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| After Christmas Sale Savings From 20% to 50% Now Through January 5th Little Girls Dream Of Sugarplums, But. . . Big Girls Dream Of Exquisite Jewelry. . .On Sale! |
Friday, December 27, 2013
Still Dreaming Of Sugarplums?
Friday, December 6, 2013
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.
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| Sylvia Earrings - Pink & Yellow Sapphires w/ White Topaz |
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| Eileen Earrings - Green Onyx & White Topaz |
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| Scarlett Earrings - Burmese Rubies & White Topaz |
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| Storm Earrings - "Blue Flash" Labradorite & White Topaz |
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
A Year Of Design.....In Progress
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| Cherish Necklace |
A couple of years ago, I designed a theatre token necklace as a prototype that was a reproduction of antique opera tokens - with a twist. During the process of the design, I realized that it would be much more fun to integrate some current customized tokens using the antique opera token format. As a result, I have encouraged my customers to customize their tokens for this necklace as a celebration of their lives - acknowledging honors, special events, hobbies and interests. The necklace has always been a big success and each of the necklaces are uniquely one-of-a-kind as they represent the individual owner’s lives.
About a year ago, I had an inquiry about this necklace from a charming gal from Kansas. As it turned out, she was visiting the Phoenix area and we had a chance to meet during her visit. It was one of those moments when you immediately have a strong connection with someone you just met and we happily chatted for hours about so many different subjects. We discussed the token necklace and she came away realizing the tokens could be customized to be so much more than what she was seeing on the prototype necklace. That is when the collaborative creative process really took flight. Rather than simply add text to her tokens, she requested line drawings that symbolized significant events in her life.
As you can see from the photos, this has been a labor of love. Even though the necklace has not reached 13 tokens or been assembled just yet - her necklace is the most unique and customized necklace I have done thus far. She and I have been able to collaborate together, sharing the same vision for a year. When she gets stumped as to how we can execute an idea, she emails and. . . between the two of us. . . a creative solution is just around the corner.
If you ask me why I am posting about an unfinished design, it is to exemplify what can be done when you think outside the box. To encourage customers to request designs that are as unique as our fingerprints. To NOT settle for the ordinary and expected.
On my end, there has been another added bonus. Not only have I been part of a great collaboration to create a very unique necklace design, but I have also gained a lovely friend who has been an absolute delight to work with! I cannot wait for her next visit to Phoenix for show and tell!
"If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary."
Jim Rohn
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Doozy Of A Druzy
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Those enchanting and unique mineral specimen beads known as “druzys” - sprinkled with glistening colored confectionary sugar-like crystals are still hot on the radar of every fashionista. If you don’t already have some of these mesmerizing stones in your jewelry armoire - they are a must have for fall and winter. Their precious nature is upended by their raw and wild geologic cuts and they are perfect for elegant yet casual cashmere sweaters and suede skirts.
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I was awestruck when I found a resource that had a vast selection of fossilized druzy shells from a private collection - all found in the dusty and dry sea bed that we now call the Sahara Desert.
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Minerals deposited in the remnants of shells have naturally created these one-of-a-kind geologic wonders - which continue to be a curiosity - even today.
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Marching along the fashion route with the ever popularity druzy stones are geodes - one of nature’s true curiosities. Geodes tell an spell-binding story. They begin their life as little round geologic formations - just as any ordinary rock. However, those clever geologists discovered that some of these seemingly ordinary rocks held a very dramatic story.
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I don’t know how it happened - by accident or design - but when these seemingly ordinary rocks are gently hand-cleaved - they break apart revealing a dazzling display of crystals safely ensconced within a dimpled nest. The smallest of these orbs have become beautiful sets in a variety of colors, which I use for earrings.
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I hope you are just as enchanted by these little curiosities of nature as I have been.