Treasure Tuesday: New Jewelry!

Ahh, one reason I love the Holiday season so much is all the new goodies I get! As a handbag designer, I have the priveledge of being able to trade my product with other designers - namely, JEWELRY designers. This past weekend held three days of shows, and I was thrilled to be able to snag new jewelry from Husak Design, Irok Gems, and Claire Fielden Designs. All three ladies are friends of mine, and I am so happy to have the new jewelry to wear this Holiday season. See below for details about what I scored!

Item Name:Brass Lion Pendant	Category:Jewelry	Value:$35.00

Content Generated - 12/4/2007

Type: Necklace Style: Modern Main stone: Citrine Stone color: Green Secondary stones: Brass Pendant Metal: Gold Designer/Brand: Husak Design Condition: Excellent

Notes: Designer Courtney Husak is always updating her look - this year saw many of these brass pendant necklaces.  I had to have the LION one - so fierce, but in a sweet way.

Item Name:Classic IROK GEMS Necklaces	Category:Jewelry	Value:$95.00

Content Generated - 12/4/2007

Type: Necklace Style: Modern Main stone: Onyx Stone color: Black Secondary stones: Vintage Crystal, Ruby Secondary stone colors: Iridescent Bronze, Red Metal: Gold Designer/Brand: IROK GEMS Condition: Excellent

Notes: After 5 long years of waiting, I finally have my own IROK GEMS Necklace!  Known for her BOLD style and excellent craftmanship, designer Kori Jones turns out some of the best handmade jewelry around - period.  I wore it almost immediately, and I LOVE IT!

Item Name:Art Deco Style Earrings	Category:Jewelry	Value:$45.00

Content Generated - 12/4/2007

Type: Earrings Style: Modern Main stone: Rhinestone Stone color: Clear Secondary stones: Rhinestone Secondary stone colors: Bronze Metal: Silver Designer/Brand: Claire Fielden Designs Condition: Excellent

Notes: Claire has this way with jewelry - it is subtlely elaborate, feminine and always very sexy.  I love the necklace I have of hers, and these Art Deco inspired earrings just HAD to be mine.

2nd Annual Holiday Gift Show

So, a few weeks ago I wrote a blog about my friend and fabulous jewelry designer - Courtney Husak.

Last year we had a fabulous Holiday Gift Show together at her studio - and we are doing it again this year! Nestled in the heart of 78704 (that's South Austin, folks)is a cute little home that serves as Courtney's studio (and home to her hubby & pets too!)

Check out the flyer for details on time and location, and email me at annemarie_beard@yahoo.com for more details. Oh yes, and I will be PREMIERING my brand new "Fine Art Handbags" - you have never seen ANYTHING like them, I promise you will be pleased...

Treasure Tuesday: Husak Design Fine Jewelry

Many designers don't spend their lives saying, "I am going to design xyz." For the most part, they are creative from an early age, experiment in lots of materials and techniques, and end up discovering their calling along the way.

This is certainly true of Courtney Husak, owner of Husak Design, a line of Fine Jewelry with a focus on Bridal Jewels. Courtney studied Studio Art at the University of Texas at Austin. She embarked on a jewelry line when her sister needed stylish and affordable pieces for her wedding. After apprenticing with an Austin based Jewelry Company, Courtney founded Husak Design.

My personal twist - there is always one, you know! - I went to school with Courtney and her sister, and found out about her Jewelry line from a friend. I have since had the pleasure of doing a few shows with Courtney - and we are teaming up for another fabulous Holiday Shopping event in late November!

Courtney is my featured artist today in the lead up to Stitch - the awesome Indie Design Shopping event and Fashion Show in Austin, Texas on November 10th. There is no way anyone will be able to miss Courntey's booth - her display is always AMAZING, and her smile is so infectious that it will radiate across the entire Convention Center.

One of my favorite pieces of jewelry is this necklace. It has this fabulous hammered metal pendant, and gorgeous white beads very elegantly graded by size. I get lots of compliments when I wear it, and it actually started my obsession with white clothing. I figured that I can wear white now that I am all grown up and don't spill on myself anymore (yeah right, that's what stain remover is for!)

Courtney has ALL KINDS of jewelry - I know her website already looks amazing, but I also know she will have a ton of new stuff at Stitch.

These GiGi earrings are so elegant and bold in this color combination. The stones are Amethyst and Cape Amethyst in a chandelier setting.

Be sure to check out the Husak Design website, and come see us at Stitch on November 10th in Austin, Texas! Check out more of my jewelry collections on iTaggit!

blog by Anne Marie Beard

Treasure Tuesday: Jewelry by Ornamental Things

If you haven't noticed - I am a bit obsessed with Jewelry - I mean OBSESSED! Everyday when I get dressed - I save the highlight of the morning for last - picking out what jewelry will go just perfectly with my outfit. (Matching my lipstick perfectly comes in as a close 2nd).

In just under a month - a huge event will take over Austin, Texas - STITCH. It's a fabulous indie designer shopping event and Fashion show. I will be selling my handbags there, and am getting more pumped everyday. As the show approaches I am featuring many of my friends and colleagues who design fabulous jewelry, clothing, accessories and more.

Today it's all about Ornamental Things - a jewelry line by Austin designer Natalie Tischler. I have had the pleasure of knowing Natalie for several years - and each time we do a show together - I get to drool all over her booth at her new creations.

Most of us are putting our things up on iTaggit so we can manage our collections, show them off, and know their value. Value is not all about how much you paid for it or how much it will sell for. Value has a LOT to do with what an item means to you. Where jewelry is concerned - there is a story behind every single piece I own. Scarily, I have been carrying this knowledge in my head for years - iTaggit has allowed me to put each item out on display, and keep track of its story and value.

Take these earrings by Natalie - they are so gorgeous! In and of themselves they are worth a lot - but what makes them special to me is the story behind them. I was shopping in a local boutique with my Mom and her best friend - my "2nd mom." It was close to my birthday, and my "2nd mom" bought these earrings for me. It was a special night, and best of all, I know the jewelry designer.

Natalie is a true artist. She scours our great State of Texas for all kinds of vintage jewelry - and then reworks it into fabulous, of-the-moment and yet classic pieces. I can testify to the longevity of her work - as I still wear the pieces I got from her 5 years ago. She has styles that range from deco-influenced to 60s kitsch to just outright sexy. Check out her website, www.OrnamentalThings.com, and don't forget about STITCH!

Thrift Thursday: Glamorous Gold

It's funny how my taste fluctuates - just a few years ago, I thought anything gold was icky. I would not wear any gold jewelry, accessories, or tolerate any gold decor. The thing is, I was obsessed with it for awhile - my high school bedroom was "romantic" with lots of fancy gold frames or angels and cherubs and flowing white curtains - you know, the mid 90s look.

Now that gold has firmly re-established itself in fashion and home design - I am noticing how much I am in love with it - again! Except this time, it has a decidedly more "ethnic" vibe to it.

A few weeks ago - the gals and I hit up the two week long massive antique shopping event in Round Top, Texas. The first morning out was very successful. My friend scored these two fabulous lamps for $35 - that's for the pair!!!

The detail shot shows just how cool the asian floral motif is. Her fiance is not so sure he loves them - be we all did!

Today I am wearing my fabulous Green & Gold Czech Necklace. I love green anything, and these beads literally screamed at me from across the room at the bead store.

They were labeled as 1920s Czech Glass - for those of you who know Czech Glass - it is very collectible. I strung them together with gold jump rings, added an old earring as the pendant - and viola! Sexy vintage style - with GOLD.

And the quest for gold continues - today I got a pedicure - and had my toes painted gold... I just wonder what's next.

I love having my funky jewelry posted on iTaggit - I have so much, I can hardly remember it all - but iTaggit keeps my collections organized!

Treasure Tuesday: Avon Jewelry

Quite by accident, I have discovered a new love affair with Avon Jewelry. A couple of years ago, I found a fabulous necklace at an Antiques store, and noticed it was signed Avon.

A little research online has revealed that Avon's vintage jewelry is quite collectible - not worth a whole lot $$ wise, but very cool.

Last week, iTaggit released an awesome new feature that allows you to post an item for sale on ebay in a few clicks.

I posted this necklace, on a whim. I had never sold on ebay - can you believe it? I was amazed that someone purchased it! So while I was on ebay, I looked around for pieces I wanted to buy, and found another amazing Avon necklace.

In one week I sold and purchased my first items on ebay - it was very exciting! The new piece is super awesome - 1970s deco style (deco refers to 1920s to 30s style - geometric, urban and angular with a few fancy flourishes). This is all the rage right now in fashion.

Now I have added the new necklace to my Funky Vintage Necklaces collection, and plan on selling and buying a lot more on ebay soon! Check out our online Help section for step by step guides to all the things you can do on iTaggit!

Treasure Tuesday: Funky Jewery Collection!

So for those of you who don't know - I collect jewelry. I started adding my extensive collection to iTaggit last week - and it was so fun!

I can remember where I bought most pieces, or who gave them to me. I like being able to write the history of each piece on iTaggit.

I wanted to feature a few of my favorite pieces today [:P]

First is this huge necklace that my friend Jasmine gave to me. I love the organic feel it has, and it makes any t-shirt immediately dressy.

Second is my "wooden delight" necklace - I scored it at a Thrift store for a few bucks, and I get SO many compliments on it.

Check out the rest of my collection here! Read more of my blogs on Jewerly, Art, Crafts and Antiques here!