Vacation is over....

I have taken a brief "vacation" from updating this blog this past week.  It was my spring break, but instead of spending it on a beautiful beach I spent it here in Ohio, where the weather can't make up its mind.  One day it's 77 and the next it's snowing.  But I had a lot of fun with Stacey Kay when she and her boyfriend came down to Cincinnati to visit me, and if I wasn't spending time with them perusing a menu at a delicious restaurant I was working, working, working.  That's the fun of having a retail job I guess, you never really know when you are going to get randomly called in.  I was so exhausted from this week I could not even bring myself to make anything new for this blog, though I did make a couple lame attempts.  Now tomorrow a new quarter starts at school, and I have to work 9-5.  I can't promise much, but I can promise that tomorrow after I get off work I will try my hardest to make something new to debut on here.  Hope everyone else had a great week!  Goodnight!

Green Fabric Flower!

So, last week when I posted the necklace that I made for my sister's birthday, I said that I would do a week of posts inspired by accessories made from old t-shirts that I found in my basement.  Consider this day one!  I used my boyfriend's old green t-shirt to create fabric circle cut outs that I used to make this green flower pin!  I wore the pin on St. Patrick's Day to go along with the rest of my green wardrobe!!  It could also be worn as a hair clip or attached to a headband or necklace!

"Turquoise" Dangling Earrings

These earrings are made from a stone that is not actually turquoise but is similar in look and feel.  I got these stones from www.firemountaingems.com, of course.  I also used clear faceted glass beads in these earrings that I got last year at the Gem and Bead show that I attended in March.  I wish there was another bead show I could attend today!  But I'm sure another one will be in town soon.  Today I get to go see the Cleopatra Exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center!   Can't wait!

Rose Quartz and Pearl Earrings

Here are my latest earrings made of rose quartz pebbles and some vintage pearls from an old vintage pearl necklace.  These earrings are more neutral in color tone and can be worn with a lot of different things.  The rose quartz beads were purchased on Fire Mountain Gem's website as are many of the beads  that I usually use.  I hope you enjoy!  This is going to be a very exciting weekend!!!!  Stacey Kay of Goodwill Huntingg is in town and we are going to be visiting the Cincinnati Museum Center tomorrow to see the Cleopatra Exhibit!  Can't wait!

Amethyst earrings

I used some amethyst drop stones from Fire Mountain to create these earrings, along with small glass iridescent seed beads.  Enjoy!  They could easily go with any bohemian look for some casual weekend trips out shopping or to lunch with friends!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wire Wrapped Wednesday....Buttons!

Today I took inspiration from the button book that my friend Farah gave me for Christmas....First mentioned in this post.  I really like all the fun things that are done with buttons in that book, and I have been wanting to try something with buttons, but it took me awhile to come up with anything.  For wire wrapped Wednesday this week, I used wire to "stitch" these buttons together, adding a glass bead as a pendant on the bottom.  As I mentioned Monday, these are some more earrings to add to my blog's limited collection....also look out for some tomorrow as well!

Thrifting Tuesday....Freecycling!

I found a really awesome blog awhile ago.  It's called The Sisters Four Say More is More, and it is all about chic style and DIY fun.  I got inspired by all of their ideas on how to transform old T shirts into really cool DIY projects.  I started immediately storming through my basement storage boxes and finding old tees and other clothes that Drew and I tried to sell in a garage sale last year.  I wanted desperately to find something to make with all of them!  I think next week I am going to do a feature week of jewelry and accessories made from old clothes, and the best part is, they are all free because technically I already had all the clothes in my house!  So anyway, my sister Rebecca's birthday was Sunday, and I decided for my first project based on t-shirts to make her a necklace.  I used to wear the original t-shirt all the time in high school, it came originally with a matching boyfriend tank in a lighter hue underneath.  The fabric is so light and dainty, and I loved the final necklace!  My sister did too!  She was so surprised!

I gave her the shirt all wrapped up to surprise her....

She was definitely confused!

Until I gave her the final outcome!!!  I'm glad she loved it!

Moonstone Earrings!

I realize it has been awhile between my updates lately....and I do apologize for that.  However, as you may know I have been really really busy with everything going on in my life lately, and it is hard to find time to make new jewelry every day when so many other things are going on...not the best excuse, but hey, its the truth.  So this week I have made some earrings to show you, and these utilize some moonstone beads from Fire Mountain and some iridescent glass beads.  I like the idea of long, glam earrings to wear with jeans and flats or even heels for a day time look.  They can easily transition from day to night, and of course can still be worn with more dressy attire for an elegant event as well.  I am going to update some more earring posts this week to make up for the lack of earrings on this blog.

Wire Wrapped.....Thursday?

Yes, it's true, last night I passed out on the futon upstairs while watching old seasons of 30 Rock on Netflix, having every intention of updating my blog but never even having a chance to.  So here is a belated Wire Wrapped post, hope you enjoy!  I used the same jade beads from Fire Mountain Gems that I used on this Post and this Old Wire Wrapped Wednesday Post.  I really like the large size of these beads for wire wrapping, it makes for a really cool look.  Enjoy!

Thrifting Tuesday!

Happy Mardi Gras everyone!!!  I have been seriously busy...not only is it the week before finals week (and I have papers and tests galore, believe me)  but also this week I started my new job at  Ann Taylor. And, as if that was not enough craziness for one week, I also started my new internship with Cincinnati Fashion Week on Sunday!  I am so excited to work with Fashion Week here in Cinci!!!  Of course, I will be blogging the updates for that so stay tuned!   Today's Thrifting Tuesday is my Thrifting Haul Video, with items thrifted from my local Goodwill store as well as my local Salvation Army stores.  I found some great things!  Enjoy!

Fashionably Friday, March 4, 2011

Going with the color inspiration that I have been channeling the rest of this week, I would like to dedicate today's post to the Spring/Summer 2011 runway trend of the color white.  White has always been a color associated with hot summer days and tropical beach vacations.  It is also a color that appears fresh and clean, and can be used as a background for which to showcase or contrast other colors, or can be worn as seen on the runways this spring as a white on white ensemble.  Like I have mentioned before, I cannot picture white on white outfits without the image of crystal white sand and a turquoise blue sea, and maybe a palm tree or two.  It is the quintessential outfit of summer to me, and I can't wait for the weather to warm so I can unpack my summery clothes out of their boxes in the basement and don a crisp, cool, white dress and go read a book by the pool.  Until then, though, since it seems like I will have to wait awhile for that, here are some very inspiring images:
 

 

Alexander Wang

Calvin Klein

Ralph Lauren

*  Images courtesy of Google Images

Crystal Chandelier

I created today's necklace with a chandelier in mind.  Going along with the white color theme I have started this week, I got inspired by the look of all things Shabby Chic.  I really love this look, and if I did not live with my boyfriend who completely thinks it looks too girly, I would have decorated at least a part of my house this way.  I love how lux and yet comfortable it feels.  So for today's pendant I used a vintage round bead covered in rhinestones as my main inspiration.  I love this bead and have been saving it ever since my aunt gave it to me to make something extra special....and finally, I have used it!  I paired it with faceted clear glass beads that I placed on the vintage chain and also as a sort of "tassle" from the rhinestone bead.  I also used other vintage faceted beads and iridescent glass beads on the tassle part as well.  Also, happy birthday to Jamie of The Wocka Spot!!

So Shabby Chic.....the necklace after completion...it fits right in with the chandelier crystals:

Wire Wrapped Wednesday, White!

Today's Wire Wrapped Wednesday is a pair of earrings, created out of white and gray feldspar.  Like I said in yesterday's post, I really created a lot of white jewelry this week, guess you could call it my first week of one color inspiration!  I like the speckled look of this stone, and I really enjoy the shape.  I have used it before as the focal pendant in This necklace.  I have a lot more of these beads too, so I'm sure you will end up seeing them again soon!  I used the wire on this necklace to appear as almost a wave  on the center of the feldspar bead...once again a beachy theme.  The wire wrapping on this one was a little challenging, because it kept slipping off of the curved edges!  I also really enjoy the blend of the silver wire with the gray flecks in the bead itself, and like the vintage, handmade look of these glass iridescent beads.

No Thrifting Tuesday....

:(  I just could not find the right clothing item to post today!  But on the bright side I made a new necklace which really, for me, feels like summer.  I think I have started a theme for this week, all the jewelry I have made recently is out of some sort of white colored stone.  I really got inspired by the fresh, clean feel of white on white recently, and I realized that I don't have a lot of white jewelry.  When I think of white on white clothing looks, like those that have graced the runway for this spring, images of warm, sunny beaches, and tropical locales fill my mind.  Obviously, who doesn't enjoy those images!?  :)  I also got a little inspiration for this particular necklace from my favorite ancient culture.....Ancient Egypt!  I really want to go and see the Cleopatra Exhibit that is on display at the Cincinnati Museum Center right now....(I have kind of been in love with Egypt since I was a kid.)  :) 
The necklace that I made for your enjoyment today is a kind of bib necklace with Italian White Onyx, Gold Coral Beads...(which makes it even more beachy!)  And a really cool free gift stone, a white rectangular looking  bead.  Not sure what type of stone it is, but it is really sparkly in the light.  It was free with my last order from Fire Mountain Gems.


Runway looks for Spring 2011:

Alexander Wang

Band of Outsiders

Beachy image that comes to mind:

Result!: