{above} 1. Bemidji Woolen Mills 30” Ladies Itasca Cape in Camel; $138, 2. Valhalla Brooklyn Medium Larch Bag in Antique Cognac; $279, 3. Pine Nut, Caramel and Sea Salt Shortbread Bars (recipe via Cookin’ Canuck)
// photo credits: from the respective vendors/sites mentioned above
Somebody needs to buy this tea towel for me, now. And while you’re at it, be sure to take a gander at my favorite Carl Sagan/autotune vid.
{above} limited edition Apple Pie Universe silkscreened cotton tea towel by Sarah Stern; $16
photo credit // via Fine Artichoke, where kitchen/foodie-themed prints roam
Alright, if you must know anything about me, it’s the fact that I have a serious love for taxidermy. Maybe it has something to do with my late grandpa being a swamp trapper in the bogs of Mississippi? Or maybe I just have a love for things that are stuffed (cupcakes? shells? full bellies?) I *might* have a deer hoof gun rack hanging in my living room…just saying.
All this gobbledigook aside, I recently discovered only my favorite website EVER: Crappy Taxidermy!! All featured taxidermy isn’t crappy, btw. These vintage gems especially caught my eye. VIctorian obsessions with death and collection? (Get a life you Victorians!! ha.)
By the by, remind me to tell you about my semi-recent run in with Martha Stewart in the elevator and our brief chat about Deyrolle and this book.
Happy Friday Everyone!!
// photo credits: c/o crappy taxidermy
If ever I find myself in Lisbon, Portugal, youbetcha I’ll be hitting up this hair spot to fill the missing void in my hairstyling fantasies. These cuts are speaking to my soul…and I’m not just being dramatic. I’ve been looking for the perfect bitten bang look for ages, not to mention the countless bad haircuts I’ve received when trying to explain a proper euro mullet.
I especially love how these haircuts are meant to be experienced in the round. Hair sculpture dammit! In all seriousness though, I’m getting urges to have something shaved into my head.
// photo credits: Wip-Hairport c/o flickr
How rad is this holiday card?? Photographer Jen Campbell whips one of these delightful dittys each holiday season (a limited edition run of 75)…and funnily enough I’ve gotten number 27/75 two years running. I’m especially fond of the flower-themed scenery (and creature).
{above} Flower Monster 2010
Checkout more of Jen’s fashion and still-life stuff while you’re at it.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! Taking a wee breather for the next couple of days.
// Photo Credit: Jen Campbell Photography
Since my last engagement ring round up, I’ve come across one ring addendum after the next. So much, that here I am again, with a collection of 24 rings I think are amazing and unique. How is a girl to choose?
Comment which are your favorites, will ya? I think I’m personally in love with that humongo pearl below…
1. Erica Weiner Natural Unpolished Diamond Ring, $595
2. Conroy & Wilcox Titian Pearl Ring, $2750, 3. Katrina Lapenne Old World Ring, $2200; available at Catbird, 4. Kathryn Bentley Domed Diamond Ring, price upon request
5. Alex and Chloe Goujon Triple Ring with Black Diamonds, $1,100, 6. Alex and Chloe Bauhaus Ring with Three Inverted Black Diamonds, $2,904
7. Rebecca Overmann Diamond Next Ring (shown in yellow and pink gold), $504 each, 8. Elisa Solomon Love Heart Ring, $380, 9. Blanca Monros Gomez Nesting Bands, price upon request, 10. Finn Love Knot Ring, $645; available at Barneys, 11. Yayoi Forest Knot Ring, $216; available at Catbird, 12. Il Design Gold Shaped Rings available at Love Adorned
13. Diamond in the Rough Diamond Rings (dark cognac, gray, cognac), $6,000-$12,500; available at Bergdorf Goodman, 14. Elizabeth Street Pyramid Ring, $1,000; available at Castor & Pollux
15. Delicate Rose Ring (shown in yellow and rose gold), $380 each; available at Old Hollywood (Note: not sure of the designer on this one?)
16. St. Kilda’s new Serpent and the Rainbow Enamel Collection, with various precious stones, $300-$468
17. Caitlin Mociun Gold and Turquoise Triangle Ring, $515; available at Magpie & Rye
18. Jamie Wolf Aladdin Disc Ring; $1,910; available at Barneys, 19. Polly Wales Black Sapphire Band, $1,925; available at Catbird, 20. Ila & I Petite Rose Gold and Black Diamond Band, $940
21. Erie Basin Vintage 1900s Edwardian Diamond Cluster Ring; (sad face, it’s been sold already), 22. Olivia Collings Diamond Cluster Ring, $12,520; available at Barneys, 23. Vintage Old Euro Cluster Ring, $22,000; available at Doyle and Doyle, 24. Erie Basin Rose Cut Diamond Knot Ring, $485
// Photo Credits: image swipe from the respective sites mentioned/hyperlinked in the post. Thanks!!
I have this eerie attraction to mourning jewelry (and antique shops); In my time, I’ve stumbled upon a handful of Victorian-era rings set with human teeth, and lockets and/or brooches capturing a snip of hair. The purpose of these pieces of jewelry being to preserve the memory of a lost love. On a more contemporaneous note, a company called LifeGem offers services that create diamonds by carbon-capture and processing of cremation ashes or a lock of hair. The result is a “human” diamond, which can come in an array of colors. Kinda creepy huh?
Mourning and death aside, I stumbled upon the work of Melanie Bilenker and was awed by her spin on the traditions of memory-based jewelry. She creates little domestic drawings, heralding memories of the routine, the private, the mundane…taking a bath, tucking hair behind one’s ear, fastening a belt…all with her own hair. How the heck she manages to manipulate single strands of hair like that is beyond me. Her pieces are truly remarkable, and so very detailed.
Hairpin (Brooch, 2006)
Brassiere (Locket, 2009)
Button (Brooch, 2007)
Arms (Brooch, 2005)
Cookies (Brooch, 2009)
Bouquet (Brooch, 2009)
Sunday Night (Locket, 2007)
Brushing Teeth (Brooch, 2009)
Tucking (Brooch, 2009)
The focus on the simplicity of the day-to-day is actually quite refreshing. I can get lost in these little scenarios, as they speak to my everyday too.
Melanie Bilenker’s work is available for purchase at Sienna Gallery.
// Photo Credits: All photographs courtesy of Melanie Bilenker
Weddings are abuzz, that’s for sure…and it’s cause for an internal struggle: pitting pragmatic-me against insane planner-me, vying for my collective self not to pre-plan an entire event when there’s not even a proposal (yet) on the table.
Admittedly though, KB and I did some very premature ring shopping this weekend (his idea!!). I hit up this spot and this one. The latter sold what I thought was my dream ring*, although in real life it wasn’t as snazzy looking as I’d expected.
I then spent the remainder of the evening combing the interwebs, pulling a collection of pretty things in a range of affordabilities I thought I’d share with you here. Enjoy!
Note: I obviously have a thing for yellow gold…
Which one is your favorite?
{above} 1. Three Roses Ring by Wexford Jewelers, $890, 2. 18kt Gold and Moissanite Raw Stack by SingleBbeautiful, $1,320, 3. Diamond Pebble Ring by Feather Tree Studio, $390
{above} 4. Solar Radiance Burst Diamond Ring by Jamie Joseph, $6,095, 5. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Set by Barbara Michelle Jacobs NYC, $1,480, 6. Svea Ring by Jeweler On The Roof, $360, 7. Marie Antoinette Ring by Conroy & Wilcox, $1,920 (*This folks, was my dream ring. I’ve drooled after it for almost a year now…and upon trying it on at Stuart & Wright thought it was too demure for my slightly chubby ring finger, sadface.), 8. Gold Disc Diamond Ring by Artisan Look (Montreal), $662, 9. Yellow Gold Ring with Diamonds by Seehara (Tel-Aviv), $260
{above} 10. Karis Ring by Macha Jewelry (UK), $520 (one of my favorites of this roundup), 11. 14kt Gold Jagger Ring by Macha Jewelry (UK), $2,422
{above} 12. Cushion Cut Moissanite Engagement Ring by Kate Szabone, $1,395, 13. Glam Girl Rock Fetish Ring in 14kt Rose Gold with Prasiolite by One Garnet Girl Designs, $798, 14. Vintage Art Deco Diamond Cluster Ring from Athena’s Vintage (UK), $400, 15. Raw Diamond Chunk Ring by Melissa Joy Manning, $560, 16. Vintage Raw Cut Diamond Cluster Ring from Diamonds are Forever San Diego, $900 (love this ring), 17. 14kt Gold Diamond Engagement Ring by Letisia’s Corner NYC, $529 (also one of my favorites, although I’d opt for yellow gold and gray diamonds)
{above} 18. From This Day Forward Ring by Artigiano Jewel Box NYC, $795
{above} 19. Melting Love Ring by Yayoi Forest, $376, 20. Gray Diamond Triplet Ring by Conroy & Wilcox, $1175, 21. Modern Rock Ring by Metalicious NYC, $100 22. Five Band Ring with Diamonds by Doug Peterson Jewelers, $785, 23. Loved Ring with Diamond Couple (other side of ring) by St. Kilda Brooklyn, $472, 24. Lucky Seven Diamond Ring by Yayoi Forest Brooklyn, $560
// Photo Credits: All photography courtesy of the sites in which I snagged them.
