What Came First?

   The age old question – “what came first, the chicken or the egg?” has been puzzling us for years, and it also raises another question – What comes first, the jewelry or the outfit?

When getting dressed the other day, I wondered, do you plan the jewelry around the outfit or the other way around? Well, like any good jewelry fanatic knows that answer is simple – it’s the jewels!
I could go out without a stitch of clothing (not that I would) and still feel completely “done” if I’m properly accessorized and bejeweled. Or, to be more exact, I could be wearing a head to toe, hot off the runway designer look and without any jewelry I’d feel naked and completely “off”!

I always feel that the simpler and more neutral the clothing, the better backdrop it creates to showcase your treasures! And what better personal statement can you make, then with your jewelry. Often jewelry is chosen for a symbolic meaning, or what it represents to us, so it can tell the world even more about us then the clothes we wear.

Check out new pieces just added to the website!! WWW.FROMTHEASHESVINTAGEJEWELS.COM

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Next time you’re in Williamsburg Brooklyn, stop by Eight of Swords Tattoo (www.eightofswords.com) to check out their exclusive collection of my jewelry.

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Met Costume Institute Gala

 Sarah Jessica Parker wearing a Philip Treacy (www.philiptreacy.co.uk/) mohawk headpiece and Fred Leighton (www.fredleighton.com) jewels

Every May the Glitterati converge on the Metropolitan Museum of Art to benefit and celebrate the museum’s Costume Institute. The Who’s Who of fashion, entertainment and design all stalk the red carpet. Designers attend with their muses, dressing them in elaborate and sometimes over the top, trend setting creations.

It’s got to be one of the hottest tickets of the year in New York, and all of the fun and festivities took place this past Monday night. Can you believe my invite got lost in the mail again??

Everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker, Maggie Gyllenhaal,”Girls” star Lena Dunham, Beyonce, Sienna Miller, Nicki Minaj and many other stars and starlets alike all gathered to turn the 5th avenue shrine to art into a mecca for fashion and all that is fabulous.

Every year the gala focuses around a different theme and this year it is, PUNK: Chaos to Couture and it will be on exhibit from May 9th – August 14, 2013 (http://www.metmuseum.org/)

Stars went all out to pay homage to punk style, but one of the standouts was Sarah Jessica Parker. SJP wore a jeweled Mohawk headpiece by the London milliner Philip Treacy (http://www.philiptreacy.co.uk/) and a suite of 19th century diamond jewelry from the eponymous upper eastside estate jeweler Fred Leighton (www.fredleighton.com).

 SJP in the fabulous Philip Treacy scene stealing jeweled mohawk headpiece!

I’ve been out of commission for the past few days. My pup Julio passed away earlier in the week and  that’s why this blog is so late. He was a great little guy and I’m going to miss him everyday.

Check out new pieces just added to the website!!  WWW.FROMTHEASHESVINTAGEJEWELS.COM

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Next time you’re in Williamsburg Brooklyn, stop by Eight of Swords Tattoo (www.eightofswords.com) to check out their exclusive collection of my jewelry.

 

Horse Play

  Gucci white gold and diamond horsebit bracelet

http://www.gucci.com/us/styles/305808J85409066?gclid=CLCk3IvtgrcCFQqi4AodkjUAYg#305808J85409066

So the Kentucky Derby was this past weekend. Ok, be honest,  who dressed up in a big hat and sipped on mint juleps? I love a good hat, but never like how they look on me. If you did go to a Derby party send me some photos!

Well, all the horsey chit chat over the weekend got me thinking about horse themed jewelry. The first thing that comes to mind is horse bit themed pieces. So many designers have used this motif over the years, in everything from textiles, handbag handles, silverware, shoes and of course jewelry!

 An updated horse bit style from Gucci

http://www.gucci.com/us/styles/298122I46008277

Gucci is one design house that really made that look their own.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is horseshoe men’s rings, yeah I went there. Whether they’re on the pinky or a different finger they’re pretty bad. That being said my Dad had one when I was a kid. Basically the same one in this photo, so I couldn’t resist!

  Yeah baby!! Old school yellow gold and diamond horseshoe ring

http://www.findingking.com/p-57608-14k-gold-horse-head-diamond-horseshoe-mens-ring-size-10.aspx

Check out new pieces just added to the website!!  WWW.FROMTHEASHESVINTAGEJEWELS.COM

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Next time you’re in Williamsburg Brooklyn, stop by Eight of Swords Tattoo (www.eightofswords.com) to check out their exclusive collection of my jewelry.

 

That’s Bull

As a Capricorn, my ideal match is Taurus. So, I figured I would show some love for all of the Taureans out there. Check out these interesting zodiac pendants for those sexy bulls in your life! Now get outside and enjoy this beautiful day!

http://www.overstockjeweler.com/sterling-silver-zodiac-taurus-pendant-necklace-large-disc-p-3003.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1970s-DAVID-WEBB-TAURUS-ZODIAC-PENDANT-BROOCH-/200617495907

http://www.orospot.com/product/p1401spp/sterling-silver-antique-finish-taurus-zodiac-pendant.aspx

http://www.etsy.com/listing/126708174/vintage-taurus-the-bull-zodiac-necklace?ref=market

Check out new pieces just added to the website!! WWW.FROMTHEASHESVINTAGEJEWELS.COM
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Next time you’re in Williamsburg Brooklyn, stop by Eight of Swords Tattoo (www.eightofswords.com) to check out their exclusive collection of my jewelry.

 

May Day!

http://www.langantiques.com/university/index.php/Mother-of-Pearl

Happy May first! In many countries May Day is a celebration of spring and of course it also kicks off the birthday month for all of the Emerald May babies. Since I already wrote about emeralds I thought I’d write about Mother-of-Pearl, which seems appropriate with Mother’s Day right around the corner!

“Mother-of-pearl is a nacreous, lustrous, iridescent lining of the shell of a mollusk that can be carved and cut for jewelry and other decorative purposes. It is composed of calcium carbonate bound by conchiolin which together forms nacre. Mother-of-pearl is carved into various motifs to be used in jewelry. Slabs of mother-of-pearl decorate cuff links, shirt studs, buttons, watch faces and are used as inlay in various decorative objects.” (1)

  http://www.rubylane.com/item/223860-661a/Enchanting-Antique-Mother-Pearl-Cameo

Mother of pearl can be dyed any color, but is most often naturally seen in white, pink and black. The iridescent stone lends itself to delicate, feminine carved jewelry and is perfect for cameos. The delicate sheen and luster looks wonderful against the skin and enhances any complexion.

You find a lot of fantastic mother of pearl in vintage religious jewelry, such as crucifix’s and religious medals. I’m so excited when I can find some of these vintage treasures to incorporate into my collection.

Check out new pieces just added to the website!!  WWW.FROMTHEASHESVINTAGEJEWELS.COM

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Next time you’re in Williamsburg Brooklyn, stop by Eight of Swords Tattoo (www.eightofswords.com) to check out their exclusive collection of my jewelry!

(1) Antique Jewelry University, “Mother-of-Pearl,” n.d., <http://www.langantiques.com/university/index.php/Mother-of-Pearl&gt; (accessed May 1, 2013)

 

The Thrill Of The Hunt

We’ve all got a little predatory nature in us. Thousands of years ago we needed that instinct to survive. Today, we might use it to snag the perfect guy, perfect job or perfect apartment. Or, if you’re like me you use your predatory instincts to make the ultimate acquisition, and then the next and the next.

As any experienced, well versed shopper/collector/jewelry fanatic knows, too much is never enough!

Waiting to pounce until just the right moment, measuring our step and biding our time, skulking around the handbag display and slithering toward the object of your desire, until you pounce. The high only lasts a few weeks or a month at best (depending on the size of my “kill”) and then I need another fix. That’s the thing, no matter how many times I’ve said this is all I want, I don’t want to buy anything else after this, there’s always something else! There is an ever evolving list of things to buy in my head!

So, I guess part of what I’m wondering is, is it just the thrill of the hunt, the stalk, thinking about how it will be to possess the current object of your desire, knowing you can wear it whenever you want, that it’s part of your collection, the moment you swipe your card, or actually wearing your new jewel?

Sometimes for me, just knowing I have something in my jewelry box is enough, then once I have it I’m on to the next thing.

After weeks or months of planning, possibly making multiple trips to see it, imagining how it will feel to own it and what you’ll wear it with, is it just a let down?

The real question is, does a new jewel, shoe or handbag lose some of it’s sparkle after it’s yours?

If you need a fix, check out new pieces just added to the website!! WWW.FROMTHEASHESVINTAGEJEWELS.COM

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Next time you’re in Williamsburg Brooklyn, stop by Eight of Swords Tattoo (www.eightofswords.com) to check out their exclusive collection of my jewelry.

 

Think Big!

  Check out this giant ceramic pearl sculpture from British artist and jewelry designer Nicola Malkin – http://www.nicolamalkin.com/

In the 1980’s, there was a store on West Broadway, in Soho called Think Big!  I was so fascinated by this place and it’s giant ketchup bottles, six foot tall pencils and four foot wide tennis rackets. They sold larger than life versions of everyday items, long before Mc Donalds started super sizing. I bugged my parents for something and eventually they bought me a two foot high book of matches. In their defense, I think that was the least expensive thing in the store.

 Giant jewelry as urban street art from Dutch artist Liesbet Bussche – http://www.liesbetbussche.com/urban.html

One thing they didn’t have was giant sized jewelry. Someone I use to work with told me that the older you get, the larger your jewelry gets. Now, I’m starting to understand what she was talking about. When I first started really wearing and buying jewelry for myself, two of my first purchases we’re a miniature diamond cross and a very delicate diamond line bracelet. I’m probably the same size I was then (about 16 years ago) or tinier, but the cross and the bracelet both look microscopic now! I rarely wear either piece now, and if I do I layer them with other things, like about five other bracelets!

 Another piece from Nicola Malkin http://www.nicolamalkin.com/

There are tons of things I love now, they I never would have worn back then. Why is it that the older you get your perception of size changes. Whether or not I understand the reason why, it can only mean one thing for me, in another ten years I’ll be wearing tennis ball size earrings and rings the size of crystal ashtrays!

Check out new pieces just added to the website!!  WWW.FROMTHEASHESVINTAGEJEWELS.COM

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Next time you’re in Williamsburg Brooklyn, stop by Eight of Swords Tattoo (www.eightofswords.com) to check out their exclusive collection of my jewelry!!!