Manolo Jewelry

Oh, I am SO tired of snow.

Today was another day spent working from home, due to the roads being impassable.

And I must say, nothing quite encapsulates the working-mother experience like being on the phone with a major client while your toddler repeatedly pokes you in the left butt cheek with a piece of Duplo.

However, one advantage of working from home is that while on said phone call, one can do some online jewelry browsing, without worrying about Mr. Boss Man suddenly appearing over one’s shoulder.

And due to a recent birthday, I actually have a tiny bit of spending money available. And what better way to get rid of the money that is burning a hole in my pocket, than by spending it on pretty sparkly things?

Currently on sale, we have the talented and delightful Kendra Scott.  Her work has been featured here before; I love her interesting use of colour and shape.

These earrings are just lovely. I love the earthy colour of the stones. And they’re marked down to less than $50:

These earrings are outfit-makers. So exotic and pretty. They’re great for completely changing the look of a basic top ‘n’ jeans ensemble.  AND, they’re $23 off!

I could fill this entire page with Scott’s earrings, but she also has some gorgeous necklaces, such as this feather necklace, now 20% off! With the necklaces, be sure to click on “Larger Images and Additional Views”. You’ll be able to click on a video showing a model wearing the necklace, which gives you a MUCH better idea as to its size and scale.  In the regular photos, the necklaces look smaller than they actually are.

We also have this gorgeous aqua necklace (I LOVE the colour aqua), at a third off!

And lastly, this pretty tassel necklace at a great price, (and there are only two left!)

Well…I guess my birthday money is spoken for, my darlings!

Bisous!

LPA

Good morning, my lovelies!

My apologies for the delay in publishing the answers to this particular quiz. Technical issues, blahbity-blahbity, software compatibility, yadda, yadda.

Anyway, yeah…so this was  a really tough quiz, no? And you thought that Manolo’s Whose Shoes Wednesday was tough. Seriously though, I won’t make it as blisteringly difficult next time.

And so, on to the answers!

1. Kim Kardashian

2. Camilla Belle

3. Tina Fey

4. Claire Danes

5. Jenna Ushkowitz

6. Catherine Zeta-Jones

7. Natalie Portman

I have to say, I really didn’t understand the hoo-ha over Claire Danes’ look.  I thought the dress made her look rather gaunt. But hey, in Hollywood, since when was that considered a BAD thing?

Bisous!

LPA

Greetings, my dears!

I hope that all is lovely and wonderful with each and every one of you.

Remember WAY back when, when I made mention of my mom’s charm bracelet, and how I didn’t want to tell her that I’d love to have it some day, for fear of appearing grasping?

I could kick myself right now.

She hocked it.

Don’t worry — she didn’t hock it because that was the only thing standing between her and a steady diet of ramen noodles. She simply figured that neither of us girls had ever shown any interest in it, and she hadn’t worn it in years and years, so why not be rid of it.

I could CRY. Seriously. She had charms on there from when my sister and I were born. She had a charm from when she graduated from nursing school. It was the ONE piece of jewelry of hers that I actually coveted.

So I’m a little bitter right now. But I’m also determined that I WILL have a charm bracelet, damn it. And if I can’t have my mom’s, I’ll just have to get my own.

One can always buy a pre-charmed (so to speak) charm bracelet, if you like the look, but don’t want the time, bother and expense of slowly filling up your bracelet with charms.  This one from Lily Pulitzer is rather adorable, and it does still have room for charms if you want to add something more personal. Plus, it’s on sale:

I also think this one is really neat. The Feng Shui of the charms is supposed to increase the energy in your life.  So it IS a little pricier than coffee, but it doesn’t have the diuretic effects…so it’s a toss-up, really. However the fact that it’s 77% off certainly sweetens the deal, no?

Or, you could do what I’m probably going to do, and get one that’s mostly blank, so that you can add on your own charms. I’m loving this David Yurman one. The fact that it’s silver AND gold makes it a lot more versatile with regards to what charms you pick for it, I’d say.

So what kind of charms would I put on there? Well, I’d want them to either have meaning, or be ones that I just think are delightful. This Eiffel Tower charm would be a must-buy, as it would remind me of the lovely 24 hours I once spent in Paris.

Of course, with charms, you can’t go wrong with Tiffany. They have got a broad selection of gorgeous things. How dinky is this oyster charm? It  opens up, to reveal a pearl inside! Swoon!

I’ll also be getting some sort of charm that reminds me of my son. I’m not sure yet what to get though…but that’s half the fun, isn’t it?

If you had a charm bracelet, what charms would you want on it?

Bisous,

LPA

Well, the Golden Globes was definitely an interesting show.

Between Helena Bonham Carter wearing two differently-coloured shoes on the red carpet (on PURPOSE!) and Ricky Gervaise hilariously introducing Bruce Willis as “Ashton Kutcher’s dad”, I was entertained the entire time.

So, to keep the entertainment going, I thought I would springboard off of the Manolo’s always-delightful “Whose Shoes Wednesday”, and present to you “Whose Golden Globes Bling?’

Can you guess who wore what beautiful accessory?

And my vote for best-accessorized of the night? Well, it’s a toss-up.  An alarming number of women wore no jewelry at all, or only very subtle baubles.  That’s why I was so thrilled to see Kyra Sedgwick and her bold colour combination:

My other vote for best-accessorized goes to Susan Downey, and not because of what’s around her neck.

Bisous,

LPA

Yes, I just made a bad pun based on a 1990’s-era dance tune.  I have no shame.

However, thinking back to 1993, I realize that there’s not too damn much that I wore back then that I would even consider putting on my body today (puffy poet shirt, I’m looking at you).  However, even back then, I loved hoop earrings.

Hoop earrings are one of those things that you either love, or you hate.  Smaller hoops rarely elicit a negative reaction. Larger hoops, however?  Well, there’s more than one Facebook group ranting about how trashy they look.  And consider this tidbit of information from a very knowledgeable acquaintance of mine:

“Cultural Difference Fun Fact: In many conservative  and/or old money families, particularly in the South, Nice Girls Don’t Wear Hoops. Small ones are considered merely low rent, but anything bigger than a quarter? You might as well be working the pole. They’re like lucite heels for your ears.”

I think hoops are one of those things that are extremely dependent on the wearer and on the  context. Yes, they ARE inherently more casual than studs or drops, but they don’t have to be lowbrow.

Big hoops with lots of cleavage, too much makeup, an equally big necklace and a Bumpit? Yeah, that’s lucite-heel territory.

Big hoops with an exotically patterned tunic over pale linen trousers and a low strappy sandal? Delightful.

When wearing hoops, keep in mind that while big hoops can be gypsy-esque and fun, smaller ones do tend to be more elegant.  The smallest of all, also known as “huggies”, would likely work in even the most conservative setting.

Fortunately, there are a LOT of choices out there.

Beautiful leaf hoop earrings:

Unusual and delicate citrine drop hoops:

Sparkly and elegant hoops for evening:

Of course, if you want to go full-on gypsy chick, these are a beautiful way to do so:

So to the hoop-haters, I say “You do NOT know what you’re missing, my friend!”

Bisous,

LPA

As you read this, I am at my company’s annual “team-building” staff meeting.

So, while my brain is rendered into mush from an overload of corporate-speak, I leave you with beautiful pleasures for the eyes and for the ears.

First, Harry Winston’s diamond wave bracelet:

And for the ears? Mumford & Sons — The Cave

Enjoy, and see you in a couple of days!

Bisous,

LPA

It is THOROUGHLY winter now, my dears.

At the moment, the snow in my front yard is up to mid-calf, and after this weekend, it will probably be up to my knees.

Bah.

I know, a Canadian complaining about winter is like the guy who goes to the same restaurant every day but always complains about the food. However, taking my business elsewhere isn’t really an option.

Hence, I wallow in bitterness from about January 3rd until roughly sometime in late April.

There are only a few select tasks that will chase away my winter doldrums:

1. Getting my hair professionally blown out.  This little indulgence never fails to make me happy, no matter what time of year it is.

2. Receiving a kiss from my toddler.

3.  Eating homemade butter tarts. The Stonecutter made an obscene quantity over the holidays, bless his heart.

4. Flowery jewelry. It’s springtime-ish and cheerful and oh-so-feminine. Just looking at it makes me forget that it’s so disgusting out that I’ve had to wear my big Kamik snow boots everywhere. (That sound you just heard was the Manolo sobbing into his impeccable wool gabardine sleeve. Sorry, boss.)

Want to chase the winter blues away? You could start with these pretty, delicate earrings. Just skip them if your skin tone is similar, or else people may think you have an unfortunate growth on your earlobes. On darker-skinned ladies, however, they’d be SO pretty:

These earrings also make me very happy. I love the jasmine flower (not to mention the incredible scent of jasmine flowers.)  These are floral, but also somewhat exotic, and altogether lovely.

This bracelet is like a cooler, more durable corsage.  And really, why should we have to leave corsages behind after prom? It’s unfair, I say.

Some flowers are just meant to boldly impress, and this conversation-starting flower necklace does a thorough job of that. The multiple chains add a cool edge, but the piece is still delicate enough to wear with your more feminine clothes, I’d say.

Bisous!

LPA

Hello, my little winter chickadees!

Well, the holiday season is over, and we now have the long stretch of winter to face. Everybody has turned their Christmas lights off, it’s dark, it’s cold, and we don’t have any statutory holidays until Easter.

Bah.

The only bright spot for me is that my birthday is this month.  And while I am on the far side of my 30’s, I still get excited about my birthday. Mind you, that’s probably just because I love attention.

I also love garnets, January’s birthstone. I’m a bit weird about garnets, though — I’m not a fan of them when paired with diamonds. However (confession time), as a general rule, I don’t like it when diamonds are used to accent precious or semi-precious gems.  I prefer for the gemstone to take centre stage, or for it to be paired with something interesting or unusual. Pairing a garnet (or a sapphire, or an emerald, or a pearl) with little accent diamonds just seems kind of, “Ooh, let’s jazz this up a bit by adding a bunch of little diamonds!” I guess it just seems sort of lazy.  Mind you, I’m sure there IS some fantastic jewelry out there that pairs gemstones with diamond accents — it just seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

I told you I’m weird.

Anyway, back to garnets. Take it away, wiki:

Garnets species are found in many colors including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, pink and colorless.

Garnet species’s light transmission properties can range from the gemstone-quality transparent specimens to the opaque varieties used for industrial purposes as abrasives. The mineral’s luster is categorized as vitreous (glass-like) or resinous (amber-like).

Of course, red (rhodolite) garnet is the one that we see most often.  The word “garnet” comes from the Latin word “granatus,” meaning “grain” or “seed.”  This name was given to the garnet because of its close resemblance to the pomegranate seed.

A gift of garnet is thought to be symbolic of love and the desire for a loved one’s safe travel and speedy homecoming.  As well, garnets were once used medicinally, to increase strength and ward off several medical problems including blood disorders, heart palpitations and lung disease.

The irony is that this garnet jewelry would CAUSE heart palpitations, thank you very much.

Yes, this is a baby’s pendant, but I see no reason why I couldn’t have it set in a longer chain for myself. It’s just too adorable!

Hammered gold and garnets? Why, yes. Yes, I think I shall!  I’m definitely a sucker for hammered gold, so those earrings are right up my alley:

We also have this simple, but perfect ring. The setting doesn’t distract from the gorgeous, deep, rich red of the garnet.  Delicate, but still very, very striking.  Me likey.

So, happy birthday to all my fellow January babies! May your birthday bring you some pretty new garnet baubles!

Bisous,

LPA

No, not THAT New Moon. The January 4th will see the first new moon of 2011.  And of course, thinking of the moon makes one think of moonstones.

For years, I had wanted a moonstone ring. A friend of mine had one, and I had always admired it. Mind you, I had always admired everything about this friend’s style — she is one of those people who always looks perfectly, effortlessly put-together. (Of course, the fact that she is a six-foot-tall cool blonde probably contributes somewhat to this effect, I’m thinking.)

Anyway, on a trip to Holland in 2005 with my now-husband, we stopped at this tiny little store in a tiny little town, and there, he bought me a sterling silver ring with a moonstone in it. The funny thing was that I put the ring on my right ring finger, as that is where it fit. When we exited the store, all of our Dutch friends started oohing and aahing and clapping. It turns out that they wear their wedding bands on their right ring finger, not their left.  So they thought we had just gotten engaged.

I look at this ring and am flooded with good memories. If I had a chance to grab any of my jewelry in the event of a fire,  this ring would be one of the first things I would grab.

In India, moonstone is regarded as a sacred stone. It is believed to bring good fortune. And really, couldn’t we all use more good fortune in 2011?

So it is a stone that is reputed to bring good fortune AND it is a stone to which I hold a great sentimental attachment.  Do I really need more reason than that to hunt for pretty moonstone jewelry for my beloved readers? No. No I do not need more reason.

You could have stunning moonstone-and-pearl earrings :

Or you could have this beautiful bracelet:

And of course, you simply cannot go wrong with a moonstone ring! Mine is sterling silver, but this unique gold one is SO eye-catching, no? It’s a wee bit pricey, but it would make a marvelous engagement ring (a deliberate engagement ring, as opposed to my inadvertent false Dutch engagement adventure, obviously.)

May the new moon and the new year bring you plenty of good fortune (and plenty of pretty baubles, of course!)

Bisous,

LPA

May 2011 see you having all sorts of delightful adventures with friends and family!

Bisous,

LPA