Showing posts with label lemon quartz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lemon quartz. Show all posts

Monday, April 21, 2008

Dreamy Elegance – Rose Quartz Nugget, Pink Topaz, Lemon Quartz & Aqua Chalcedony Necklace






It is rare that an interior designer has a client with such complete confidence in the designer’s ability that a sincere carte blanche is extended in the execution of the client’s home. Such is the case of a long time friend & client from the Boston area. We had a very long-standing relationship of over 10 years and collaborated together on several beautiful rooms in her stately & elegant home. It all began with the design of her daughter’s bedroom that was to be a surprise 16th birthday gift and evolved into the design of several other rooms within the home. My last area of the house to be completed before moving to Arizona was the design of the Master Suite.

As you can see from the photograph, it is a very elegant bedroom with a luscious color palette of creamy yellow, pale pinks & raspberry, soothing green and a touch of watery pale aqua. Confectionary colors that are regally juxtaposed within a sophisticated composition of sumptuous furniture. It is the type of bedroom that many women dream of but few obtain - a custom designed rug, custom Regency canopied bed, custom trims on furniture & silk draperies and a stunning portrait of the client and her daughters at the beach. No only was it a sanctuary for my client but a dreamy vision for HGTV to feature as well.


The delicate coloring of this room has long been one of my personal favorites as well and was the inspiration for a new necklace idea that has come to fruition. The Dreamy Elegance Necklace is anchored by the generous rose quartz nuggets surrounded by a frame of coiled wire and tiny little faceted gold vermeil beads. The cascading plume feature of rose quartz, aqua quartz, aqua chalcedony, lemon quartz and pink topaz reminds me of the cascading and flowing silk draperies in the bedroom. Just as the gentle colors of the room repeat in an organized and harmonious balance, the gemstones repeat the colors of the waterfall plume around the detailed rose quartz nuggets. Elegant and dreamy – just like the bedroom that inspired the design.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

When Life Hands You Lemon Quartz – Make a Necklace







Even after living in the deserts of Scottsdale for almost four years, I still miss almost everything from my former life in Boston (24 years is a long time). However there is one thing (possibly more) that I do love about Arizona. . .
t-shirts & sandals in March (unthinkable in Boston)! In our very small but, very pretty back yard, the former owners had the good sense to plan a small grove of citrus trees. It is at this time of the year when they are most delightful. After most of the fruit has been picked, eaten, juiced and given away; the grapefruit, orange and lemon trees explode with a profusion of beautiful white blossoms and the headiest perfumed fragrance you can imagine. Too bad we still do not have “smell-a-vision”. Suffice to say, I leave the doors open as much as possible to drink in the ambrosia bouquet.
Apparently, that lemon tree has really been on my mind. I just completed a gorgeous necklace of aquamarine, green phantom quartz, aqua chalcedony with softly colored lemon quartz nuggets and smooth lemon chiffon freshwater pearls. It reminds me of a cool glass of lemonade by the sparkling aqua water of the pool.

With my hubby working this week-end, I snuck off to a small gem & jewelry show here in Scottsdale. . .shh, don’t tell him! I am pretty certain I am not alone in this but, he is really befuddled by my need to have all those shoes and gemstones! As you can see, that lemon tree was whispering in my ear to buy those exquisite lemon quartz faceted briolettes. I am not certain exactly what “recipe” I will use them in but, I am certain something yummy will come to mind! These gem shows are going to be the end of me because I always seem to find some new stones that I just cannot seem to live without. This time, in addition to the lemon quartz brios, it was the blue tourmaline, pink topaz nuggets and the pink sapphires. I just can’t wait to sit down with them and see what combinations I can come up with.

While attending the gem show, I was testing out a new necklace that I have dubbed as “Safari Sashay”. With the summer fashion “must haves” of everything safari, everyone from the vendors (one of them wanted me to sell it to him – for resale of course) to the fashionable attendees, wanted to know about this necklace. This chunky statement necklace (very in-style this season) is comprised of ammonite, horn, banded agate, coffee quartz, wood & freshwater baroque pearls. It would look fabulous with the white shirtwaist dress & brown belt I have dog eared in my Bloomingdale’s catalogue!