Opal: The October Birthstone (One of Them)

Here it is almost the middle of October and I haven't really posted anything about the October birthstone. The traditional birthstone for October was the pink tourmaline, but more and more people are turning to the modern alternative, the opal - perhaps because of price and availability. If you think of opal as only those wonderful white- looking stones with a fiery play of colour, then you've missed out on the many varities of opal that are available in the jewelry world today.
First, one of my personal favorites is yellow opal. Gem quality yellow opal has the look of rich melted butter - a deep translucent yellow. The first yellow opal bracelet is made with such gem quality yellow opal and the smallest lampwork beads that I've ever used in a jewelry design. The whole time I was making it the phrase "like buttah" was going through my mind.
Next is a pink Peruvian opal necklace made with smallish pink Peruvian opals. Like yellow opals, pink Peruvian opals don't have the fire one finds in the Australian opals, but the luminous quality of good pink opals and the beautiful pink colours make up for it! I also love getting pink opals that have black inclusions because of the way they blend with lampwork beads. The opal bracelet below is made of some very good quality pink opals that are mixed with aquamarine beads.
Blue Peruvian opals are precious to me also. Good blue Peruvian opals with translucence are my favorites although they range from having a jelly-like look to being completely opaque. Their colors range from a beautiful clear blue to aqua topale green to white. Their inclusions range from by favorite black to a tan to a light ochre. I've mixed the blue opals in the bracelet above with lampwork beads by Robin Weber and natural genuine emeralds. Notice the tan/ochre inclusions on the faceted ovals and the clearer colours touched with black on the faceted nuggets.
Opals are fairly soft and do crack easily, so it's important to store them away from your other jewelry, to protect them when you are travelling, and to avoid banging them against objects when you are wearing your jewelry.


jewellery accessories jewelry fashion shopping braceletsbeads handmade beaded jewelry beading helmi gioielli smykker tak? juvelen lampwork beads The Jewelry Blog jewelry trends accessories opal bracelet October birthstone opal birthstone Peruvian opal opal necklace

By The Seat Of Your Pants

Men beware: fashion designers are out to sabotage you. Remember a couple of seasons back when it seemed that every pair of pants on the runway was slimmer than slim? That's a trend that's unwearable for many men, so it appears that designers are now adding a bit more fabric, but only in one area. Welcome to the year of the Accordion Crotch.

Yes, it is what it sounds like. An abundance of fabric between the waistband and the pockets that looks, well, odd, to say the least. It's kind of like wearing high-cut saggy trousers, if that makes any sense. But altogether, this fashionista believes it's a look that will never catch on with mainstream fashion. One might argue that the current trend started with those fresh-faced Brits over at Burberry Prorsum (right), although I'm sure somebody somewhere beat them to it.

I just know that every time I see their current ad campaign I'm drawn to two things: Agyness Deyn's gorgeous face and those ridiculous pants on the men! Does it not look like they're wearing shirts on their legs? I think Christopher Bailey got confused in the cutting room. Maybe he ran out of pants on the day of the show? I want to think there was a mistake made somewhere.

John Galliano exhibited a similar lack of fabric restraint for spring with his Mad Max-meets-sanitation worker look, left, among other peculiarities. Largely regarded as unwearable by those who determine such things, the entire collection can probably be found on clearance at a retailer near you in the not-too-distant future. And why not? Check out those pants, man!

They apparently have suspenders, which are just hanging from the waist (paging 1987!) and the - ahem - accordion crotch look is in full effect. Yet the waistline appears to be at its normal position near the, um, waist. So the wearer is just left with lots and lots of extra fabric and straps and whatnot to try to figure out. Sounds like fun.

One might hope that the lessons of Spring would be learned and taken to heart for Fall. But no - that would be too simple, wouldn't it? Costume National has always had that special something when it comes to their menswear - clean, simple lines in great neutrals - but the pants to the right (paired with a...man-shrug?) continue this tragic trend. I'm starting to run out of words to describe these unfortunate trousers.

These apparently have some sort of origami folds that are supposed to evoke the complications of life's...oh, who am I kidding? They're ugly! And unwearable! Just like all the others. It's really not that hard to get men to look good in a perfectly pressed pair of flat-front trousers, is it? Think about how versatile those are for nearly every ocassion. Heck, even Dockers would be an improvement on this hot mess of a look.

Apparently Comme des Garcons has decided that pants in general are unecessary in many instances. They offer as an alternative the man-skort. Although it doesn't explicitly qualify as Accordian Crotch, it has many of the same principles: an excess of fabric, an unflattering cut, and the ability to be worn with exactly nothing else in the average man's wardrobe.

Perhaps this ensemble to the left is better suited to a suburban soccer mom? Or a dumpster? I just cannot fathom why Rei Kawakubo - who has brought the fashion world some brilliant designs and concepts in the past - would inflict this on her menswear line. On a positive note, the socks are cute and I'd wear those.

So let's recap, shall we gentlemen? Stay away from the above labels until 2009, buy a pair of flat-front Dockers, and underno circumstances wear any piece of clothing with the words "shrug" or "skort" in it. Done.

Goodwill’s fashion blog provides detailed knowledge and insight on vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories that are valuable to fashion shoppers. The facts and opinions shared present readers with entertaining, exciting and value based information on vintage and contemporary fashion and shopping trends.

Bernardine Fine Art Jewelry

Contemporary Art Jewelry

I can't say enough about Nancy Bernardine's gorgeous and unique designs. The gemstones I love best are the natural stones with rough edges, irregular shapes, and earthy colors - and she handles them so well. She takes these diamonds in the rough and creates a setting around the stone, not the other way around.





Multi-Gemstone Bracelet

Larimar, Lapis, Sugilite, Chrysocolla, Turquoise, Lapis, Azurite/Malachite, Sugilite, Quantum Quattro, Lapis, Boulder Opal

This one of a kind bracelet was designed around a collection of hand-cut stones in shades of blue, green, and aqua. It is a heavy bracelet with two layers of metal, the bottom layer is highly polished sterling with an embossed layer on top.



Each piece of Nancy's jewelry is handcrafted with precious metals of Sterling Silver and/or 14k, 18k, 22k Gold and set with unique freeform cabochons. Gemstones she uses include: Boulder Opal, Lapis Lazuli, Sugilite, Drusy, Chrysocolla, Agate, Spectrolite, Turquoise, Onyx, or other exotic and common stones.





Handcrafted Coral Fossil Pendant

Coral Fossil Stone, White Topaz

Hand Textured Sterling Silver



I don't know where she finds such colorful gemstones, but they're some of the most unique I've seen. And she creates each piece from beginning to end. Have a look at her website (links below or click on one of the pics), the images alone are worth your time.





Gold and Gemstone Pendant

14k, 18k and 22k Yellow and White Gold

Chinese Writing Stone, Onyx Blade, White Sapphires



Artist Statement

As a jewelry artist, my passion is design, and my outlet to satisfy this consuming interest (obsession is what some of my friend's call it) is to saw, cut, hammer, form, sand, grind, solder, forge and polish precious metals and gemstones into miniature works of wearable art.



From early childhood, I was visually inspired by color and form. My first love during pre and elementary school was drawing intricate colorful patterns for fabric. I used the drawings to design and cut out dresses for my paper dolls. Guess that says something about my age since paper dolls haven't been around for quite a while.



Anyway, after elementary school, I graduated from paper doll dresses to designing and making my own clothes.

Gardening, painting and drawing, handcrafts, sculpture, photography, gourmet cooking and interior decorating are some of my interests. These and similar activities satisfied my creative drive during high school, college, and marriage. Later, I worked in computer graphics and as a software developer.



Jewelry Beginnings

After years of searching for the perfect "job" to satisfy my lifelong obsession with design, I stumbled into a gem and jewelry show that a friend suggested I visit. Bernardine Fine Art Jewelry was born just two months later with the beads and silk thread I purchased at that show. After two years of stringing beads and doing art shows, I wanted to expand my skills so I took some metalsmith classes.



Then I "discovered" rocks! Blue rocks, green rocks, brown rocks, red rocks - all colors of rocks! I learned that it was fairly easy to cut rocks with a saw, then grind, and polish them into shiny gems. This is a very messy and dirty task, but it is so rewarding to take a piece of rough stone and turn it into a beautiful gem for a piece of jewelry. Some of my early pieces were actually made with rocks that I found in my garden or alongside the road.



Current Work

Now, I work with gold, silver, and unique precious and semi precious gemstones to create one of a kind jewelry. Although I did take a few classes in metalwork, I am a self-taught jeweler and lapidary. I began learning my craft the same night I visited that gem show in 1991. Jewelry takes so many forms that I will never learn all the techniques. But, that is what keeps it so exciting!



Working with you to design an original piece of jewelry that fits your unique personal style is one of the most satisfying aspects of my work and an added bonus to doing what I love.



Jewelry Design Style

My design style is a mix of contemporary, classic, and eclectic. It incorporates clean lines, soft curves, and geometric shapes. Most of my jewelry includes one or more precious or semi-precious gemstones, which is why color is often the important first step in a design. Finding the right color combination for the gems can make or break the design. I make dramatic and bold jewelry, but even if the piece is to be small scale with subdued colors, it still needs to "speak" to me.



I enjoy the design phase best, so my handmade pieces are all one of a kind or limited editions, and you will never find anyone else wearing the same piece. All of my work is made by hand in my private studio using time honored fabrication methods; nothing is ever cast, manufactured or created by anyone else.

Custom Designs

Nancy specializes in commissioned jewelry design. If you can't find exactly what you want on her jewelry pages, she will create something just for you. Her customers often pick a stone from the cabochon page as the starting point for an original design.



The custom jewelry design page describes the process of a commissioned design, and the jewelry design section has samples of rings, pendants, bracelets, and earrings.



SOURCE

Bernardine Fine Art Jewelry

See full article.





Related Entries:

Jewelry Career Resources - 08 August 2006

Jewelry Designer for Princesses - 08 March 2007

Merging Cutting Edge ART With Jewelry- Anada Khalsa Jewelry - 19 May 2007

Jewelry Shopping for You? - 30 May 2007

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1930s Dress Envy

I want these dresses! I snagged this photo from It'll Take the Snap out of Your Garters which is a gal who posts collections of great Old Hollywood photos.
The still is from a movie called 'Are These Our Children' which I couldn't find much info about, other than it was released in the pre-code movie days of 1931 - so something naughty must happen in this movie.
These girls look kinda naughty.
Bad Girls of the 1930s!
I wish I was them!

April Showers Bring...

...great wet-weather accessories! Betcha thought I was going to say May flowers, right? Well, okay, those too. But for the rainy weather ahead (and now, in many places), what better way to brighten the day than with a fun umbrella or patterned raincoat?

Two umbrellas in particular have just jumped out at me recently. The first is "The Brelli," a fully biodegradable umbrella comprised of bamboo and a clear canopy. At right, you can see how amazing it looks. I love the Asian-inspired feel of it (remember those little paper umbrellas you got in virgin daiquiris as a kid?), and apparently it's very durable, even in windy weather.

The only drawback is that they're a bit hard to purchase right now, unless you happen to be planning a trip to Fred Segal in Santa Monica (their website is really just a placeholder right now) or a couple of small boutiques in New York. I'll keep you posted, though, when it becomes more widely available!

My other favorite umbrella solves the age old problem of where to put a soaking wet umbrella - or any umbrella for that matter - so that it both stays out of the way and is not forgotten when one gets up to leave. Called the "Stand Umbrella," it has this ingenious design by Hironao Tsuboi with little feet at the bottom, so that it stands up without any assistance. Brilliant!

The only drawback is that it's sold on a website that's mostly in Japanese (even the FAQs are all characters) and it's gonna set you back about 4,200 Yen. Which is actually only about 43 bucks, but still, you're going to need a translator to figure out how to put it in your online shipping cart.

Huh. So, I guess I've now told you about two fantastic products that are really hard to purchase. Um, a girl can dream, right? And speaking of dreaming...

Here's my new (fantasy) raincoat for this spring, from Narciso Rodriguez. It's currently available on eLuxury for the bargain-basement price of only $1995.00. Sorry, that's dollars, not Yen. And what I really love about this item is that it's simply listed as "Water-Resistant Raincoat." Because a non-water-resistant raincoat wouldn't really be a raincoat, now would it?

All sarcasm aside, this coat is absolutely gorgeous. It's a far cry from the Gorton's Fisherman's bright yellow slicker, which is what makes it so fashionably fantastic. I love the clean, modern lines; the brownish-gray color that won't show any puddle splash (not that grown women run around splashing in puddles, natch); and the fully pleated back, which can be seen online. So sophisticated.

As everyone else struggles with their turned-inside-out umbrellas from a street vendor and their soaking wet, candy-colored coats, the DCGF plans on strolling calmly down the block in style.

Goodwill’s fashion blog provides detailed knowledge and insight on vintage and contemporary clothing and accessories that are valuable to fashion shoppers. The facts and opinions shared present readers with entertaining, exciting and value based information on vintage and contemporary fashion and shopping trends.

Some vintage dresses for me!

You may have noticed a lot of dresses being added for sale at the website over the past month or so. Of course I kept a few for myself (10 actually! That's more than I usually get to keep) Here are some quick shots of a few of the dresses that are now mine. The first two are Nelly Dons, they came with the other Nelly Dons that were listed on the site. These two are still kind of iffy on me keeping them though, because they are a bit snug at the waist. I'm sucking it in hardcore in the blue dress, so you may end up seeing that one up for sale if I can't shake the 10 pounds that I'm trying to get rid of. Usually I go for dresses with fuller skirts but I just loved the fitted look of these two. The third dress I really love and it makes me want Summer to come quickly! I even have a cheap pair of flip-flops from Old Navy that match perfectly!

Hello...Good Gry-son

Target strikes again, and this time the bulls eye is on Joy Gryson's handbag line, Gryson.

Like Rafe, and Devi Kroell before, the bags are unmistakable in styling. What they lack in material quality, they make up for in design aesthetic.

As a matter of fact, partnerships like these, do allow someone who is a slave to fashion (or who just knows what they like, even if it is out of their price range) to own a bag that looks like the real thing...with full designer brand sanctioning. No need to even consider counterfeits when the designers are basically knocking themselves off.

Bags like the woven satchel with cut out handle, pictured above, have a typical Gryson color palette, as well as small and large details, like the woven body.

While I haven't seen these up close and personal, I worry that they will suffer the same problems I found with the Devi line, the pleather looks like a $20 bag and no amount of great design or label can fix that. The photos, however, do look very, very nice.

My favorite, of the 5 styles I saw is this drawstring tote. I like the nautical feel of it, and the fabric looks to be a rip stop nylon (which is regaining popularity, even at the high end) which I think looks much nicer than the vinyl tends to. The crisp white piping, and signature woven handle make the bag a stand out.

The other styles, which can be seen closer up here include a full range of styles. There is definitely a choice for everyone.

They include a large tote, a small cross body pouch (I love this style too, just not the material) and an East/West satchel which is in the same fabric as the drawstring tote.

The price point hits the higher end for target bags, topping out at $49.99 (I don't think I'm alone in wishing they'd raise the price and improve the materials...I'd gladly pay 2-3 times as much for a better crafted bag).

The Gryson for Target line debuts on April 6th, and like other target capsule collections, will be available only for about 6 weeks.

counterfeits