Solange Azagury-Partridge Helps Me Procrastinate....

My days off from work are usually dictated by a to-do list that never seems to get any closer to being done, (do you know how much new rugs shed?! I could stuff a pillow with all the fluff I am vacuuming!), and by long-term projects that always involve more effort than I anticipate, (like the antique door I am refinishing to make into the top of my office work table...there are approximately 7,349 layers of paint to get through and only 24 hrs in a day!). So sue me if I want to take a break from menial labor and sit on my lazy bum with a mug of chai and look at awesome things on the internet. A few minutes of playtime (or an hour, but an hour is comprised of minutes, so there) keeps my brain from going into zombie-mode and gives me great ideas for new projects...which is where refinishing that door to become a desk idea came from... which has created more work for me...wait, this pattern is not good!

Anyway, today's procrastination is scoping out the new website launch for Solange Azagury-Partridge jewelry. The website is dandy and all that, but let's cut to the jewels: SAP does not design adornments for the faint of heart, which, since I am in a statement-necklace-and-cocktail-ring phase, is just fine with me. Some of her pieces are a bit too late 80's/early 90's for my taste, but she has such a variety of styles, (14 collections on the website!), that the phrase "something for everyone" comes to mind....

Here are a few of my fav's:

All SAP images from her website

 

I also liked this SAP "Triangle" necklace (left) and then realized how similar it looks to this Elizabeth and James "Wishbone" necklace (right):
 

Which one is your favorite? And I can't be the only lazy procrastinator out there, right?

Barneys!!!! (...NY, not the dinosaur...)

Barneys New York has excellent buyers. They pick great bags, shoes, etc, etc, but my favorite part of a Barneys visit is the jewelry department. On a recent shopping trip with a good friend, a friend with great taste who loves jewelry as much as I do if not more, we had to go in and have a look!

I love both bold and intricate styles, so my panoramic appreciation, (or stubborn lack of refinement of my taste and style), means that I have to look at EVERYTHING :) I love Cathy Waterman's tiny rings with organic shapes, the way Lucifer Vir Honestus' pieces are wildly twisted and daring, (the linked ring reminds me of tiny mushrooms), and they way Sandra Dini balances both rapid movement of vine-like metal with the serenity of a tranquil slab of opal in her ring. For earrings, I love Sharon Khazzam's gold pair with chunky diamond slices. I would love to have that style of stone for an engagement ring because it is so unusual and so simple at the same time. Another simple-yet-stunning pair comes from Dean Harris. I love the stone color and the delicate setting. Judy Geib, (a favorite for obvious reasons), also makes delicate creations out of fun and funky shapes.

In the Co-Op section, I love Etten Eller's use of bolts and other little, chunky materials mixed with delicate chains. The necklaces with tiny webs of watch gears have since disappeared, but I am determined to make my own verison once I find a watch that A) doesn't mind getting busted open and B) isn't digital, so it actually contains watch gears.

More on my visit later, but now I need to hurry up and daydream about what I damage I would do if I win the lottery today........
What is your favorite place to shop? Is your weakness shoes? Jewelry? Bags?

Slice of Heaven

I love adorning myself with a slice of agate when the weather heats up. It feels summery and cool because it is direct from nature without much processing, it's got a boho-chic vibe. I love when it is mounted in jewelry in a sort of rough-hewn manner to give it an organic feel. I spent a little while looking for agate jewelry and for agate slices and pendants to make my own creations and these are the top picks:

"Rock Solid" Agate Cuff at Nordstrom, $68
Check out out this link- how dramatic is this cuff?! Love it in both colors.

Purple Agate Necklace at Target, $39.99



A simple-yet-fun necklace at Target prices? Who can resist?!

I also found a large selection of agate on Ebay. Obviously, the bidding ends quickly, but here's an idea of what's out there:

Ebay blue agate pendant



Giant Agate Ring Ebay



Set of 3 Agate Slices Ebay


Love agate or have you found a stone that speaks summer more loudly to you? More summer accessories to come!