Verve Jewelry | Custom jewelry design studio featuring handmade wearable art. Sterling silver, 14k and 18K gold filled, re-vamped vintage, semi-precious stones, and sea glass.

Ethnic and Tribal Jewelry: Get your jungle on

June 29, 2011 0

Nature, ethnic and tribal themes are once again playing a vital role this season in jewelry. Ethnic influence from Africa, India and South America contribute to this Spring’s “ethnic chic” look. I am loving all of the colors: turquoise, yellow, blues and reds!! Add gold into the mix for an even richer, more updated style.

My personal favorite look in this hot new trend is stack and stacks of yummy gold bangles. I love to dress in all black and have stacks of bracelets up my arm. Its incredibly glamorous and sexy. Plus they are so much fun to wear and I love the jingle of the bracelets! While wearing them I aways feel a little bit like Cleopatra meets Carmen Miranda.

I also love that this new “world music” jewelry trend also has a sense of humor. It’s fun and refreshing, daring you to take some risks. Put on a simple tank with a bold statement piece necklace adorned with a big and chunky Agate or Jasper stone and you have got yourself a sexy little outfit.

Give a little nod to the fore fathers of our land and incorporate some feathers, natural stones and wood accents into your look. Nature is very artistic and has a great eye. There are so many amazing stones out there that are not considered “precious” but are nevertheless just as amazing. They often times have great colors and patterns and are so beautiful in their rawness.

In an age of computers, plastic and artificial materials, just getting back to a more natural and organic state can be refreshing. Thankfully, this new trend in ethnic jewelry can help us do just that.

Treasures and Tigers and Deer, Oh My!!

April 13, 2011 0

Depression-era glass, aged black and white postcards or old factory light bulbs, anyone? I adore objects from the past. Things reminiscent of yesteryear. I love the romance, the history, the mystery of it all. And “finding” these items at garage sales and flea markets and thrift stores is the closest thing to finding your own buried treasures.

One of my favorite places to go hunting for odd treasures is the Pasadena Flea Market. It happens the first Sunday of every month, rain or shine, general admission starting at 9 and ending at 4:30. The cost is a little high- $8 a person, which is annoying because there usually 15k-20k people there so you know they are making a killing. But there IS free parking, which is nice. For the early birds you can also pay extra and beat the crowds. They have an express admission from 8:00am – 9:00am at $10.00 per person, an early admission from 7:00am – 8:00am at $15.00 per person, and a special preview VIP admission from 5:00am – 7:00am at $20.00 per person.

The place is HUUUGE! It is a bit intimidating too, because you feel like you are not even making a dent after walking and walking! I walked the place for 2.5 hours the first time I was there and I don’t think I covered even half of it. But that is half the fun of it! Because there are so many little treasures to find, and you look and look and look and yet you still have not seen all of it.

Obviously my favorite thing to do there is scout out the jewelry. Oh boy. Just thinking about all the finds literally gives me goose bumps. Sooo much jewelry!! Expensive estate jewelry and inexpensive and outdated costume jewelry that is perfect for cutting up and putting into new pieces. My favorite thing is to find an ugly old necklace with one perfect bead on it. Some people see it as ugly, but that one little gem just screams out for me to save it from its ugly family tree.

You can find terrific random items too. Like this scarey looking deer chair above. What is some people’s trash is other people’s dining set.

The possibilities are endless at this place. Just go with a great pair of shoes, cash, a cart to carry your treasures and an open and creative mind. It is a great place to let your creativity take over. What can you do with that old trunk from the nunnery or the dainty little excavated medicine bottles? Take them home and make them your own. Guaranteed the chairs you find there won’t be seen at Ikea. The unique items you find at flea markets can help turn your home into your own creative little world.