Blue Skies & 8 Blues for Summer Bliss!

I woke up this morning with a bright blue sky out my window (the days have begun in gray for the last week) and the song Blue Skies playing over and over in my mind.     And . . . that got me thinking about the color blue — another contradiction because (the song makes a point of it) — we think of blue as two different moods: blue—as in melancholy or sad, and blue as in — well— blue skies — happy, cheerful — no clouds to bedevil us.  But the color blue itself is mostly thought of  as a color having none of those attributes.  Instead, light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness, and dark blue with knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.

Blue is marvelous in all its shades.  In jewels, think of  turquoise blue, lapis blue, sapphire blue.  In design, think of blue and white pottery, (my absolute favorite), in fashion navy blue—so classic, in nature, the blue of Larkspur, Hydrangia and Iris.

8 Blues for summer bliss :

1.  A blue and white striped sailor tee (LLBean has a great one) a la Coco Chanel—

2.  Vintage blue (flecked with gold) Italian glass earrings — Ciao Bella!

3.  Blue and white dishes — so lovely and “country” —

4.  A bouquet of blue Hydrangeas — divine!

5. Vintage french blue  cut and molded glass “suns” in a totally one of a kind necklace — La Soliel de Chagall

6.  Blue Skies, the song.  Written by Irving Berlin and sung here by the gorgeous Betty Hutton (wearing, I may add a very cool necklace).

7. A Bluebird Bird House — It never occurred to me that there were specialty birdhouses. I suppose that’s what comes from living in a loft! This one is from yardenvy.com

8.  Blue Skies to dream beneath—

Edited: June 27th, 2010

Little Happinesses

There’s an interesting dichotomy that the word “happiness” suggests.  When we think of things that would make us happy, we most often think of “big” things—winning the lottery, a bigger house, a new car . . .

But really, I think it’s the little things that make us truly happy.

For me it’s the way the sun shines golden through the curtains in the morning, the way the dog wags his tail in a great big circle when he’s happy, flowers blooming all over Emeryville these sumer days, a sweet smile that someone I’d never seen before, and may never see again, gave me as I crossed a busy street yesterday, the sound of a dear friend’s voice on the phone calling just to stay in touch, a cupcake on a pretty plate.   And yes, clasping a piece of lovely jewelry around my neck before I go out to face the day.

Colette once said, “Be happy, it’s one way of being wise.”   May you be refreshed and renewed by little happinesses in your life!

Edited: June 24th, 2010

Happy Summer Solstice!

A beautiful day.  A bittersweet day.

The day of the longest light, and the day we realize that the light will begin to grow less . . .

May you find many smiles on this long summer day!

Edited: June 21st, 2010

Everything’s Coming up Roses

A rose is a rose is a rose so they say—but really roses are so much more than that!

(I took this photo on my iphone of these marvelous heirloom roses growing along an iron fence 7 blocks long outside the Pixar buildings on Park Ave a few blocks from our loft.)

Roses are not just glorious colors and delectable scents, but inspiration for art, literature, fashion, textiles and jewelry for almost as long as these things have existed.  Not to mention food—my grandmother used to make rose-petal jam, a tradition in some parts of Greece.

Isadora Duncan choreographed a dance to one of the Strauss Waltzes that she called “Roses from the South” (photo is me dancing it)—

Michel Fokine choreographed the ballet “La Spectre de la Rose” —

Roses are splendid in all their manifestations—

Including Jewels (The Roses of Tuscany) —

And music — Sarah Brightman singing Desert Rose —

Edited: June 14th, 2010

7 for Summer!

Oh, if only summer could last all year . . .

Here are 7 lovely things for the season of long light filled days and dreamy nights —

1.   White!  In any form:  a crisp white shirt, white jeans, a soft white T, a simple white canvas tote . . . for bargains go to Gap, LL Bean (they’re not quite as dowdy as they used to be),  J.Crew . . . a long gauzy white dress . . .

2.   Mother of Pearl jewelry:  lustrous and magical for day and night.

3.   Long Skirts: Thank heavens they’re back!

4.   Flowery Sandals:  you can always walk in a garden—

5.   Enchanted April:  if you haven’t seen it you’re in for a wonderful journey.  If you have, watch it again—especially if you can’t get away this summer!

6.   A Lacy Camisole:  modernly Victorian and oh so romantic (great to wear with Dominion of Light Jewels)

7.   Fields of Gold: Sting’s bittersweet song about summer love, sung here by Eva Cassidy.

Edited: June 9th, 2010

On the Collections:

Someone asked me about the difference between the limited edition pieces in the collections and the “one of a kinds”.   Which is a good question because some of the limited editions are very limited (sometimes only to 2 ) and some I can make a larger number of, such as the Giverny Earrings —

Rose D’Argent Earrings —

The Road to Dharamsala Earrings —

and the Mystique des Pearls necklace—

of which quite a few have sold.   And there are some “one of a kinds”  that can be reproduced, if not exactly,  a least somewhat, for example Tamlin’s Gift—

which was one of three, using the same basic antique floral glass links.  It all depends on the materials I’m able to find and also, dare I say this, how many I’m inspired to make!

Edited: June 5th, 2010

“Costume jewelry is not made to give women an aura of wealth —

—but to make them beautiful,” Coco Chanel

Edited: June 3rd, 2010