Holiday Daze

Happy post-Christmas, people!

I hope you all had a nice one. It's been so quiet on the blog front these days...

First off, I want to dedicate a moment to Benazir Bhutto, the ex-Pakistan Prime Minister (and had currently been the Pakistani opposition leader) who was trying to make things better in her part of the world. This morning, she was killed for it.
I know a lot of people are consumed with American politics--rightfully so--but more than ever, it seems so important to know what's going on elsewhere. Bhutto was a divisive figure, like so many great people are, and she ultimately only wanted to improve the state of things for the people in Pakistan.


On to more frivolous things, I suppose...

Christmas was a lovely one; my boyfriend remembered my bizarre fixation with the Sabrina Dehoff Cat Mask Necklace and surprised me with it. A bit of a downside in that it doesn't really look like the photos online, which is a lesson to us all (me especially, I suppose) about the dangers of falling in love with a photo.

Sabrina Dehoff Cat Mask Necklace, $255

So the fate of this necklace is still undecided.

Between the BF and I, we managed to acquire (excuse my language) a shitload of stuff, including the DVD set of My So-Called Life (me), Seasons 2 and 3 of The Wire (him), the best Wolf Parade shirt eva (me), the best Battlestar Galactica shirt eva (him), etc.

Did you miss your jewelry fix?
Here's a couple of pretties (from Alexis Bittar) until Friday Favorites:


Alexis Bittar Butterfly Wing necklace, $500






Onyx Fly Ring, $175





Hammered Oval Earrings, $110

Friday Favorites: Luxe Gift Guide

Santa granted me one pre-Christmas wish this morn--I was finally able to install Firefox on our decrepit home computer, which means I get catch up on what's been a sad blogging week.
You see, in addition to my (work) computer just not turning on, BF then went ahead and infected me with whatever weird sickness he was suffering through last week. I'm sure it doesn't help that I was gloating mercilessly--you see, I'm usually the sicky one around here. Fate strikes again, I suppose. I woke up this morning fearing the plague. It feels like a cat is sitting on my neck. The fat cat. (Er, fatter of the two.)

But hey! Early Christmas break for me, right?

In case you still haven't found that special gift for someone, and now you are feeling really guilty (cause hey, nothing says love like waiting until the last minute), here is the Friday Favorites Luxe Gift Guide. Even if they aren't worth it, maybe alleviating your conscience is?





Clemence Ring by Wendy Brandes, $3600






Erickson Beamon Suffragette City With Crystal Tassel Necklace, $1225
(This is supposedly a very trendy new brand, mentioned on my extremely guilty pleasure Gossip Girl a couple of episodes back. The jewelry is okay, as far as I can see, but no Wendy Brandes.)




Mark Davis Turquoise Irene Bangle, $950 (a couple of these stacked...lovely)

Shaesby Graduated Bubble Chain with Large Moonstone Pendant, $2145

Academie Oval 1 Earrings Turquoise by Phillip Crangi, $388






H.Stern Highlight Amethyst Ring, $5800




I hope you all get exactly what wished for, and a couple of things you didn't even realize you wanted...
See you on Wednesday---Happy Holidays, Bloggers!

Update

My computer died this morning.

Updated further to add: It was a work computer, so I am covered... we'll just buy a new one if necessary. Such a bummer though, cause it's a relatively new iMac. Ah well. There's a chance it may survive. I should hear back next week. As I'm sure you are all positively bursting, I'll keep you updated.

No Fair!

Um, Mr. McQueen? I hate to be the one to break the news, but it looks like you only got the first name right...
Please comment me for my address...

Odds and Ends, Again

This here is going to be a post filled with things that don't quite fit elsewhere:


1. These necklaces didn't make it into Friday Favorites last week. Mostly because there was no Friday Favorites last week. But there's something about 'em I like a lot.

Silver Jane Necklace by Janna Connnor, $132 (Choice of mallard, seahorse or starfish)


2. I treated myself to an early Christmas present yesterday:

(Stack rings by Kevia)




3. Our living room and tree:




4. Every year, we get pictures printed up of the cats, put them in nice frames, and give them to assorted parents. We're definitely using the first one of Fattie-pie. Miss Stella, however, won't sit still for a photo and I am reduced to using a recent pic of her squished between the couch and the BF. If the photo session doesn't go well this weekend...





5. The beach is always so lovely during an impending storm...

Selected Works from "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.



On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.






1. Partridge Love Necklace by Leviticus Jewelry, $40
2. Kissing Dove Sterling Earrings, $44.99
3. Seeka Dove Necklace, $64


Lyrics from Carols.Org

The song is actually a Christian parable, and each verse speaks of something a tad more religious than what is sung. I had no idea, for instance, that the first three days actually meant:
1. True Love refers to God
2. Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3. French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues

Huh. Anyhow, I'll be counting down the 12 days through jewelry this week as Christmas approaches.
Oh, and pics of my tree tomorrow, which we bought in the bitter cold on Saturday night, and decorated in the cozy warmth of a Sunday afternoon whilst watching every episode, special feature and documentary on The Office DVD's, season 1, 2, and the holiday special. I am speaking of the UK office, which is perhaps my favorite show of all time. I can't get down with the US office; I just don't see the funny.

For you UK office fans: how much do you love the scene where Gareth opens his office drawer to find his stapler inside of molded jell-o? Sigh. Oh, Tim.

Do You Have the Time?

I just can't believe how quickly Christmas is approaching! I feel like I haven't got the time to do anything: cookies to be made, presents to be bought, presents to be wrapped, tree to pick out... man, I'm gonna be busy this weekend.

That got me thinking about watches, and how much I adore a good vintage watch find. There are some wonderful timepieces to be found in thrift stores, but they usually need a little work. The fully restored ones are a dream for most of us, but so lovely to look at:




Ladies 1950's Vintage Bracelet Watch, $1250




Ladies Antique Wittnauer 1940's Watch, $250





18K and White Gold (with diamonds) Bucherer Ladies Watch, $375






Deadstock Funky 1960's Ladies Croton Troparctic Watch, $99






Ernest Borel Cocktail Watch, $325





Verger Art Nouveau Watch with Pearls, Platinum and diamonds, Circa 1913 (hand painted face), $19,000
(Note: Verger was a famous Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry designer who produced pieces for many high end jewelry shops like Cartier)





1950's Pink 18K LeCoultre Watch, $1750





(Aside: My boss is laughing so hard in his office, I'm afraid he may burst something! He's been going for like, five minutes straight now.)

Bag Lady

If I finally broke down and decided to spend an exorbitant amount of money on a bag, which should I get:


andalucia flat serena by Kate Spade




Carly by Coach






Coach Ergo Tote






Pleated Pinafore Stachel at Anthropologie


I am really bad at the whole bag thing.

To Sum

Calcite & Calcite Bead Necklace by Becky Kelso, $765

Today's post will have to be in bullet form; my brain is taxed from too much thinking-type stuff that happened yesterday:
*Building is okay, a couple of apartments damaged but nobody hurt
*Apparently, when our building was built, they were using newspaper for insulation
*So, duh, fire
*The same night, I thought I left my space heater on at work and had to go back to check
*I had been at a bar
*It was very cold out
*The space heater was off
*At a bar with people from high school
*Whole thing was very bizarre--they were the popular people
*I wasn't
*They looked exactly the same
*However, I did not
*Heather and some other folks mentioned leaving on hair implements, which was in perfect harmony with an e-mail Wendy and I had going back in forth
*In which I described the night I totally and completely forgot to lock the office, didn't realize until I got home (hour ride) and had to take a 5:30 AM train to make it in before anyone else
*Was so tired



Gothic Pendant by Arman, $1890

Pretty Rings Under $200 (Ahem, honey?)

Another busy one as my computer decided not to work on Friday afternoon! Also: fire in our apartment building Friday night. Madness!





Faceted Blue Topaz and Diamond Inlaid Handmade Ring, $163





Sheila Fajl Chalcedony Cabochan Ring, $163






Citrine Rococo Lace Ring on Delicate Band, $150






Pade Vavra Peridot Cushion Ring, $162

Friday Favorites: Basics Covered

I'm in a very traditional mood today: ruby, diamond, sapphire, emerald, pearl... they're the only gems that can sate me. Must be gold.


(Ack! It's snowing!)

18K Gold ring with Ruby, Diamond or Emerald by Phoenix Roze, $580 each

I like these rings because they remind of something I've been lusting over forever. Sarah B. bought this vintage ring in Paris and I've been looking for it's modern equivalent ever since. Or maybe Sarah B. will decide to travel the world and dispose of all her worldly possessions in a fit of "Material goods? Meaningless!" Then I will buy it from her.

Photo borrowed from SB's flickr.






Conroy and Wilcox Freshwater Pearl Abacus Bangle, $2500





Gold and Ruby Waterfall Necklace, $4,400







Sapphire Snaffle Bit Brooch, £646.81
(P.S. Apparently, snaffle bit is a horse term. Fun set of words, right?)

Busy Bee

Three of my four co-workers are out today (two have been out the whole week), and I am somehow covering for all of them. Today has been a lot of "Oooh, that would be a nice post, yes...hmmm, look at the emerald detail NOT THE F**KING PHONE AGAIN!!!"

Excuse my language.

But, my lovelies, there will be a Friday Favorites tomorrow. Oh yes.



In the meantime, I really want this ring. It reminds of the medieval style ones.

Three Emerald Ring, $185

Edited to Add: Thinking about what a kid I used to be: Ye Old Internet Journal (Oh, c'mon---like you haven't had one?)

Light as a... (Feather Jewelry)

Yesterday's post was giving me major agita what with it's pictures not showing up and all, so it's been summarily deleted. Swimming with the internet fishies, if you will.

Today's the start of what I like to call "The Miserable Cold Ones." Christmas does it's best to ward off the sad, but it begins to press down as the thermometer drops. It was so cold today, that I didn't even go outside for lunch. Not only did I not go outside, I ordered in! I never order in. I won't go into the fact that the delivery guy didn't carry any singles so I ended up giving him a $4 tip on a $5 order, oh no, not a word from me. Now I am working my way through a bag of Raisinets (the only candy in the machine with "proven antioxidant power!) and trying to figure out today's post.

I'm thinking feathers. I remember editor once saying that she liked a good, solid piece of feather jewelry. Better than snow, I say.



Feather Ring with Diamonds by Grainger McKoy, $475 (silver)





Light as a Feather Antique Gold Necklace, $24





ASOS LUXE Stone Encrusted Feather Earrings, £28.00





Beadkeepers Feather Ring, $45 (Can make a feather from your favorite birdie into a ring!)





Peggy Li Feather Necklace, $59




Gold Peacock Feather Earrings, $56





Corinne Hamak ring





Relic Sacred Feather necklace at MmeFortuna's Etsy shop, $185





Feather Bangle, $9.99





Nabi Gold Feather Necklace, $96


There's a fairly popular Dior feather ring, but I didn't post it because (and I apologize in advance, designers at Dior) it looks like ass.


....


Oh, okay! You've nagged me enough!
Here she is: