antique two tone ring

I am really loving the combination of white (or platinum) and yellow gold, specifically on an antique ring.  This beauty covers the best of both worlds... or should I say all worlds with it's diamonds and sapphire!

speechless

So, so, so, so, so in love!!!  Words cannot describe.  This love affair with Todd Pownell is built to last.

labradorite love affair

Having a serious love affair with labradorite right now, in case you couldn't tell from my recent work or holiday wishlist!  Here are some of my favorites:

These earrings are just fantastic.  Labradorite is such an amazing stone, the simplest settings let the stone be the main attraction.

This necklace is stunning.  The pattern is just breathtaking.

Love this ring!  I have been dying for an east west pear ring lately.  (And although labradorite is an amazing stone it is still relatively inexpensive.)

holiday etsy wishlist

This year my holiday wishlist is filled with jewelry from etsy!  Here are my top 4 items for this year:
1.) These labradorite studs are dreamy!  I seriously need more stud earrings, I only have a few pairs, and I am trying to resist wearing dangly earrings that may fall prey to baby fingers grabbing them!
2.) London blue topaz is my favorite stone.  The color is pure perfection!  These studs would be a wonderful color pop.
3.) I posted about leather bangles before as a must have addition to my fall wardrobe.  I'd wear these pretty much every day.
4.) This cubic zirconia pendant is a beautiful substitute for the real thing and a wonderful gift add on for the price!

new necklaces

I got some time in my studio this weekend (first post-baby studio time!) and made these 3 new beauties.  It felt good to get back to work after a long hiatus.  I was a little burnt out after the last product order (while being 9 months pregnant!) so I definitely needed the break.  But once I got over some hurtles with making the above styles, I felt rejuvenated and remembered exactly why I love making jewelry!

updated wedding ring stack

I just had my sapphire band redone and I couldn't be happier!  Created by Barsky in Philadelphia, this little beauty is composed of channel set round sapphires set in 14K white gold with milgrain edges and engraving on both sides and is just 1.5mm wide... a perfect addition to my wedding ring stack! 

birthstones

I am coming up with some ideas for a project using birthstones. The history and meaning of each stone is fascinating! When I was younger, I so desperately wanted to be born in August like my brother (to have peridot as my birthstone and to be a leo!) but I was stuck with being a cancer and having ruby as my birthstone. But I was super excited that my daughter was born in April so I have another excuse to buy diamonds!

the one that got away

Working for a retail company, I am constantly around product I am tempted to buy.  I try to stay strong and convince myself not to buy these things which sometimes I seriously regret (could this be non-buyer's remorse???).  I have a constant list of the "ones that got away"... great product I convinced myself I didn't need for which I lament over not having for years!  This has been at the top of my list, the Casch sweater by Gro Abrahamsson from Anthropologie a few years ago.  I convinced myself it was far too expensive, which was/ is a very solid reason, but over the years, I have realized the cost per wear would have justified the expense.  Sigh... even now when I find it on ebay, pre-worn, it usually sells for the same retail price as it did 4 years ago... it's just that good!

pear diamonds

Loving these diamond rings from etsy seller LexLuxe.  She's a girl after my own heart, with her hammered metal and gold and oxidized silver mixing!  I am especially obsessed with pear shaped diamonds right now, so I am totally coveting one of her east-west pear diamond rings.

fall wardrobe

I love this time of year! This is the one season that motivates me to run out and update my wardrobe for the change in weather. Here are my top must-buy items for fall:
1) Cords- I need to seriously replace my threadbare cords and khaki is the perfect neutral.
2) Sweater- Looking for more of a Parisian stripe rather than nautical. I love the wide boatneck on this one.
3) Scarf- I love this cozy, oversized scarf.  I could practically live in it!
4) Bracelet- I am looking for a chunkier bracelet that I can wear all season that will look cute when I push up my sleeves but not get lost in the heaviness of a sweater. These leather bangles fit the bill!

elephantine

Do you read Elephantine's blog? She is remarkable! (I so envy the fact that she makes quite possibly the simplest, yet most beautiful, jewelry and has become such a success from it!) I love her posts about what to wear with particular pieces of jewelry.  Some people might think it is crazy, but any die-hard jewelry lover will admit they have planned an outfit, more than once, around a piece of jewelry!

my passion for ruby and diamonds

I LOVE this ebay vendor, My Passion for Ruby! I was watching this ring and wondering how on earth the vendor could start bids for a 14K gold diamond ring at $.99 (one of those too good to be true scenarios) but within 2 days it has already jumped past my spending limit. When it's something good and you know it's worth, I guess you can feel confident about getting the appropriate price!

dreamy!

This might possibly be the dreamiest collection of vintage lockets!  LOVE!  (And they are all for sale from BHLDN!)

gem gossip rings

One of my favorite blog writers, Gem Gossip, just launched her own jewelry line starting with 5 rings!  I couldn't be more excited!  My favorite is the ring featured above.  Surprisingly, I am loving the one without the diamond.

architectural beauty

These earrings are stunning!  By Boe's design is architectural and geometric and at the same time feminine and pretty.  I had to show the model shot because I don't think the product shots do these earrings justice.  I wish all of her product was shot on models so you could really see the beauty of how each of them look on.

mission statement

I cannot believe it has been a month since I posted last!  Where does the time go?!  This in no way will become a habit, I assure you!

A few of my friends, and fellow bloggers, and I had an interesting conversation about blogs and how some of our regular reads, and what they cover, seem to be more and more unrelatable. Based on that discussion, I thought it might be a good time to revisit my little blog's purpose... 

I have a very small handmade jewelry business which generally allows me to continue making jewelry and afford the upkeep of my studio at home, with very little profit left over. I love jewelry and am constantly looking for inspiration, from mass retailers to handmade jewelry artists to antiques to high end designers. Some of the product I feature on this blog is aspirational, whether it be in design or simply daydreaming about what it would be like to own these unattainable (at least for me) pieces. Somehow when I blog about a piece of jewelry I desperately love but never in my life could afford, I feel like part of me is satisified by declaring my love for it in a public forum even if I can't own it.  This is the mission of this blog... to share my love of jewelry, in all forms.  I hope you have enjoyed my blog over the years and continue to do so!  Happy reading!

(Photograph from here.)

mother's day gift

I never got to share my very first mother's day gift!  To commemorate this momentous day, I received a 1920's white gold pendant with 3 princess cut sapphires and 1 brilliant cut diamond.  I like to say that the 3 sapphires represent my daughter, my husband and myself and the diamond represents her birth month, April.  This of course was a happy coincidence (I was actually inspired by the pendant I missed bidding on from ebay), but makes the piece feel even more special to me, like it was meant to be!  Measuring only 1.5cm x 1cm, this tiny pendant has become my every day necklace and is a nice reminder of my daughter every day while I am at work and missing her dreadfully.

Jane Austen's ring

A ring owned by Jane Austen was auctioned off earlier this month and sold for nearly 5 times it's resale value... a testament to the continuing love of this magnificient author!  Such a perfectly simplistic ring, very Jane Austen!  I can't even imagine what it must be like to own something of hers... I am sure many Austen fans are day dreaming about this piece of jewelry, I know I am.

exciting new project revealed!

I am very excited to reveal the exciting project I have been working on the last few months.  Villette Jewelry is now available on Anthropologie's website!  I am so proud of this product and hope Anthropologie customers love these handmade pieces! (Moon Rise Necklace featured above.)

Northern Sky Ring

Night & Day Ring

baby time!

I am extremely excited to announce that Clara Violette arrived on Wednesday April 18!  I'll be taking some time away from blogging (just for a little while) to enjoy quality time with my baby girl.  Thank you to my readers... I'll be back soon!

art deco starry eyed love

I am physically restraining myself from purchasing this art deco necklace. I want to treat myself to it soooooo badly! LOVE!

easter bunny love

Happy belated Easter! This holiday always makes me appreciate, just a little bit more, my two rabbits at home. But I am especially appreciative this year about my lovely little angel, Delilah, who recently just recovered from a serious surgery. We weren't sure if she was going to make it or not but she proved to be a strong fighter and is back to her happy, hoppy self! This cute bunny ring reminds me of her. The little face and those big eyes just melt my heart!

sneak peek at an exciting new project!

I am literally bursting over this new special project I have been working on! I can't wait to spill the beans!!! But for now, here is a sneak peek at the product. And here is another sneak peek... what I look like, 9 months pregnant, working in my studio!

rose cut london blues

One of my favorite stones, nothing tops the color of london blue topaz! I love these rose cut london blue topaz stud earrings. The color of this topaz makes even the smallest earring a standout!

sapphires and diamonds

Ohhhhhh, how I love thee!

too late

A little heartbroken that this ring has already sold. Definitely would have been at the top of my wishlist if it was still available.

another masterpiece by mr. reed

DROOL!!! What I wouldn't do to own a Todd Reed ring...

cubic zirconia's bad rap

Once upon a time, there was awful, cheap cubic zirconia jewelry that gave cubic zirconia a bad rap. And sadly that stigma has stuck. But I think it is about time we acknowledge that this stone is worth taking a second look at. I am an avid diamond lover, as you will know if you have ever read my blog before. I love them, I do. But when you want the look of a diamond without the hefty price tag, than cubic zirconia is a wonderful alternative. I have used them in my jewelry before and have always been happy with the outcome. But I am sad that using the name cubic zirconia in my work somehow devalues it. Here are 2 great articles in support of CZs. (photo from here.)

embracing rose gold

I literally own one piece of rose gold jewelry. In fact it is a mixed metal locket with yellow, white and rose gold. But I have been seeing a lot of rose gold rings lately, and they just look so romantic and lovely to me. And, of course, I love the additional color to add into the mix of metal mixing! Above are a few rose gold rings I love (from here, here, here and here).

overwhelmed

Feeling a little overwhelmed lately. Between work and preparing for my maternity leave, pressing deadlines with jewelry orders, nursing a sick pet at home, and preparing our house and our lives for our baby girl, I sometimes don't know where to concentrate my thoughts and efforts. I know a lot of these things will be resolved or yield to positive things eventually, but it is a lot to handle right now. I am hoping that once March is over I'll be able to breathe again and focus on our approaching arrival. In the meantime, I am going to chip away at the to do list one line at a time and let go of the things I have no control over. But despite the stress that seems to almost suffocate me at times, I am still appreciative of all the wonderful things in my life right now. I just look forward to that moment, I hope to have soon, when I can breathe a sigh of relief and actually enjoy these wonderful things. (image from here.)

ombre chain necklace

Love this ombre waterfall necklace from Kaiyan Designs. So beautiful. Even better... she's a brand new seller on etsy!

Villette jewelry at Earth Shack

I am excited to announce that one of the projects I have been working on is product for a new retailer I am collaborating with, Earth Shack, located in the Amish Market in Mullica Hill, NJ. Earth Shack is an earth friendly store with product that is repurposed or handmade by artisans in Southern NJ. I am very excited about this newly formed relationship with a retailer that supports locally handmade items!

ring inspiration

Working on 2 pretty exciting projects (more on this to come!) and have been looking for some great ring inspiration. I am loving these 2 rings (from here and here). I think I might cry when (or IF) mixing gold and oxidized silver falls out of style!

awesome new Anthro jewelry

A few Anthropologie pieces I have been coveting lately. (Jeweled Halo Earrings, Stranded Beam Necklace, Astrological Maps Bracelet, and Frozen Abydos Posts.) Even better... they are all under $58!

chain link ring

BHLDN posted this on their Facebook page today and I instantly fell in love. The design is so simple and dainty but the chain link band is such a stand out!

leather bracelet love

I purchased this leather bracelet almost a year ago but have been wearing it pretty much every day the last couple of months. I like that it adds a little edge to my girlier outfits (which is pretty much my entire wardrobe lately, as my pregnant belly expands!) but it was neither expensive nor has sentimental value... I just have gotten accustomed to wearing it. Last week it came loose from my wrist and I was devastated at the thought that I had lost it (luckily, I found it in my driveway the next morning!). But it made me remember that sometimes there is no rhyme or reason why you love a piece of jewelry, you just do, and that is a wonderful thing.

black diamond studs

I realized that there will come a time when I won't be able to wear dangly earrings for a little while, specifically my go to hoops, due to little baby fingers grabbing on and holding on for dear life. So I have been looking to purchase some great stud earrings since I have very few in my jewelry box. These studs by Cathy Waterman would make me miss my hoops so much less!

four different ways to say love

My husband and I are not big celebrators of Valentine's Day. But there is something wonderful about a day dedicated to love. Here are 4 perfect ways to tell her you love her... heart beat necklace, non-traditional heart necklace, ampersand necklace, personalized inscribed ring.

of a kind

If you haven't been introduced to Of a Kind yet, you need to be. This amazing site sells limited edition designs from some tremendous up and coming designers. My current favorite (sadly already sold out) is Erica Weiner's geode lariat necklace.

name engraved ring

Now I am obsessed with ideas for a new mommy gift (or what some lovingly call a "push present"). I love this ring by St. Kilda... it's a great starting point for the design I have in mind. But instead I envision the ring being around 1.5mm wide (a super thin ring, as we all know I love) and 2mm high in a matte white gold finish with just 3 tiny diamonds inset into the band, like the Saundra Messinger ring above, with the child's name engraved into the side like St. Kilda's ring. (I think I just pin pointed why my husband doesn't like to buy me jewelry anymore!)