the gift of giving

Now that the gifts are given, I am excited to reveal the Christmas gifts I made this year.  The grandmothers and great grandmother each received one of my Novella lockets.  The lockets are all vintage and the chains were handcrafted by me with oxidized silver chain and ornate chain detail.  I was very excited to give these gifts but was extremely moved by the response I received from the recipients!  Specifically from Clara's great grandmother.  She burst into tears, overwhelmed with happiness by receiving her first locket ever in her life!  She had always wanted one but had never received one as a gift or purchased one for herself.  Every piece of jewelry is important in my mind, but there is something intimate and uniquely special about a locket.  Maybe it is the thought of someone carrying a case close to their heart with something personally important inside.  And it never ceases to surprise me and warm my heart that jewelry seems to speak a universal language... every piece is filled with a personal story, a memory, a mark of an important moment in life, and the love that is passed in physical form from one person to another.

Art Basel 2014

I had the awesome opportunity to travel to Art Basel Miami this year for work.  I was not disappointed by a single show!  So many beautiful pieces.  But hands down, the highlight of my trip (besides getting in some quality time with my amazing coworkers) was seeing TAP jewelry in person for the first time at Design Miami.  I may or may not have cried a little... These rings are even more stunning in person than I had imagined even from the photos I have seen of these spectacular rings.  Thank goodness (maybe, maybe not) they weren't my size otherwise I might have come home with a hefty credit card bill and one to-die-for ring!

for December babies

It is no secret that I LOVE London Blue Topaz!  The rich hue of this beautiful stone is one of my favorite colors.  So, lucky are those who have a birthday in December!  I love the beautiful filigree setting and the strung pearls on this Art Deco Blue topaz ring.

holiday etsy wishlist

Happy December!  I am so looking forward to the holidays this year!  Yesterday we purchased a tree and my 2 1/2 year old daughter helped me decorate it.  She was so excited about everything and the first thing she asked for this morning when she woke up was to see the tree!  I must already be in the holiday mindset because I have already completed my holiday gift shopping. For those who might not be that ahead of the game, I have compiled my annual holiday Etsy personal wishlist:
1) Antique scroll shank ring- I have been on the search for one of these for awhile (and sadly missed out on a great sale on this one) but have been unable to spend money like that on myself.  Which basically means this has GIFT written all over it!
2) Antique navette ring- Speaking of searching forever for something, this has been long standing on my wishlist as well.
3) Chunky cable knit infinity scarf in charcoal- I love how chunky and cozy this scarf looks!  And I can't go a winter without acquiring a new scarf.
4) Gold bar stud earrings- I love how dainty and small these earrings are.  I would wear these turned upwards to become ear climbers!