Vacation Memories

 

With summer nearly over and children heading back to school, most of us can say 'au revoir' to our summer vacations.  This week, I thought it would be nice to try and preserve these holiday memories with some travel-inspired pieces, and a few cheery earrings as well.

 

 

Have a great week, mes amis!  :)

 

Party!

With Christmas behind us and most people left with some time off from work, why not have a little party?

In Paris, mais oui! ;)

'...already there are wanderers, confident girls who weave here and there among the stouter and more stable, become for a sharp, joyous moment the center of a group and then excited with triumph glide on through the sea-change of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light.' ― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

I'm on Vacation!

As many of you already know, I'm off from my day job this week, but before you get too excited for me, this year is more of a staycation, albeit one with lots of flea marketing and antiquing involved! But this got me to thinking that I still haven't shared many of my photos from last fall's trip to Paris, so I figured now was as good a time as any...



Today I thought I show you one of my favourite features in the Louvre museum,


a tour of Napoleon's apartments!


Here rooms have been re-created to emulate their original opulence.


Crystal chandeliers, red velvet damask furnishings, and floor-to-celing murals say, 'come on in and take your shoes off!' Ha, ha! Well, I for one wouldn't mind living in a place like this! ;)



And just look at this dining table! I lost count of how many chairs there were!



Meanwhile, back at home I've been up to a little opulence of my own...


This double-layer necklace features a St. Christopher medal, Victorian cameo mounted on a silver shield, and lots of rhinestones and rosary chains!




This simple yet striking necklace featuring a Virgin Mary medal, garnets and wooden rosary beads, is easy enough to wear every day, or layered with another special piece.




I call these earrings 'cameo glamour' because they are just a little over-the-top with lots of dangly rhinestones!




Finally, I took a leap of faith with this piece by using unconventional materials -white celluloid floral links accented with sleeping beauty turquoise - to recreate the feeling of shabby-painted garden furniture in this 'angelic garden' necklace.





Fortunately, one of my favourite customers snatched her right up! ;)

Please stay tuned later in the week for more 'vacation' designs... I've been working on prayer card bangles and a few custom orders! Have a very Happy 4th of July! <3

I'm Hooked!

I cannot tell you how many people have asked me about these sterling silver hooks that I've been using in my jewelry designs over the past couple of years! So, I decided to ask a silversmith to custom make some more for me so I could offer them for sale in The Paris Carousel.


I call it 'world's most elegant hook' because I'm pretty sure it is! It also got me to thinking about what other things I'm incessantly hooked on!

When my good friend Sharon was visiting from Colorado the other day, I served these delish chocolate macaroons from Trader Joe's. If you close your eyes while eating them you think you're in a Paris teahouse! ;)


I'm also hooked on vintage jewelry, of course, and have been buying it up by the caseloads for future designs.


I will never tire of the juxtaposition of light aqua and brass...


The antique Czekoslovakian glass beads in this piece are swoon-worthy!




And I'm certainly hooked on vintage rosaries! These crosses are made of celluloid and are from around the 1930s.





And I know I'm not alone when I report that I'm hooked on the PBS series 'Downton Abbey'. Since it's on summer hiatus right now, I made myself a little tribute necklace to tide me over...


I call this one 'dinner at downton' since I think it would go perfectly well with a drop-waist chiffon number by the candlelight of that grand table!




Finally, it goes without saying that I'm hooked on all things Paris! This choker-style necklace positively sparkles like the starlit Parisian sky!




Thank you for indulging me in my current (and timeless!) obsessions. What kinds of things are you hooked on right now?