A Year of Pretty - February 12, 2014

It's cold outside; cold enough to snow.

Yesterday there were a couple of flakes that drifted their way down, but not enough to stick around.

So, in honour of the threatening snow and my Oma's upcoming birthday . . .

Today's Pretty Post is a beautiful amethyst and diamond brooch in a snowflake motif. I have a thing of brooch snowflakes; I just like their shape I suppose.

The designer is Margherita Burgener, but the link to the photo from Pinterest was broken. I couldn't find this piece on the website for the Italy based jewelry designer.

Whether amethyst is your birthstone or not, enjoy this lovely bit of warmth and sparkle on a cold February's day. And please have a gander at a previous post about amethysts, their history and the folklore behind them.

A Year of Pretty - January 25, 2014

Today's Pretty Post . . . is sheer beauty. The blouse, the pearls, the necklace, the brooches, the hair, the make-up . . .even the texture and simplicity of the backdrop. Just beautiful.

So the necklace is supposed to be the focus of the picture. I know, "wait, she's wearing a necklace?"

Yes, she is. And it's by Canadian-based designer Charlotte Hosten.

From the designer's website:
"Charlotte Hosten is a jewelry and accessories designer who offers her clients fantasy and feminity. Her famous fabric necklaces have reversed the usual cycle of dressing up. Women tend to wear a Charlotte Hosten jewel as the base for the outfit : creating their look around the necklace.
Born and raised in Belgium but now living in Montreal, Charlotte has traveled the world. A self-made designer, she instinctively learned to create jewelry at the age of 15. The idea of mounting a piece onto fabric was introduced in 2008,  when she couldn't find a clasp she liked to support her creations : she then started to embroider beads onto fabric. Ever since, her necklaces have become luxurious sculptures; sometimes made of one of a kind antique jewelry pieces or, for the custom made pieces, with the treasures her clients bring her. Charlotte Hosten's work was recently featured in Elle Québec, Fashion, The Gazette and Châtelaine, just to name a few. Her necklaces are now distributed everywhere in Canada.

What is unique about Ms Hosten's creations is that she is very aware of the efforts to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle within her company. Most of the trimming waste is kept to be reused; and some of the necklaces (the sari collection for example) have been elaborated using almost only trimming waste. She uses a lot of vintage beads, brooches and necklaces to which a second life is given.

Charlotte Hosten's Atelier Boutique is at 122 Bernard W. in Montréal (514)274-8511

Today on Etsy - December 28, 2012

Today's find is a sweet little pair of aqua blue chalcedony and silver earrings by cleobelle. Wire wrap detail anchored the stones to the silver flowers, clear crystals in the center of each stone.

 

Perfect for bridesmaids, or for that "something blue". Dress them up, dress them down...enjoy!

Beautiful Baubles 5

beautiful beaded and button necklace

Beautiful Baubles 3

 

beautiful blue topaz earrings by fussjewelry

 

August is for Peridot . . .

I think I’ve mentioned a couple times that I’m lucky to be a diamond girl. That is, I’m an April baby; making my birthstone diamonds. But this does not mean I can’t appreciate other gemstones just as much.

Peridot is the birthstone for August. It is one of the few gemstones that occur only in one colour . . . green. The intensity and tint of the green is dependent on how much iron is contained in the crystal structure. This is why some peridot gemstones are a pale apple green while others approach a darker olive brownish – green. The darker the colour, the more prized the peridot. I personally prefer a fresh, summer leaf colour for my peridot.

Peridot mainly comes from mines in Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Kenya, Mexico, Burma, Norway, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. In North America, it is found in North Carolina, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico. Peridots have also been discovered in meteorites. The largest cut peridot is a 310 carat specimen in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

Peridot is considered by Egyptians to be a symbol of the sun. Historians have speculated that the fabled emeralds worn by Cleopatra were in fact peridots. Sorry Liz Taylor.

Peridot is the 16^th anniversary gemstone. It is believed by some to protect against nervousness and help alleviate spiritual fear. It is thought to aid in heeling hurt feelings and bruised egos, incur strength and physical vitality, deliver a positive emotional outlook and help with liver and adrenal gland function. It is often worn to bring the wearer success, peace, good luck and to help his or her dreams come true.

I just think it looks pretty.