Black Is Back! Did It Ever Really Go Away?

'Fall focus' is front and center for most retailers, magazines, bloggers and my goodness even craft stores have HALLOWEEN for sale! I don't exactly have Halloween on the brain but I am getting excited for cooler weather (Phoenix high today 111 degrees), longer sleeves and something fresh and exciting to wear.

Running down all the trends (there are always a ton - but usually only a few that merit serious attention or comment. IMO), a must have staple item this fall is definitely an updated black jacket. Paris runways were showing them all over from Dior to Armani - of course, each with their own spin. Variations included special lace details, creative zippers as well as zipper placement, embroidery, rhinestones, slashing and pleating. Fabrications went from mohair to all lace. Construction went from very architectural to very fluid. Most had an enhanced shoulder (hgmm...yes, shoulders pads are sneaking their way back).

I am very enthusiastic about the revival of the black jacket (even though I doubt most women ever stopped wearing one). I love the idea of investing in this new and updated classic concept which is now more eye catching. It is going to work very well with Saint jewelry.

Above Photo By Giovanni Gianonni

Recently Enlightened!

We don't get very many dragonflies where we live. So I was taken aback a month ago when I looked out the window and saw a gorgeous red dragonfly briefly resting on an agave next to my window. In fact, it was the first time that I had EVER seen a red dragonfly in person. I lost my breath for a second, hoping that I didn't do anything to distract it from staying still.

It seemed to be eating lunch the same time that I was. It was doing loops around our swimming pool... whizzz... whizzz... whizzz... and then back to its spot on the agave.

The next day at the same time the red dragonfly reappearted resting on the same agave while I was eating my lunch. It had to be the same dragonfly - right? I had no way of telling. I sat there delighted to have such a lovely and elegant guest over for lunch.

Naturally, because of its reappearance, I took it as a sign of 'enlightenment.' Sitting there with my two babies, I knew that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Playing With Jewelry

Yesterday my daughter Lily and I were searching for something to do together while her baby brother was taking his morning nap. I remembered that I had a few large boxes stored in the garage of fun ribbons and wood beads and rhinestones. I suggested that we head out to the garage and make a necklace together.

Lily is only two, so when I try to explain to her that I am a jewelry designer it is very much "in one ear and out the other." She unknowingly takes for granted that every morning when we get dressed she gets to play in my jewelry box. Lily actually learned about the cross, the heart, the owl, the frog and the angel all from playing with my silver bracelets (I knew they had multiple purposes). She is on a big necklace kick right now. She has her own two dollar dime store South Sea pearl necklace that she loves to wear to the playground and her other favorite is mommy's special angel necklace which she is only allowed to wear in the bathroom with mommy.

So, this is a new project for Lily and me. We have done play dough, markers etc... I was really excited! Until...the first box opened up...wow. I don't know what I was thinking when I suggested making a necklace with a two year old! She dumped that box over in seconds flat! There were beads and string and plastic stones EVERYWHERE! Then after I finally made her a necklace on my own (she had no interest) I tied the pretty pink ribbon around her neck with the big, red, wood beads and she could have cared less!! Bummer.

I guess I don't really know where I am going with this. I just wanted to share that being a mom is totally the best!

Gift Giving

Over the years I have received a wide variety of gifts from various people. Some of the gifts I've absolutely loved and others I was not quite sure what the person was thinking- or rather what they thought of me! I don't mean to come off sounding disconnected, ungrateful or snobbish. I do however find gift giving to be very telling from both ends of the spectrum. Price points aside, when you give someone a gift, I have always felt that you are relaying a message to the receiver about how you feel about them and the occasion.

On a side note, have you ever received a gift that you typically wouldn't like or appreciate, but suddenly upon receipt it became very special to you? Some times it seems just because you like the person soooo much, you can do a 180 and really like a gift which you would otherwise be totally disinterested. That gift giver really lucked out (ha ha)!

I would like to think that the jewelry I create can break through many of the barriers in the world of gift giving. I would hope that when someone receives a piece of Saint that even if she isn't a 'frog person' (for example) that she enjoys the symbolism of a Saint frog (true love and lasting friendship) and his affectionate name 'Otis.' Understanding the person that gave her the frog is someone who is sending a very sincere and endearing message. I would like to think that every time she wears her frog piece she is reminded of the kindness of the giver and that they hold a special spot in her heart. I am sure that I am very biased about the whole thing - but I do feel that giving a piece of Saint creates a sentimental connection on multiple levels between the giver and the receiver.

On the flip side...the way one receives a gift is just as important.

The Back Yard

How many of you are gardeners? Well - I am becoming an addict. We live in a desert environment, so the whole ideal of "gardening" is quite different out here compared to most other parts of our beautiful country. In the desert much of what you plant can give you a good poke if you aren't careful! Even though it can be painful on occasion, I would spend the whole day working out in our yard if I had the time. I never imagined that I would LOVE YARD WORK? Here I am...desperately hooked!

When I step out into our yard I feel my blood pressure drop. I relax - even at 90 degrees!! My mind races in rhythm with a variety of creative ideas. It is a time for me to sort out things I am struggling with and at times it just allows me to "go blank" and shut it all down. I have found that I get the same pleasure out of working in our yard that I do when I am hiking in the mountains or drawing at my desk - who would have ever thought? It must blow my parents minds to hear me talk about my love of yard work. For years their form of "teaching me a lesson" as a child was YARD WORK. OH! How I would groan and complain and the more I would complain the more buckets of rocks I would have to pick up and the more weeds I would have to pull. Yes, I said "buckets of rocks." Here I am thirty some years later doing this exact same thing for PLEASURE! What would Freud say? :)