Dropping By

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.

Stories for Two

What's really nice about my job is that I can spend 45 minutes taking pictures of rings at my desk and nobody even looks twice. I'm not sure if people looked once.

Today is Friday which means several things:

1. I have a half day. (Another really nice thing about my job.)
2. Half days make me both antsy and lazy.
3. That combo will probably force me to write several short posts.

This morning I rushed in so I could post two of my favorite rings, one of which I am wearing, the other which I want to wear every second but cannnot figure out what to wear it with. (Again, the photography is iffy, but I think I am getting better!

The first ring was my grandma's. (Was ie she is still kicking but passed it on because I coveted it so dearly.) My mom and I occasionally fish through my grandma's giant jewelry box. It's a little callous, I think, but my mom calls stuff. "Mom, I get the yellow diamond right?" I mean, yes, okay, totally callous, but these diamonds are ridiculous so I guess I get where she's coming from. I might take pictures this weekend and post them, but you all must promise not to show up at my grandma's house claiming to be a long lost family member.

Anyhow, one day we dug up this ring and it fit me perfectly--like made for my hand perfectly. At that time, it looked like a dark turquoise. Now it looks like adventurine. I've no idea why! My grandpa got it for her in Nevada--they were visiting a friend's gold mine. This woman still has the gold mine by the way, and once offered me the job of walking around the property every day to make sure nobody tried to mine there. I have not yet taken her up on this job.


I am aware that it sorty of looks like something you could get at a street fair in the city, but every time I look at it, I am so struck by gorgeous lacy design and the setting and therefore think of it as something very special.

In May, the fella and I went to Seattle and let me tell you: Seattle is pretty amazing. The jewelry was nice, though not often spectacular. (The Internet has a tendency to even the playing field, you know? Before, any local jeweler was lucky to get their wares into stores a couple of states away; now they all have a website and are selling in every quiant little town. Which is both a great thing and an awful thing: I saw so many repeats in Seattle and Cape Cod!)

We took a ferry to Bainbridge Island, which is about 25 minutes off the coast and that's where I finally found the thing I wouldn't leave without:



It's citrine with a gold band and gold wire wrap. It was moderately priced, so I think it's gold-painted or gold-polished, but that's okay because I really like that. The matte makes me swoon. The had a quartz/ silver combo, but I was afraid it might look CZ. (Ooh these pictures are so dark! Sorry.)

But I love it and have no CLUE what to wear it with. It's only slightly showy, but showy enough (in it's way) that I don't want to overwhelm it with a million other things. Right now I wear it with only a pair of brown pearl earrings. (And clothing of some sort, usually. Most of the time.)

More later...

Cocktail Rings, in further detail

I know I just wrote about this, but lord, I love cocktail rings. They are everything at once: classic, simple, outrageous, a trend, something that makes an outfit. I've a couple of lovelies that run the price range spectrum. Have you found any particularly perfect ones? The ones above are all under $20.00. (!)

Top to bottom: Urban outfitters faceted cocktail ring in peach or turquoise for $16.00, Vintage Floral Rings on Daylab.com for$14.00, Lacy Button Cocktail Ring in bethanycooper's shop on etsy.com for $9.00, Faceted Citrine Nugget Ring in starrydesigns shop on etsy.com for $17.90, Vintage Shield ring on Daylab.com for $12.00.

Mood Rings

On a recent vacation to Cape Cod, I found Mood Rings all over the place, but they looked like distant cousins of the kind I liked as a kid. They came in a variety of shapes--from animals to hearts to the basics, with really lovely trims. My grandma was even getting into the act, neglecting to give me directions as I drove aimlessly because she was too busy trying to figure out what color hers was turning.
I can't see why they wouldn't make a comeback. It's been a couple of years since the last go round and they are rather stylish nowadays. The one above set me back about $4 and has an adjustable stainless steel band, but the design is really modern and it dresses up and basic outfit. The added mood factor is priceless. ("Hmmm, let's see once and for all if I really hate this co-worker. Yes! It's grey/ yellow! I knew it! Thanks, mood ring.")


Cocktail rings have become quite a fad, perhaps one that will stick around as the rings lately have been beautiful, and affordable. This beauty, purchased in Chatham, MA, only set me back $30--more than worth it. Also, I should calculate the cost of the bitchy saleslady too. The ring actually cost me $5,000. But it's a great way to make a bold statement with a simple sheath.




I was right about grey for fall (and end of summer), so I think I should be right about mood rings too. Though nobody but my boyfriend really knows about the grey thing and there's a good chance he wasn't listening.

Anyhow, lucite had it's day.