Bleu, Part Deux

I recently posted a story about how the colour blue had influenced my jewelry designs. Well, it hasn't stopped there! As many of you know, I love to decorate as much as I enjoy making jewelry and putting outfits together, and the colour blue has now spilled over (all over!) into my apartment. Strangely, as much as I like to change my decor a few times each year, I've never really embraced this colour until now. Pink, yes. White and black, for sure. Even touches of bold red. But somehow blue always seemed a little too... well, traditional, boyish, preppy. Until now. I've somehow come to see certain shades (French blue, robin's egg blue, Tiffany box blue) as quite sophisticated, tranquil and neutral enough that I hopefully won't tire of it by the time this post gets published! Here are a few bleu touches I've added around my home this past week. Tres chic, n'est pas?

Soaps in the le bathroom.


A vintage nightgown that had been folded in a drawer.


Festooning draped over an ornate mirror. Instant party!


Guess where I bought this hat? Yup! Goodwill!


Faded denim is perhaps the most perfect blue.


Coco wears a blue crinoline.



A length of ribbon cheers up my grandmother's stonewear.


These tiny blue boxes hold the most lovely tarnished tinsel bow-shaped seals.


Millinery roses and crepe paper.


New curtains against a faded velvet chair.


The dining table where I spend about 80% of my time.


My sofa is now fit for Marie Antoinette with the addition of a new blue pillow.


In my studio where I spend the other 80% of my time. ;)


Are you doing any spring / summer decorating? Please share your ideas with me! I'd love to hear about them!

Making Faces

This is just a quick 'bonjour' to show you what I've been up to in the studio this week. I guess I've been inspired by faces lately: cameos, religious images, a watch face and old French medallion featuring a man's profile. These always seem to be a common theme in my artwork; I suppose nothing gives a piece more personality than a face! :)













Thank you for looking. Next time I'll share with you some new decorating touches I've added around my apartment. :)

Postcards from Paris

Do any of you remember the late Domino magazine's regular feature in which the editors turned an outfit into a room? In a similar vein, tonight's post is about a necklace I recently made that was inspired by two very sweet turn-of-the-century postcards I have from France. I've been collecting these lovely cards for a couple of years now - I love the melodramatic sepia scenery mixed with soft washes of pinks and blues. So romantic!

These particular cards feature young girls with baskets of flowers and bows in their hair.





I was lucky enough to find this old pendant from a dealer in Europe. Do you notice any resemblance to the postcard?


And, mais oui, the necklace wouldn't be complete without its own (sterling silver and marquesite) bow, and pink flowers!





Voila! A postcard turned into a necklace! I hope I captured the mysterious innocence for the wearer that the original image holds for me. Merci beaucoup for visiting! :)

Am I Blue

I'd been recently feeling in a bit of a creative slump, but fortunately with the encouragment of friends and family, I got back in the proverbial saddle. Of course, ordering a mailbox full of vintage items from Europe didn't hurt either, and I've been inspired all over again by their beautiful shapes and patinas. Here's just a peek at what I've been working on, including the custom 'portrait of marie' necklace I made for a very special customer in Kansas. Somehow all of these items feature the colour blue, so maybe that is a reflection of how I was feeling the previous week. How does your mood influence you?







A sweet customer of mine asked me to create a necklace for her using this wonderful Marie Antoinette bubble brooch. The milky white moonstone beads surrounding the pendant had been given to her mother by her late father and she wanted to incorporate them into the design since it was he who first introduced her to the French queen. I was so honoured to work with these special pieces and hope she loves the necklace when it arrives!







I also turned these elegant pearl drops she sent me into a simple pair of earrings as a little surprise.


Now for something blue that definitely makes me happy (not blue) - Lite Kettle Corn from Trader Joe's! Has anyone else tried this? At 110 calories a bag, it's sure to put a smile on your face.



Please stay tuned next time, mes amis, to see how an antique French postcard inspired a necklace. :)