December Palette

I am always looking for creative inspiration, and the holiday season is no exception. As many of you know, I'm generally drawn to soft, cool colours, and yesterday while at the flea market, I thought I would take my cue from some beautiful displays featuring Christmas ornaments and accessories. I thought you might enjoy seeing what influences my current colour palette...

minty greens and sugary whites,

faded gold,

glittering silver,

baby blue,

and, of course, candy pink!

I especially love mixing these pastels with a dose of sepia, to cut the sweetness with a little bit of edge. I was in heaven when I saw this pile of Victorian holiday postcards, each shimmering in its own cellophane envelope.

I then like to translate my colour influences into gemstones and metals. These yummy rocks arrived in my mailbox today from India... moonstone, pink quartz, rubies, labradorite and pink opal. Like an artist with her paints, these will inform my palette as I dream up new designs.

And speaking of designs, here's what I've been up to the past week...

Did you recognize my colour influences put to use?

What are your favourite colours or gems? I'd love to hear from you, and am always happy to take custom orders if you have something special in mind. Have a beautiful week, mes amis! <3

Peace on Earth

I hope everyone's December is off to a peaceful start. This time of year can get so frenetic with gift shopping, parties, decorating, cards to be mailed, cookies to bake, and even travel plans to be arranged. I'm wishing everyone a little time out among the flurry to have a cup of hot chocolate and remember what the holidays are really all about...

JEWELRY!!! (Just kidding.)

I'm trying to keep my days full of quiet charm, but I had my own little drama a couple of days ago when I dropped and broke my camera!

Thanks to good ol' dad, he researched a new and even better model for me and I was back in business in no time.

So what do you think? Notice a little improved photo quality?

My cable TV has also been on the blink all week, so I've been listening to lots of holiday music on the radio instead.

Nothing like a little Dean Martin singing 'Marshmallow World' to get me in the mood for Trader Joe's peppermint bark!

Then the peppermint bark gets me thinking about candy colours,

which leads me to using lots of pastel gems in my work.

These soft colours, juxtaposed with tarnished metals and rhinestones are so authentic to me, and make me feel... well, peaceful.

So, maybe there has been a silver lining to all my technical difficulties after all.

I call this necklace with a rhinestone bird perched on vintage velvet 'peace on earth', and this is truly my wish. She, along with all the other jewelry here, is now available at The French Circus.

And for those of you who wish to make your own holiday jewelry, please visit The Paris Carousel, where I have lots of vintage goodies to play with.

What brings peace to your world?