A Sparkling Jewelbox Retreat

It has been many years since I attempted to write a blog post and much in my life has changed.  I think it is time for me to get back to doing my research and writing about the two things I love most - interior design and how it has inspired my jewelry designs.  With that being said - here goes!

Our Vision Board - Because My Hubby Cannot Visualize

Back in the summer of 2016, my husband and I embarked on a total renovation of our master bath and freshening up our master bedroom and another bath near my husband’s office.  I had done lots of research on what I felt I could live with, while simultaneously appealing to the local masses in the event we should want to sell our house and skip away to our retirement.  Arizona is a place where the culture is foreign to me - rustic, masculine and repetitive.  They are just beginning to snap out of a sea of brown and beige!  I on the other hand, I have had Calcutta marble and soft grey with pale aqua in the kitchen and family room for over seven years.

Old Bath With Curved Glass Block Shower Wall, Boxed Soaking Tub and Ginormous Soffits!

It was decided that the huge master bath should have the same white/gray Calcutta marble on the floors, shower and countertops.  A boxed in soaking tub would be removed and a free-standing tub would replace it.  The natural stained cabinets with enormous overhead soffits would be replaced with more classic white cabinets that included towers to accentuate the height of the ceiling and add storage.  The curved glass block shower wall would be removed, straightened and replaced with a glass shower door, adding a bench and dual shower heads (one stationary and the other hand-held).  The shower renovation would also remove the step-up/step-down portion of the floor so the generous shower could become wheelchair accessible, if ever needed.

Shower Mayhem With Curved Glass Block Wall Removed

All of this planning was done with the idea that our community seems to have many retired residents with various needs.  As we all know, aging in place has become the preferred option as we get older and studies have confirmed that the elderly do better when they can stay in their homes.  However, the interior designer in me still wanted to have the bathroom look beautiful for the present time, with small alterations that could be easily added, if needed in the future for another resident. 

Our Entire Living Room/Dining Room/Foyer Became A Storage Unit During This Renovation!

Why Did I Think I Could Leave The Crew Unattended For  Few Hours???  Pink"X" Tiles Were Removed

With all that in mind, we embarked on what was supposed to be a 6 week project, which realistically, I never thought would be finished in that time frame!  We encountered many bumps in the road because most trades people  here just really do not understand quality and/or proportions (resulting in a partial rip out of mismatched marble and redo of the upper cabinet towers because they were just too deep). 

Hours Were Spent With The Marble Installers In Order To Attempt To Match Up The Veining

So Much Better Without Those Ginormous Soffits.  Water Lines Were Moved To Add A Tub Filler Under The Window.  NOT A Good Plan For Cold Weather Climates... But We Live In AZ!

These Venetian Glass Mirrors Hung Over Plate Glass Require Detailed Planning.  Many Nerve Wracking Hours Of Repairing These Delicate Mirrors As They Arrived Slightly Damaged 

The Antique Armoire Replaced The Built In Linen Cabinet.  I Filled The Interior With Neatly Folded Linens And A Collection Of Blue Opaline Glass

Hubby Really Put Up A Fuss When I Informed Him I Had Called In Classy Closets.  Now He Thinks It Was A GREAT Idea!

The Glass Closet Doors Were Added To Help Keep Out Dust - My Mortal Enemy Living In Arizona!

All in all, this seven month project with all its delays and blips turned out more or less just as I had envisioned.  It had been about seven years since my last design project (my kitchen/family room) and it made me very happy to be able to get back in the trenches.  The last piece of the puzzle was put into place when the antique armoire was finally delivered (since the photo - painting completed) to replace the built in linen cabinet which was removed to enlarge the adjacent closet.  Would I tackle this project again - you bet?!  I am afraid I have been spoiled by the soft beauty of this bathroom and the enormous size. 

Madonna & Child Necklace

Cateline II Layering Necklace

 

Clementine Bracelet

Bree Aquamarine Necklace

Dara Diamond & Moonstone Earrings

Brooklyn Gray Moonstone Necklace

Through all of this turmoil I was still making jewelry that seemed to repeat the delicate colors of the new bath.  Many of those pieces have since sold, but the newest designs still have the gentle colors, which remain a favorite - white, dove gray, pale aqua blue and gold.
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Stunning Party Earrings - Lend Me Your Ear!

We all know someone that has this horrible affliction.  Some are our nearest and dearest friends, while other beloved sufferers may even share our DNA.  What in the world am I talking about . . . droopy ear lobes!  

As a jewelry designer, I have had soooo many conversations with my customers about the perils of our youthful indiscretions - wearing fashionable, but heavy earrings.  Yes, we Baby Boomers have fessed up to a lifetime of large and heavy loops during the 70’s and enormous earrings that rivaled the size of our shoulder pads during the 80’s.  Clearly, this has taken a toll on our once dainty ear lobes.

It was reported by the British Medical Journal that yes indeed, Missy - those ear lobes do grow as we age.  We also loose collagen and they begin to flatten, thus appearing like a deflated party balloon.  Droopy ear lobes are one of the dead giveaways when you meet an old friend that looks just a little too “rested”.

There are remedies for this sad and droopy situation such as ear lobe reduction (Yikes!), radio frequency to tighten up the delicate skin, a few drops of facial filler and even something called Blingdots (placed behind the ear lobe).  For those of us that prefer to ignore our deflating youth - there is yet another option - post style earrings.

I am asked almost daily if some of my earring designs can be converted to a post style for “women of a certain age”.  The right post style earring can help to hide the elongation of the piercings and the drooping of the lobe behind a pretty decorative post.  With enough sparkle and shine dangling below the post - (as my dear Mother used to say) “No one will notice on a galloping horse”. 

For all of you Boomer Babes, with holiday soirees on your calendar in the next few weeks - here are some gorgeous post-style earring solutions. 

Sylvia Earrings - Pink & Yellow Sapphires w/ White Topaz

Eileen Earrings - Green Onyx & White Topaz

Scarlett Earrings - Burmese Rubies & White Topaz

Storm Earrings - "Blue Flash" Labradorite & White Topaz

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The Tableau Collection - Keepsake Lockets

Too precious! How many of us kept a lock of hair from our children's first haircuts?

Once I get and idea in my head, I can become a little OCD.  Such has been the case this past summer and early fall in my quest to find antique lockets, brooches and clasps that can be used to create little “Tableaus” or pictures.  Historically, these lockets were used to house not only photos of family members and sweethearts, but a lock of their hair.  The hair was often plaited, woven or styled to create a “Prince of Wales” plume.  An interesting fact I discovered - when men/boys went off to fight during the Civil War, they often left behind a lock of hair for their wives and sweethearts in the event they did not come home.  Someone recently said to me, “That’s creepy!”.  Personally, I disagree - as humans we have been collecting hair from our children (first curl/haircut), family, sweethearts and pets as little mementos since the dawn of man.  

Many of these gorgeous lockets and brooches have not survived with the original hair intact, so I think it is only fair to try and preserve the unique workmanship of these gorgeous lockets by incorporating them into little “pictures”.  I have filled the recesses of these lockets with very small gemstones and sometimes, if there is room, a vermeil charm that can tell a story.

via Project Style

Ava Necklace - French Paste Reliquary Brooch with rubies and carved labradorite leaves.

The Ava Necklace was once a reliquary brooch.  The brooch was filled with little rubies, a carved labradorite leaf and a Byzantine cross.  Most antique brooches have a pin that extends outside the diameter of the brooch.  Rather than snip the pin, thus devaluing the piece - a small round bead has been added for comfort.

Palmer-Weiss

Morgaine Necklace - 14k gold Cannetille turquoise locket with 1ct. white topaz.  How cute is this French Napoleonic Bee?

The Morgaine Necklace has a delicate chain of the most minuscule turquoise is interspersed with beautiful blue kyanite faceted beads and flanked by smooth spring-green chrysoprase rondelles.  The dainty chain is the perfect accent to highlight the gorgeous and complex 14K gold cannetille and turquoise locket (ca.1830).  The tiny glass compartment of the locket has been filled with 1ct. of white topaz while a grouping of kyanite, chrysoprase and sleeping beauty turquoise briolette amulets acts as the background for a regal little vermeil Napoleonic bee.  The locket can be easily removed and worn as a brooch.

Katie Stassi

via Design Fabulous

Siren's Song Necklace - Step-faceted aquamarine nuggets & mermaid riding a seahorse on a frothy wave of aquamarine bubbles.

Keeping pace with the recent New York Fashion Week’s Spring 2012 haute couture influence of the mermaid silhouette, the exquisite Siren’s Song Necklace is certain to make a splash.  The gorgeous and highly desirable color-saturated aquamarine faceted nuggets, only serve to enhance the diaphanous antique French silver paste locket (ca. 1900) filled with a 24k gold vermeil mermaid riding a seahorse in a frothy wave of aquamarine bubbles.

Now for the truth - I still have several of these lockets waiting to be made up - it seems as though I can’t resist the gorgeous designs.  If you are interested in having one made up with keepsake elements that represent your life, leave me a little comment or email me at karensugarmanitr@aol.com.

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A Turquoise Lesson from History

Purdy Wallcoverings

Veranda - Jan.-Feb. 2007

When I was five years old my mother suddenly passed away at the young age of 29. There are very few of her possessions that I have and now that I am an adult, I realize why. At such a young age, she simply had not enough time to acquire meaningful treasures to pass on to me. Be that as it may, of the few possessions I have from her, one of them is a simple little ring of oval turquoise stones set in sterling. Although I have always cherished the ring and have never altered the design, I can honestly say that I have never been a fan of turquoise set in silver. I believe it lacks warmth and elegance.

On the other hand, as an interior designer, I have always been enamored with the turquoise/aqua family and it is scattered all over my home. One of my collecting passions is Sevres Blue. Additionally, I have had entire rooms in my home that were designed around this aqua blue family. It is a very calming and restful color to me. I still hold onto the theory that everyone looks tan when surrounded by aqua (even though it may be February when we are at our most pasty white)!

As I studied my little Sevres Blue collection, I came to realize that historically, it was always trimmed and banded in gold. Apparently, I am not the only person that thinks that gold brings out the richness of the color and counterbalances the coolness of aqua and turquoise.

While researching some images for this post, I stumbled across two unusual blog sites called “House of Turquoise” and “Everything Turquoise” with some of the most divine images of all ranges of turquoise – what an inspiration! Who knew! Erin, thank you for allowing me to “borrow” a bit of inspiration for this post.

At the Tucson Gem Show recently, I came across some wonderful Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, purchased it and promptly set it aside for later. Later came sooner than I suspected. I received a call from the agency that is handling some of my PR, that a local magazine was looking for some turquoise jewelry set in gold for a photo shoot. Needless to say, it jogged my memory and an entire weekend was devoted to creating an earthy but elegant - lovely turquoise necklace and earrings set in 24K gold vermeil.

Since I had design carte blanche with this set, I indulged my senses by mixing the elegant Sleeping Beauty Turquoise with little frills of gorgeous Capri blue Kyanite, soft Sky Blue Topaz and a heavy dose of mesmerizing blue flash Labradorite. Of course, the piece de resistance of the necklace is the free form turquoise slice pendant encased in 24k gold.

Just as the Sevres Blue collection lives happily in my home with a more relaxed atmosphere – the chic turquoise and gold of this jewelry design can live contentedly with either a ball gown or a blue jean skirt.

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