A love story continued.

I just had to document this strand before I cut it up and create many things from it. The large strand of baroque freshwater pearls have a deep luster with a satiny finish unlike any that I've seen before. Warm peach and golden champagne mix with ivory and mauve. The freeform baroque pearls have a nice, full teardrop shape and are large, averaging 15mm in length.

I am in awe.

Lady Cottington

I was looking for a particular book this morning and while searching I came across my copy of Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book (Brian Froud, 1994). I received this book as a young girl and have always been intrigued by it. If you haven't come across this book of gorgeous watercolor "impressions" of fairies taken by a little girl you really should. Flipping through the book inspired me to make a Spring collection for the blog with an innocent, yet curious, Victorian feel. I hope you enjoy my selections, each perfect for your tea party or afternoon searching out fairies in the woods.
Above is a cotton eyelet and silk dress (La Carmaux) by Makool.

Natural Conch pearl with diamonds in platinum ring. $7000.

Gypsy Flourish plate by Amongst Lovely Things. $32.

Eaton Square straw Tate handbag by Kate Spade. $225.

Sprout enamel vintage flatware brooch by Kathryn Riechert. $32.

Lone snakeskin bow & canvas ballet flats from J.Crew. $268.

How to Find Flower Fairies pop-up book by Cicely Mary Barker. $20.

i heart pearls :: a love story

I think I've decided to dedicate a third of my supply budget every month to pearls. I just can't get enough of them! Saltwater vs. freshwater, cultured vs. natural, it really doesn't matter because each type seems to have a very special and unique quality all their own. Listen to the names... akoya, biwa, mabe, keishi, baroque, kasumi (kasumigaura), hanadama... like poetry!

My only requirement as of late is that they are not dyed some horrid, unnatural color (e.g. hot pink-magenta). I think there is a place for neon green pearls, just not in my collection at present. From the very largest to the very smallest, whether round and smooth or wrinkled, dimpled or puckered, I just adore them all. I've posted within the blog some current and past pieces created with pearls of all types. These designs are purely pearls and there are only a few gemstones present if any. Please enjoy!

Above is my Miramare necklace which is comprised of cultured freshwater baroque pearls in natural golds, mauves, pinks and champagnes with lavender hints. The piece is hand-knotted on silk.

Marguerite necklace. Opera-length. Saltwater akoya
pearls wired with 14k yellow gold.

Sown earrings. Natural saltwater keishi & natural freshwater pearls
with bright sterling silver, oxidized fine silver & 18k yellow gold accents.

Vermeer earrings. Large and rare smooth cultured baroque
pearls in white. 14k solid yellow and rose gold.

Miramare choker. Large freshwater free-form baroque pearls in
natural pinks, mauves and golds. Hand-knotted on silk.

Starlette bracelet. Natural round saltwater pearls & natural saltwater
keishi pearls with chalcedony accents. Sterling silver with 18k
yellow gold filigree. Solitary antique (c.1940) faux pearl.

Marguerite earrings. Petite saltwater baroque pearls in ivory.
18k solid yellow gold.

On painting (progress)

As requested, I've posted my progress so far on Ms Anna Bolina's miniature. Again this painting is only 4" x 4" and is done on gesso board in oil. As you can see here I'm just starting to get the modeling of the face done. The eyes are near completion and soon the edges of the face will "bend" into the background. You can see how flat it is at the moment; soon it will appear rounded and in perspective. I've only begun on the headdress and gown. The background however is the deep black I've been wanting.
One photo below shows an earlier step with still some redness in the background (before the final glaze) and the grayish underpainting for the skin.

More glazes still to come!

To view the beginning of this painting and the story behind it, read this post: On Painting.

Paris au Printemps

I am eager for Spring this year. The bitter cold weather, even here and Mississippi, seems to be holding on. I've been "window shopping" and dreaming of traveling - say Paris in the springtime? Above is a 8x8 print Jardin des Plantes by Lupen Grainne of HoneyTree ($30). I'm trying to find some warm inspirations. Here's what else I've found...

Globe-Trotter Centenary handcrafted leather vanity case for J.Crew. $800.

"Wandering Folds" outfit by Anthropologie. $38-$178.

Blushing Coquette 14k Oregon sunstone & labradorite earrings by Lee Ohio Designs. $298.

Olive Tree travel set for L'Occitane. $36.

Ruby & gold filled Poison Blossom earrings by PoleStar. $75.

The Library Book unlined journal & sketchbook by Rookery. $35.

Antique 14k natural 30ct star sapphire ring. Discovered on Ebay.

On painting

Sometimes it is nice to take a break from making jewelry. I consider painting to be my true passion since it is what I studied in college along with art history. However I very rarely find the time to do it. I paint in the style of the old masters, specifically that of the Northern Renaissance. This type of painting is extremely tedious and time consuming - which is just perfect for me since my most favorite jewelry designs are just the same! Though "tedious" and "time consuming" in the jewelry realm means days or even weeks; where in the painting realm it can mean months upon months.
The process involves laying very thin layers of oil paint atop another. This means I may only paint for a few hours and then must wait a day or so for the oil to dry. Needless to say getting back to the painting may take weeks - even months unfortunately. Which is precisely why I am now painting miniatures, though they still take months to complete.

Above is a painting I did in college. It is my copy/interpretation of Roger Van der Weyden's Portrait of a Lady (8"x10" unframed). Just below is a 4"x4" miniature of Anne Boleyn. I am using four paintings as source material. The process of painting in this style means that the painting never looks "right" until the very end. Everything hot pink will eventually be black - but a much richer, deeper black than can be achieved than black paint straight out of the tube. Next will come a thin layer of pthalo green, then another layer of quinachidone rose, then another layer of green, and so on, until a rich umber-black is achieved. This process allows the light to penetrate each layer of paint making the background seem deep. The skin is first done in layers of chromatic grays. Just like the old masters. Amazingly, the top Van der Weyden, was once a hot pink mess just like the Anne Boleyn portrait below.
The last photo is of a painting in progress, 5"x7", loosely based on a photograph I took while in Lacoste, France.

Maybe if I make the promise to keep updates of the progress of the paintings I will do a better job at completing them in a reasonable amount of time!

Who says your lamp can't match your dishes?

Mine! mine, mine, mine! I can't wait for it to arrive.
This lamp will match my lovely jadite shell pattern dish set which incidentally, was also purchased mostly from Ms. Jadite Kate (whom I stole these lovely photos from, too).

Though now... I do have to learn how to re-wire a lamp. Wish me luck.

New: Twinnings Post Earrings

At the height of my Winter Romance collection I introduced a pair of hand-hammered hoop posts set with stones wrapped organically with delicate wire. Pictured below, they were the original Twinnings pair of solid 18k gold and gray spinel. I further explored this idea with the Oiseau (ruby throat) Earrings and have continued the use in my newest Spring Thaw pair Caléndula, pictured above.

Expect to see more of this new signature element in the seasons to come in the shop.

Above: Caléndula Earrings. Gem-grade sapphires, baroque pearls & saltwater pearls with 14k yellow gold and oxidized sterling.

Twinnings. 18k gold & gray spinel. Available at ShopSCAD in Savannah.

Oiseau (ruby throat) Earrings. White coral, moss aquamarine & ruby with 18k gold.

Twinnings in White. Solid Argentium silver with natural saltwater pearls.