Valentine's Day: Coming Soon

Valentine's Day is just around the corner - less than a month away, and I'm trying to get the newest Valentine's creations on the Cluny Grey website. A few jewelry pieces that I will be adding are featured here today: first is the heart pendant necklace above made with garnets and a touch of Swarovski crystals here and there. Of course, the lampwork beads of Lynn Nurge, especially the silver-laced heart I used to make the pendant, are the focal points of the entire necklace. The necklace can be found on our Handmade Necklaces page (along with the last heart necklace at the bottom of this post).The Prayer Box Necklace above has some of my favorite silver freshwater pearls, little flower beads and charms, and of course a sterling silver prayer box. This prayer box is a favorite because when it opens, not only is there a place to put a prayer or wish, but a kneeling angel comes out. The prayer box hangs from a flower shape that reminds me of some stylized flowers I've seen in the great cathedrals in Spain and Portugal.
The last necklace also features the beads of Lynn Nurge: the lampwork heart with flowers, rose quartz coloured tabs and mauvey-pink and green rounds. The gemstones here are purple crazy lace agate faceted rondelles; little charms hang from two places on the necklace as well-flowers and hearts - very appropriate for Valentine's Day. The necklace also has a flower on the "S" clasp (from the Thai Karen Hill Tribes).

jewellery accessories jewelry fashion shopping braceletsbeads handmade beaded jewelry beading helmi gioielli smykker tak? juvelen lampwork beads The Jewelry Blog jewelry trends accessories garnet lampwork beads handmade necklace

Style on the Go…

Joy Bryant,Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles attend the 40/40 Club Hosts Jay-Zs Exclusive After Party at The 40/40 Club in New York on May 6, 2008.

Paula Patton at the 2nd annual Allure magazine "Most Alluring Bodies" exhibit on May 7, 2008 at Skylight Studios in New York.

Rashida Jones at Stella McCartney’s screening of Peter Sellers’ “The Party” on May 6, 2008.

Ashanti onstage during the MTV Networks Upfront at the Nokia Theater on May 8, 2008 in New York City.

Joy Bryant looked nothing short of stunning at Jay Z’s recent bash at his 40/40 club. Though the dress is a little Fredericks of Hollywood, she somewhere makes it work! After 13 years of wearing makeup, I still can’t get my eyes to look that neat and defined. Liquid eyeliner just burns my eyes! I'm also still looking for a natural lipstick color - suggestions welcome :)

Paula Patton is wearing my favorite color and she’s doing it justice. I think the shoes are a little boring but I guess you can’t go wrong with a classic black Christian Louboutin pump. Both Paula and Joy are sporting heavy bangs which is such a cute look with layered hair. No, I don't know where to get this dress but I know Target has a cute, affordable purple dress for $23.

Rashida Jones is ready for summer! She flaunted her shoulders and legs in a sexy, one strap chiffon dress a recent Stella McCartney evemt. Rashida’s style is never offensive, but I wish she would take more of a risk with her hair and/or makeup. How about a chin length bob? She’d also better keep an eye on that clutch…

Ashanti is slowly making her “come back”. Though I doubt the music scene has missed her, her style evolution has been great to watch. This black and white dress is a classic. Twenty years from now, body shape permitting, you could still pull out this dress and wear it like it was a recent purchase. Now if only we could get Ashanti to try another lip gloss color. That frosty pink is so 1982!

Credit: TheYbf.com for photos of Ashanti.

Congratulations to the Winner of Contest 4!

Congrats to notjustanyprincess for winning Customized Girl's Fourth Design Contest! She wins $200 and her design will be featured in the May 23rd issue of US Weekly.

We like the design because it stands out, with very big text and nifty use of the soccer ball clipart to replace the “O”. We also like the personalized touch with the name and jersey number. Very nice. On top of all these cool qualities, it also happened to coincide perfectly with our “sports” theme this week. If you're joining a rec league or just cheering for your favorite player, you've come to the right place for custom shirts!

Thanks so much to all who entered! You guys are doing a terrific job on these designs, and we are very happy to continue with these contests.

And with that, Contest 5 is launched. Simply create, save and tag your design “contest 5″. Please see our post about Contest 4 for more details.

Thanks again, and congrats to notjustanyprincess.

Blog Break

Due to some personal issues I'm working through right now, I'm taking a break from the blog. When stress and depression are present, inspiration is not.



I'm going through a pretty rough time currently and I need to focus on getting better and attempting to enjoy the holidays and my family.

Peace, love, and bulletproof marshmallows,
The not-so-Happy Hippie.

Lori Bonn Jewelry Designer

Lori Bonn Alchemy Collection

The Alchemy jewelry collection will up the glam factor with shimmer, shine, a rainbow of metallic hues, and geometric silhouettes, reminiscent of Art Deco elegance. The Sterling Silver is a combination of stippled and polished techniques to enhance the drama of the metallic stones.





Framed Square Gold Quartz Ring



Quartz Stones

These gold, rose gold, and platinum quartz stones are called doublets, meaning that they are made of a faceted dome of crystal quartz over a 24-carat coated quartz base. The coating completely protects the coated layer, keeping it safe from everyday wear.





Round with Square Drop Rose Gold Quartz Earrings



New Collections Every Year

Unlike other jewelry designers, Lori Bonn creates 10 new sterling silver collections each year reflecting the fashion trends and colors for that season. After the collection is sold it is then retired allowing each collection to be available on a limited basis. This exclusive release practice is appealing to collectors as well as individuals that enjoy knowing they own a limited production piece.





Rectangle Double-Shank Platinum Quartz Cocktail Ring



The Lori Bonn Story

Traveling the world, Lori Bonn created her first collection in 1991 from eastern European designs in silver and amber. Soon thereafter, she expanded her line of contemporary jewelry, combining ancient designs with Balinese silversmithing and beautiful gemstones of every color.



The jewelry is handcrafted from the finest stones and silver, with great attention to detail. Every piece of jewelry is touched by countless hands from around the globe, fusing cultures with authentic gemstones, genuine metals, and true inspiration.



Lori credits her parents, who encouraged her creative efforts from an early age. "I grew up in an artistic and entrepreneurial family. We were always experimenting with different crafts. From early on, I knew I wanted to develop a business that would couple my love of world cultures and artistic expression."



Company Info

Lori Bonn Design, Inc. is a Northern California based designer, manufacturer, and distributor of silver jewelry. Founded in 1991 by Lori Bonn Gallagher, the company is managed today by Lori and her husband Bill, selling its designs through department stores, specialty retailers, and catalogs. Principal manufacturing is done by master craftspeople in Southeast Asia.

See full article.





Related Entries:

Jewelry Career Resources - 08 August 2006

Jewelry Designer for Princesses - 08 March 2007

Dawn Vertrees Jewelry Designer - 14 March 2008

Alexis Bittar Jewelry Designer - 14 April 2008

Smersh Designer Jewelry - 22 May 2008

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Shameful Shade of Pink

Gutted after finding out a pizza place we wanted to try out was closed, the boyf and I sauntered up Berwick Street towards Oxford Street, wanting to seek solace in Beard Papa's instead...

We walk past one of those non-descript, supremely cheesy/cheap clothing stores that litters the crap end of Oxford Street...

Me: Ok, is it me or is that pink dress in the window looking really nice....

Boyf: I'm thirsty, I need a drink....

Me: Seriously... those different layers of ruffles... that shade of pink... dear lord... I think I'm rather liking it...

Boyf: Ok, but if we're gonna go in there, it has to be a fast and sharp operation...

Me: Ok...we're going in, we're going in, oh dear lord, there's a guy fixing computers and mobile phones there...

Boyf: Don't lose sight of the target! Pink dress, pay, get out and then thirst quenching...

Me: Ok, ok ok *spots pink dress immediately*. Ah...it comes in blue as well...

Boyf: Blue looks cheap. Pink is better.

Me: Ok, ok, ok... oh my god, it's £7! That's disgusting...

Boyf: The till is up there...

Me: *Wide eyed* The jewellery is £1 a piece or 7 pieces for £6... wow, this is very very mint (Susie Bubble language for 'It's so bad, it's cool...')...

Boyf: Pay!

Me: Wow... I haven't paid for a dress with cash in a while...

Boyf: Let's get out through the back door.

*We leave through the suspicous looking side door at the back*

Boyf: I think I could smell 'cheap' back there...

Me: I feel really really dirty... let's go to Beard Papa's and stuff ourselves with cream puffs just to go completely mental...

(Yes, I am REALLY rinsing the new Pierre Hardy x Louise Goldin ankle boots...)

It's My Birthday and I'll Have a Unibrow If I Want To

Today I'm hard at work preparing for my 1982 Junior-Senior Prom (theme: Hollywood Nights) Birthday Party Bonanza. God willing, in approximately seven hours, I will look exactly like this:

Wish me luck. Pictures to follow.

p.s. Have you guys seen the breathtaking gloriousness that is the Safety Dance music video? Definitely waste part of your Friday checking it out, if you haven't:



p.p.s.s. Wendy Brandes, your post today was scarily prescient...Did you hack my email, you saucy minx?