Roll and Go

What could be more convenient for Summer months than a flat bag that can be rolled up for storage?

The Maison Martin Margiela MM6 Convertible Terry Beach Bag does just that...and more!
The bag has 2 button tabs that allow you to turn a standard longer tote into a smaller East/West style. The real conversion, however, happens when you unroll the bag fully, and open the side zippers.

The bag converts to a beach mat. Granted, it's not a full sized ginormous beach blanket or anything, but still, for short excursions when you want a place to plop your bottom that isn't in the sand, it's perfect. And the bright yellow can not be beat!
The Maison martin Margiela MM6 Convertible Terry Beach Bag is $235 from eLuxury.
As an added bonus, while supplies last, eLuxury is giving a free MM6 shopping tote with every Maison Martin Margiela MM6 purchase.

I'm smiling out loud.

Right now over at Wardrobe_Remix, we're playing a fun little game where you post a link to your Wardrobe_Remix photo album, and another remixer "dresses you up" by choosing different articles of clothing from your album. I chose to "dress up" the lovely Vasiliisa, which was sort of a thrill all on it's own just because she's one of my personal fashion muses.

Last night I hopped online for a quick second and while browsing my contact's photos, I noticed that Vasiliisa had a new picture. Upon looking at it, I realized it was the outfit I had chosen for her! My face broke out in the cheesiest grin ever. There's this unexplainable giddiness that comes from seeing that a girl all the way over in Finland is wearing something that I picked out for her. Dean's brother noticed the uber-grin and when I shared my excitement with him, his response was "you are such a dork... but that is pretty darn cool." Without further ado, here is said outfit:



Is it strange that I'm so inspired by an outfit that I put together? Probably.

Cyberoptix Engine Rosette Tie

Designer Bethany Shorb turns the inner workings of an engine into art with this Victorian-esque pattern. Great for spicing up a plain button-down shirt.

$30+ ; at Cyberoptix.

Shirtdresses I Have Not (Yet) Purchased

I know the general perception is that I am cornering the market on shirtdresses, but I swear that is not true. As evidence, I present these patterns that I have not (and probably will not -- probably) buy:




This one, from Miss Helene's, is really cute. I love the faux-western yoke. But I am NOT BUYING IT.

And this one,




Sent by Deb, and available from BootyVintage, is really elegant and sophisticated. (Probably too elegant and sophisticated for me, as those of you who know me will attest.) So it's available to YOU!

Both TCarole and Deirdre left comments pointing out this one, which is a new Vogue pattern, and so is available both at the Vogue Patterns site and in major fabric stores:




And William N. pointed out this one, at Cemetarian:



Just the thing for when you can't decide between a wrap dress and a shirtdress.

So, see? I haven't bought the ALL. There's plenty left for you guys!

[Update: But that Butterick 7373 at Vintage Martini? Was already sold! Sob.]

John Hardy Jewelry

John Hardy traveled to Bali from his native Canada in 1975, and fell in love with the exotic locale. He learned ancient jewelry-making skills from traditional Balinese silversmiths and incorporated these techniques into designs featuring complex patterns and shapes representing a philosophical harmony inspired by the culture's stories, myths, and legends. John Hardy jewelry is handmade and involves the craftsmanship of over 600 skilled Balinese artisans.





Batu Kawung Pendant Necklace

A faceted square of cognac quartz hangs from a delicate silver chain.

Gold and silver floret accent on pendant.

Made in Bali.

16" long.



Balinese kings once maintained villages of metalsmiths to make everything from ceremonial offering bowls and dance ornaments to jewelry. Most of the artisans Hardy works with are descendants of those royal metalsmiths, whose extraordinary skill and genetic memory of ancient traditions are lavished upon each item, imparting a strength, texture and integrity that machines simply cannot emulate.





Kali Nuansa Overlap Cuff

The fold-over design of this wide sterling silver bracelet is accented with carved pebbles and openwork details.

7?" long

Made in Bali



In 1989, John Hardy fell in love again, this time with someone who also recognized the rich culture and creative power in Bali. This was Cynthia, who would become his wife and muse. Working together - with John's ideas and Cynthia's gift for logistics - the business grew very quickly.





Silver Palu Narrow Cuff

Sterling silver bracelet has carved chain and hammered design.



Today, John Hardy Jewelry is found in the best stores in America, like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. The company's showroom and offices in New York are on the top floor of the landmark Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea, overlooking the Hudson River. In July 2007, Hardy sold his stake in the firm, but remains the company's visionary.



Artist Statement

I fell in love with the gorgeousness of everything about the island - the natural landscape, the spectacular Hindu rituals of the people, and the opulence of their classical arts. I wanted to use totally traditional Balinese crafts and re-invent them in a way that's useful, timeless and at the same time, modern.



People can't believe my designs aren't made by machines because they are so perfectly rendered. But because there are always certain tiny imperfections in handwork, each piece is infused with a human energy that you can't get from a machine-produced product. It's like the difference between a beautiful hand-woven garment and a machine-woven cloth.



I think you can feel the hand of the artisan in our pieces. There's a warmth of spirit that remains in the silver, in the gold.

The Hardys believe in the notion of sustainable luxury, that the value of an object depends not only on the quality of its materials and the expertise of its craftsmanship, but also on the feeling of well-being of the artisan who makes it. They believe that the things we wear every day should look and feel beautiful, that they are an integral part of the way we live, and should not be reserved for special occasions.



John and Cynthia, who now have two young daughters, remain committed to the life lessons they learned from the Balinese, and they continue to make Bali their home. The design studio - where some six hundred artisans handcraft the jewelry - is also an organic farm. Livestock, rice and vegetable gardens thrive between the studio buildings. Every day, the entire studio takes lunch there under a spreading banyan tree; every year, the John Hardy staff pays homage at the local village temple.

See full article.





Related Entries:

Beautiful Bali Jewelry - 14 March 2006

Jewelry Career Resources - 08 August 2006

Couture Jewelry Awards - 04 March 2007

Jewelry Designer for Princesses - 08 March 2007

Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com.

Archives 5/2-5/8/2005-2007

Here's this week's entries from the archives...

May 2 through May 8, 2005

How to get sizing and grading standards

WOATS

May 2 through May 8, 2006

Working as a freelance fashion designer

Why I Love Cotton Incorporated

Made by Magpie

How to issue style numbers pt.129

How to start a clothing line

Sally, Amy and me

May 2 through May 8, 2007

Training sewing machine operators pt 2

Training sewing machine operators pt 3

News from you 5/4/07

Miami Beach day 1

Roberto Cavalli for H&M

High street-designer mania is not settling by any stretch of imagination; while the Josh Goot hysteria at Target yesterday was mildly busy, Swedish chain store H&M today declares the rumours of an H&M cooperation with Roberto Cavalli.

“Fancy yourself as a Cavalli babe next winter – for next to nothing? The Italian designer most famous for dressing Gwyneth, Madonna, Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez is next up to design a one-off collection for H&M – following sell-out-in-seconds collections from Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and Viktor & Rolf. "Roberto Cavalli has created a world of his own, iconic and full of fantasy, when it comes to colours, prints, and style," says H&M creative director, Margareta van der Bosch. "There is no place for shyness and no possibility of ending up with a mainstream wardrobe of everyday basics. The Roberto Cavalli collections represent an exuberant, successful lifestyle."

Post Secret

I've said it before, I'll say it again. This is a blog focused primarily upon fashion. However, I like to include anything and everything that is currently inspiring me or piquing my interest. Right now, it's PostSecret, an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard.







The creator of PostSecret has published four PostSecret books, all of which are available on Amazon. I know they're going on my wishlist.

After Thanksgiving

I have the post-Thanksgiving case of nerves I always get at this time every year. With Thanksgiving over, Christmas is breathing hard at my heels, and from now until Christmas Day actually comes, I feel as though I'll be playing catch-up. At least this year, I'm being a bit more disciplined about the situation. Of course, to make things even harder, we're usually out of the country every Christmas although it looks as though this year we may be in Washington - away from home, but not that long aching plane ride away from home.
I've been working mostly on custom orders lately and am finishing a wedding that will go out tomorrow. Lots of amethyst! Then, I have several other custom orders to get made (most for Christmas, so I'm doing okay there), but I've either sketched them out or know what I'm doing and where I'm going with them.
I've been working with different elements. The lampwork earrings above with lapis and carnelian (found in our Holiday Gift Ideas section match a fantastic bracelet on my Handcrafted Bracelets page.
The bracelet is made with freshwater pearls and Swarovski's newest crystals in a wonderful grey opal colour that I love. The silver freshwater pearls are perfect! The bracelet will be on our Swarovski Bracelets page.

jewelry Swarovski crystal beads lariat necklaces beads handmade beaded jewelry beading helmi gioielli smykker tak? juvelen
jewellery accessories jewelry fashion shopping fashion necklace The Jewelry Blog Karen Hill Tribes

Prescriptives Daily Pop Quiz May 16, 2008

****Congratulations to todays winners, Alex and Sonia! It was indeed a necklace that Slim used to prove Jupiter's paternity. Thanks everyone!****

In the movie Enough, JLo plays a mother who devotes herself to protecting her life and the life of her daughter. In desperation, she must ask her estranged father for money, what does Slim (JLo) give her birth father to prove their relationship?



Leave your answer in the comments section, please!

Game Rules Here.

Sponsored by Prescriptives!

Five Men's Fashion First Impressions

The lovely Pam from Square Old Soul found this $495 Hollywould bag in the May edition of Elle's online shopping guide (in fact, it's listed under the category "What to buy RIGHT NOW"), and had to know what the Five Men thought of it.

I second that emotion, so here we go:

Brother, age 13: Is it a tree or some sort of handbag? It looks like one of those trolls with the crazy hair.

Brother, age 18: I don't know....but it would make a good friend if I was stranded on an island.

Brother, age 21: This is it? This is a purse??? Hmmm... (makes a series of confused grunts and sighs) It's interesting. It looks like that character from the Muppets. It's decent. I like it.

Father: (Laughs) Oh god. It is a self-referential non sequitur and nobody cares.

Boyfriend: I could see the professor from Gilligan's Island making that as a contraption to get in touch with the mainland. (Starts walking away) What is it, by the way?
Me: It's a bag.
Boyfriend: It's a bag?? I thought it was, like, a GMO pineapple.

Dying to hear the men's thoughts (or, more specifically, their confusion/rage) on a particular fashion item? Email me! daddylikeyblog@gmail.com

RAFW - Matthew Eager

Matthew Eager's show presented clean lines with no accessories, to make a feature of the minimalistic approach that Eager had in mind. Super-wide linen trousers looked quite elegant on the tall models. High-waisted ra-ra skirts, and dresses in knee lengths came in silver- embellished thick fabric. The boxy coats and bolero jackets were striking, but felt quite demure rather than young and edgy. Colours were in sections white, silver and grey, and with splashes of deep turquoise, and acid green. With the many sleek dresses, this collection presented the most sophisticated range throughout the week. Read also Rebekah Van Druten's, (ABC), interview with Matthew Eager before the show.

Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige & Alicia Keys cover Essence...

Essence magazine's annual music issue is on stands and you can choose between three phenomenal covers featuring Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige & Alicia Keys - 3 of my favorite singers! The songstresses talk about their artistry, pressure from record label execs and keeping their sound relevant. Oh, and also be sure to check out my tiny feature on page 92 in the 'Work & Wealth' section. (Shout out to Jennifer for letting me know and Piper for hooking me up with the Essence writer :) I haven't even seen a copy yet but I'm super excited!

Baroni Designs Jewelry

Sarah Baroni has been creating her collection of handcrafted sterling silver jewelry in Arcata, California, since 1991. She is inspired by the natural beauty of her home town on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, as well as the North Coast of California where she now lives. It is the organic artistry that resonates in the jewelry Sarah designs - striking pieces that are refined, unique, and timeless. Her designs are classic and elegant, and know no season. They gracefully accentuate the individuality of the wearer.





Sterling Silver Lavender Resin Rectangle Ring

$50



The Baroni Collection offers an inviting variety of sterling silver jewelry for women, men, and children that is sold in popular catalogs like Red Envelope and in chain stores such as Eddie Bauer. They also create specialty corporate items for companies such as Coca-Cola and Mercedes.





Sterling Silver & Ocean Resin Pendant

Freeform Open Circle on Snake Chain Necklace

$55



How was Baroni Designs born?

Sarah Baroni and Cathy Witkos were living in San Francisco. They both had backgrounds in jewelry, and were both always looking for nice sterling silver pieces at reasonable prices. Ultimately they began to make their own jewelry, and that slowly evolved into Baroni Designs. The designs reflect an appreciation for understated but beautiful jewelry. It has moved rapidly into new areas (such as yoga jewelry), and maintains a diverse customer base. The company is now in its 16th year of business.





Matte & Polished Sterling Silver Double Disc Earring

$45



Artist Statement

As we begin our 17th year for Baroni Designs, our hearts are filled with gratitude for so many things. We enjoy a safe, harmonious (most of the time) workplace with an amazing group of people who truly care about what they do, and a loyal, fun and very diverse group of customers that help make our jobs worthwhile and enjoyable.



After many years of building the business, we have reached a point where we are able to give back to the community. Each year we design and sell a breast cancer collection. The 2007 collection exceeded sales from the previous year by over 200%. We were thrilled to donate a portion of those proceeds to the Humboldt Community Breast Health Project, a wonderful cause on behalf of all of our staff and customers.



In addition to the breast cancer collection, which we will again update in fall of 2008. Throughout the year, we will be choosing charities that benefit women, children, and the environment. A portion of all sales will benefit these charities. As the charities are chosen our web page will be updated.



And now we invite you to peruse the all new 2008 Baroni catalog. We are thrilled to offer a full array of looks this season. It is our favorite season yet, with new looks and lower prices on many of the styles. Again, whether you have long been acquainted with Baroni Designs or are new to us, we welcome you, and thank you.

Sarah Baroni & Cathy Witkos

See full article.





Related Entries:

EK Designs - Jewelry for Us All - 19 June 2007

Jewelry That Rocks - 28 July 2007

Emily Armenta Inspiring Jewelry Designs - 08 September 2007

DiSpagna Jewelry Gets Creative with Cold Fusion Jewelry! - 18 December 2007

Contents of this feed are a property of Creative Weblogging Limited and are protected by copyright laws. Violations will be prosecuted. Please email us if you'd like to use this feed for non-commercial activities at feeds - at - creative-weblogging.com.