{at the shops: andrea bonelli jewelry, san francisco}

. . . have been having a wonderful time dreaming up holiday gift ideas, and quite adore self-taught san francisco bay area-based metalsmith andrea bonelli's beautifully simple and classic handmade jewelry line -- filled with diamond stacking bands and glittering moissanite studs, the collection is also eco friendly, using recycled and ethically mined diamonds and gems and would be the perfect gifts, boxed and wrapped in gold paper and tied with velvet ribbon, or, if you can not bear to part with them, equally perfect with silk-taffeta one-shouldered dresses for upcoming holiday parties . . .

{images: andrea bonelli jewelry}

{colour inspiration: scarlet, crimson & vermilion}

. . . have been known to wear red lipstick nearly everywhere -- on early morning walks with the dog, at the shops and in the rain, and sometimes even to the gym, but very rarely, if ever, decorate with or wear the colour red . . . and yet, somehow, and only next to gold {an all-time favourite}, shades of scarlet, crimson and vermilion, always elegant and wonderfully festive in the form of short and stylish party dresses, are perfectly and utterly irresistable at this time of year . . .




earrings by janis savitt via gilt | yves saint laurent rouge pur couture lipstick | valentino couture bow d'orsay pump | chanel no 5 | dorothy perkins red velvet bow clips | red wine via jaipur, inverness | chanel le vernis in dragon | kelly wearstler brass kaleidoscopes





{chanel no 5 via the inspiration board, red dress via a glamorous little side project; eniko mihalik by camilla akrans for vogue nippon, august 2010 via fashionising; marion cotillard by ellen von unwerth via a dustjacket attic}

{at the shops: dollybird design, chicago}

. . . and for all those upcoming holiday parties under glittering garlands and the twinkle of fairy lights, or romantic dinner dates on nights of softly falling snow, rings made of gold dust and pendants filled with a million shooting stars . . .

{p.s.} also perfect as gifts for your sister, best friend, {or yourself}

{also} previous at the shops:
* lulu frost
* ralph lauren, paris
* neology by mina, brooklyn
* mrs. press, australia


{images: dollybird design one of a kind handmade artisan jewelry. , also here via oh hello friend}

{bejewelled}

. . . lately have been spellbound by the idea of wearing layers upon layers of jewels -- bold necklaces and glittering bracelets, cocktail rings and cascading earrings -- and happened upon dannijo, a new york-based hand-made jewelry studio founded by sisters danielle and jodie, and fell in love with their perfect mix of rock and refined . . .

{p.s.} smitten with the waterfall earrings in the second, and this ring

{images: dannijo, photography by bjorn iooss via a thing for via felicity; more at a glamorous little side project}

{give-away: smokey quartz faceted earrings}

Today's give-away is a beautiful pair of perfect faceted earrings in smokey quartz from Stella & Dot!

A perfect combination of sparkling 14kt gold vermeil and rich quartz, these earrings are as perfect with your favourite wide-legged jeans as they are with evening gowns for all those glamorous holiday parties:

To enter, visit Stella & Dot, then leave a comment below, stating your favourite piece from any collection.

{bonne chance!/good luck!}

* winner will be randomly selected and contacted by e-mail after Thursday, November 12, 2009; open to all readers; top image - photography by ditte isager; prop styling by lance boyd for domino october 2006 via moodboard

{new feature - in the post: fun things by mail}

. . . happiness is receiving fun packages in the mail and {these} arrived today: sterling silver, a little larger than expected, and completely rock 'n roll chic

{give-away: alphabet earrings}

It's a new week and what better way to start than with a beautiful pair of tiny, delicate lower case alphabet earrings?

Make a pretty, personal statement with your initials, your sweetheart's, or anything you like -- the possibilities are endless. The entire alphabet is available, including a sweet, tiny heart; choose sterling silver or 14k gold, in any combination of letters.

These earrings are also available at Catbird, a Brooklyn-based shop specializing in jewelry, mostly from local and independent designers.

To enter, {click here} to visit the Catbird shop, or {here} to visit the blog, then leave a comment below.

{bonne chance!/good luck!}

* a winner will be randomly selected on Monday, March 30, 2009; if you do not have a blog or contact e-mail on your blog, please include it in the comments for notification