let's go shopping for home decor.

yes, you can actually buy these things. although i can't imagine these things anywhere other than, possibly, neverland ranch, i guess someone actually buys this stuff.

1. perfect for a child's room.


2. great next to a child's swing set.
3. for the yard. it feels kind of wrong since this yeti is only 2 feet tall.


4. ouch. this guy isn't going down without a fight.

here comes the sun (well, not in seattle)

i love eyeglasses and sunglasses. when i was a kid always wished i had a need to wear glasses. i remember in the "ym" magazines, right next to the ads for camp la jolla* and camp shane, an offer for a pair of faux tortoise framed "fashion glasses" for only $12.95, plus shipping and handling. all it required was a cashier's check. i begged my parents to take me to the bank to get a cashier's check in exchange for my allowance. alas, they never would cave. bah!

so, as a vision impaired adult, with light blue eyes that are sensitive to the slightest bit of sun, i get to indulge in another accessory collecting obsession--sunglasses and eyeglasses. i have quite an impressive collection (or at least i impress myself with it). my favorite brand of frames is definitely oliver peoples. they are timeless in style and comfortable to wear. for the past 6 or so months, i have been wearing out my aero style aviators. it is time for something new. i am thinking something with a light frame. scouting for new glasses, i thought i would point out some recent likes.

chloe myrte. these were all the rage several months ago and were pretty impossible to get my hands on to even try on. they are more readily available now, so i guess the trend has died. regardless, i still like the style. i have never owned a pair of glasses by chloe. i am a little wary since i often wonder about the quality of glasses that are by a brand that isn't solely an eyeglass line. i have found that my prada and other lines known for their clothing and leather goods aren't the best eyeglasses in quality of design. i am hoping i can try on a pair when in san francisco, since they were nowhere to be found last time i was there.
on to my favorite line, oliver peoples. since the price for these limited released harlot glasses is not quoted on their site, it is safe to guess that they aren't priced for me! these 70s-inspired oversized sunglasses are accented by high karat gold and 1.5 carats of rount cut, natural white diamonds. beautifully gauche.




*on a side note, i only learned about 10 years ago that "jolla" isn't pronounced as it appears. ah, the joys of growing up in mississippi.

while browsing the internet and killing time, i somehow stumbled upon these pantone coffee mugs. i just think they are so clever. i am particularly fond of the 5757, since it is very similar to the logo color for my jewelry line, which is pantone 5767. unfortunately, these mugs are not shipped outside of the EU.

i did run across some sets that are similar in theme that are available at a place called Fishs Eddy. i am not sure if i like these as much, though. i prefer the use of one color, as seen in the mugs. also, the mugs more accurately reflect the look of a pantone color chip--down to the font.

of course, i wouldn't be me if i didn't want the one that i can't easily get. this time is no different. i, naturally, prefer the mugs that aren't easily attainable. bah!

what's that smell?

i like smelling nice. i love perfumed soaps, body washes, lotions, gels, perfumes, body sprays, etc. i also like variety; therefore, i can't really say i have a signature fragrance. for the past few years, my preference leans towards fragrances by fresh. it all started with a bottle of sugar perfume, which was gifted to me by the man of the house. a very clean scent, it smells a lot like a sugar cookie, with a little bit of lemon.

next addition to my collection was a limited release scent called "memoirs of a geisha." i guess they figured that movie would have been more successful than it was. it is a sweet smell. it is a mix of citrus and florals, but nothing too flowery. i am thinking they don't sell it anymore or just sell it under a different name.

then sake was added to the personal stash. it is another fruity, clean smelling scent with a hint of ginger. it is a little spicier and heavier than the first two scents, but still light enough to wear without feeling like i am killing the room with my perfume. it is very pleasant.

most recent addition (as of yesterday) is mangosteen. mangosteen, the exotic tree fruit, is getting really trendy, kind of like how pomegranate became all the rage. they even sell freeze dried mangosteen at trader joe's now. while i am still debating if i like the freeze dried stuff, i am loving the fragrance. since i have never smelled a fresh mangosteen, i can't say if this perfume scent resembles the real thing, but i can say it smells really nice.

i am assuming fresh uses a similar base for all the fragrances since they all smell like an adaptation of a base scent. if you like light smells that are clean, slightly fruity and faintly floral, check out this brand of fragrances. also, most of the products i have seen are made in the USA, which is always a good thing.

someone break out the confetti, party hats and noisemakers. i just got my tracking number for my smith oxy/propane little torch kit that i ordered. it will be here next wednesday.



for those who don't know, i am not a huge fan of store bought components and handcraft my jewelry. while this does make the work more time consuming and the pieces are more costly, i think it just really makes the jewelry more special and unique than if i slapped a stone on a commonly used component and called it a day. i think it is one of the things that can set apart a line from the overly saturated bridge jewelry market. here are a couple examples of my of my more time consuming works in which the jewelry components are handmade:


for my "maya earrings," as seen above, i hand form the frames that resemble a spade shape. i then tightly coil wire and gemstones around the frame; working in the dangling stones and chain accents accordingly.



for the above gold filled, ametrine earrings, which have no name, i use a similar technique as with the maya earrings.

some may wonder what a torch has to do with all of this. the reason is that i often solder the handmade frames using karat gold or silver solder (depending on the metal used for the frames). for the past few years, i have been using a small butane torch, much like those used for creme brulee, or an acetylene air torch kit for larger projects, such as rings and other things that require more soldering. i also have been using the acetylene air kit for casting, which isn't the greatest since it takes a long time for the metal to get to temperature.

finally, i broke down and ordered a smith oxy/propane as a holiday gift from yen jewelry to yen jewelry in celebration of the great holiday sales season for the line.

soup's on!



yes, as sad as it may seem, i am posting about soup. as a vegetarian, i am a big fan of soup. it is warm, filling and just seems to hit the spot on a cold day. the one thing i don't like about soup is that it can be kind of a hassle to make from scratch when you start to get more creative than a bunch of veggies and beans cooked in a vegetable broth. while canned soups are convenient, they are usually just salty and gross. yes, campbell's and progresso, that means you.

a short while back, while at my local costco, i saw a case of soup roasted pepper and tomato soup by pacific naturals, the company that makes my favorite almond milk. i have seen this soup before at whole foods, but never felt motivated to try it. feeling adventurous, and knowing costco's generous return policy, i decided to try it out and purchased a case. it may have been the smartest thing i have done in a while (maybe that isn't saying much). having many times been victim to costco's cruel joke where they get you hooked on something, but never stock it again, i now have 3 cases in reserves in my garage. ha, ha! take that, costco, take that! some people collect vintage wines in their cellars; i collect soup in my garage. cheers.

a rant regarding horrible commercial music.

granted this has nothing to do with design, jewelry, etc. i feel it needs to be said. is it just all in my mind or are commercials right now playing the most annoying music? i think advertising companies are taking a page from apple's guide to marketing and playing some of the most obnoxious, migraine inducing music that sticks in your head and tends to overstay its welcome. wait, it never was welcomed! while apple still takes the grand prize for obnoxious music for that awful feist song and that song where the woman is squeakily proclaiming that music is her boyfriend and something she wants you to touch, some other current cringe worthy commercial tunes that are playing in high rotation include:

• target--some whiny male voices singing about how holidays are times of magic and then something about counting down;
• old navy (i think)--"if you are chilly, here take my sweater... i love the way you call me baby;"
• old navy (again!)--another annoying song that is very feist-like (oooh, it is "feisty"--i am such the punster.). i can't even manage to figure out what the lyrics even are. something about "a little faith and a lot of heart" and lots of weird sounding yodeling; and,
  
• j.c. penney--another feisty song about ships in the harbor because it is Christmastime.

large corporations, please stop the insanity. stop trying to make annoying sounding songs cool. my bleeding ears will thank you.