We’re all accustomed to thinking of pearl jewelry as being exclusively for women but this could not be further from the truth. In fact, there are award winning and masculine pieces on the market that have been designed with men in mind. My favorites are those using black pearls or Tahitian Pearls and come from the glorious minds of those at Manna Tahiti.

Bamboo Bracelet

There’s something I find very alluring about Tahitian Pearls – and I’m obviously not the only one. This brand of pearls is extremely popular, especially over the past few years, due to their black, glossy sheen, their illustrious look, and the uniqueness of the jewelry created when the pearls are set in silver or gold.

Leather Choker

Sure, you can find black pearls at a variety of locations, but in terms of the best-looking jewelry I’ve seen, at great prices to boot, you’d have to check out Manna Tahiti – a smaller jewelry outfit doing big things, like becoming a two-time finalist for the Saul Bell Design Award. No small feat. By far the best online stop for the most lustrous Black Tahitian South Seas cultured pearls.

A great, underrated quality of Tahitian Pearls is that they’re well suited for men or women. Diamonds and gold obviously fit this category, but emeralds, rubies, and other precious stones are really only admired and worn by women. Black pearls make up some of the most beautiful jewelry I’ve seen, and the men’s items are just as attractive as the women’s items.

Bamboo Pendant

Manna Tahiti is probably the best place I’ve ran across while looking for this type of jewelry. They’re willing to custom make anything to suit your needs, but the truth is that their selection of unique and appealing items covers such a wide range of tastes that you probably wouldn’t want to do anything extra.

Among Manna Tahiti’s bestselling pieces, you have the bamboo bracelet, and the leather choker and bamboo pendant. Using these beautiful black pearls, this jewelry transcends gender and sexuality. The style is able to be enjoyed by anyone, and the bold, striking look of these pieces is sure to appeal to every jewelry lover.

Whether male, female, gay, straight, jewelry aficionado or just someone looking for a unique piece, Manna Tahiti pearl pieces will please everyone across the board. Exquisite black pearl jewelry at a great price – you simply can’t beat that in today’s market.

You can also follow Manna Tahiti on:Twitter, Facebook and on Google+.

I say I fond it for you to ooohhhh and aaaahhhh over but I myself am still trying to catch my own breath. This is pretty rockin’ jewelry site and I gotta say I am loving it to itty bitty bits.

I am only now just starting to really get into it and explore so I am going to start by giving you a great big list of awesome coupon codes you can use on some of their beautiful drop pendants, dazzling engagement rings, totally unique eternity bands, sparkling earrings and so so so much more.

They even have jewelry for men which isn’t the case with so many jewelry websites on the net today, so that is pretty cool. You will also find a wide array of birthstone jewelry and other gemstone delights. I have barely cracked the surface of the site and I am stoked in the extreme.

As I learn more about their diamond gemstone jewelry you can bet I will be sharing all this new info with you. I promise.

To start with I will share with you some of their latest jewelry coupon codes you can use to save a bundle on their bling:

Men’s diamond ring 5% off code LS001

Engagement Rings 7% off code LS034

Pearl jewelry 6% off code LS019

Diamond jewelry 7% off code LS030

Gemstone jewelry 6% off code LS024

Birthstone Jewelry 5% off code LS017

Remember to keep checking back for more from this cool store, I will be bringing you their best and brightest at their lowest prices available. Christmas maybe past but this makes me feel a little like Santa.

This is one of my new favorite jewelry stores online. The prices are great and the bling is out of this world. The Fantasy Jewelry Box website has been features in O Magazine, Good Housekeeping, People and more.

If you like to get replicas of famous jewelry, for example the engagement rings of the stars and the Royals, this is the place to go.

I plan on doing all kinds of Christmas shopping there, in fact I’ve already started.

I just want to share these Cyber Monday and other jewelry sale links with you so that you too can save money when buying gifts this year for the ones you love.

Enjoy!

25% Off at Fantasy Jewelry Box! Use Coupon Code: FJB25PJ. Hurry Offer Ends 12/31!

Free Earrings with $50 Purchase at Fantasy Jewelry Box!

Free Shipping on Orders of $75 or More at Fantasy Jewelry Box !

Links of London and World of Watches both have some great, and I mean some Monday after Thanksgiving blockbuster sales to literally die for. Okay maybe not die, but definitely swoon.

Best Onsite Sales Including Black Friday & Cyber Monday Doorbusters!

World of Watches for example prides themselves on having a wide range of watches from the lower end of the price range to the upper echelon. Prices range from $19 to thousands of dollars, so whatever fits your budget you can find it there AND with the Monday after Thanksgiving upon us? You can get even better watches and accessories for less. Loves it!

Gifts

Links of London are one of my favorites because they work with a lot of charities. Right now they have a wicked line of jewelry with proceeds going to feed the hungry children of the world. This is important to me.

Oh my god though, their jewelry pieces have to be seen to be believed and if you can get them on sale you gotta snatch those babies up. Like quick. There is plenty of trendy items like the image above for charity but they have a literally sh!t ton of glam, like, wow.

And hey, the best part of shopping online for Black Friday and Cyber Monday is that you don’t have to worry about the crush of people or the massive lineups. Yipee!

Love and Pride Jewelry, Now with Holidays Free Shipping

Do you remember when I told you about Romi Klinger from The Real L Word and her new jewelry line Hija Por Vida? Well guess what? She has another wicked line of lesbian jewelry just in time for the holidays.

Family, once again is at the heart of Romi Klinger’s newest collection: Casa Por Vida.

All of the jewelry and accessories she designs are from the heart and all of them are so unique and special that you are sure to find your very own meaning in each. These are necklaces and earrings and bracelets that you will cherish forever as will anyone who you give one of these special pieces to as a gift.

To put it like Love and Pride did to me,

As in the end, it’s not about where you are, but what you have gained along the way.

Since this is a brand new line of lesbian jewelry, L&P is offering 15% off the introductory prices for one week only!  There are limited quantities of each piece of pride jewelry, so you might want to hustle over there and stake your claim now.

Never a jewelry store to forget about special occasions and giving customer what they want, Love and Pride is also offering 30% off all Hija Por Vida items.  Once these items are sold out, they are gone forever, so hurry up. We are talking some prime jewelry gifts perfect for Christmas.

For a limited time only, take advantage of Love and Pride’s introductory price of 15% off all the awesome cool items from their new collections below:

	Mica Gem: This isn't your everyday fragrance, nope, it's really part of a movement. For every bottle of Humana fragrance sold, they promise to donate a mosquito net to a child in need. This is a big deal because thousands and thousands of children die each year from mosquito borne illness.
	SWAG Like Us: This is an LA based clothing brand whose focus is on creating high-quality apparel for fashion savvy, trend-setting, confident, sexy people like, well, like you and me.
	Cockpit: I personally love this line, it a fashion collection that's made with authentic materials and the hardy construction drawn from the historical archive of military apparel. They are the official suppliers to the U.S. Air Force of the A-2 leather Pilot Jacket. How cool is that?
	Star Home: Each piece of home decor is fashioned by metal artisans in the heritage and traditions of the craft and each piece is unique with the character and signature of its creator. With designs both timely and timeless, their pieces befit casual entertaining or your most elegant affair.
	bestcollective: This line is focused on bringing together a seamless blend of luxury and relaxed wear, all made with high-quality fabrics and knitwear. Everything is made in Los Angeles, no China sweatshops involved.
	Hoopnotica: Hoopnotica is state of being where skills are challenging, but still within grasp; leaving you inspired to keep at it while still having fun. You'll be reminded of your childhood- where physical play was FUN - not a "workout".

I like to think of myself as a type of activist. Yes, I don’t get out there and march in the streets like some do, but I do believe that we can all do our part to make equality a reality as well as fight the food fight and while I do most of it from home, I am still doing something and that is all that matters.

A lot of people would say, what is the big deal about gay jewelry, but those people are crazy. And just plain wrong. Buying real and true gaypride jewelry, designed by some of the most creative gay and lesbian minds around, with a message of hope and peace as well as hefty donations to organizations like the Matthew Shepard Foundation, can make a big difference.

When you wear these pieces of gay and lesbian jewelry, you are promoting the cause and donating to such good causes, that you can feel good about each and every purchase. Take a look at the Matthew Shepard Foundation and see for yourself what they are doing for the greater good. Lambda Legal is another powerhouse that is on our side and your money goes to supporting the gay causes they fight for each and every day.

Here are just a few of the hottest lines of gay and lesbian jewelry with a message of hope for the LGBTQ community, all of them can be found at Love and Pride:

The Fly Naked with Reichen has been offering designer titanium jewelry at affordable prices for several years now and the collection has expanded to include not just rings, necklaces and bracelets but other great gift ideas like money clips and key chains. This line of gay mens jewelry has become a true customer favorite.

This is a brand new line of gay and lesbian jewelry and I can honestly say that I LOVE IT! It is one of their best concepts yet. We all have duality to our personalities, whether you realize it or not and this jewelry collection for men and women allows you to explore that and play with it.

In this line you will find double sided pendants, spinning rings with different sides of color and texture. It’s a creative and exciting collection that has taken the concept behind Jeff Lindsay’s novel “Darkly Dreaming Dexter” to a whole new level. Even if you aren’t a fan of the television show or the books, you will love these pieces.

Revolution of Love marries two unique technologies to create wedding rings for both gays and lesbians that will last a lifetime and a half.

You get all natural Clarity Enhanced Diamonds put into setting made from 585 Platinum, which by the way is an innovative platinum-hybrid with coloration and durability characteristics superior to those of traditional 950 Platinum.

The best part of these platinum and diamond wedding and commitment rings and necklaces is that they cost a fraction of what you would expect them to.

What is a collection of gay jewelry without one of the most meaningful pieces of jewelry ever designed: Matthew Shepard Pendants.

We all know the name, and we all know the horrors that were perpetrated against this charming, loving and innocent young man. But instead of turning to hate and anger his family and the Matthew Shepard foundation has chosen to reach out and help the community through the following three words: Understanding. Compassion. Acceptance. Truly words to live by. T

These beautiful circular pendants, designed by Udi Behr exclusively for the Matthew Shepard Foundation – are a fantastic way for you to help spread a very important message: Erase Hate.

You can be assured that 100% of the net proceeds from each and every sale of any lesbian or gaypride jewelry in this collection will go straight to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. This way you will be able to directly support diversity programs in education as well as help youth organizations establish environments where young people can feel safe to be themselves. See how easy it is to help the LGBT community through the simple purchase of jewelry?

Love and Pride brings you an exclusive collection of gay and lesbian jewelry in 18k gold, silver, leather, diamonds and semi-precious stones, all in celebration of rock legend Freddie Mercury from Queen.

All of these rings and necklaces are limited edition pieces of the LOVE Made in Heaven collection and each of them is emblazoned with the collection’s signature, patented double trillion – a personal tribute to Freddie – and a way for all touched by his talent to continue the love affair. You will also find the exclusive “Made in Heaven” signature – which was inspired by Freddie’s final album with Queen.

This gay jewelry is worn by celebrities all around the world, people like Ringo Starr are big fans.

Who all watches The Real L Word? I am hooked, I somehow totally missed the first season but I am all over the second. I like most of the women in the show, the only one I really dislike is Claire (omg how annoying is she?!).

One of the lesbians I like the most is Romi and when I heard her mention designing some jewelry for Love and Pride LGBT jewelry store, I was super stoked. Now today, I see her pieces, a collection she has titled Hija Por Vida have finally hit the market and I have to say, I am liking them a LOT. Some pieces are better than others, of course, but for the most part I could totally see myself wearing the vast majority of them.

Of all The Real L Word ladies I think it’s safe to say that Romi’s style is the most unique. She’s got the hair (but so does Whitney), as well as the hot accessories. I am super excited to welcome Romi Klinger to the Love and Pride family and introduce her incredible new lesbian jewelry collection – Hija Por Vida.

What does Hija Por Vida mean in english you asl? It simply translates to ”daughter for life.” According to the press release:

Hija is for the girl who collects meaningful objects when she travels to remember. Hija is for the girl who will pass these pieces on to her daughters someday. With this collection, Romi and Vanessa hope to inspire every girl to be who they are and remember where they come from. You are who you are because of where you’ve been. Hija Por Vida!

It’s a spectacular name for a spectacular line of lesbian jewelry designed especially for the hottest LGBT jewelry store online. Enjoy the affordability and the style and use these awesome pieces to put your own mark on the world through your own individual style and grace.

Modnique.com private sale events.

The Modnique is a brand new (at least to me) online designer shopping destination where us regular fold can get the goods that all the top celebs get handed to on a platter. It’s an invitation only sales site so you need to think of me as the bouncer (but a friendly one).

You will get instant access to exclusive and world famous fashion brands and you will do it with a price tag so low I almost fainted. We are talking designer clothes and accessories (think handbags, sunglasses and jewelry, even active wear) for up to 85% OFF!!

Modnique runs new sales each day with each of these designer sales last anywhere from one day to three. Not the kind of thing you want to waste time thinking about, get in there and get the goods before their gone, rest assured nothing last long at these prices.

What is a sample sale you ask? These are special events where the most in demand designers sell production samples as well as their excess unventory at deep discount prices. It’s not something people generally get to take advantage of unless they live in a place like New York or Hollywood, but with this invite only access you too can shop like famous people only the price tags are much much much much lower prices. Incredible sales that cannot be missed.

You name it, it’s going to come on sale at Modnique. Everything from apparel and accessories for men, women, and kids such as tops, bottoms, dresses, suits, sweaters, outerwear, swimwear, handbags, footwear, jewelry, watches, luxury items, and everything in between. You’ve been able to get access to sales like this and discount codes in the UK for ages. It’s about time we could get the same sorts of deals.

Just a few of their premier designer brands:

And as I said that is just a small sample of the designer goods you get cheap at their new invitation only sales site. Remember 85% OFF! My brain is going to EX-plode!

(CNN) — A soldier and his shadow sit alone on wrinkled sheets. With his knees pressed tightly up against his chest, he wraps his arms around his legs and bows his head.

In another photo, a soldier stands before a mirror. His raised hand covers just enough of his reflection to protect his anonymity.

But it’s not photographer Jeff Sheng from whom these men are hiding their identities.
It’s the military.

Sheng’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” exhibit, two years in the making, conveys the stories of the gay and bisexual men and women who serve in the U.S. military. And because his subjects are forced to keep their sexual orientations under wraps in order to serve, Shen’s photos are portraits without faces.
The Los Angeles, California-based artist said many of his subjects were grateful for the opportunity to make a statement “without fully revealing themselves and losing their jobs.”

“If this person got outed, they would lose their pension, their retirement benefits — their 20 years of service in the military would be gone,” he said.

Sheng asked many of those he photographed why they continue to serve despite the inequality.
“I asked, ‘Why do you still serve with this policy in place? Why would you do it?’ ” Sheng said. “And they all looked at me and said, ‘Because it’s serving the country. It’s the most honorable thing that I can think of doing right now in my life.’ ”

Sheng is also the creator of “Fearless,” photographs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered high school and college athletes who are public about their sexual identities. He is working on a project focusing on undocumented Americans.

The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” photos were exhibited last week in Washington at the Human Rights Campaign headquarters, and Sheng said he hopes to bring them next to Chicago, Illinois.
The exhibit couldn’t have been unveiled at a more relevant time.

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to suspend enforcement temporarily of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Though a lower court has deemed the law unconstitutional, the controversial policy will remain in effect until the appeals process is complete.

President Obama is on record favoring abolition of the policy but has said he wants the issue to be decided by Congress, not in the courts.

The new commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James Amos, opposes repeal of the policy. “There is a risk involved,” Amos told reporters in San Diego, California. “I’m tring to determine how to measure that risk. This is not a social thing. This is combat effectiveness.”

Ryan Vincent Downing, a former Air Force captain and one of the 60 service members Sheng photographed, said he has confidence “that people in the military can handle change.” He is no longer in the service and said hiding his sexuality took a toll.

“I found myself making up lies, and then making up more lies to cover the lies I had told before,” Downing said.

Sheng said he hopes his photographs open eyes to the way the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy affects closeted service members who are fighting and dying for their country.

“This idea that they’re hiding, in many ways … they can’t reveal who they are,” Sheng said. “[It] has a really profound effect on the way that people see these images and think about the issue.”