Where do the antlers come from?

 

As per our provincial regulations here in Alberta, Loving Expressions only creates jewelry from naturally shed antlers.  Each winter and spring as bucks start dropping them, we start walking!  A lot of our antler sheds are either found on our walks through the beautiful wilderness surrounding Rocky Mountain House, or gifted to us by friends and family who find them on their land.  All of our antlers are found here in Alberta, so I guess you could say they’re “Alberta Grown”!

 

   Common follow up: Do deer antlers really just fall off?!

 

Yes!  How cool is nature?! 

 

Following the rut (mating season) every year, bucks in the deer family will have their antlers fall off.  This usually happens late winter and early spring.  There is some interesting science behind it but it’s easiest to say that the pedicle (the bone structure that holds the antler to the skull) loosens off and lets go… kind of like children lose their baby teeth.  What’s even more crazy is how they can grow them back so fast!  Think of a big moose antler… grown back in time for the fall rut!  Wow!

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Are your earrings nickel free?

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Yup, they sure are!  We know how many folks react to nickel, and we wanted to provide unique jewelry options to everyone, so we make sure that our earrings are nickel free.

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What metals do you use in your jewelry?

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Loving Expressions uses a variety of different metals depending on the piece.  There are some occasions where we will repurpose a piece of jewelry we have found in our travels and we can’t even be 100% sure what the metal is.  We do know the following for sure though:

 

- Stud earrings are either made with stainless steel or plastic posts.

- Hook earrings are nickel free iron alloy, 14k Gold plated, or stainless steel

- Chains can either be iron alloy, stainless steel, Stirling Silver or 14k Gold Filled.

 

What is the difference between gold plated and gold filled?  Which do you use?

 

Gold plating is a thin coat of gold around a core (commonly brass).  The process involves dipping the base metal and using an electric current to adhere a thin layer of gold on the base metal.  Gold filled jewelry has a thick layer of gold that has been wrapped around the base metal core.  There is more actual gold in a gold filled piece, and therefore they are less likely to crack, flake or chip off. 

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Loving Expressions uses gold filled chain and gold plated earring wires. 

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Is your jewelry ok for sensitive skin? 

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Depending on the severity of your allergy, Loving Expressions always tries to come up with a solution so that you might enjoy our pieces!  

For earrings, we have stainless steel, sterling silver and gold-plated options available, and we also have plastic earrings available for those who are extremely sensitive to metals!

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In our necklace collections we have a variety of metals available including stainless steel, sterling silver and gold-filled chains, as well as cotton and suede cord options!

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Should you have any questions regarding options that would work for you, please feel free to contact us and we would be happy to find you a stylish solution! 

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How do I care for my jewelry?

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When it comes to jewelry care, there are some do’s and don’ts that are helpful to remember:

 

Do:

• Make jewelry the very last step in your ‘getting ready’ routine.  As we want to avoid introducing chemicals to our jewelry it’s always best to put jewelry on last and remove it first.  This helps prevent spraying with hairspray, perfumes, etc.

• Remove jewelry prior to doing household chores, exercising, bathing, and swimming. 

• Gently wipe your jewelry clean with a soft cloth to remove fingerprints, sweat and daily life residue prior to storing them.

• Store in a cloth lined box, in a cool and dry location to prevent moisture and tarnish.  Sterling silver is best stored individually in a plastic bag (like a sandwich bag) to prevent tarnish and damage to the soft metal.

• Antler pieces can be wiped clean using a damp, soft cloth. 

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Avoid:

• It’s always best to avoid the temptation to use cleaning chemicals on jewelry.  This can cause discoloration and possible damage to your jewelry.

• Sleeping in your jewelry

• Wearing your jewelry in water (swimming, bathing, etc)

• Storing your jewelry in extreme temperatures.

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How do I know what size I need?

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Sizing of jewelry can be difficult depending on body shape.  A general size guide for necklaces is described in the sketch below, however, keep in mind that everyone is a little bit different!  We welcome requests for additional lengths for necklaces and are happy to accommodate any sizing requests the best we can!

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For ring sizes, there are a few ways to find that.  One of the easiest is to wrap a piece of string comfortably around the widest part of your finger, mark off where it meets, cut at the mark and measure the length.  The chart below gives the ring size based off that measurement. 

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Do you take custom orders?  How long do they take to arrive?

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You bet, we sure do!  Cards, jewelry, crackers… if it’s in our power to do so, we’re happy to work with you to create just what you’re looking for!  The length of time it takes to complete the order will depend on what the order is.  Our goal is 14 days to complete the order and have it shipped, however each order is different.  This is something we will discuss with you upon ordering.

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Do you create wedding invitations and stationery?

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While we do not advertise Loving Expressions as a wedding stationery company, wedding invitations are something that we are always honored to help with.  To be chosen to help in the planning of your special day?!  We’d love to!

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Where do you ship to?

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Orders through the website can be sent anywhere in North America via Canada Post.  We would love to share our products with you anywhere in the world and invite shoppers from any other locale to contact us directly to see what we can do to get your Loving Expressions products to you!  Please note that shipping costs may differ.

 

What are the shipping options?

 

Loving Expressions is currently shipping using Canada Post.  For more information, please feel free to contact us.

 

What about Customs and Duties?

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Customs fees, duties, levies and tariffs are the responsibility of the buyer. 

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Can I cancel/change my order?

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Once a package is shipped, we are unable to cancel or change your order.  Please refer to our Return Policy for more information.

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Do you take returns?

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Loving Expressions has a 14 day return policy on most items.  Due to hygienic reasons, all piercing jewelry is final sale, as are custom orders, clearance items, and gift cards.  You can find more information on our Return Policy.

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What if I receive a damaged item?

 

If your item arrives damaged please contact us within 14 days.  We will attempt to repair or replace the item, but it will need to be returned to Loving Expressions.  For more information, you can get hold of us here.