Just In Case...

I've given out a few of my new business cards lately, and on these new cards I have this blog's URL. In actuality, I haven't officially "launched" my blog yet. Before I do that, I wanted to go ahead and have a good amount of blog posts. So I'm not TOTALLY a loser who can't get any Followers or get any comments on posts. At least, not yet...

I'm also trying various things with the template and design so if you happen to stumble on this site, it may look different tomorrow!

Meet Zooey

She's been making hard to do any real work lately because she's so FREAKING CUTE. Also she likes to sit on my computer (she's doing it right now as I'm typing...seriously, check out the picture), eat my jewelry wire, and knock every bead under the couch. But still, so cute.

Anyway, the security guards at the Governor's Mansion (where I work) found her last week. Somehow she ended up coming home with me. Since I may already have a cat (or two) I can't keep her. I think it's too early in my life to show my true colors and give in to crazy cat lady tendencies.

So...anyone want the sweetest cutest kitten in the world? Seriously, she's precious. She's about 7 weeks old. She was extremely malnourished when we found her, but she's been eating approximately every five minutes for a week now (she's got the cutest baseball belly right now...so chubby). She is a snuggler and a loud purrer. Also, this is a bit random, but she has the teensiest tiniest paws ever. She kind of looks like a ballerina.

Basically, I think you want her. Or I do. Eek. If you do want her, call or email me fast. I might get too attached!

Box It Up

Sometimes the box is better than what's inside. Well, maybe not with jewelry. Still, check out these great boxes and containers that would be perfect for your jewelry.

"Vintage Cloisonne Trinket Box"

"Traveling Companion"

"Geisha's Parasol"

"Vintage Metal Flower"

"Vintage Ceramic"

"Fab Floral Vintage Metal Box"

"Vintage Brass and Mother of Pearl"

"Antique Wooden Box"

"Vintage Yellow Plaid Sewing Box"

"Vintage Mele"

Foxy

Add a little foxiness to your life...

Fox Ring

Yellow Gold Fox Cuff Links

Fox Stud Earrings

Fox Head And Tail Cufflinks

Vintage Fox Pin Necklace

Mirlo Fox Ring

Fox Trot Necklace

Fox Claw Necklace

Green Fox Ring

Running Fox Necklace

Foxy Mama Earrings

Sweet 'Stache

Ah, the circus. I only think I've ever been to an actual CIRCUs but once, but for some reason I love everything circus and fair-related (except clowns...nothing's scarier than a clown). My friend LV is equally obsessed. I'm pretty sure she looks forward to the SC State Fair almost as much as she looks forward to Christmas. So with LV in my mind, I created my first Etsy treasury. (If you don't know what a treasury is, it's basically a theme-related list you can compile from all the merchandise on Etsy.) It was sort of ridiculously fun to make, and I'm looking forward to the fair even more now.


I really love the ringmaster-inspired Fancy Mustache necklace I stumbled across when searching for all things circus...I really, REALLY love it. I'd buy it for LV for either a birthday or Christmas present, but alas, I know I'd end up keeping it for myself. See I'm my own circus act...World's Most Selfish Girl. (Better than the Bearded Lady!)


Blarggh. Back to the other non-fun circus that is my job.


-Margaret

Phobia, Schmobia

If you've never heard of Anthropologie, stop reading this blog right now. Actually, on second thought, keep reading. You can thank me later when you realize it's the piece of your life that's been missing since...well, birth, probably. (Please don't stalk me down in the night and murder me, however, when you overdraw.)

Anyway, as usual I wanted to crawl into the pages of this month's catalog and live there forever. I can't even afford a

pillow in their home decor section (on an unrelated note, buy some jewelry!), but I did see something that caught my eye...The Pop-up Book of Phobias! It's the perfect coffee table book to go between my Waterhouse and Millais art books. Every home needs a dose of weird. Even better? Bought it for $3 on Amazon Marketplace. Boom.

Also on my list of things I must have even if I have to hold up an Anthropologie at gunpoint (I've been watching a lot of Law & Order lately and I think, I THINK that I could be found not guilty by reason of mental disease. Anthropologitis. It's an epidemic. No cure.) is the Highest Accolades dress. Gah. Loves it. Makes me think nostalgically about my horse show days. Of course, I rarely won ribbons, but I think that means I deserve this dress.

Whoops. So far this post has scant to do with jewelry. So I'll end it with a necklace that I will also steal in my crime spree. Also equine-related, it's the Loping Louise necklace. Lurrrve it. Want it. Can never afford it. Will steal it.

Oh, and my phobia? Obviously fear of a world without Anthropologie.

(Also fear of phones. And clowns.)

Cheers,

Margaret

Pillsbury Progress

Just bought some vintage enamel brooches in the style of Emma Pillsbury. This necklace is SO ON.

Sue Sylvester's Quote of the Day: Your hair looks like a briar patch. I keep expecting racist, animated Disney characters to pop up and start singing about living on the bayou.

Down on the [Emerald] Farm

Yesterday my dad asked if I'd heard about the ginormous emerald found in North Carolina that is, as Time magazine reported, "famous for its emeralds." SIDEBAR: WTF? How can you farm gemstones? Possibly I am newly obsessed with the idea of farming. At 65 carats, it is being called the largest emerald ever cut in North America. It will be cut in the style of Catherine the Great's famous emerald brooch, which was sold at Christie's in April for $1,650,500. Ah, to be rich. I guess I should have been born on an emerald farm.

Glee!

I watch a LOT of TV when I make jewelry, and this week I've been re-watching Glee. (Because of the involuntary fist pumps I accidentally throw lots of beads across the room, but it's a small price to pay.)

This time going through the seasons, I noticed what fabulous style Emma Pillsbury has. She's so neurotic and ANNOYING (sorry, SORRY! I much prefer Sue Sylvester's horribleness) that I guess I didn't notice it the first go-around. But way to bring back sweater clips, Emma! Loves it!

I think I might try to do some Emma-inspired necklaces this week...though I should probably wait until I make it through Glee first. I don't want to lose any more beads.

NOTE: I think I may have to start doing a Sue Sylvester quote of the day. Today's quote: "I'm all about empowerment. I empower my Cheerios to live in a constant state of fear by creating an environment of irrational random terror."

WHOOPS, ANOTHER NOTE: After writing the above I did a Google image search for "Emma Pillsbury AND jewelry AND Glee" and a bunch of other blogs popped up devoted to her style. Some were SPECIFICALLY devoted to her jewelry. So much for originality.

Don't Trust THIS Guy...

...slash cat...with your jewelry. He'll try to snatch it from right under your nose.

Oh but he's JUST SO CUTE. I loves my Peter Plumpkin.

A Zinnia Tangent

I loved all of the Anne of Green Gables books when I was younger (okay, still love 'em now), but the one thing that really bugged me about her (besides how long it took her to realize she loved Gilbert) was that she hated zinnias!

What!?!! How can anyone hate zinnias?!!? Besides being so easy to grow that even I can't kill them, zinnias are so bright and fresh! Part of my job as Events Coordinator to the Governor's Mansion is arranging flowers for all of our Mansion events. In the summer I love cutting a whole bunch of zinnias. The State Dining Room in the Mansion is a bit dark and the zinnias just liven it right on up! And afterwards, PERHAPS they find their way to my coffee table at home?

Anne Shirley, I never thought I'd say it...but you are CLEARLY on drugs.

Sarah Getting Married...

Every day I find more reasons to heart Etsy. Last week, for example, I was contacted through Etsy by Sarah who's getting married in October. She really liked the basic design of my Marrakech earrings for her bridesmaids but wanted them to be a bit more bridal. Armed with that request and the color of her bridesmaid dresses (J. Crew dark plum), I worked up this design with amethyst-colored glass and light champagne-colored seed pearls. I love the earrings with the dresses...very boho bridesmaid. What do you think?

No Seriously...Poverty

Gah I should just STOP making resolutions about spending money. I just bought a boatload of the prettiest vintage jewelry from my good friend Mike Lee's antique shop. I can't wait to start on it! Some of it is perfect the way it is, but some pieces may get a little makeover. My favorites are the gold-plated flower teardrops and the 1920's mother-of-pearl German scarf clip...wouldn't it make a great ring?

Inspired + Jealous...

... by and of Wendy Mink Jewelry (wendyminkjewelry.com). She's traveled extensively and has the weight of her world experience behind her delicate designs. Half of my "travel-inspired" designs are actually from...well, photographs.

Sigh.

Anyone up for a trip to India?

And...poverty.

Even though I'm on a "no spending" rule this week, I just ordered a whole bunch of new beads and findings (gotta love PayPal). My favorite are these simple gold-plated posts. I will probably leave them as they are rather than embellish them. That means that, since they're not handmade by me (thanks South Korea!), I won't be able to sell them on Etsy. So, if you'd like a pair, send me a message!

I also ordered a bunch of new faceted gemstone briolettes, so stay tuned for new items in my Etsy shop!

First Blog Post!

Surprisingly, I'm launching this only a WEEK after the deadline I gave myself. Normally it would still be a work in progress in say...a year. I'm possibly going to be playing with the design of the blog, so it may look totally different tomorrow!

The REAL question is how often I'll post to this blog. I'm hoping for twice a week. We'll see. (Bets anyone?)

Anyway, welcome to my blog. Though I'll obviously be blogging new jewelry designs etc., I'm sure I'll go off on one or two or fifty tangents. So...stay tuned!