In Yr Fshn

Tumbling

2011-09-19T11:37:00.002-04:00

Tumblr seems to be way more compatible with my non-Mac computer, so I'm going to try tumbling over here for a while:

http://catbelly.tumblr.com/

Expect a lot of jewelry.

Reader, I Married Him

2011-07-13T12:54:00.004-04:00

Where: The Bell House, Brooklyn, NY
When: May 21st, 2011
Jewelry: Mine, antique. His, white gold on the outside with rose gold on the inner by Jesse Danger on Etsy.
Dress: Purchased at Neiman Marcus, off the rack
Hair and make-up: The Little Hair Shoppe in NYC

March On!

2011-03-08T14:11:00.009-05:00

Progress: in my apartment currently is a box of invitations, waiting to be sent out. Sure, yes, they must still be sealed and addressed, but lo: do not rain on my parade! Also, someone is making my dress and not only that BUT I have managed to put the other dresses that I purchased but were not right for me on ebay. Exhausting just reading about this, right? Let's look at pretty things.

In the So Tiny! So Adorable! Category:

Iwona Ludyga Tiny Keyhole Ring, $135

In the So Sparkly! So Dainty! Category:

Yasuko Azuma Moonlight Diamond Necklace, $738

In the So Pretty! So Old! Category:

Vintage 1930's Rhinestone Dress Clip at Jean Jean vintage, $78

And here's a little snap of some of my babies...

I've got some new ones too! I have to look longingly at this photo until May. No more "frivolous" (how insulting to diamonds!) purchases until after the nuptials. SIGH.

And my big baby:

Rock and a Hard Place

2010-12-09T14:43:00.007-05:00

How is it already almost Christmas? This year went by in a flat second, I swear. And that's probably because now my wedding is in six months (!!!) and I'm just now getting around to the important stuff you need to do. Like, uh, invitations? So the dress has been the hardest part and we're not going to speak about the three that are in my closet right now. Instead, let's look at the one I am very much leaning towards:

Pretty! Also, since the last post, I got a new (old) engagement ring:

Ladies, I've learned that if the ring is not you, then you must say something. The original ring the fella gave me was beautiful, it really was, but it was really not me. This one, however, is totally me. I found it in a little antiques and art gallery up in Provincetown, MA and was immediately drawn to it... and it's Edwardian!

On to the holidays: I've been toodling around on a lot of great sites, looking at jewelry and bookmarking and thought "Why should I let this go to waste? I shall not!" I'm in a natual stone mood, so here's some stuff (potential presents for loved ones, perhaps?), all $150 or under:

Flourite Stud Earrings by AlanaDouvros, $88

Nakamol 8 stone Necklace, $138

Titanium Quartz Ring by Stone&Honey, $73 (I actually have this ring, and think it's super interesting & pretty, but I would recommend sizing it for your middle finger; it's heavy and it leans when you wear it on the ring finger. I have to exchange mine...)

Victorian Banded Agate Brooch at Victorian Sentiments, $75 (Remember, brooches can always be turned into necklaces!)

Happy Holidays!

Dropping By

2010-06-07T19:51:00.008-04:00

Hello. Sometimes I stop by my old haunt and see what's been doing since I left; I marvel at the odd spam comments that have taken over like so many weeds in the cracks of a building and I get a little misty at the new comments, people who have taken the time to post even though it's been over a year since I last wrote.

Here's an update: I got a job shortly after my last post, and at first I was filling a position meant for two people, so I was burnt out and tired and only wanted to look at jewelry, not talk about it. Then we moved. Then I got engaged. I've been wedding planning a bit, or as much as I can without getting sucked into the vortex that is known as the bridal industry. It overwhelms me, so I even try to stay away from the computer for recreational use, because I somehow end up feeling hopeless as I look at pictures of some perfect garden wedding, where the bride found the perfect use of old aluminum cans and used paper towels.

If you are wondering, we got engaged in Cooperstown, NY over Thanksgiving (2009), first in local (and excellent) restaurant Alex and Ika, and then recreated in front of Babe Ruth in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Fella's original idea was to get down on one knee in front of the Babe's statue, but they had moved him from the lobby to somewhere inside and, after two visits to the Hall of Fame in my lifetime, I was content to get a manicure in town while he browsed. The ring was his grandma's and vintage, of course, from the 30's. The camera pooped out last year and instead of buying a new one, I waste my money on Victorian rings, so you'll have to take my word when I say that it's awful pretty. And I cried.

And that's where I've been. Now let's get back to it. Just because I haven't been blogging, doesn't mean I haven't been bookmarking beautiful things and trying to pay for them by skimping on the caterer! These are for summer, for warm nights when you don't have to wear a cardigan, for earrings that graze your bare shoulders, for the sun still shining when you leave your cubicle for the day, for wearing bright colors since the days are so long:

Art Deco 18K White Gold, Diamond and Emerald Dinner Ring, $595

Antique Style Jade, Coral, Pearl, Lapis and Turquoise Earrings, $49.99

Petite Cobalt Peacock Cuff, $32 (We got one of these for my soon-to-be-sister-in-law and she never takes it off)

Natural Blue/Green Turquoise & 10K Gold Ring, $95

Lisa Levine Slinky Brass Necklace with Mixed Stones, $147.20

I hope you have been well.

Let it All Hang out

2009-04-28T10:19:00.003-04:00

I know I was all blah, blah unemployed blah will post a lot, etc. but see, I've been doing stuff every day! Movies and walks and Pinkberries oh my! I'm really going to try to be more attendant because I miss the blog world... so, just as soon as this 85 degree weather gets out of dodge, then I am back at the computer. In the meantime...

It's been too long since we've had a cat post!

Inspiration

2009-04-17T10:42:00.005-04:00

I went to MOMA this past week and figured out that I don't really like modern or abstract art. It is uninterpretable, no matter what critics may say. I like my art to be full of Sirs and Ladies and possibly a shepherd or two. That is what I learned about myself. Below is the only thing that warranted a photo, in my opinion, and a piece of jewelry that could be its cousin. Any guesses as to what the sparkly objects may be? (Click on link to find out)

Things from MOMA

Colour Segments Necklace by Lila Ruby King, $89

Spring?

2009-03-20T11:58:00.005-04:00

Went to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Wednesday... a whole post on yellow to come--once it stops snowing here. Sigh.

Memento Mori, Part Deux

2009-03-12T16:52:00.006-04:00

As Birthday Extravaganza (More about this to come, but consider the whole month of March my birthday. I do.) time draws nigh, I have been spending a lot of time looking for just the right present. For someone to give me. Hey, it's tacky, I know, but BF and I have had present "issues" in the past, and he now insists on a list of possible things I would be very happy to receive. As you can imagine (um, have you seen my blog?), I like to receive jewelry. A lot. So all this birthday business is a great excuse to waste hours on Ruby Lane, my favorite vintage jewelry site. Again and again I return to Memento Mori or "Mourning" jewelry, specifically rings. If you don't remember, I wrote about mourning jewelry way back when. At my late corporate job, I tried to explain to one lady how awesome hair jewelry (jewelry either created with or containing the hair of the deceased) was, but it's a little hard to convey. A lot of skulls and memorial designs have been popping up; here are the most unusual:

Skull Ring, circa 1680 (!), sold by Robbins' Roost Antiques, $2600 (do you see the awesome skull tucked behind the crystal?)

Victorian Mourning Ring with Black Enamel and Seed pearls, sold by Drury house Antiques, $459: Black coloring meant that the deceased was married. Seed pearls were use to indicate tear drops of the ones left behind.

White enamel skull ring circa 1740, also sold by Robbins' Roost Antiques, $5000: white enamel on a ring conveyed that the deceased was either a young woman, a child or a virgin. I've read varying signifiers, but back in the day, most unmarried young woman should have been virgins and if they weren't, well, nobody should have known. Unless their father found out and that's why there were memorial rings in their honor.

18k Pair of English Gold Hair Rings, sold by CJ Antiques, $1050:
Rings like these featured either solely the hair of the deceased or a plaited combination of the deceased and the ring wearer's hair. Hair was also used to create designs in some pieces... I will post one when I can find it again.

Twice in a Month Already!

2009-03-11T09:23:00.004-04:00

Pic from AP

I sort of glossed over this in the last post, but just to get it out into the world: I am currently unemployed. Before my posts began dwindling, I often complained about the location and just general awfulness of my workplace, so it could be worse. Everyone says it's an opportunity, which is possibly one of the most annoying things to hear in such a situation, but very true, so I can't hold somebody's kind words against them. Though I'd like to. Anyhow, I've been taking it easy, trying to figure out what to do next. That's the worst part: the untethered feeling. Though you may resent the cord, once it's been cut, well, then you're just floating.

But I've made a list of Things To Do and blogging more frequently is near the top. That means I'll be branching out from solely jewelry, to talk about some books and further possible fetishes I encounter (see: last post). I'll probably be writing about my cats too; lucky you!

Other time-wasting treasures: I've been on the Natalie Dee website for a while and can't stop laughing at this one:

"Don't Invite Morrissey to Your Birthday Party"

So true.

Anyhow, over the past month I read two incredibly extraordinary books that I haven't been able to talk to anyone about. Then I thought, "Hey! What about that writing thing you do on the internet?" And the cat meowed at me, even though I only said it in my head (duh--cats are psychic), which I took as both support and affirmation. Today I will write about one of these...

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, is an incredible story about a young white woman named Skeeter, coming of age (22) in 1962 Mississippi. She's not into the dilettante lifestyle or coming out parties or settle-down and get pregnant lifestyle that her best friends have embraced. She's gawky and smart. She tells part of the story. The rest of the book is written in alternating chapters from the POV of two black maids in the community. One, Minny, is bitter and angry and, even though it's fiction, my blood boiled reading about the awful things people did to her, cause you know these things and worse actually happened. The other maid, Aibileen, is wise and maternal, and takes care of the white babies like they were her own. Skeeter decides to write an anonymous book, telling the stories of the maids. This book is so well-written, and drags you into the moment and people's lives without a second thought. I missed several train stops whilst reading this.

As a matter of fact, that's the basis for my new book rating system:

0 stars: couldn't wait to get off the train

1 star: made myself read a couple of pages, then started playing on phone and staring at people

2 stars: ride went by slowly

3 stars: ride went by quickly

4 stars: maybe missed one stop, but then pulled myself together

5 stars: missing stops, purposely going out of my way to read more

The Help: *****

I'm Sending You Letter...

2009-03-04T11:01:00.005-05:00

Hi there! Two very odd things happened to me this morning:

1. I saw a purple thong laying in the snow, immediately thinking, wow. That woman must be really cold.

2. On my way to the post office, my boot came untied. A man offered to tie it for me, the offer suggested in a very lascivious, if not altogether sleazy voice. Due to my deeply ingrained manners, I said, "No thank you!" Now this is definitely odd, but made odder by the fact that it happens to me often. You are surely thinking, damn! This girl needs to learn how to tie her shoes! True. I am regretfully impatient and often tie my shoes in a slapdash manner. But. I can retie them without aid and so it makes me wonder: is there a fetish group for this business? Am I on page 1--"This girl loves to tease!" I am frankly too afraid to research this on the interwebs; lord knows who'll show up at my innocent blog due that single mention. However, please enlighten me in the comments if you've got any ideas.

On to the jewelry, which I have sorely missed posting about. Today's theme is the post office, which I have been to frequently, now being jobless (or: stay at home kitty mama) and not having a receptionist to hand my mail to. I should hire a receptionist for our apartment. Without further ado!

The Love Inside No.1 Ring by Colleen Baran, $75: a silver tube ring where a little love note can be inserted. Save the money you'd spend on stamps when sending out your love letters.

Special Delivery Mailbox Necklace by Birdland Creations, $180

Love Letter Earrings by Destiny's Creations, $30

Love Letter Bracelet by Only Lauren, $160: inscribed with a love letter from Robert Browning to Elizabeth Barret Browning.

Silver Envelope Ring by Sa mantha Jean Designs, $38

Stay warm!

Hidden in Plain Sight

2009-02-08T13:12:00.007-05:00

Edit: I don't know why this reads like a humorless, tourist guide entry, people. Post-nap brain'll do that to you. But it's still a valid post!

I thought I'd tell you about my favorite place in Manhattan because, though it's in a heavily trafficked location, many people seem to miss this wonder. In Grand Central terminal, there is a wing (Grand Central Market) dedicated to a row of counters, all selling marvelous foodstuffs: cupcakes, starfruit, tuna burgers. Basically, whatever you didn't know you were craving. But when you walk in from Lexington avenue, just look up. There's an amazing sight:

Lest you think your eyes are deceiving you, yes, that is a giant, upside-down crystal tree. Here are some more views, courtesy of the MTA website:

This one is from MHJohnston's Flickr Stream:

It's by artist Donald Lipski and is called Sirshasana, after the inverted tree pose in yoga. There's more information about it here.

Doesn't it look like a great big piece of jewelry?

Manhattan has all these little miracles tucked into hidden corners: a gargoyle smiling from a skyscraper perch, an anonymous boutique where you find your favorite piece of clothing, a small square of central park where you can watch the swans... Winter was getting me down, but warm temperatures this weekend are reminding me of all the great explorations to be had in the city.

Fingers Crossed for Something Above 24 Degrees

2009-01-25T17:39:00.008-05:00

Oy this winter. It's been so cold and dark that I may kill the next person who complains about the cold and dark. Today I bought some Vitamin D in the hopes that it will make my body trick my brain out of winter depression. I'll let you know how that goes. For now, we've been hanging up pictures around the house. BF has been applying to grad schools and I've been dreaming of ways to spend my tax return:

Plum and Sage Rustik Ring with Green Amethyst, $75

Poppy Bobby Pin set by Foundling, $12

Aquamarine Nugget Necklace (Mini Makoa 2.0) by Kahili Creations, $45

Modern Scarlett Ruby Earrings by MKaae, $31

Posey Stacking Rings b Rubygirl, $24 each

______________________________________________________

On Saturday, my mom, a friend and I went to the Knickerbocker Ice Festival up at Rockland Lake. I know there was something educational to be gleaned from the whole affair, but it was so fucking freezing that the best I could do was get a couple of pictures. Below are some of the incredible ice sculptures set up around the lake. Most of them were ships.... wish I could tell you why!

Squirrel Heavy

2008-12-28T20:24:00.007-05:00

Happy holidays, people! Did you have a good one? I had a good one. Though I am technically Jewish, I love all of the trappings of Christmas--the lights, the colors, the multitude of presents on one day (don't even get me started on that pesky eight-day rule us Jews abide by)--and part of my family is Christ-oriented, so I jump on that bandwagon. Since BF and I have been together an eternity (five years plus a little), he knows of my jewelry fixation and thus asks me to narrow down what I would like to an easy list. This year I was more than happy to oblige because I had my heart set on a single thing:

It's an ornate (some might say gaudy, but those people are inevitably boring) garnet Victorian ring. As always, the present came attached with several trials and tribulations and I didn't get until the day after Christmas but my god, I love it. It's shiny and huge and perfect.

________________________________________________________________

Now, a couple of weeks ago, I had dinner with the gorgeous (is it me or does she keep getting younger?) WendyB and we discussed many things, but also squirrels which I think are bound to come up in any interesting conversation, right? I told her that to avoid crying at movies, I think of squirrels. You know, frolicking and whatnot. It's fail proof. Wendy reminded me of her awesome squirrel necklace...:

Wendy Brandes Squirrel Necklace, $125 (free shipping 'til Dec. 31st!)

...And then that very weekend, the BF and I were taking a morning walk through Astoria when I was bombarded with the city's version of nature. First, we came across a squirrel eating a slice of pizza:

I whispered to BF "Make sure it doesn't move!" and hauled ass back to the apartment for the camera. Then we came across one of the famed black squirrels native to Astoria Park (like a fat cat, right?):

Of course we then met this little diva, who was inches away from me (expecting pizza methinks), and he/ she pulled out all the cute poses in the squirrel handbook:

Lastly, moving away from ze squirrels--this house was in a row of similar houses, and the only one covered in birds. Looked very Hitchcock-esque:

There was also a falcon, but he'll be in another post.

Off now to squish a kitty and further admire my ring. Happy New Year!

Presents for People You Love (Part 1: Under $75)

2008-11-30T20:22:00.008-05:00

I know I can't keep up on comments, but here's a quickie as I've been on the Christmas Present hunt: The following are all things I have bookmarked for special someones (or maybe a special post-Christmas here's-some-money-I-have-left-me (does that make sense?))

Stone & Honey Silver Pinwheel "Lana" necklace, $60

Anne Kiel Little Horshoe Ring, $65

Aster Bracelet by Bario-Neal, $75

Charmed Earrings by Mud and Mint, $21

Silver Lotus Ring by An Original Jewelry shop, $52

Oh! Also, we went to Cooperstown, NY for a weekend/ Thanksgiving trip and the BF kept calling it (accurately) Stars Hollow. Yes, that's a Gilmore Girls reference. This is the second year we've been--he's a baseball fiend and this time around I really wanted to check out the non-baseball stuff in town. Anyhow, if you are looking for a weekend trip (and live in NY), I highly recommend Cooperstown! They have an awesome Farmer's Museum (home of the Cardiff Giant: "one of the most famous hoaxes in American history!" and the incredible Empire State Carousel--they had an NYC rat to ride on!). The excellent James Fenimore Cooper Art Museum is across the street and had two surpisingly insightful exhibits: one about past presidential elections (ie homemade support items like a milk jug with the word "Hoover" painted on) and one about the stereotypical depiction of African Americans through history. Obvs, they also have the Baseball Hall of Fame which I was happy to drop BF off at ("I'll meet you in an hour!") and go wandering around the town.

And my favorite part (besides, of course, the romantic dinners and such)? All the museums had Black friday sales that continue until Christmas! People, I love my museum gift shops.

I forgot the camera and tried to take some nice shots with the phone... ah, the novelty of farmland to a city dweller!

If you end up going, or liked going, or just need a book to read, I'd recommend the book Monsters of Templeton. The author was/ is from Cooperstown and modeled "Templeton" on her hometown.

Don't Know How Long I've Been Missing You

2008-11-26T09:20:00.012-05:00

I've started and stopped about a million posts these last two months and it just became easier to say, oh, it's been so long anyhow. To say, well why bother? But today I'm sick and sitting here thinking that I really should do something about this.

What's new with you? Since my last post I've:

-gone to San Fran; (more pics h ere)

Grace Cathedral was my favorite place...

-got food poisoning in SF;

-left SF early;

-seen Twilight, A Christmas Tale and at least one or two other movies, but still have not gotten around to Man on Wire;

Even Mathieu Amalric swoons over Mathieu Amalric in A Christmas Tale (pic from Film Detail)

-finished season 1 of Mad Men;

pic from Give Me My remote

-read a million books and liked about half;

-been sick twice;

-been recommended a no junk food diet by doctor once;

-bought boots that I love--this has been a years-long quest (omfg SO comfortable);

-made plans for a Cooperstown-style Thanksgiving.

There's been more but being sick makes me blue (or green, I guess) and I can't remember all of the surely wonderful things I've been doing. Mostly I just sit around all day resenting San Francisco's hills.

But there's been some down time and I've found some new obsessions (jewelry-wise; we don't need to go into the whole Robert Pattinson thing here).

Victorian Garnet and Seed Pearl Ring, $150

Clasped Hands Ring, $245

Edwardian Garnet and Opal Ring, $340 (That unusual style of garnet is called "mine cut" and I've grown to really love it after looking at pages and pages of Edwardian and Victorian rings. It's a much sharper cut, and called such as the stones were literally taken from old mines. The style was popular predominately through the 19th c. Really striking reminder of how history repeats itself if you look at the stud jewelry that cropped up last year, I'm thinking most about Alex and Chloe's inverted diamond ring.)

Hannah Clark Ouroborus Ring, $500 (This is modeled after the engagement ring Victoria received from Prince Albert. The snake represents infinity--eating it's own tail creates a never ending circle.)

Sapphire Dome Ring, $88 (Also reminiscent of the Victorian "starburst" style like this one, which was also mixed with something called a gypsy setting that showed the gems recessed--or set under the surface level-- in the metal. Example here.)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Sat through Mon

2008-09-23T16:08:00.006-04:00

We covered DFW; let's move onto brighter topics, yes? This past weekend was BF's b-day extravaganza, which mostly consisted of us lounging and then me cajoling BF into a Governer's Island trip, which was a-may-zing.

You take the subway allll the way downtown--past the ruined WTC site, past the Century 21 shoppers--right up until the subway car could hit the water. That's Whitehall Street. You get out and see the gorgeous, shining Staten Island Ferry (I'm not kidding). Look left. See that old fashioned building? That's where the Governer's Island ferry leaves every half hour. Free. You get on and take the 10 minute trip, twisting in your seat like a tourist. "Statue of Liberty!" "Waterfalls!" "Big old forts!" Once there, you walk around, in and out, looking at the wonderful art exhibits that cover the ground. Then you rent a 50's style Schwinn to bike around the island (Seafoam green for the ladies, silver for the fellas). Basket, bell, whole nine yards. Don't forget to say hello to the gigantic cat. (What can he possibly be eating to get so fat? And yes, we did call him guv'ner.)

What are you waiting for? The Island closes for the season on October 12th. (UPDATE: Pics posted. You can see more at my Flickr.)

What else? Oh, last night? We saw My Bloody Valentine. I can't thoroughly explain how awesome and influential this band is. But anyhow, it was a totally mind-blowing experience. A little ear-blowing too; NY Mag suspects MBV "PLAY LOUDEST SHOW EVER" and I may concur. There was a 12-17 minute (opinion varies) wall of noise that exploded at the end of the last song. At first it felt exhilarating: like a 747 was landing on your head, but you were invincible. Then 3/4 I had to put in my free earplugs. I like being able to hear, I decided.

Okay! Jewelry! (No theme, except a perhaps personal theme which is: I found some new sites!)

Open Pendant Necklace with cognac Diamonds, $228

Abschiedsfest Ring by Constance Schreiber, $320

Campo Di Fiore Collar by Echo of the Dreamer, $950

(these folks are having a sample sale in NYC through the 26th. Information here.)

Coppertone Turquoise Ring, $148

Finite

2008-09-18T19:29:00.012-04:00

Sad news on the literary front this week, so let me put this out there first: RIP David Foster Wallace.

Readers, I won't lie: Infinite Jest was my postmodern nemisis. I bought the book. It fell apart from my countless thows against the wall. I took it out from the library, worrying over a possible hernia from it's heft (almost 1100 pages), yet I persisted. That was sophmore year of college. Four years after graduation, the library edition is still sitting on my bookshelf, a tiny scrap of paper marking where I gave up. That's what it was, really. Giving up. The book defeated me, casually tossing footnotes and ceaseless wit at my poor 21-year-old head. Now I'm older, wiser and I may just give it another shot. Anyhow, part of me likes knowing I haven't finished Infinite Jest: it'll be an accomplishment when I finally do. (BTW, good college chum Mr. Bungle first implored me to read Mr. Wallace's landmark tome and even though I didn't get into the fiction, I'll always be thankful as DFW's non-fiction story "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again" will always be one of my favorites things in the world.)

Jewelry update coming; too much to fit in one post...

Stephanie Nielson

2008-09-07T10:26:00.004-04:00

Stephanie Nielson (aka Nie Nie) and her husband Christian. Photo from Nie Nie's blog.

Though only three days ago I mentioned I wouldn't be blogging much, I did want to write up a quick post for a great and generous thing Wendy B is doing.

Wendy is auctioning off her exquisiste Diana Necklace to raise money for Stephanie Neilson, a blogger who was tragically injured (burned on over 80% of her body) in a plane crash last month. The flight instructer died and Stephanie's husband, Christian, was also burned.

Wendy is doing an awesome thing, so please please please head over to her blog and read the details and bid. Get in on the good karma towards Stephanie and Christian and know that you'll be helping a fellow blogger--this is a community, after all.

Waiting for Greek Food...

2008-09-04T20:59:00.005-04:00

Here I am! It's been a long couple of weeks full of awesome book parties (at which the joint was so crowded, I couldn't even find the table to buy said book [said book being Cringe put together by the amazingly talented Sarah Brown of Que Sera Sera]), not enough sleep, the US Open (sexy Federer) and the boyfriend's new professor gig. So, you know. Busy.

Last post I insinuated that I would be closing up shop here at In Yr Fshn. Some very nice comments gave me pause in my hasty decision, but seeing as how I promised a post this past weekend and now it's Thursday, I don't know that I am actually capable of keeping the blog--no matter how much I may want to. As I told the fabulous Wendy: I clutch my spare moments to my bosom as if they were diamonds or something. Appropriate simile, right?

For now, I will try to keep things going here, but I know that posts will be few and far between (twice a month?), so please bear with me. Hopefully things will calm down a bit and I can start thinking about things I actually like again.

Today's post will be a two parter: some pictures of kitties and such, then some jewelry. And here we go...

Fattiepants Magee

Miss Stella

Pretty Sky at US Open

Hot BF at US Open

And now! I feel like crazy layered necklaces in all sorts of mixed metals and media become the "new thing" every September, but I'm really digging them this year... a few favorites....

Justin Giunta Subversive Locket Necklace, $760

Heavy Metal Necklace by Cassandra's Beads, $45

Kim and Maki Goth Layered Necklace, $245

Neawear Chain Necklace "10", $35

When You Know

2008-08-25T21:28:00.002-04:00

Alright, who knows how much longer this puppy is gonna be around, so check back for a great big post by the weekend. It may be my last, for now at least.

Initial Here

2008-08-10T20:17:00.006-04:00

No more complaining about work, I promise. This weekend we caught up on sleep and explored Long Island City, which is about 15 blocks south of us (we're in Astoria). What a weird place with it's crammed in luxury highrises full of nobody and empty streets teeming with hip restaurants. I assume they will be soon be marketing the town as the "new Manhattan" or some such ridiculousness, but until then, it'll feel like a really hip ghost town full of soulless shiny buildings and great boutiques.

Today we ventured to the mall, a rare treat when you move out of suburbia. This first necklace looked lovely on a mannequin in Urban Outfitters and it inspired a whole post. It's good to be back.

Urban Outiftters Monogram Necklace, $18

Scrabble Charm by HeistJewelry, $45

Sterling Initial Necklace by Jennifer Zeuner, $220

Art Nouveau Inspired Initial Necklace by IstanbulDesign, $65

Custom Initial Copper Charm by Amy Cornwell, $20

Copper Initial Necklace by Wiyomu, $15

Gold Block Initials (vintage deadstock), $20 at day-lab [only limited letters, but day-lab always has a ton of deadstock initial necklaces, so it's worth a look around the site]

Boleyn Necklace by Wendy Brandes, $300 for sterling silver (also available here in gold)

Sign Language Initial Charms, $5.50 each (pewter) by Talking Hands

And if you have hours to kill, please feel free to click here for the etsy search of "initial necklaces" which I left at page 40, though there were still about 100 pages left to peruse. I had to tear myself away so we could catch up on Project Runway.

Zzzzzz

2008-08-08T17:36:00.002-04:00

I'm not gone! Sometime this weekend, I'll be doing a new post! And commenting! And sleeping!

Oh, god sleep. I miss you, my sweet beautiful sleep.

Hump-day, as they Call it

2008-07-30T20:42:00.006-04:00

Alright, kiddos! Time to anounce the winner of the ever-so-loverly bloggiversary contest... (drumroll please)
The Clothes Horse!

This contest was all official and vetted by my bf ("Honey, pick a number between 1 and 6 please?"), so if you have a problem, talk to him. Congrats, Clothes Horse!

Now, to all the rest of you kind folks who expressed interest, I would be happy to send a little treat in the mail if you are feeling particularly sorrowful about not winning. (I love sending packages and I've got some lovely jewelry goodies just waiting for the right owner.) Just drop me an email at urbanvintagenyc@gmail.com.
In other jewelry news, I am digging this today:

White Flower Bracelet by Metamorph, $40

also this one:

The Square Prince Ring by Senayakin, $250 (oxidized silver and aquamarine)

And in non-jewelry news: oh, people. Work is rough, but at least I get to wear dresses, right? I'll be setting up a proper update around these parts on Friday, and I'll finally get to read my beloved blogs. (Can you tell that etsy is one of the few sites I have access to?)

'Til then...

Winner...

2008-07-28T20:31:00.002-04:00

...to be announced Wednesday nigh. Don't ask about work--it was rough. One comment: almost all of the internet I enjoy is blocked. Including my blog.

In Which You can Win a Prize!

2008-07-25T08:39:00.007-04:00

Hi folks! I'm finally back after a (thankfully) abbreviated family vacation plus one horrific day of work wherein I had to respond to 90 e-mails.

This'll be short and sweet today as I got word that I'll be heading into an office on Monday. They're picking up my computer today, along with all other my other work junk, and I've got knots the size of Texas in my stomach. New people! Having to work with the old people again! No more laying out in the park! No more talking to the kitties! (Well, technically I can still do the last, but it doesn't seem quite so crazy when it's just you and the kittens.)

Vacation was as fun as it could be. My mom and I usually make the best of things which means we hit a lot of gift shops and ogle things far too expensive. She had to forcibly talk me into at least one of my purchases this year as I didn't want to spend the sum--a sum so relatively small I'm ashamed to admit it as I'll seem stingy. But hey. I'm on a budget.

What else? I tried to stay away from my newly growth spurted 13-year-old cousin. Prior to arriving, word was he'd sprouted five inches and had a voice change. I told the BF and he said, "I know how 13 year old boys think! I don't care if he's your cousin, don't touch him!" Wise words.

Anyhow, here's what I picked up at my new favorite store, Mark August, in Chatham, MA...

Resin Bangle (made to look like sea glass)

Burmese Ruby ring on 14K gold Wire

Last but not least, the contest! Because, as I mentioned in the previous post, today is my Blog-birthday! One year ago today, I was just a bored little girl sitting in an office who loved jewelry. Not much has changed, except I've got a whole bunch of writing on the Internet that proves just how much I love jewelry. So here's the deal:
If you'd like to win the necklace, just leave me a comment saying so. My mom will pick one at random and I'll let you. Someone better want this necklace, people! I agonized over my bloggiversary giveaway!

This lovely little basket necklace from Yankee Ingenuity in Chatham, MA. My old college chum Mr. Bungle revealed to me that the baskets are actually jewelry versions of the Nantucket Lighthouse Baskets, an old timey craft that began in the early 19th century on Nantucket Island, and was adapted from baskets local Indian tribes used.

This one doesn't have a penny like the traditional ones: it's sweet and delicate and sits just right. As with the other giveaway, I'm so sorry international bloggers, but I wouldn't be able to ship it to you! Canadians I'll take, though.

I know I was only gone a couple of days, but man, I missed this (do you see the kitty ears?):

Gone Fishing

2008-07-19T13:07:00.004-04:00

You may have noticed that this week I've been blogging up a storm? (If you are going by my usual schedule, anyhow.) Perhaps it's a touch of guilt as next week I will be on vacation. No blogging until next Friday, at which point we will celebrate my one year bloggiversary (July 25th) with a giveaway!!!
My very first post came only days after my return last year from the Cape, a place I go every year with my ever dwindling group of family members who deign to come. We get a cottage, I have to sleep in the same room as my mom, some of the time it is torture. That's all you need to know, I think. You probably should read it--I doubt anyone has except the BF and our very own Wendy Brandes, who was my very first commenter!

This is actually called Cape Cod style jewelry. It's everywhere up there. Sterling bracelet, $65

I never understood these basket necklaces, but they are seemingly mandatory in every gift shop and as of two years ago, I think they are pretty cute.
Nantucket Basket Necklace with miniature penny inside, $30

Obviously the nautical theme is pretty popular. Scallop and starfish bracelet, $225:

Rope bracelets included in the nautical-ness... Friendship Rope Bracelet, $4.95 :

Also, the BF and I got up at 7:30 AM (on a SATURDAY) to make the 9:45 AM Batman. We were definitely not the only ones and I highly recommend it. Very good movie.

Fangirl

2008-07-18T10:39:00.003-04:00

pic from Wikipedia

My not-s0-inner comic book nerd is quite ecstatic this week. First, Batman comes out, which we will hopefully be seeing tomorrow morning. Second, I just saw the ridiculously amazing trailer for the upcoming Watchmen film (oh, only the most classic contemporary comic book outside of the Sandman series):

Watchmen Trailer

I recommend it even if you aren't a dork like me... the effects look beautiful.

Boutique-ness

2008-07-17T10:10:00.002-04:00

According to über-fashionable site Jargol, Brooklyn boutique Bird is having a lovely moving sale, with 25 to 50% off a lot of stock. If you live in the area, I recommend checking out the store as it is adorable (and on the website, it says that all stock is 50%, which seems to be in-store only). They also have an online shop. Here are some of my favorite sale items from their site:

3.1 Phillip Lim Two tone dress, $349

Bast Stackable Heart Ring, $99

Jeribacao Trovata Dress, $139

Mayle Pointelle Apaca Cardigan, $199

Losing Out to the Heat

2008-07-15T16:54:00.008-04:00

Big work stuff going day today and my head is still spinning. The only cure seems to be some "Cheap Chic" from perennial favorite Twist. After all, there is a recession on...

Nikki Butler Blue Quartz Necklace, $62

Jane Diaz Silver Sculpted Earrings, $52

Ronni Kappos Multi-Charm Bracelet, $122

Tai Brass and Silver Bead Necklace, $78

A couple more from ebay.... these'll stop as soon as I've exhausted my summer cleaning haul, which should be soon. Oh, the horror of taking these pictures!

Sheer Vintage Dress
Colorful Vintage Rope Back Dress

Lastly (if you made it this far), I really can't recommend Deerhunter's Microcastles enough! Such great lazy afternoon music.

Also, the lovely Stitches and Threads bestowed upon me a beloved tag, which I will get to this week. Yay!

Friday Favorites: Down with Ennui

2008-07-11T09:20:00.016-04:00

I've been neglecting Friday Favorites for several weeks now, but I think it's time to bring it back. Of course, I had also forgotten how freakin' hard it sometimes is. Today I liked everything and none of it flowed. Hopefully this little grouping appeals to the eye...

Leather Dreamcatcher Necklace by Annie Costello Brown, $220

Black Ice Earrings by Old World Romance, $22

Robot Pendant with Citrine by Karen Walker, $243

Five Piece Band Set, $380 (mixed metals)

And another round of Shameless Self-promotion! New stuff in our ebay store: UrbanVintageNYC...

Green Gingham Vintage Sun dress
Betsey Johnson NWT Wiggle sailor Dress

Chevron Multi-colored Sun Dress
50's Silhouette H&M dress

As always, if you read the blog and win an auction, leave me a comment! I'll include some free jewelry treats in your package!

Red and White

2008-07-09T12:09:00.005-04:00

I find this ring to be very appealing... (and obvs very out of the budget)

Ruby Abstract Ring byRoberto Marroni, £3580.00

Shameless Self-Promotion

2008-07-07T12:36:00.003-04:00

Updated: Just put some new items in the store!

Putting up some dresses in our neglected ebay store...
UrbanVintageNYC

Vintage Purple Dress

Black Shirt Dress

Olive Green Soundgirl dress

Navy Skirt

If you read the blog and win something from the store, let me know... I'll throw in some free jewelry!

Winding Down or: Scenes from a Long Weekend

2008-07-06T21:04:00.005-04:00

A sleepy Sunday night at the end of a weekend full of food, weird warfare fireworks, closet cleaning, listening to the new Beck record and five extra pounds. Astoria looked especially pretty tonight. [Sky photos taken with BF's Blackberry]

So, on Thursday, this little kid ran into me while he was riding his bike. I gave him a stern look and a "PLEASE watch where you are going!" but listen, he was like, six. What was I supposed to do? Here's the damage (This is primarily for my mom because she was on the phone with me when it happened):

Then I went home and flipped channels until I came to Les Demoiselles de Rochefort on IFC, which was beautiful and French and full of crazy costumes. And songs. Crazy rhyming songs. I didn't get to watch the whole thing, but here's picture from one scene to give you an idea:

We got around to cleaning the bedroom this weekend because it had reached red level:

And then we went grocery shopping and out to dinner...

looking at the lovely sky the whole time:

Smash! Bam! Pow!

2008-07-03T11:16:00.007-04:00

By some stroke of corporate luck, I have today and tomorrow off. I'm not gloating though; I promise I paid my dues working holidays in retail. Seeing as how a Friday holiday suddenly overwhelms the Queens library system and they feel the need to close July 4th through July 6th, I just returned from a book stock up. It is a sad reflection on our society, at least our local one, that the graphic novel section occupies the same amount of space as Fiction A through D. Not a single Margaret Atwood in sight. Luckily, as I've mentioned in the past, I'm a bit of a comic nut. I know a couple of you out there also enjoy a good graphic novel, so here are some recent ones I've enjoyed:

Image from Wikipedia
*The Fables Series by Bill Willingham, now up to book 11, explores the trials of old fashioned fairy tale characters living in present day Manhattan after being forced out of their homelands by an evil "adversary". Prince Charming is Mayor, Beauty and the Beast are his second and third in command, Rose Red runs the "farm" in upstate NY where all the fairy tale animals live (Three little pigs, et al.) and everyone else pops up to make an appearance (Snow White, Big Bad Wolf, Little Blue Blue; you get the picture). It's a fascinating idea and beautifully executed, especially in the latter books.

Image from Fantagraphics
*Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw is an epic (ie over 700 pages) comic about a family. Without giving too much away, I can tell you that it follows three siblings, now adult, and their reaction to their parents late-in-life divorce. It's simply but beautifully drawn and it's got a great press story, written about in this New York Magazine article. It's published through Fantagraphics; I'd buy anything they put out, that's how much I trust them.

Image from Wikipedia
*Lastly, for now (because I am aware this is primarily a jewelry blog), let's have a moment for the final book in the Y: The Last Man Series by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra. I cried at the end, but sometimes I'm a big baby, so don't think it's necessarily sad. The series, which spanned a perfect ten books, follows the adventures of Yorick (and his monkey, Ampersand), the very last man on earth after a disease wipes out all the other peeps with Y chromosomes. As with all books, this series had it's ups and downs, but the ups far outweighed the downs.

And how could I showcase anything else with a post like this?

Necklace made from Recycled Comics, $22

Comic Love Ring by Nakedtile, $6

Wonder Woman Cuff Bracelet, $24.95

Sunday Newspaper Comic Dangling Earrings by Holly Anne Mitchell, $99

Green Lantern Silver Ring, $20

KaPOW! Comic Book Necklace by I Make Cute Stuff, $20

I'm Stuck on You

2008-07-01T11:14:00.005-04:00

Last night we went to the Yankees game and I can unequivocally say that it was a very boring game. Perhaps I am not the biggest fan of the game, but still... Luckily, I had my camera and my boyfriend's phone, which meant I could both take artsy pictures of the stadium and brush up on my Scrabble skills.

First the pictures...

And then the jewelry! Because that last photo reminds me of a long octopus tentacle reaching around the sky... (Jeez, who knew the octopus was so popular?)

Untitled Ring (with Octopus) by Sebastian Buescher

Antiqued Silver Octopus Necklace by Adorkable Jewelry, $19.93 AU

Octopus Earrings byTigerlillyshop, $15

Versatile Tentacle Ring by OctopusMe, $160 (Cast from a real tentacle)

Bakelite Butterscotch "Octopus" Bracelet, $285

Limited Edition Cast metal Octopus by Susie Ghahremani, $20

Octopus Earrings by Sheila Corkery, $220 (Sterling)

Hammered Silver Octopus Ring by Antonio Palladino, $1040

Tagged with Music!

2008-06-26T11:23:00.005-04:00

I've been tagged! I love tags. It's sick, I know, but I can't help it. They are like little presents that say, "Here. Now you don't have to think of a post!"

The lovely Sal of Already Pretty tagged me to list the seven songs that are shaping my Spring. Mine'll be for summer because a.) Spring is over and b.) I love Summer. I'm still a bit of a backwoods blogger, so I'll post links to where you can listen to the songs. No fancy embedding, sorry.

1. "Gobbledigook" by Sigur Ros: What a lovely rush of a song. Pitchfork described it as "Sigur Ros doing Animal Collective" which is totally on the mark. If you aren't familiar with any of those names, let me translate: it sounds like an amazing, ethereal indie rock choir covering a happy, hand-clapping mess of a song.
Listen to: when making dinner on a warm summer night

2. "Death and All His Friends" by Coldplay: It was only a couple of days ago when my boyfriend called me from work and whispered sheepishly, "I have something to tell you." Deep breath. "I like the new Coldplay. A lot." Yes, we're those elitist snobs who think Coldplay is a dirty word or anyhow, we were. Now, however, we're both digging it. This is my favorite song on the album purely for the catchy little chorus that pops up around the 2:40 mark.
Listen to: when reading blogs

3. "Love Made Visible" by The Delays: The whole album was a little bit of a disappointment, but this song sounds like the Delays I know and love.
Listen to: when you are going for a walk and pretending you are in the opening scene of a movie

4. "Mykonos" by Fleet Foxes: I think I've mentioned this song before, but it really bears repeating. A lovely ditty that is reminiscent of a warm sunny day in the 60's/ 70's, laying in a field full of wildflowers or something.
Listen to: on a sleepy Sunday morning

5. "Stop Playing Guitar" by the Promise Ring: There's just something about this song. I mean c'mon--the singer has a lisp. And it's charming. (Please please please do not watch the video when you listen. It's a dreadful video. Just minimize the screen.)
Listen to: when you are sure you're happy

6. "Leggy Blonde" by Flight of the Conchords: My bf's song for me. Catchy and ridiculous. But sweet.
Listen to: when you're reading In Yr Fshn. Duh.

7. "You've Done it Again, Virginia" by The National: If it's not evident, I'm a sucker for sleepy, slow music in the summer. Makes me think of being lazy and sluggish in the heat, doing nothing but reading and laying around.
Listen to: when you're deciding whether to get ice cream or gelato, but know you'll get neither and probably just take a nap instead

So I'm supposed to tag seven people, but I have no idea who hasn't been tagged yet for this one. I feel like I keep seeing it everywhere... if you'd like to be tagged let me know.

Updated to add: I am tagging my friend Mr. Bungle, who is currently attempting to ride across the country on a bicycle. His brave lady, Mz. Bungle, is joining him. They are blogging about it (or will be blogging about it) at Bungles on Bikes.

Opinion, if you please

2008-06-25T19:22:00.004-04:00

So. I'm going to a friend's wedding at the end of July and I am sorely in need of wedding attire advice.
My mom and I picked out this dress today and I thought it might work for a daytime Sunday wedding in July. Yes? No? If yes, what shoes, hair and nail color?

[Updated to add: Commenter Delaney brought up some good questions, so I figured I should add some more information. This wedding will be taking place--service and reception--at a banquet hall on Long Island. If the weather is good, it will be outdoors. It is semi-formal in that the couple is paying for their own wedding and are making it as nice as they can afford, but they are young and just bought a condo. I mentioned in the comments that I had a crazy blogger's urge to go edgy with this and do black nails with black heels--click on the pick to enlarge and you'll see the black trim lest you think I am insane--but that's probably too overboard for me and possibly too overboard for Long island in general.]

Back to regularly scheduled jewelry business on Friday.

Shiny Pretty Things

2008-06-20T18:43:00.004-04:00

Some pictures from today's trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art...

Jeff Koons Installation on the roof:

Statue of a cold girl in the gallery (I sympathize):

Other gallery shots:

The sky over our apartment on my walk home

I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the Superhero: Fashion and Fantasy show. It felt very thrown together and I couldn't figure out any sort of deeper message, even with all the helpful grad school thesis paragraphs on the walls. But that Koons stuff is something else, right?

Pearls! And Flight of the Conchords! And SATC!

2008-06-20T09:24:00.008-04:00

The thing is, I really am on about 50 jewelry websites a day but somehow once I get here, I just want to post about what I've been doing all day.

Does anyone have thoughts on Flight of the Conchords? I was bored one day and out of various DVR'ed episodes of You Are What You Eat and Gilmore Girls (I know, it's like estrogen-ville around here), so I took advantage of on demand HBO and watched the first episode.

(Image from hbo.com)

It was weird. I rarely laugh out loud at things and this was no different, but there was definitely some sort fascination happening. Read the description here if you've never heard of the show because even though I feel like not much happens, it's a little overwhelming to describe. BF sat in on the second episode and fell in love (and is obsessed with one of the guys, Jemaine, because "he looks like Simpsons character in real life"), which made me like it a little more. My favorite line from a song so far? "And when you're on the street, depending on the street, I bet you are definitely in the top three good-looking girls on the street. Depending on the street. "

Watch that scene here.

Now, the other day lovely Penelope of I Heart Clothes! asked if I asked if could weigh in on a jewelry trend a lot of folks probably saw recently: Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrie Bradshaw in the Sex in the City movie wearing the heck out of a long pearl necklace that looked oddly fake to me. I got it though: sort of preppy but taking preppy back and making it edgy like Alexander McQueen and plaid or something. You know how Carrie rolls:

(pic from This is London and yes, that was the only picture I could find that showed the pearls and also, yes, this was under the headline "Carrie Bradshaw Caught in fashion Nightmare")

Pearls have always appealed to me; I'm a big fan of modesty which is what pearls seem to imply (or you be glass-is-half-empty type and think they look stuffy) and really, pearls go with everything. I like a long string of pearls and plain tank just as much a collar pearl necklace with a 50's silhouette dress.

For all the SATC obessives out there, the J.R. Dunn blog reports that the actual necklace in the movie was an opera length white pearl strand by Mikimoto and it retails for $11,900.

If you are in it purely for the trend, you can't do better than:

Multi-strand Pearl Necklace at F21, $5.80

Peggy Li has an interesting take on the traditional style:

Pearl and sterling necklace by Peggy Li, $110

I love the ribbon on this one:

Ribbon-tied Long Pearl Necklace at J. Crew, $200

It's hard to buy authentic pearls in general and even tougher online. I would advise to either go to a reputable jeweler for a real strand or look for faux while shopping the Internet.

Flapper Baroque Pearl Necklace (61"), $45 [faux]

Elegant 160 cm Pearl Necklace, $38

Faux Pearl and Satin Bow Necklace at Speigel, $19

Hello Kitty is even getting in on the action:

Hello Kitty Long pearl Necklace by Tine Tarantino, $225

Though I like the basic strand, my favorite pearl necklaces have something a little different going on:

Honesty Necklace by Teleecouture, $40

Magnolia Tangle Necklace by t8Designs, $89

Sarah Necklace with White Pearl and White Topaz by Pamela Susan, $59

Please let me know if I missed anything you were looking for.
Onward now, to the Met I think. Their show on superheroes and fashion looks intriguing.

Music Post

2008-06-17T11:16:00.005-04:00

Just a quickie here...

(Pic from Photbooth.net)
Stereogum had a post about a forthcoming documentary about Liz Phair's album Exile in Guyville and the trailer made it look fascinating. As with a lot of people, I have a love/ hate relationship with Liz Phair. The easiest thing for me to do is pretend that the Liz who wrote Exile is a completely different person who put out the latter day pop songs that wandered up and down the Bilboard charts.

So. Liz Phair. I think she made me a feminist? I remember getting a copy of Exile in Guyville, a purported song-by-song response to the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, when I was 19 or 20. My fondest memory of this album involves a boy and a broken heart, which sounds sad and is sad, but not as sad as you think. I had just decisively ended a tormented former romance turned friendship--always the worst kind, though I didn't know that at the time--and was still reeling a little bit but I definitely did not want to talk about it, thank you very much.

There was a long drive and a lot of thinking and as I passed over state lines, the thinking became singing and then the singing became a sort of yell-singing like, yes Liz Phair! This is my life you are singing about! You, with your perfect hair and amazing voice and envious way with words! You are singing my songs.

And her music, with it's anger and rue and sweetness, made me feel all better. By the time I reached Cape Cod to meet my grandma and mom for our annual vacation (which, really, can you imagine a worse place to be going for a week when you are so mad at the world you can barely breathe?) I was actually looking forward to every little thing that we do in our mobius strip of a vacation. Whenever some emotion crept up on me that week, I just put on Exile in Guyville and offered to pick up the beach passes or groceries and pretended that I was Liz Phair as I drove there, singing out every thing that had ever pissed me off.

Acrylic-ville

2008-06-16T18:23:00.010-04:00

It's already been a week since my last post? How time flies once the weather starts shaping up.
I'm working on a long one, requested by Penelope of I <3 Clothes, about Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker's recent penchant for pearl necklaces. That should be up by Wednesday.

Today, however, I'll post another thing item that eludes me... an acrylic collar-style necklace. Why, oh why can I not find the perfect one? I came close when reading a post by LC of the wonderful Fops and Dandies, but once I meandered over the site of the jeweler she posted, I found that the necklace was a little too ornate. Not enough bold collar-ness happening. Another close call came at a local boutique... just not close enough. Here are some of those near misses, with a few other interesting pieces that came up on my acrylic quest on etsy.
(And thanks for previous recommendations folks; I do know about alchemy. I just prefer the hunt.)

Migration Out to Sea Necklace by Paraphenelia, $25
[This reminds me of Miss Sarah Brown of Que Sera Sera fame, who always seems to be wearing a great boat necklace]

Black Acrylic Laser Cut Necklace by Marmod8, $25
[as seen on Fops and Dandies]

Reversible Chesire Chain by Beyondwonderland, $39.90
[as seen in Candy Plum--local Astoria boutique]

Black Nouveau Necklace by soigne, $60

This is the one I may end up ordering... you might recognize a similar design from a past Friday Favorites. Love that honeycomb-style shape:

Hexagonal Necklace by Brevity, $30

Ooh and look at another in the Brevity shop:

Cellular 1 Necklace [sold out, but it looks like they will make a custom necklace if you like the design] [Oh, she has a separate non-etsy online shop!]

Off topic, a little, but I think this ring is very interesting:

Black and White Acrylic Ring by Aubeebop, $30

Eeeeeeee!

2008-06-09T16:37:00.001-04:00

I kept meaning to post this... downtown on Broadway, by Spring Street, I think:

Kitties Playing Dead

2008-06-09T10:01:00.008-04:00

Hot one, eh? It was the kind of weather that made you think about taking a nap even if you'd just slept a satisfying nine hours. BF and I sat around a lot talking about how hot it was and then we went out to air-conditioned restaurants to drink cocktails and get our appetites back. Oh, if you're in the Astoria area, I'd recommend Sparrow for excellent burgers and interesting decor. The Shirley Temple wasn't anything to write home about, but the BF enjoyed his specialty beer.

So, what else? The cats couldn't move more than three inches at a time; needless to say, there was a lot of this going on (And I am SO embarrassed by how fat they look here--I swear, the angle added five or so pounds!):

I wore dresses (and tried to do spontaneous poses, but man, I just can't):

(Dress from Forever 21)

(Dress from Century 21... and the hair went up immediately after this was taken.)

...Cringed while reading about Ambika's encounter with cicadas...

And thought about jewelry that looked like the sun:

Lemon Vine Earrings by Sarita108, $52

Yellow Thread Bracelet with Silver Chain by Beth Orduna, $225

Yellow Rutilated Quartz and Hammered Silver Ring, $118

Long Sun Drops Necklace by Stephanie Gibson, $54

I also listened to a lot of music: Lykke Li (the sweet-voiced female counterpart to Peter, Bjorn and John), the new Deerhunter called Microcastle (a band I never much cared for as psychedelic ambient punk, etc. is not really my bag, but I can get behind the new one... very poppy in a way), and a couple more runs through the newest Wolf Parade which is nothing less than amazing. Is Weezer breaking anyone else's heart? For like, the fifth time?

As Delany commented last week, I did have a blink-and-you'll-miss-it music blog, but I got blogger cold feet. I don't make any great efforts to hide my identity here, but I really don't advertise to people I know that I've got a blog. It's probably something all of us struggle with at one point or another, but I was concerned that the music blog would have become a little too personal in some ways.

Friday Favorites: It's Complicated

2008-06-06T08:52:00.008-04:00

Hi folks! These slow days at work are so distracting. Since I'm home, I'm all over the place: three trips to the grocery store a day, doing my nails, allowing my burgeoning crush on Gordon Ramsey to develop as I plop myself in front of BBC America for hours at a time...

But here we are at Friday Favorites, which I've missed and neglected because I have half days on Fridays and lately, well, those have become whole days in which I am out of the door at 9 am and gallivanting. Today's gallivanting has been postponed until I figure out when/ if it is going to rain. So, without any further ado...

Maharani Ring by Iacua Jewelry, $450

Geometric Green Vintage Button Pin, $12

Acrylic Honeycomb Necklace by Brevity, $30

Earrings by Belle Brook, Price upon request

Orbit Cuff Bracelet by Stone Soup Designs, $40

Look at this ... interesting listing I came across on ebay whilst searching for vintage dresses:

Here's the link if you can get past the Psycho [SPOILER alert!] OMG-he-just-turned-the-chair-around-and-it-was-just-a-skeleton-
with-a-wig imagery.

And Forever 21, c'mon! If you're styling a hot young thing and she looks like she has pancake boobs in your dress, why on earth would you think any normal young thing would buy it?

Don't get me wrong; I enjoy Forever 21 (though I know shouldn't). In college, we had a contentious relationship: basically I thought all their clothing was club crap. Then I began to wear dresses and for some reason, their dresses are absolutely the most flattering I own.

Shells and Sunburns

2008-05-27T11:25:00.004-04:00

So, I'm really sunburned. Look:

Normally, I wouldn't bitch because, well, when you get sunburn you've probably asked for it. But for perhaps the first time ever, I didn't do this on purpose. A long weekend of winding through street fairs and playing catch in the park did this to me. We also got dressed up and went to a lot dinners. I wore my favorite dress [pre-sunburn]:

...which the BF bought for me last Christmas.

I made baked goods to celebrate the BF's new part-time job: adjunct professor at a college in the city! (I'm no Modern Marie, I know...)

He's still grinding away at the 9-5, and this gig is only two days a week, but how cool, right? I'm already planning a killer outfit to show those freshman girls not to get any ideas...

Right now, though, I'm listening to the Frightened Rabbits (good if you like angsty UK rock with a dash of pop) and ready to get down to this blogging business.
Even though I don't live near the beach anymore, I still have an appreciation for the things it can offer, like pretty little (or big) shells...

Shell Ring by Mesi Jilly, $285

Vintage Dictionary Shell Necklace by Cupboard Scraps, $18.95

White Mother-of-Pearl Bracelet (at Brooks Brothers!), $89

Scallop Earrings by Tomoko Igarashi, $285

Speaking of shell jewelry, did anyone else read about this necklace made of shells from 100,000 years ago?

Astoria Update

2008-05-20T13:29:00.004-04:00

Finally! My camera is finally relinquishing my pictures to the computer! Here's what's been happening... (not much)

1. I still take a lot of pictures of the little muffins:

2. Sometimes I go outside. The water is half a block from our apartment and here's the view:

(Manhattan, Upper East Side)

(Triboro Bridge, Randall's Island, that second bridge is the Hell's Gate Bridge, which Amtrak uses)

(Shore where the water on the stones and debris makes the prettiest--and most unusual--tinkling sound. Also, look at the sad bike!)

Brooklyn Flea Jewelry

2008-05-19T10:20:00.004-04:00

I'm stashing some money away so I can head to Brooklyn Flea next month, the new flea market that's open every Sunday (rain or shine) in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. My deepest loves include all things available at flea markets, garage and yard sales... vintage clothes, old timey jewelry, knick knacks... The idea of finding some hidden treasure=my siren call.

Here are some lovely pieces from the jewelry vendors listed on the Brooklyn Flea website:

Magda Bracelet by Gabriela de la Vega, $1300

Enamel Flowers with Pearl Earrings by Teresa Kahres

Megan's Strawflower Adornment at Bonbon Oiseau, $288

Red Peony Necklace by Gavin and Lily, $65

Tiny Wave Necklace by Odette NY, $95 (Large, $132)

Yuzen Earrings by Yova Designs

Forest Nymph Necklace by Eswera Jewelry, $80

Just a Little Bit

2008-05-15T14:24:00.003-04:00

I'm sitting here waiting for the toothpaste flavor in my mouth to go away so I can enjoy a nice, big pot of edamame. In the meantime, let's look at some pretty little necklaces that will go perfectly with the sun dresses you should be able to pull out of the closet any day now...

Sarah Graham Double Shadow Circle Pendant, $540

Pyrrha Bee Necklace "A Mon Ami" (to my friend), $295

Delicate Rose Quartz Necklace by Peggy Li, $65

Sterling and Chalcedony Necklace by Tanyarejoyce, $20

This was way harder than I expected it to be and I can only blame allergies that are taking over my head and won't give it back. I hate pollen! And trees! And flowers! Global warming... can we speed it up a bit?
(Kidding. Sort of.)
!!!

Friday Favorites: Mother's Day Edition

2008-05-09T12:47:00.007-04:00

Only today do I realize that I should have done some sort of comprehensive "what jewelry to buy your mother for mother's day" post. My only excuse is that I need a lot of time to plan when to take my shower, my precious shower that has become a key out of my apartment. See, I don't leave the house until I'm showered, so I'm trapped until I feel ready to get to it.

Anyhow.

Happy Mother's Day to all you people who celebrate! This morning on the radio I heard that, contrary to the Hallmark Conspiracy Theory, Mother's Day is an actual holiday that was started about 100 years ago. Sorry, but now you have to buy her something. You can't drone on and on about commercialization, blah, advertising guilt, etc. Of course, I only told you this two days before the big day, so you can be a little late. I'd suggest buying something from the ever-fashionable Wendy Brandes who finally got her website up and running! Go Wendy!

Shamefacedly, I must admit that I didn't really buy my mom jewelry for the big day. She was a little obsessed with a certain shirt, so I bought her one in every color along with various assorted things.

[I also want to give a quick shout out to this mother of whom I speak: Mom, you are absolutely the best mother ever! Thanks for being such a great mom and friend! More to come in the card!]

So if you are still totally unsure, or if you have successfully purchased a Mother's Day present and now need to treat yourself after all that stress of finding the perfect gift, well, maybe something down here will appeal to you. As they are Friday Favorites, you know they appealed to me (I'm in a necklace mood today):

14K Pave Heart Necklace with Black Diamonds by Phoenix Roze, $395
(It's funny, but I have very little interest in white diamonds, but I can't get enough of either black or uncut diamonds. And here I was thinking I'm a Tiffany girl.)

Speaking of Tiffany, however...

Paloma Picasso Crown of Hearts necklace, $185

Moonstone Chaos Necklace by Kelly Meeker Designs, $124

Harvest Moon Necklace by Lisa Levine, $276

Rough Diamonds Chandelier Necklace by Alexis Bittar (at Art Effect Chicago), $225

***********************************************************************************

Now I really need to talk about my hair. I tried to avoid it, but the hair. It's killing me.
This is my own fault: going to a new hairdresser because they were closer and cheaper. But still. This woman (highly recommended by many people on the Internet--that'll teach me), chopped off a great deal of hair and now I don't know what to do. I'm going to pull a Whoorl and ask you to leave your choice in the comments. (P.S. The hair is a little wet in, I think, all these pictures)

Here's what it looks like right now:

-Pin straight with lots of weird layers thanks to hair lady
-bangs (obvs)
-blonde right now, but I might make it a little brighter or something

Should I:
A. Stop whining and let it grow out so my outrageously expensive hairdresser can give me a cut I am happy with

*or*

B. Make an appointment with said hairdresser to have it cut into a proper bob (current haircut was supposed to be a "long" bob) such as this...

You can also pick C and just make up something! I'm flexible.

Etsy Torture

2008-05-05T14:32:00.003-04:00

I've lately been obsessed with finding a very particular necklace. This obsession (bad) has led me to fruitless hours on etsy, thinking, just one more click and I know I'll find it! Thinking, okay, it's 8:54 now... I can keep looking until 9:02 but no longer. My deadline comes and goes. I miss it.
I can't describe it, really, but it's got to have these little glass flowers that I'm suddenly smitten with:

Something Blue by vieuxbijoux, $16

Minnie Czech Glass Beads by candysart, $12

Sparrow Bouquet Necklace by ERMOriginal, $18

Red Flower Cluster Choker by puffluna, $27

A sampling from etsy:

I don't know... the choker comes closest to my imaginary necklace, but I'm not ready to order it yet. Because, of course, as soon as I do, the exact necklace I am dreaming of will show up.
Let me know if you see it.

Parade of Wolves

2008-05-01T08:41:00.004-04:00

Wolf Parade Poster by El Jefe Design

Since their second EP, Wolf Parade has taken top awards (in my head) as best band. Ever. Well, maybe not ever. I know people get all huffy about The Beatles and whatnot. But Wolf Parade is my favorite band by a good margin: their first album, Apologies to the Queen Mary, has many more plays on my iPod than any other album. I also often obsess over the keyboardist to the point where he has individually become top o' my list of celebrities I am allowed to canoodle with, allowed by the BF. (I am pretty sure the BF knows this.)

Anyhow, these last two days have been utterly thrilling as I've been listening to their new album, At Mount Zoomer, and totally loving it.

Here's to Wolf Parade!

Wendy Brandes Isabella She-Wolf Necklace, price upon request until Wendy gets her website up

Recycled Gold Wolf Ring by Species by the Thousands, $300

Wolf Bracelet by Odin Lonning, $168 (designed in the Pacific Northwest style)

Wolf Tooth Necklace, $40

My little feline, pissed that I just woke her up and am taking pictures just as she's finishing a yawn. (If she were a human, she'd be all, "Don't you dare post this on the Internet for the world to see!" But since she cannot speak...)

Astoria!

2008-04-29T19:31:00.004-04:00

The new neighborhood doesn't have a ton in the way of boutiques, but I did find a great little place called Candy Plum that sells some lovely and interesting jewelry, which, you can imagine, made my day.

My first trip there, I bought a celebratory "just moved here" ring by jeweler Jessica Lord, who doesn't seem to have any online presence that I can find. Unfortunately, it broke very quickly as I tried to shape it to my finger, and I don't even have a photo to show you, though it was quite nice, with a circle of what looked like tourmaline beads on gold wire. I opted for a merchandise credit and got to talking with one of the owners, who felt so bad about the ring that she put something in a box and gave it to me for free. I opened it hurriedly outside to find a ring that I love so much I've been wearing it every day (it's also by Jessica Lord, who uses this wreath style on several other of her pieces available at the store):

I went back with my mom this weekend to use up the credit that had been burning a hole in my wallet and came home with something I had been eyeing. Unfortunately, I don't know the designer [UPDATED: the designer found me! jo.Espinell made the gorgeous necklace below], though they had several other necklaces with different color ribbon:

So, yay, Astoria for coming through with the cute jewelry!
Two more things:
1. I got a haircut and I think I may need advice, as I hate it. That's tomorrow.
2. I tried Yoga and liked it, but my body is sad from all the pain.

Unpacking

2008-04-24T13:31:00.005-04:00

Waiting for the cable guy, so now seems as good a time as any to get this blog running again...
Since the place isn't all unpacked yet I can't post many pictures. I refuse to let the Internet see what is currently the mess called my home. I can, however, show you three things:

1. My first proper outfit in the new apartment (Jacket that I love so very much from H&M; Diesel Jeans; Black clutch and my emerald ring):

On Sunday, after everything was settled as much as we could deal with settling it, we went out to dinner and saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The food and movie were both decent; it was more the whole getting-out-of-the-house thing that did wonders for the demeanor.

2. Now that my cats have their own room, we never see them. (This apartment came with a third bedroom for a baby, and our babies happen to be covered in fur. Don't make this weird, people.) Example A of what they do in their room all day:

3. I finally got out for some flowers yesterday and set up a table that's in front of the living room window, which looks out onto the awesome field of green that is Astoria Park:

And now for some jewelry! Can I even still do this? I feel like it's been forever since a proper post went up around these parts.

Anne Maa is killing me with her gorgeous new designs, this ring being one of them.
Copper Rutilated Quartz Ring, $242

Life Flower Post Earrings by Junedesigns, $15

Gabriela Artigas Copper Leaf and Metal Chain Necklace, $176

I also did want to mention that commentor "For the love of Jewels" aka Sally Jewett-Brocato has extended a very kind offer to readers of this blog... 15% off any purchase from her lovely jewelry store Naked Jewelry. Some of her intricate, handmade wares that I particularly like:

Green Garnet Bracelet with leather tie, $45

Pearl and Peridot Necklace, $95

Remember Mother's Day is fast approaching! If your mom is anything like my mom, well, you are very lucky because my mom is awesome, but also! She will love jewelry! In the past I've mentioned the healing properties of stones, which I'm very keen on because really, any further reason to wear jewelry? Totally my bag. Anyhow, Sally includes notes on what the stones are all about. She also makes custom pieces.

Note: This isn't a paid advertisement or anything. I just think it's important to support independent artists, and it doesn't hurt that I like the jewelry.

Update?

2008-04-23T14:25:00.001-04:00

OMG so much stuff to unpack. Update tomorrow.

More Music

2008-04-16T17:33:00.005-04:00

Just a quick music update before my computer goodness is all unhooked...

I am very much digging these songs:

1. "Amylase" by Cajun Dance Party: We had never heard of this band and then it popped up on the, uh, "site" we get music from. Seemed to be very popular, so in a less chancy version of jumping off a bridge when all the other hipsters do, we downloaded. Before I listened to it, I did a little bit of Googling (scarred from all the times I innocently clicked on a band name in iTunes only to have it be one of my crazy boyfriend's beloved German death metal bands) and discovered these kids are very young. Like, juniors-in-HS-young. Also, they were a bit buzzed about last year. A lot of their songs sound like some beautiful mating of Broken Social Scene and The Lucksmiths. With a Kook or two thrown in. "Amylase" isn't my favorite; "The Colourful Life" is, but it's not up yet.

2. "Big Guns" and "Rise Up with Fists" from the solo Jenny Lewis album: I was so not into this album when it came out forever ago, but lately I've been far too lazy to get my iPod, so I have to listen to whatever is already on the computer. Jenny comes right after my two downloaded songs by American Idol contestant Jason Castro (swoon and I am totally NOT embarrassed about this); let's just say I've been listening to her a lot. The melodies are exquisite and the gentle cooing from the background singers just about breaks my heart every time.

3. Have we talked about MGMT? I can't re

member, but the song "Electric Feel" will make you dance even if your brain and body do their darndest to resist. Good luck.

Guys from MGMT with kittens. You have no soul if you aren't melting right now.

Packing

2008-04-15T16:56:00.007-04:00

Hopefully, the next post you'll see from me will be as a happy new Asoria-ite, with functioning Internet and a grandma-esque landlady. We move all the big stuff Saturday, so it's been sort of a whirlwind of packing boxes over here. And scared kitties. And, "Did we really pack all the spoons? Boo."

I just finished tying up my necklaces and am trying to figure how to transport them:

Any ideas?

Hey, kids, while tying, I realized that I've got some jewelry I don't want to bring along because I really never wear it. Nothing fancy, a couple of nice vintage beaded necklaces mixed in with some cheapy H&M stuff, but still... I'd like to give them a real home. I will send out any of the below pieces to you totally and completely for free (I'm sorry, you beautiful international bloggers, but US only! I'm a hot mess at customs forms). I will even pay for shipping, that's how sad I would be to throw these things in the Goodwill pile (though it may yet come to that...). If you want anything below, leave your email address in the comments section along with whichever item and I'll contact you for your address.

Really tiny numbers! If they have not been claimed yet, they are still listed below!
( 6. silver collar necklace from Temple sale (I am equal opportunity when it comes to buying jewelry as Houses of Worship); 7. vintage white bead necklace from ebay; 8. circle bracelet--small because I moved the chain up--H&M; 14. lucite style cuff from F21; 15. Fake gold bracelets with rhinestones from Karmaloop in Boston.)

See you next week!

Sweets

2008-04-09T09:20:00.007-04:00

Food jewelry both fascinates me and creeps me out a little bit. Part of me thinks it's cute because who doesn't think cupcakes are adorable? But then there's that whole Mariah Carey "I'm a woman who refuses to act like a grown up and expresses that through very expensive yet juvenile jewelry" aspect to it. Know what I mean?
Anyhow, my ma (hi mom!) called the other day with a website she had read about in the paper that had itty bitty, reasonably priced foodstuffs for jewelry. Very wearable and cute. So wearable, in fact, that they get today's blog space. Without further ado, all from Pnut Jewelry...

Sterling Silver Cupcake Ring with Yellow Sapphire Sprinkles by Pnut Jewelry, $285

Me and You Popsicle Charm by Pnut Jewelry, $98 (I love this one.)

Cone Swirl with Wings Bangle, $199

Sterling Silver Ice Cream Scoop with multi gemstone sprinkles, $230

I usually don't post all from one site, but this place totally won me over for two reasons:
1. My best job ever was in an ice cream shop. The Dairy Queen in town had closed, so this guy, Mark, bought the shop and changed nothing about it. He opened it up as a pretend Dairy Queen (it might have been called Dairy Barn, but I can't quite recall) and really, if Dairy Queen had been a little more prtective of their brand image, they would have sued. First, my best friend got a job there and Mark ended up hiring a whole group of us, so we were always on shift with our friends. He was also never there. The dude was shady like you wouldn't believe, showing up drunk and taking handfuls of money from the register, but it was his place so who were we to say anything? I remember creating these amazing ice cream concoctions and having whipped cream fights and all of my meals coming from that store. Ah, the metabolism of a 17 year old.

Weezer Necklace, $30
2. For a very long time, I was a diehard Weezer fan and often wished to be of the Asian persuasion (good band name?) so I could have a chance with lead singer Rivers Cuomo, who had a well reported attraction to/ fetish for the Asian ladies (scroll down to "Personal Life"). That never happened. Then he got married and their records weren't as interesting anymore. But I still love them and get a little electric thrill when I see that W.

Speaking of cupcakes, the BF and I finally found an apartment! I often think of cupcakes when I think of our new place because we are right down the street from Martha's Bakery, which makes very Magnolia-like (but a little bit better, in my opinion), ones. I'm actually embarrassed that such a big draw for us (me) to the area was all the great food. We met with about five realtors, saw 20 apartments and after much deliberation, we went with the one that offers this view when you walk out of the front door (excuse the crappy camera phone picture):
(Upper East Side of Manhattan, across the river, and the Triboro bridge all lit up. Taken from the edge of Astoria Park.)

Friday Favorites: Dancing with Dusters

2008-04-04T09:35:00.003-04:00

It's been kind of a hectic, yo-yo week. The sort of week where I wake up with an achy jaw every morning and know I've been grinding my teeth at night. I mentioned way back when that my company was being sold to a much larger company. As of Monday, the deal was off. Tuesday? Back on. Wednesday? Off. Today? Meetings to see if maybe it can be back on. Madness.

Anyhow, to get my mind off this stuff I can't really control, I've been listening to music and perusing jewelry... and just in time for Friday Favorites!

Music
1. The new albums from Fleet Foxes (Ragged Wood) and Tokyo Police Club (Elephant Shell). Sit in a big comfy chair and look out of the window for the Fleet Foxes one (I like the song "English House"). Drive fast on a highway or go clean your room and jump around with the duster for the Tokyo Police Club album. These have been on repeat in our house.

2. Re-issue of The Glow Pt. 2 by the Microphones. Before I had any conception of life as it is now; life on the beach, life with the fella, I used to drive down to Long Beach at 2 am (when the moon was full) and listen to this over and over again. On a portable CD player. It's a wonder I didn't get killed, now that I am thinking back. But I mostly remember being overwhelmed by how lovely the moon looked and how the waves were slightly scary in the dark.

Jewelry

Jane Tran Cherry Blossom Hair Clip, $22

Joy O Lucky Seven Necklace (Oxidized Silver and Creme Diamonds), $198

Crown Bangle by AV Max, $48

John Iverson Hydrangea Earrings, $790

Love of My Life ring by ArtisanImpact, $112

The Wrap Up

2008-03-31T10:09:00.008-04:00

Today's post will have roughly a million pictures, et al, so let's get going. Also, my apologies for the lack of real jewelry posts. This is the last one of it's kind...

1. As I mentioned last week, yesterday was the end of my Birthday week. How sad. We capped of the parties by heading to Philadelphia for the weekend and visiting the two places I've really wanted to see for a while now: The Mutter Museum and the Eastern State Penitentiary. The museum is basically a font of everything disgusting (and therefore fascinating) in medicine. Dwarfism fetuses, a skeleton of a gentleman whose body turned tissue into bone, more fetuses with bizarre issues and lots of wax models with diseases! They did not allow photos and they were sold out of T-shirts, so I have nothing to show. I do recommend it though.
The prison tour, however, produced really great photos. I'll post several here, but the rest can be found on my Flickr. This is our third prison and I was struck by how serene this one seemed. High, white ceilings with skylights, generous (solitary) cells also with skylights, lots of windows... Of course, as it became overcrowded, a lot of those features were removed to make more space. But the tour was wonderful--very informative and interesting.

There were several art installations on the grounds, including these red pipes, placed wherever the artist thought it would be possible for a prisoner to escape (several prisoners did escape, but only one was not caught):

Another installation featured plaster cats that were hidden in cells and on top of the roofs...

They were created to honor a group of cats that had moved in after the prison closed in the late 70's. A caretaker found the and fed them three times a week until the last one died many years later.
Philadelphia itself gave us lovely weather and good food. Thanks, city, for making my birthday awesome!

2. As I promised waaay back when, here are the cosmetics I use on a daily basis...

Cover Girl foundation in 1 (405), which is the best I've found for decent coverage and skin color matching. I am very pale, and while Chanel and Origins match well, I don't like their texture. Cover Girl doesn't feel heavy... ; Stila Illuminating Powder in Light (or Fair) 10 Watts--the plastic shell thing, I lost the case; Cover Girl Blush in Plumberry Glow; Per-fekt Skin Gel, which goes on before make up (or in lieu of make-up, if you are brave) and gives the skin a matte, smooth texture; Benefit powder in Thrrrob (all over "flushed" look); Chanel Glossimer in Eclipse; Cover Girl Classic Ivory Touch up, which is amazing for under eye circles; Covergirl Lash Exact Mascara in black; Maybelline Define-a-Line eyeliner in brownish black and some sort of shimmery white eyeshadow, to put on the inside corners of the eyes. Also, I have a ton of Bare Escentuals stuff--eyeshadow and blush. I like it okay, so it gets used when I am spending a lot of time on my eyes...

For face/ body wash and face lotion, I always use Aveeno because I have very sensitive skin. For body lotion, I am obsessed with L'Occitane Almond Milk products (lotion, body oil)... the best smell EVER.
Oh, and Sharon, I am 99% sure that nail polish color was called Lady Godiva. It was in one of those square bottles with the white tops. Classic nail shop bottle!

And lastly (I bet you all are so happy this is the end of birthday week), some of the presents from BF!

I Think it's Called a Golden Birthday

2008-03-25T19:29:00.004-04:00

So, tomorrow is the big day and by big day, I of course mean a day that is only important to me and a few close others who pretend it is important to them. Ah! The pleasure of a birthday. Also, I am turning 26, which means I am still young enough to do youngish stuff (be financially irresponsible, wear frilly dresses), yet old enough to be taken seriously (I can't think of any examples right now).

Of course I'll do a post on what I received and after the big Birthday/ Jesus Resurrection celebration on Sunday (note who comes first...), I already tucked a few things away. My mom got me a dress way back when, along with this rose ring by Vera Meat I posted about a while back:That's still not my hand, but it actually looks remarkably similar to the pictures I tried to take, except here the ring is actually in focus. Go figure.

The fam gives money, which I'll never turn down, and with that money I bought:
Benefit lipstick in Ruby Vibes (aka best lipstick ever), $17 at Sephora, as well as some powder, but I can't remember the brand and am far too lazy to go check right now...

(pic from ebay)
This dress from seller jjbean on ebay

(Awkwardly posed picture that the BF took; "artsy" self-portrait)

This dress from Century 21 in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (weekend jaunt). Also! I love this dress for all the obvious reasons--pretty colors and print, fits well, etc., but I mostly love it because when I put it on my boyfriend started called me "Chesty LaRue" (see: several pop culture references including, but not limited to, The Simpsons and Seinfeld).

...And this lovely top from Banana Republic (thee of the awesome sales)

Tomorrow (the actual big day), I was supposed to hang out with my mom in the city and maybe hit up a little Tea and Sympathy downtown (clotted cream 4-eva!), but she has been taken with a stomach virus, so now my day is sort of play it by ear.
Have a lovely night, bloggers! Back with jewelry (and make-up, Fashion Tidbits, I promise) on Thursday.

Friday Favorites: Don't You Know?

2008-03-21T12:33:00.004-04:00

1970's Turquoise Dangle Bracelet, $2175 (apparently negotiable)

Rebecca Norman Turquoise Ring, $220

Baby Bar Necklace by Saundra Messinger, $275

Gold (or Silver) Trojan Earrings by Janna Connor, $93

Now, I'd like to tag the following lucky bloggers for that Basic Wardrobe meme that's been making that rounds, which I wrote about yesterday:
(Into) The Fray
The Clothes Horse
Jewel Box Dreams
I'm sorry! And you totally don't have to if you don't want to. But it would be nice if you did.

Two more things:
1. Fashion Tidbits requested in my comments from the last post that I write about my make up and such. This will happen on Tuesday, because pictures are really necessary and my camera is in a coma. (And I have an all day meeting in... wait for it.... Staten Island (!) on Monday.)

2. Happy Easter and/ or have a lovely weekend everyone! (I will, because my birthday is next week and my family is celebrating it on Sunday. A week of birthday! Woo! Birthdays are a big deal in my family.)

Steven Shein Acrylic Bunny Necklace at the Whitney Museum Store, $110
(If you click on Shein's name, it'll take you to his crazy/ awesome website)

My Wardrobe Basics

2008-03-19T20:03:00.006-04:00

Positive: I finally got out of the house today! Negative: It was awful and rainy out.
Another positive: I've been tagged by the super awesome Wendy Brandes to discuss my basic wardrobe. Go look at her post about it, which will put my wardrobe to such shame that I refuse to even link it.

Okay, where to start?
1. Jeans: As a tall lady, I always had trouble finding jeans that didn't give me the whole "yes, I just stepped out of a flood zone" vibe. Then my salary got larger and Diesel floated on to my brand awareness radar and well, the rest is history. Skinny, wise leg, straight, whatever. I'll probably like 'em.
My favorite black Diesels with leather pockets that maybe get way more face time than they should:
(I am far too lazy to go put these on and take a proper photo, so you'll just have to deal with an accidental picture)

2. Black. Like Wendy, I am an eternal fan of the black t-shirt. Also, the black sweater, black button-up, black v-neck, black blouse, uh... the list goes on. If it's black and in shirt form, I will probably buy it.
(Black sweatshirt! with black jeans!)

3. Dresses and skirts: Once the weather turns a bit warmer, I'm a dress fiend. A little more than half of my closet is filled with just dresses--everything from vintage to Anthropologie to Betsey Johnson to Forever 21. I can't stop myself and will gladly bore you to tears if you'd like to talk frocks:
(Part of my closet)

(Some recent lovelies: hot pink is vintage, dotted is Betsey Johnson and button bib is Delia's)

One of my all time best ebay buys....
(An obscure 70's or 80's brand that I obsessively hunt for. Not telling.)

...which looks so much like this Betsey Johnson dress I am wondering if there should be some litigation happening:

But I am also branching out into skirt territory:
(Skirt, which my boyfriend described as "If roses were a video game"--apparently a good thing--from Anthropologie)

4. Make up, hair and nails: Technically not classic wardrobe pieces, but ultimately just as important as clothes. My skin isn't perfect, so I almost never leave the house without make-up. (To be honest, part of this is habit: the skin thing used to be worse and made me verrrry self-conscious.) Any and all kinds of lip things are welcome in my home, but lip things be warned: if you are flavored or smell like fruit, I will probably never wear you. Sorry. Thems the breaks.
(The actual cosmetics differ depending on the seasons and my mood, but if you want to know what I use, leave a comment.)

As for nails, hey, who doesn't like getting a manicure? Look! Weird holographic polish that nobody had ever dared try at the salon before!
(Hard to see, but, man, I stared at that polish for hours when I had it. Nope, not high.)

5. Flats: Need I say more?

Okay, normal jewelry-oriented scheduling resumes tomorrow! Unless I remember something I forgot to post here. Oh, and I will tag three peeps tomorrow--as soon as I go catch up on blogs and figure out who has not been tagged.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-16T15:26:00.004-04:00

Little Yellow Girl Clover Necklace, $52

Moss Mills Lucky Ring, on sale for $93.50 (down from $124!)

Ivory Clover Bracelet, $70

Marie-Helene de Taillac Rose Quartz Clover Earrings, $1385

Learning About: Fool's Gold

2008-03-12T08:48:00.005-04:00

No, not the awful Kate Hudson/ Matthew McConaughey film. Do you seriously think that little of me? Ugh. I am also not talking about The Stone Roses song, the manga or the very expensive sandwich popularized by Elvis Presley ("The Fool's Gold Loaf", consisting of a single loaf of hollowed out, warmed bread filled with one jar of creamy peanut butter, one jar of grape jelly, and a pound of bacon. The name of the sandwich is derived from its price of $49.95. In later years, it was priced closer to $100 for the sandwich and a bottle of Dom Pérignon.) (Recipe and pics)

Okay, let me just give you a second to swallow back the inevitable vomit.

So, no, by Fool's Gold aka Pyrite, I meant the lovely "fake" gold that for some reason, every little kid in my elementary school was obsessed with when I was young. I've noticed, as I've written this blog over the past months, that pyrite has been used more and more frequently to create really interesting jewelry. And, dude, it's totally got that American Museum of Natural History gem room cache.

Victorian Pyrite and 10 K Rose Gold Ring, $145

Gusterman Santa Fe Polished Pyrite and Sterling Ring, $195

The word Pyrite is derived from the Greek word puritēs meaning "of fire" or "on fire", which seems to have originated from the resultant sparks that occur when pyrite is struck against steel or flint. The spark made pyrite a very popular mineral in weapons early on. (Early firearms such as the wheel-lock. You'll have to click on the link to find out what a wheel-lock is. Sorry.)

Rafia Pyrite and 14K Necklace, $74

Barse Oval Polished Pyrite Necklace, $150

Interestingly, marcastite and pyrite are often confused due to their similar appearances and names (the word marcasite is actually Arabic for pyrite), but Wikipedia has informed me that one cannot use Marcasite in whole stone form as it tends to crumble into a powder. Fool's Gold is generally formed as a grouping of overlapping cubes, which, in my opinion, makes it more interesting in jewelry use. Almost sculptural.

Kit's Jewelry Pyrite Dangle Earrings, $200

Pyrite also was one of the leading sources of sulfur in the world, so obviously, don't get a pyrite ring if you're allergic to sulfur. As far as I can recall though, the mineral doesn't have the rotten egg smell often associated with sulfur. To read more about it's composition and structure, go here.

Kris Nations "Rough Cut" Pyrite Ring, $50

Of course, what kind of "Learning About..." would this be if we didn't review the spiritual properties of pyrite? It's apparently an excellent protection stone that is useful against many different negative energies. Angel's Esoterica notes, "When worn or carried, it provides a shield around you. It helps keep out the negative vibrations of physical pollutants because of the auric shield it sets up and is very good for people who do dangerous work. Pyrite's energy keeps your physical, intellect, and emotional bodies in a state of well being; functioning at their best. It enhances memory and recall. It allows you to see the motives, etc. behind the actions of others. "
Sounds quite useful.

Linked Pyrite Bracelet, $180

Illinois Pyrite Necklace, $15 each (Money goes to Animal Rescue Site)

What else? Pyrite was also polished and used as mirrors by the Native Americans. It's a very common mineral most often found in Spain, Italy and the US Midwest. It comes in a variety of forms: Cubes, dollars (resembling sand dollars), Masses, cubic twins, etc. which all depend on the place it was found. (Source) More fragile pyrite specimens may decompose if left in humid conditions. So, basically, it's very sensitive mineral. (Source)

And here's a close up of the sandwich again, just for good measure:
A mere 42,000 calories! (Source)

Friday Favorites: Bouquet

2008-03-07T09:04:00.006-05:00

If you've been watching the runways (or reading basically any fashion blog), it's clear that florals are something big coming up. They've been featured a lot in Fall/ Winter 08 shows, but what's better for Spring?

Vera Meat Lovely Rose Ring, $68
(I bought the last one listed, but she does custom orders and was very helpful! Also, that is not my hand!)

Alexis Bittar Flower Necklace, $145

Zhen-U.N.: Chrysanthemum Bracelet (Sterling), $495

Hannah Louise Lamb Oxi Oval Cutout Earrings, £86

Alex Monroe Double Lily Ring, Silver & Gold-Plate Mix, £120.00

We Dream in Colour Diana Necklace, $48

Next week, I'll try out more of a schedule with this thing. Upcoming posts (tentatively) include: engagement and promise rings (this may run two days), some DIY movement stuff, interesting material combinations...

Tired today (and a bit incoherent) because my mom and I went to a very, very late Eddie Izzard show last night at Union Square Theater. We've been fans for years, and this is our third show and it was lovely. In the very possible case that you have not heard of him, Mr. Izzard is a British transvestive comedian known for his riffs on history, culture and civilization (very funny Youtube clips about flags, British vs. American English and beekeepers, respectively). Now also known for playing the father on The Riches (tv show on FX).

Extra, extra

2008-03-05T11:55:00.004-05:00

An Update on Working From Home
1. I have been going to the gym every day. I don't know how this keeps happening.
2. I have been showering every day. I don't know how this keeps happening either.
3. I now have full conversations with the cats when they do stuff like this:
Yes, that printer is doing something miraculous. (Note cat on top of scanner. Sigh.)

Yes, that is my breakfast. Oh, kibble-eater, like you are even in a position to judge a handful of vitamins and a couple of Cadbury mini-eggs.

4. Speaking of, I've had to throw out all the candy in the house. Now I make myself walk to the store and buy the stupid little single serving bag of mini-eggs.
5. I hate to clean, hate the sound of the vacuum, but have been cleaning every day. Something new and obsessive compulsive about me I never knew!
6. I'm reading less, which sucks. But I'm still reading, which is good.
7. God, I miss Manhattan.

P.S. Does anyone else like The Notwist? Awesome German band that hasn't put out an album in like, four years? Yeah, well new song! Here.

Simple

2008-03-04T08:24:00.007-05:00

Very much digging Diana Kane's minimal designs...

14K Open Circle Ring, $288 for rose or yellow gold ($64 for Sterling)

Green Amethyst on silk ribbon, $148

Beaded Hoop Earring, $174

10 Kt Handmade Letter charms, $50 for yellow or rose gold charm ($137 with chain)

Her boutique, located in Park Slope, also has some adorable sale items:

Chie Mihara T-Strap Heel, $224 (Originally $320)

Repetto Foxy Mary Jane, $202 (Originally $289)

Mischa Lampert Sailor Hat, $75 (Originally $150)

We spent a nice weekend enjoying Long Island. I know that sounds crazy, but there actually some decent places around here, and soon we'll moving... and a return will be rare.
We saw The Savages (highly recommended) and had some pub food (one of my favorites) and took some pictures, but this one I thought looked most like a country-western band outtake:

Friday Favorites: A Little More Organic

2008-02-29T09:30:00.006-05:00

All from Etsy today...

Queen Ann Hair Combs by Gurlygirl, $155

Sterling and Brass ring by SaraBlythe, $55

Jacobean Embroidered Felt Cuff by Rosez75, $42.25

Text Post Earrings by Foundling, $15

Pale Pink Kunzite with 14K gold-fill chain by Alexaxoxo, $48

I'd like to open the blog up to requests if anyone has them... maybe a pair of earrings you could never find, or a certain stone or you love or even some gift ideas... let me know.

Almost the Weekend

2008-02-28T11:09:00.002-05:00

For those of you who ask what life working from home is like, well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words:

In a Space

2008-02-27T08:33:00.003-05:00

Three Things I am Painfully Obsessed With:

1. Scott Baio is 46... and Pregnant
I wish I could be embarrassed about this, but I just can't bring myself to exude that level of modesty/ humiliation when a predominant part of my daily conversation consists of lecturing Cat A on why it isn't appropriate to steal Cat B's treats. Mr. Baio is surprisingly sharp and the show is hilarious and pathetic and life-affirming all at once. Who knew? (Of course, I also recommend the prequel Scott Baio is 45 and Single.)

2. Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago
The back story on this album is classic: a man makes music on his own (after being a part of several failed bands) in an old Wisconsin house in the middle of winter. It's spare in it's way, but more that you can hear the skeleton of each song very clearly, as well as the little notes that build up all over it. My favorite song so far is Skinny Love. I keep hearing a million different artists in this guy's voice: TV on the Radio, Iron and Wine, a tiny bit of Wolf Parade, some Microphones (especially at the end of The Wolves)...

3. How I Met Your Mother
I normally hate shows like this. Hipster sitcoms with little in jokes that you see bantered about the blog-o-sphere the day after it airs... but we finally succumbed to the hype and guess what? This show is really funny. It starts off a little shaky in season one, and the main character is totally unbearable (whiny, sensitive, looking for the woman of his dreams but doesn't notice he's a selfish prick... I have strong feelings about him), but it really gels in season two. By the middle episode, I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. There was some sexy snorting action.

Of course, I'm also (always) still obsessed with jewelry, so let's get cracking! Today's very minimal, silver and outline-y...

Maya Brenner State Necklaces (NY shown), $100

Interlocking Bangles by Nicola Morrison, £80.00

Scottie Earrings by Kris Nations, $34

Japanese Grid Ring by Erin Tracy

Home

2008-02-23T16:37:00.004-05:00

Well, they had to take the door off the hinges to get the desk in, my e-mail won't leave my outbox for some unknown reason and already there are little paw prints covering everything, but I'm settled! It was surprisingly easy, all things considered.

Today's post is just a catch up, to get back in the swing of things. I've been neglecting comments and that's definitely a punishable sin.

I've been meaning to take pictures of my how my jewelry is set up, to maybe give people some ideas on organization, and yesterday, I finally cleaned up enough to be okay with showing part of my bedroom to the world. Click on pictures to enlarge.

This is a basic shot of the jewelry corner in our bedroom:

And here are some details:

The bird is from Urban Outfitters, a place that carries quite the array of jewelry hanging things at reasonable prices. The two mosaic-ed hangers are from a shop in Piermont for about $10 each.

The anchors were a DIY project... sorta. There's a local (crappy) "general store" in town that sells all this stuff you never, ever think you'd want, and then suddenly the very thing you require can only be purchased there. I think these stores mostly inhabit beach towns--cheap towels, .50 cent Christmas ornaments, etc. We found the anchor there, as well as the bird and boat hangers. BF put some screws in the anchor, letting them stick out about an inch. I then painted them white and we crazy glued buttons to the tops. I've had this things for three years and it has not once fallen down or lost a button. I remain impressed.

BF's mom gave me this jewelry dresser for Christmas:
I use it for the non-costumey jewelry.

The tuppwerware chills on my dresser top alongside cosmetics:
Top drawer: earrings
Middle drawer: ring
Last drawer: everything else

The Christmas present ring (now joined by stacking rings) gets it's own box:

For now.

Thanks, everyone, for all the working-at-home support. I'll let you know how it goes.

Total Eclipse (Of the Heart)*

2008-02-20T13:44:00.007-05:00

Packing up my desk as tomorrow is my last official day in the office. Which is very alarming.
Enough about that.
In honor of tonight's lunar eclipse....

Half Moon Necklace by Peggy Li, $49 (gold-fill or sterling)

Conroy and Wilcox 18K Moonstone Ring, $1395

Sydney Evan Crescent Moon Necklace, $950

David Morgan Moon Earrings, $170 (14K)

*Is the song totally stuck in your head now? Oh! That reminds me. I've mentioned before that I am a huge NPR nerd, and that includes, amongst other programs, the show RadioLab. I have never used this word as a verb before, but here we go: I am totally geeked out because they are doing a live season four premiere at the Angelika theatre. That means 200 people will sit around staring at a blank screen listening to a radio show. Sweet! Also, they are looking for submissions to air during an upcoming episode... not quite sure what they actual title is, but they want people to call/ leave a comment about the stickiest song you know. (IE the song you can't get out of your head) Here's the link: Radiolab. I called and left a message disparaging "Apologize" by One Republic.
One more thing! Radiolab now has a blog and they did this little experiment on laughter...

Friday Favorites: Bright & Gold

2008-02-15T15:44:00.005-05:00

So the big work to-do is over with*(see below), temporarily, and it looks like I'll be working from home for a bit. When the headline, "Crazed Long Island Home Worker Kills Two Cats" appears in the local daily, please ignore it. I, of course, adore my cats. And all the little tufts of fur they leave everywhere. Oh! And the charming meows! One sounds like a cow and the other one just sounds pitiable. Oh yes, I can't wait to work at home all day with those two precious mini-bovines. I have vowed two things, and I will keep you updated on the progress here (because I might need some cheerleading):
1. I will go to the gym almost every day on my "lunch hour."
2. I will continue to shower regularly.

And now, folks, on to Friday Favorites!

Pippa Small Chyrsophase and Aquamarine Necklace, $1,400

Kelly Mulloy Wool Felt Cuffs $48

Lisa Cimino Roots Ring, $59 (which reminds me of Pan's Labyrinth in a good way)

Alisha Louise Deco Drop earring, $88

*Sorry for all the cryptic-ness! Basically, the company I work for was sold to a much, much larger company and yesterday I had to meet the owner of said large company. And find out whether or not I still had job. Also, if so, for how long. The kicker is, the sale is taking a really long time, and we have to be out of our office by the end of the month, hence the working from home. Which, really, is fine with me, because when the sale is completed, I will have to work in a corporate graveyard. In Jersey City. Land of drabness.

Happy Valentine's Day (Almost)!

2008-02-13T11:00:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I find out some important work stuff that will most likely have big impact on my future. I know tone is hard to convey through the written word, so let me just put it out there: I am not excited about this. But! At least I'll be going into it with good shoes. (Thanks, mom!)

For all of you are still hanging around waiting for me to stop bringing you down and get all with the Valentine's Day jewelry already...

Pylon Heart Pendant (on nylon cord) by Mignon Faget, $150 for sterling silver

The Cassel Pink Diamond (very rare), $1,400,000

Red Thread rings at Marmelo, about $52 US (priced orginally in Yen)

Good Charma "Love" Bracelet, $400 for gold vermeil (silver also available)

Sophie "Twisting Heart" Necklace by Wendy Brandes, $7300

Hope everyone has a good one, whatever your relationship status may be...

Lots of Stuff

2008-02-11T12:55:00.001-05:00

I just wrote this whole long post agonizing over a dress, but the picture of myself in said dress kept making me cringe and the post begged me to euthanize it. Delaney got in a comment before deletion and suggested I vamp it up. You know what? Delaney is right.
Until then, here's some pieces I've been drooling over at Barney's. (Really! Drool all over my keyboard!)

18K and Recycled Bakelite "Lucy" ring by Mark Davis, $2990
(maybe a little pricey for recycled bakelite, but a portion of proceeds go to charity)

"Night Became Her" Pendant by Anna Ruth Henriques, $6500

fettY Zodiac Necklace (Aries), $675

Bing Bang Knot Bracelet, $275

Tiziana Vigano "Fay" Earrings, $3100

_________________________________________________________________
And here are some pictures from my new phone (Blackberry Pearl--which I am trying really hard to like...):

Drama cat

The sky was crazy yesterday. Bright blue and grey and white.

Newish hair color, which is very similar to oldish hair color and achieved through many hours of stress. You see, I dyed my hair brown on Thursday of last week, but nobody said anything, so I quickly became paranoid. On my lunch break, I bought hair "stripper" which essentially takes all permanent color from your hair and leaves it an orangey-red color. When I got home that day, I stripped the hair and didn't have time to re-dye it before BF got home, so when he didn't say anything I was like, "Hello! My hair is bright orange!" And he was like, "The light in here is so bad! This morning I thought your hair looked brown but I couldn't tell because of the light. It looked really nice though." And I was like, "IT WAS BROWN!!!"

Anyhow. Now it's back to the previous color. I think.

Friday Favorites: New Orleans Edition

2008-02-06T12:12:00.000-05:00

Things are getting a bit stressful around work, so I'm taking tomorrow off. Have a great weekend!

The Highest Number Necklace by Dejarnette, $82 (I can't screen-capture the detail, but it's lovely, so go look at the website)

Tiny Bow Ring by Mignon Faget, $65 (sterling) or $290 (14K)

Mother of Pearl (OOAK) Earrings, $34

Chain Bracelet with Oyster by Jamie Joseph, $400

Locked Out

2008-02-06T10:35:00.000-05:00

1. I'm a little obsessed with the song "Bed" by J. Holiday. It's an R. Kelly style R&B "we're having sexy sex" type of song, which is generally not my chosen genre, but there is something oddly romantic about this one... especially the following lines:
"First rub my back like you do, right there, you touch me like you care. Now stop. And let me repay for the week that you been through, working that 9 to 5 and staying cute like you do."
What can I say? I'm a sucker for a guy who notices that you (his lady) have been working your ass off and still looking good. That's sweet. Hey, I never said the lyrics were Nobel prize-worthy, but they do have charm. Something a lot of Nobel prize-winning books lack.

2. A lot of people liked the key necklace from the last post (which was, by the way, very affordable at $30 for sterling, $38 for vermeil and $130 for 14K). Here are some alternatives:

Clef de Cour Necklace, $58 and Wood Skeleton Key Necklace, $38 (both by Dejarnette NOLA)

Mini Golden Key Necklace, $10 (Fred Flare)

Antique Model Sterling Silver Key on Chain by Lost Button Studio, $40

Iwona Ludyga Tony Key Necklace, $160

3. Did you listen to "Bed" yet? Listen to it!