow apart, eventually deciding that you are both better off parting ways.

Clearly I’m in the honeymoon phase. We are starting to explore new things together, trying to figure out what works best for the both of us. Every new post is an adventure. Every comment and email is exciting. I want to spend every moment of everyday with it, checking on its progress i.e. stalking the traffic, the incoming and outgoing links etc. It’s an exhilarating feeling that I’d almost forgotten about!

Analogy aside, it is heartwarming to read everyone’s encouraging comments and to know that we were able to leave a small footprint on some people’s lives. We appreciate your support and remember that we’ve not left the blogging world for good. Come visit us some time at our new blogs -(Find the links to our new blogs in the post below). We miss you guys!

Roberta Chiarella : I simply adore sparkle! I have been in love with crystals since I was a little girl I would collect sequins, beads and crystals in a little box I kept in my room-my own treasure chest..

Mercedes Salazar Joyeria : With incredible amounts of creativity and talent, Mercedes Salazar’s designs use traditional handcrafted techniques, versatilely combined with the most unusual materials. These beautiful and unique pieces “will connect you to the Universe”, in the designer’s own words. Besides gold, silver, bronze, semiprecious stones, diamonds and emeralds, pips, acrylic, glass, pearls, steel, aluminum, fabric and industrial materials can be found on the different pieces, creating an interesting contrast of light and color which Mercedes skillfully puts together thus creating a jewel that reflects all her love for existence and will never go unnoticed.

Mercedes Salazar was born on June 17th 1975 in Bogota DC, Colombia. She attended the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes’ Craftwork School in Mexico City (2000). Her work is diverse, sophisticated, voluptuous, and always tries to show the two sides of the coin, the balance between lightness and weight, roundness and squareness. To her, opposites are fundamental.

Mercedes Salazar is a young woman who watches what goes on around her and takes inspiration in the everyday life to turn those seconds and words into jewels. She spends the whole day with her artisans creating jewels, exploring and retrieving ancient techniques. Diverse, cheerful and defiant, she does not hesitate in breaking the rules with a profound conviction. The never-ending search for her own roots is the main nourishment of her spirit. Her lines are refined and subtle, and they reflect her admiration for hand-made jewelry.
The Mercedes Salazar Jewelry Company was created seven years ago and its headquarters are located in Bogota, Colombia. It includes boutiques in the stylish Parque de la 93 and the El Retiro Shopping Mall in Bogota, and the historical quarters of Cartagena de Indias, the magical city that was deemed World Heritage by UNESCO. At present, Mercedes Salazar’s work can be found in fine boutiques and distribution points in more tan ten countries around the world, including the United States, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Venezuela, Australia, Japan, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Mexico. This Colombian designer has exhibited her work at local fairs as Expoartesanias, and international trade shows such as ENK – Accesorie Circuit in New York City on its three annual versions, Première Classe Paris, SIMM Madrid and Democircuit Barcelona.

The Company is an active member of the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce: www.amchamcolombia.com.co

Erika Peña : I am a designer, an entrepreneur and, above all, a dreamer. I was born in Puerto Rico, after my parents, Juan Isidro Peña and Maritza Milagros Peña, had emigrated from the Dominican Republic. On my 18th birthday, I moved to New York to study at Parsons School of Design. This is where my adventure begins.

In New York, my focus was fashion design where I worked with many designers, most notably Donna Karen and Josie Natori. Following my work with these talented women, I was inspired to launch a clothing line called “epe”. It was during this period, when I was collaborating with a number of different designers on various projects, that I started looking to the future for my inspiration and this led me on the path to launching the Erika Peña line.

The inspiration of my jewelry line comes from my move from Manhattan to Puerto Rico. I wanted to convey this experience through my jewelry, which is part rough and edgy like New York, and light and airy like the Caribbean. In 2006, I joined forces with my sister Bielka Peña-Bevillard, with her financial background and my creativity we are building our clientele and expanding the Erika Peña Brand.
In spring 2008, I launched my first men’s line, Simon & Simone. This collection centered on cultural, religious and magical icons combined with the force of energy from the love between men and women; the ying and the yang to create a powerful form of wearable art for both.
Currently, on my ninth collection I have plans of launching Erika Peña Handbags and eventually a clothing collection.