Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

One thing I love about Etsy is that many of the sellers will custom make something for you...which totally can make you feel like a rock star! 

For our anniversary last year, I had a vision of a pendant (a cool, male pendant) that I wanted to give to my husband. I researched various Etsy sellers and came across Kimberly of La Belle Dame, and asked her if she could make a custom piece. I sent her a little sketch that I did which was based on the design I had created for our wedding invitations. There are four little birds...Daddy, Mommy, Baby and Maybe (because you never know!). I love the way it turned out, and he couldn't have been happier with it.

And, as if it isn't rock-starish enough to commission jewelry, Kimberly told me she was behind on commissions because several REAL rock stars had been seen wearing her work, so she was "up to her eyeballs" with work!

Peace Baby!

This week, I'm thinking of trends...notice all the peace around? Here are a few fun new takes on the theme.

As a product designer/creative director, I'm always on the look out for what's "out there" in the marketplace. What trends I think are just starting, what will stick around, and what won't last. I also look for trends that I consider to have popularity in a number of markets...home, fashion, gift, etc. Also, I look for which trends will have the most cross-generational appeal. In order to design a successful product, I need to try to pick up on themes early in the game because our product lead times are typically a year from idea conception to hitting the shelves. If I just noticed the PEACE trend today, I'd be way behind the selling curve!

Have you incorporated any peace into your life?

1. Pillow by Jonathan Adler; 2. Necklace by Dogeared; 3. PEACE of cake mold; 4. Onesie by Lucky Brand; 5. Journal by Peter Pauper Press.

Vintage Charm

I came across this lovely jewelry from Nest Pretty Things awhile ago, and forgot to bookmark it (don't you hate that?!). I was so happy see an article about the designer, Tamar Schechner in the free online magazine Parasol (which I strongly recommend looking at...it is a real treat that showcases emerging designers). I love the nostalgic look of these pieces...they remind me of rummaging through my mother's jewelry box as a child.

Tamar, a former Creative Director, Style Editor, and Photo Stylist has both an online store, an Etsy store, and an interesting blog that I've had fun looking through! (It's no wonder her photos are such a treat to see!)

The Upside of Awfulness

When Jake was just 5 weeks old, our house was robbed. Awful, awful, awful. Thankfully, we were fine. Jake and I had just been on one of our first longer outings when I came home and realized what had happened. It sucked. Awkward new mom, recovering from a c-section, in a new neighborhood where we didn't know that many people. Almost all my jewelry was stolen, laptop, and various cameras, etc. It was a total pain in the @#$$. Police, finger-printing, mess, insurance huge-time-sucking-hassle.

But I digress.

The upside is, that it caused me to get rid of many of the boxes still unpacked in our house...forcing me to move further in, AND, now I have some money to buy jewelry. Except I really don't because it seems so decadent to buy it for myself, and kind of selfish in these troubled economic times. 

But I will. In the meantime, I have received lots of nice presents from family and friends!

Above is a necklace I love that I found on Etsy by Bijoux d'Odalisque. I have the Etsy shop marked as a favorite seller, and I like to visit it often. There were many more great things posted before Xmas, but perhaps sales were good, so they're restocking!