Well tomorrow is my birthday. This has been an especially rough year, hence the sparse posts, but it’s only getting better. Anyway, I found this ring on Etsy and found myself thinking about it way too much… and then I bought it as a birthday present for myself. This seller is so nice, by the way! I thought it’d be a nice way to celebrate another year of life, despite the fact that it’s a mourning ring.

It’s a Civil War era mourning ring that is etched with a little daisy chain and zig-zag border on a round yellow gold disk mounted to the rose gold band. I really love how sweet and simple it is- and I like the way it looks with my signet ring (which I never take off). There is a place in back where a lock of hair would have been kept behind a protective covering, but which has worn away with time.  I’ve been obsessed with antique mourning jewelry for a very long time, but this is my first purchase, as most of it is not attainable for me ($$$!), nor is most of it practical for frequent wear.

You may have seen this image at Style.com or even followed this great tutorial on Honestly WTF.

Well I just watched Girls Just Want To Have Fun for the first time the other day (hooray for dance offs), another fun movie I missed out on in my youth.  In GJWHF, Helen Hunt’s style is that of the “quirky 80’s best friend”, and though there are other fashion gems in this movie (including a beret adorned with a plastic lizard) I took a screengrab of these dino-barrettes that reminded me of the above photo/tutorial. Granted, a less sophisticated version, but nonetheless I think you’ll see what I mean…

DIY tutorial for dinosaur barrettes ? la Helen Hunt:

1. Buy clips like these.

2. Buy rubber or plastic dinosaurs.  Stegosaurus or Pelycosaur might work best.

3. Hot glue dinosaurs to clips.

4. Wear in hair with some crazy expensive outfit, and pull off your own “quirky 80’s best friend” look.

I saw these loafers at a wholesale market a few months back and drooled over them. I love them. They’re now available here.  Wishing I could spare $168 for shoes right now!

More beauties from one of my favorite jewelry designers, Arielle de Pinto, at Oooga Booga. Not up on their site yet, but are in the brick-and-mortar shop.  Want!

So many cool things in the Nothing is New Workshop!  Love this woven piece by Alex Segreti (Weird Friends) and Kelly Rakowski (Nothing is New).  I also really love this idea for a way to cover up a flowerpot that may be less than pretty…

WOW.  I found Quan’s jewelry while looking at all the new things in the Stand Up Comedy shop, which is always a favorite, and am totally in awe of her work. I haven’t been this in love with a jewelry line for a while. She has made me reconsider using semiprecious stones in my work again.

A few new pieces in the shop!

So I finally found a hand-engraver. Most of you don’t know that I’ve been looking for one, but remember this vintage signet ring that I got for Christmas in 2009? Well I’ve been wearing it everyday for two years, blank, until this week! I decided it was time to complete this incomplete ring. The difference between hand and machine engraving is quite significant, in my opinion. Machine engraving has absolutely no grace to it- the lines are too heavy, too perfect, and you are limited to a few boring styles. I’d worked with hand engravers at a previous job with a designer, and there I developed a real admiration and appreciation for their precise art. I have such a love and respect for this old-world craft, which to me, is still relevant.  Hopefully it doesn’t fade into oblivion like so many other skilled trades.

I found a fellow who is a very sweet, talented, older gentleman who’s been in the same location for 31 years, and has lovely old hand-engraving booklets that must date back to at least the 1920’s.  He also has a case full of more complex pieces that he has made for people in the past and is very proud of- wax impressions of super complex carved signet images, carvings and cut-outs of faces, and much more.

Most monograms are too florid for me, and the square signet called for something more delicate and simple, especially because of all the subtle exisiting engraved filigree.  I found a deco style that seemed to suit the era of the ring, was not too masculine or feminine, and had a small amount of shading.  I am very pleased with the outcome.

So I admittedly hate the way I look in most earrings, but this photo on Face Hunter the other day made me want to reconsider my accessories.  How rad are these?!

Check out the shop!  Some new goodies for you.