'Tis the Season for Tassels!

I am so officially obsessed with this tassel thing.  I love to take apart old jewelry and make it new again and tonight I made another tassel, this time using an end cap that I took from something that I no longer like.  I cut up an old necklace into three pieces to make the bracelet portion.  I have to say that using an end cap like this makes the tassel look way more polished than my first attempt (a few posts ago).  The charm is from yet another pendant that I took apart.  The bracelet I am wearing with it is from Banana Republic.  I like them both together, it looks very holiday to me! 

Gingerlove in My Heart

My friend, Mary Koziol, is a very talented artist, jewelry designer and a wool felter.  And her lovely vintage-infused jewelry designs are on Etsy.com (http://www.etsy.com/shop/gingerlovedesigns).  If you don't already know about Esty.com...go there now!  You will not be disappointed.  A few years ago, I actually sold my pieces on this site too.  It is a great cooperative of artists and you can find countless, unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.  I cannot say enough about this site, it is really special. 

I just ordered these gorgeous earrings today from Mary's Gingerlove Designs shop on Etsy.  I had been looking for a pair of copper earrings and these are a perfect fit to mix in with my other current favorites.  The bead in the middle is no ordinary bead either, it is actually a swatch of vintage fabric that Mary has stiched and molded around a wooden bead for effect.  Beautiful!  I have never seen anything like this.  Can't wait to get them in the mail!

Learning How to Make Wrap Bracelets

I have long admired the layered look of the very popular wrap bracelets that seem to be everywhere these days.  I have seen some for $200+, for designer versions.  I happened to have some waxed linen laying around from a previous project so I found this great tutorial on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-QS85GBRcY).  I am quite pleased with the results on this first try and already have several other versions in the works.  I added the pink tassel out of embroidery floss as kind of an afterthought and a nod to my previous tassel necklace project but now it is my favorite part of the design!

Merry Wrist-mas!

My friend Jennifer from work came to me with this lovely bracelet design a couple of months back and I said, "it is a perfect project for holiday presents!"  And away we went.  Many a lunch hour spent at the bead store (Bead It) and a couple of wine-and-beading-get-togethers, and voila, a rainbow of cozy bracelets were produced for our friends and family! 

This was a fun project although there were some learning curves along the way.  Tying slip knots for bracelets like this is tricky and required a lot of trial and error and some help from a knot tying expert (aka. rock-climber-engineer-husband-Casey).  But I have to say the end product is very boutique-y sweet.  We used all real stone beads, leather and gold wire.

Take that Emma!

It is all about the inspiration and the essence is definitely there.  I took the liberty of doing a mixed metal approach with copper charms and an antiqued silver chain.  For the tassel, I happened to have some embroidery floss on hand in a color that is a very close match to the original inspiration!  Which by the way is way easier than it may seem thanks to some helpful tips from the ladies at Bead It in Greenwood Village.  I am very happy with the result and have been wearing this for two days straight now.  :)  Would I like Emma's gold version in the Lancome ad still? Well, YES!  BUT, now I can at least calm down a little on this latest obsession. 

Where Can I Find This Tassel Necklace?

I have searched the corners of the web and have come up empty handed!  This piece is so very pretty.  Where-oh-where can I find this?  Emma, Lancome -- sharing is caring!  Or, do I have to make it myself?!  :)

In Search of the Perfect Star Necklace

My mother has the most perfect star necklace that she inherited from her Aunt Gert a million years ago.  I think it must have hit my radar maybe 15 years ago.  It's gold, small and delicate on the skin, just so lovely.  The chain connects to the pendant on the side points of the star rather than the top.  This was the part of the design that I fell in love with and consequently found so hard to find for many years.  My mom loves and wears this piece a lot and I knew if wanted one I'd have to find my own.  I even considered having a local jeweler recreate it for me at one point.  Then, about 5 years ago a new technique crossed my path called Metal Clay.  It allows you to create designs out of a special clay substance and then you fire your finished piece to create a .999 silver creation!  It's genius for those of us who love metal-smithing but can't afford the investment of all the equipment and space.  This technique fills an amazing void.  I found an instructor and got my certification in Art Clay.  (http://www.artclayworld.com/default.asp)  My first project on my own was to create this star design.  And I did, in silver.  I am really proud of it and even did some other variations as well.

However, I still longed for the gold version.  And last year, thanks to a little known phenomena called "Glee", a company called Ryan Ryan Jewelry (http://www.ryanryanandcompany.com/) made my necklace!  Thanks Lea Michelle or her character "Rachel" anyway.  And this version has a small diamond detail to boot.  I love it and I love it even more since my husband, Casey, got this for me for our five-year wedding anniversary.  Five points, five years, get it?!  Ryan Ryan's creation is below.

In Love with Liz

Liz Palacios jewelry that is!  This obsession started in 1999.  I found this amazing high quality vintage-style jewelry with a modern twist in a small boutique in Denver.  I bought a necklace and earrings back then that were fit for a bride.  It would be 7 years later that I walked down the aisle in this very special ensemble.  I added a bracelet for the big day in 2006.  And ever since I have been a collector, adding many an earring, rings and necklaces to the mix.  I have found her wares at Nordstrom and Norstrom Rack.  Nordstrom Rack has some great deals and always a fresh selection.  Turns out that she has an online store too at http://www.lizpalacios.com/index.htm.  The picture below was from my big day with the earrings and necklace I found in 1999.  And that's my awesome sister, Abby, wearing a necklace that I made for my bridesmaids.

The Most Unforgettable Ring

It was Fall 2009 and I was at our family's cabin in the mountains when a neighbor stopped by to visit.  I remember clearly where I was sitting when I saw it.  It had an aura, it's very own aura, I swear!  And even from across the room I knew it was something very, very special.  It has been exactly two years since I physically laid eyes on it but it is still vivid in my mind.  The neighbor was wearing the Sophia Ring by Emily Satloff from http://www.larkspurandhawk.com/shop/.  It is by far the most impressive piece of new fine jewelery I have seen in person.  It is divine.  It radiates from every angle, yet it is not over the top.  Somehow, I will own this ring one day!  Her vintage foil technique and eye for detail and beauty are extraordinary and I am not alone in this opinion as this ring is now exclusively available through Barnes New York for a well deserved price tag. She has many versions of this ring available but this one has by far the most bells and whistles in 18K Rose Gold with White Topaz and Pink Diamonds on Shoulders and Crown.  Unforgettable!

Finally! Bracelets for the Small-Wristed

Earlier this year I stumbled on a beautiful feather bangle bracelet.  Being a lover of bird-themed decor and accessories, I was thrilled to find this sweet piece.  And what was even more exciting was the fact that this company has created a patented adjustable bangle, hooray!  I have wanted to jump on the bangle band wagon for several years now and finally I have found a line that fits my tiny wrists.  Check out my newest favorite designer at http://www.alexandani.com/ for endless bangle and beaded delight.  And, for Coloradans, a new Alex and Ani store has opened up at the airport (DIA), Concourse C, which I was ecstatic to find recently on my way out of town.  They have nearly everything that Alex and Ani sells on their website.  The only problem is that you must have a boarding pass to get to it, bummer!  But perhaps a good thing on my pocketbook.  Both of the bracelets pictured are from this designer.