New Orleans, here I come!

I leave for New Orleans for work in a few days and I am totally psyched. Anthropologie is opening up a store on Canal Street and I am so excited to be a part of that opening. New Orleans has been on my must-see-cities-in-the-US list for awhile now so I am so happy I finally have the opportunity to go. I can't wait to see the sights and have some amazing food. I'll be sure to post photos when I get back in a week.

sparkly things

Why hello there, little sparkly bracelet. Welcome to my jewelry box!

I dropped by one of my favorite antique stores, Antiquarian's Delight, today for some supplies and this little beauty caught my eye and I just couldn't resist. I think this is going to be a perfect addition to the jewelry I have picked out for a wedding I am going to this weekend. I love the little rhinestones on the clasp!

leather and silver

I have been eyeing up some great leather bracelets lately and I am feeling the need to start piling different styles on my arm, possibly mixed in with some of my silver bangles. Here are some styles I love:I love this bracelet for the multiple beaded rows that make a bigger impact on your wrist.
I love this bracelet for the way it could easily be combined with silver bangles.
I love this bracelet for it's simplicity.

and the French actress obsession continues...

Finally saw the movie Nine this weekend and remembered why I love French actresses... and why I love dark brunettes with light eyes! Marion Cotillard, with her thick black eyeliner and adorable short bangs, has taken my heart and made me question whether or not I could pull off this fabulous hairstyle. Thank you Marion, for making me wish even more that I personified the quintessential French gal.

100th post!!!

This is my 100th post! Thanks to all that read this little blog of mine. It has been a pleasure writing it and I hope you have received some enjoyment from it as well.

I celebrated a birthday in the last couple of days and I got some excellent reading material as gifts. I'll be sure to let you know what I think of them when I am done. (Both are available on Amazon.)

Jeweler's Resource: A Reference of Gems, Metals, Formulas, and Terminology for Jewelers by Bruce G. Knuth- I love reference guides and these tend to be the books I look back to the most. So excited to learn some new things.
Craft, Inc. : Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business by Meg Mateo Ilasco (w/ the Craft, Inc. Business Planner)- This has been on my must read list for awhile now. I know this is going to help me get some further insight into running my own business. It has been painstaking at times but totally worth every moment! Props to those out there that have been managing their own at home business... it is a true labor of love!

paint samples

I love looking at paint samples! I love editing down to which ones I absolutely adore... which I inevitably have a difficult time doing. I especially love the Martha Stewart color options at Home Depot. I could pretty much buy every single blue she has available and paint my house in every shade! But that might be a little bit of an overkill... so here are my selections:

Thistle Blue. This is for the master bedroom... my ultimate favorite color blue!

Heavy Goose. This is for my work space... a subtle variance from blue. Calming, nondistracting.

Rice Paper. This is for the living room... such a great neutral color that allows for any mix and match of furniture.

This will be my last post for the next 10 days as my husband and I settle into our new home. Not only will we be super busy but, sigh, no internet access for awhile either!

alternatives to the norm

I am slightly obsessed with checking out women's engagement rings. I just love looking at them, like works of art. But what I love the most is when I see a woman with an engagement ring that has a center stone other than a diamond. I love this break from the norm and the color pop is just amazing! I am totally in love with this ring as an engagement ring. You still get your diamonds but LOOK AT THAT london blue topaz! Just beautiful.

coming soon...

Coming soon to Trunk Show Boutique... Villette Jewelry! I had an amazing meeting with the owner of this wonderful boutique, Jen, last Friday. We talked for a good hour about jewelry, gemstones and what we love. This boutique is stocked full of great finds, so check it out if you are in the South Street area. For more info check out her blog.