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

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.

In Which You can Win a Prize!

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?):