Be My Valentine

One of my favourite holidays has always been Valentine's Day with its pretty colour palette, romantic imagery and... chocolate! :) Fortunately, as a jewelry designer, I get to start celebrating early by dreaming up some Valentine-themed pieces, now on offer to you in my Etsy shoppe.

These simply sweet bronze cherub earrings feature gorgeous faceted ruby briolettes and the most delicate chains.

I was delighted when I found this vintage sterling silver Reed and Barton heart pendant, still in its original 1950s box and felt pouch at the flea market last weekend!

It makes for a show-stopper of a passionate necklace, accented with sterling floral and rhinestone bracelet links, garnets, rubelite, rock crystal and book chain.

And now for the softer side of romance, this sweet mother of pearl and pink opal confection will take you from a winter white wardrobe straight through to summer.

Mmm... candy! ;)

This pair of glass French lithograph earrings is going to be really hard to part with! I just love the soft blues in the portraits and tried to echo the shade with heavenly faceted aqua chalcedony briolettes. (Swoon.)

And now for the moment you've all been waiting for... (obligatory drumroll)... I invite you to be my Valentine with my new give-away! One lucky winner will receive the double heart and ruby hoop earrings below!

All you have to do to enter is share my blog with someone you love (and whom you think might love The French Circus) by February 5! Then please comment here and tell me who you chose and why you love them. (Example: 'My Aunt Sally because she makes the best oatmeal cookies.') The winner will be drawn at random and announced no later than February 7. Easy, peasy! ;)

While we're sharing the love, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of the new readers I've been seeing recently, as well as those who are following and re-pinning my designs on Pinterest and have become Facebook fans. Not to mention those who have ordered my jewelry! All of you are helping to make my dreams come true and I couldn't have this life without you! In a sense, you are all my Valentines! Good luck to everyone who particpates in the give-away! <3 Robyn

In the Boudoir

The recent Downton Abbey frenzy has got me thinking a lot about how much time and care women used to spend getting dressed each day, often several times a day to accomodate different activities.

I've also been pondering the life of those people behind the glamorous scenes, from a couturier at the finest fashion house in Paris, to a private lady's maid, like the sweet Anna or conniving O'Brien.

These necklaces pay homage to all such women, and the preparation that goes on in the boudoir...

from the simple mending of a button,

to creating the latest coiffure, and all without the modern technology we rely on today.

Thank you for stopping by and please stay tuned next time when I announce my upcoming give-away! :)

Heirloom Quality

I was recently referred to a new client (thank you, Diane!) who had a healthy stash of gorgeous jewelry from the Edwardian era / 1920s that had belonged to her husband's grandmother.

Upon meeting for coffee, she revealed her lucky inheritance to me, one by one. Needless to say, I was both honoured and delighted at the prospect of 'upcycling' these family heirlooms into necklaces she could wear and enjoy today.

Just look at these rich gold watch chains, brilliant Czek glass, and lustrous enamel and mother of pearl! You just don't find jewelry like this these days, no ma'am!

So, what did I do with it all?

Voila!

I really wanted to honour the integrity of the original pieces, while catering to my client's request for necklaces that would be whimsical yet wearable enough for every day.

I kept most of the festoon style of this green glass necklace intact, while switching out the focal pendant to this sweet locket. Inside is a photo of the grandmother (whom it belonged to orginally) and her brother as children.

Among the offerings was also this handsome gold pocket watch, and several watch chains and fobs. I decided to use them all in a slightly asymetrical design, and accented it with red Czek glass.

I love the fact that the family's monogram will be carried on in this piece for generations to come.

Finally, a tiny cameo takes center stage beneath a gold crown and enamel buckle. This open-back purple glass had so much lustre, I couldn't bear to break it up, so I just spliced the links into an elegant shape and accented the back of the necklace with repuosse chain and amethysts.

With the exception of a few stones and earring backs (below), I used almost exclusively my client's own jewels! It was a fun challenge, like trying to prepare a meal with a handful of random ingredients. I'm thrilled with the way everything turned out (the food always tastes good when the ingredients are great quality!), and hope my client will enjoy her renewed treasures for many years.

And now for the really big question... What is everyone planning to wear for tomorrow night's Season 3 premier of Downton Abbey? ;)