Party On!

My birthday this year was going to have an apocalyptic theme, it being December 12, 2012, and near the Mayan doomsday. But it looks like I'll get to live another year! Archaeologists have discovered another mural that mentions dates beyond December 21, 2012...fascinating! 

image via National Geographic

NYC

I paid a visit to the ol' NYC last weekend and have spent the last week recuperating. I've finally gathered the energy to share with you my lovely trip back. I say 'back' because I used to live in NY and I'm not going to lie, but it wasn't the greatest experience of my life. I developed a love/hate, mostly hate, relationship with that city and left it on some bad terms. I was a little anxious returning not knowing what memories would come to haunt me or what people of my past would turn up. But to my surprise, NY snuck its way back into my heart and reminded me of all the fantastic things it has to offer. It also reminded me of who I was when I lived there and put into perspective the person I've grown into. I've come a long way since living in NY and I think if I had to do it again, I'd know how to rock it the second time around. Hey, NY, you're not so bad, especially when you let me do all of this:

Wandering the halls of the Met.

Walking the 1.45 mile Highline.

Supporting Mr.T at MoCCA Fest.

Stuffing my face with doughnuts from Dough by the water while perusing Brooklyn Flea.

And so...much...more. Mr.T and I really jam packed a whole lotta NYC in 4 days time. I, of course, got my jewelry fix and picked up some much needed supplies which I'll have to get you guys updated on its progress next time. 

All in all, this is the first time NYC's been really great to me. I ate well, I walked everywhere, I visited old friends. Thanks, NYC. I can't wait to see you again!

Get Smart

If you haven't noticed yet, I love jewelry, I want to make jewelry, and I work in the jewelry industry. But sometimes work can get in the way and make me HATE jewelry. Luckily, there are small moments in life where the clouds part, and the sun shines through bringing to light something like the Smart Show, and I am totally reinvigorated...ahhhh....(sigh of relief).

I spent all of Saturday inside Navy Pier's convention center roaming long aisles of booths filled with gemstone and diamond suppliers, retail jewelry brands from all over the states, the next generation in CAM technology, jewelry tool supplies, and even got to watch live bench performances. Above was the hand engraving competition. 

Below is one of the BEST parts about these show: FREE publications from the trade. Not gonna lie, totally nerd out on these things!

And another bit of truth, a lot of the jewelry there is pretty damn ugly. But I did find a select few designers that really caught my eye. Natalie Frigo is one of them. I probably felt a connection to her work since she hand carves all her own waxes and is a one-woman show. Oh, and her work isn't only about diamonds and engagement rings. She finds beauty in the bizarre and imperfections. OH, and one last thing, she makes environmentally-conscious decisions when it comes to running her business. Um, can I be like her??

Fashion Favorite: C. Neeon

C. Neeon is a Berlin-based fashion company run by two snazzy ladies. They've been a fashion favorite of mine for years now and each season has blown me to the moon and back. You know that feeling you get when you just can't take something any longer because you're completely overwhelmed with the awesome-ness that's building up inside you? Well that's what I get when I look at C. Neeon's designs. Their use of pattern and layering makes me feel fuzzy inside. Their bold and unconventional shapes and silhouettes brings me to my knees. And best of all, everything looks so damn comfortable! It's really a win-win situation. Thanks C. Neeon for making awesome clothes and continuously pushing the boundaries of ready-to-wear.

And then there were four...

I've been busy, busy carving away and my collection is slowly coming together! I'm sure at this point you're wondering 'Ok...but what are those things??' I've got some rings in there and some earrings, perhaps even a brooch. But really, these are the beginnings of pieces. I plan on making molds of these 'master' pieces and then using them as bases to turn them into a pair of earrings or the top of a ring or cluster them together for a pendant, who knows! Don't worry though, I'll keep you in the loop during the whole process. For now, feast your eyes on this jewelry company I recently discovered, Le Blob. I dream of a amassing a collection as awesome as this.

Stop and smell the...tulips

As stressful as my day job can be and as much as I hate going to it somedays, I do feel grateful that I work down the street from THIS!

Ring Number 2