Fashionable Browns and What's New This Week

Brown and Animal Prints are Very In Style Right Now, Why Not Try it Yourself? Here's How!

This week I've got some great things for you on the blog, but first I'm going to start something that I've wanted to do for a while - style posts. I love fashion (I do make jewelry after all, so I suppose it's to be expected!). Sure, I may wear yoga pants and t-shirts at home when I'm running around like an idiot, but when I have any excuse, I like to dress nicely. I pour over fashion magazines, stalk the stylish online stores, and think of how the latest trends match with my (pretty conservative-classic) style.

Now I really want to share with you some ideas for how to wear the current trends, how to style jewelry with them, how to match trends with safe-for-work-wear, and how to go from day-to-night in a jiffy. And please give me your feedback on what you want to see and any questions you have!

See that pin board up there? These are a few trends that are very apparent now, but are still classic enough to wear for years. Recently, the Duchess of Cambridge was seen wearing a beautiful brown and tan shirt-dress style that has everyone talking up a storm (in a very good way!). Of course, hers was printed with birds, and was well tailored and probably cost a fortune, but there is no reason that "the rest of us" can't look just as good at a quarter of the price! Now, first-off, one of the biggest keys to looking good is tailoring. No one has the same measurements for every off-the-rack garment. Take an item of clothing, from jeans to an expensive dress, have it tailored or hemmed (anywhere from $10-$200, depending on what you need done) and see how magically your wardrobe is transformed from nice to WOW! Keep that in mind when trying on items. If it is a little loose in one area, take it to a tailor and get it fixed. You'll look and feel like a million bucks :)

Back to fashion! Browns and animal prints are very in style right now. Though I am not normally an animal print person, this dress "Tucker Slim Fit Shirt Dress" from Bloomingdale's (http://www.bloomingdales.com/) is very nice. The animal print isn't too wild and bold, so you could easily wear this to work with a few modifications and still look professional. The key is to not tie the waist tie too tightly, and not have the buttons all undone. Maybe one at most, should be undone, to show a very nice necklace underneath, or have it on top of your dress (see below for necklace ideas). For day time office-wear, perhaps add a dark, single color cardigan, and put your hair in a simple bun. To finish, do a simple berry lip, and understated eyes. Accent either eyes or lips, not both (you'll look like a clown, not the best thing when wanting a raise!). For night, let your hair down, maybe unbutton just 2 buttons, and put just a bit more lipstick on. You want to darken your makeup a bit more, but not too much (we ARE ladies after all, and want to look feminine and still respectable!)

Catherine was also seen wearing booties similar to the ones on the pin board as well, though these probably aren't the same. These "Brown Lumiati Maddy Booties" are considerably more affordable, and yet very stylish, from 6PM.com (http://www.6pm.com/). She also paired the outfit with dark brown opaque tights, which is perfect for those of us still knee-deep in snow (don't worry, I'm hoping the snow will disappear soon too!). If you're looking for something a little lighter, go for nude hose. BUT ALWAYS WEAR SOME SORT OF HOSIERY! Nothing screams "Unprofessional!" like nekkid legs. Seriously. Don't do it! For the office, I'd probably go with brown flats (save your feet for the killer heels when you go out later that night!)

To add your own personal style, add some pretty, yet not too flashy jewelry. The Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Necklace (http://www.etsy.com/listing/91033798/cleopatras-blue-goddess-necklace) is displaying some of the most popular trends right now - turquoise, gold, blue, green, amber, and multiple strands, to name a few. It is demur enough for the office, yet will easily transition to night. Pair it with the matching Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Bracelet (http://www.etsy.com/listing/93540180/cleopatras-blue-goddess-bracelet) and you have a surefire win in your hands. You'll look put-together, polished and professional, while not looking like another cookie-cutter office zombie.

What do you think? What is your style?

Coming up this week: Tuesday has new earrings you won't want to miss, on Wednesday Arwen gets serious about doggy health, Thursday shows a beautiful Treasury of Etsy items to usher in spring, there will be a fantastic feature on Friday of a very talented photographer, and another seriously cute Saturday Squee animal to start your weekend off right.

See you tomorrow!

Tuesday's Treasures: New Bracelets!

Summer Seduction Bracelet 5-Pack

As promised, I've got some beautiful new bracelets to show you today. Sorry for the late post...I seem to have lost track of time!
The first photo shows a beautiful multi-pack of bracelets, the first time I've bundled bracelets together like this, to give you a great value and lots of wardrobe choices.
I made 5 different bracelets on the same theme - summery, shiny, feminine - and made them so that they co-ordinate well together, but can also be worn apart if you just want a little glam. See my Etsy store here for details: http://www.etsy.com/listing/93557147/summer-seduction-5-pack-multicolored

Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Bracelet

This second bracelet I made to match my Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Necklace (found here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/91033798/cleopatras-blue-goddess-necklace). I made this bracelet with the same black beads as in the necklace, but I wound them on memory wire so that it will fit a variety of wrists. For more info, see the listing here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/93540180/cleopatras-blue-goddess-bracelet?ref=v1_other_2
These are some really great bracelets, made more awesome by the fact that, as they are on memory wire, they adjust to fit almost any wrist size...which makes them perfect for gift giving!
See you tomorrow,

Tuesdays Treasures: Cleopatra's Fire and Sand Necklace

Cleopatra's Fire and Sand Necklace

So I completely forgot that yesterday was Valentine's Day (belated happy Valentine's Day, btw), and forgot that I had my whole day scheduled around making Valentine's day great for the husband. He takes great care of me, so I like to make at least one day all about him :)

As such, I didn't post this necklace yesterday, when I should have, and I'm sorry. Without further adieu, therefore, here is the necklace you've been waiting for!

This incredible pendant necklace comes from Cleopatra's story. Inspired by history (the Egyptians were known for their multi-pendant beaded necklaces), this will be the perfect addition to your wardrobe. Wear this with your jeans or a sexy dress, and see how this powerful statement necklace changes your outfit from nice to fantastic in a heartbeat!

I imagine Cleopatra as a strong woman, after ruling Egypt for years, meeting and falling in love with Marc Antony. After having his twins, I can see her having something like this necklace made to treat herself. With its large focal beads, and smooth, deep red carnelian beads, this would have appealed to her as a powerful statement piece. 

The necklace as it drapes when worn

Using three large Autumn Stone beads, carnelian stone beads, silver-lined gold Czech glass beads, black glass seed beads and 14karat gold filled findings, I finished the piece with a handcrafted "S" hook clasp. 14 karat gold filled Wire Guardians are used on all strand connections for extra durability and a stylish look.

This incredible One-Of-A-Kind necklace is now available in my Etsy store. Get it while you can, this one is so beautiful, you really should treat yourself! http://www.etsy.com/listing/93027010/cleopatras-fire-and-sand-carnelian

Monday Mix: Random Acts of Kindness Week

My First Polymer Clay Sculptures - Not Perfect, but I'm Happy :)

 Good Monday morning on this, the first day of Random Acts of Kindness Week! I've got a great week in store for you all, so I hope you've buckled your seat belts. With this week being Random Acts of Kindness Week, I will aim to do one random nice thing each day. Today: Maybe we can send our special someone a couple of nice, short emails along the lines of:

You are awesome! 

I love waking up next to you :) 

You look great today!

Keeping them short and sweet makes sure they aren't bogged down reading lengthy emails when they should be working, but allows them to take 2 minutes to stop and smile :)

Before I get to this week's events, I'd like to share a milestone: yesterday, the Facebook page for Little Studio Jewellery by Meghann Lynch, reached 100 followers! The followers on that page have been given a little treat, so, if you want in on a pretty sweet deal, visit & LIKE the Facebook page and start saving. It's a limited time offer, so hurry on over and get yours today. The link is down and to the right on this blog --->

Tuesdays I like to unveil new pieces of jewelry, or show you pieces that I've rephotographed or redesigned. Tomorrow will be a grand unveiling of a totally new necklace inspired by Cleopatra's later life. Make sure you check back tomorrow for that! It is rich and luxurious, perfect for work or a night out.

Because, Really, Everyone Loves Seeing a Wiener Dog From the Side

This Wednesday, Arwen the Wonder Dog wants to show you her napping spots. She's been getting me to take her photo in her most favorite places, so get ready for some cuteness there :)

Thursdays are Treasury days, and though I haven't made that one yet, be prepared for a collection of beautiful handmade items from my fellow Etsy sellers. Any ideas on a theme? Let me know in the comments below and I'll do what I can...

This Friday will feature another great artist, Badgereels. You must stop by on Friday to see her work, it is really pretty (or manly, depending on the item) and functional, guaranteed to add a little whimsy to your workday :)

Finally, regarding the photos on the blog today: I've finally started playing with the polymer clay I bought almost 5 years ago. Amazingly, it's still very soft, so that was a relief (at $5 a small brick, I would have been seriously miffed to find it all dried)! While I'm sure I need another hobby like I need a hole in the head, I really loved making little sculptures throughout my childhood (though, thankfully, none have survived), and thought that this would be a bit of fun on my Sunday afternoons, when I try very hard not to do any business or work of any sort. The last few weeks I've white knuckled it. While normally reading or video games would help, it has been really hard to get away from the laptop, and so I knew I needed a stronger, totally absorbing distraction. Enter polymer clay, or "smooshing" as the experts call it (I am NOT an expert, but I like the sound of that word, so I might have to purloin it).

Inspired by My Own Playful Puppy, This Was My Second Ever Polymer Clay Sculpture

I have to say, I had an absolute blast! No pressure to make things to sell, no pressure to be perfect the first time (well, okay, I did have a bit of self imposed pressure, to be honest), and no pressure to be on a deadline. I spent a marvelous 2 hours conditioning, playing, pinching, sculpting and baking my first 3 little sculptures. I learned quite a bit; 1. blue clay under your nails is very hard to get out if it dries even the tiniest bit, and looks like you have cyanide poisoning; 2. I need armature to make the dogs' legs sturdier; 3. my cheapo, $20 toaster oven bought especially for baking clay is bang-on temperature wise (thank you, Black-&-Decker!), 4. I don't need to worry that polymer clay will spontaneously self-combust (I watched the oven like a hawk, biting my nails and occasionally throwing looks at the fire extinguisher "just in case"); 5. I LOVE POLYMER CLAY! I've already started adding polymer clay how-to books to my Amazon wish list (now 661 items strong - gotta love Amazon!), and woke up at 3AM this morning thinking of other things to make next week. I strongly recommend trying polymer clay "smooshing" if you haven't already. It is tons of fun!

Keep checking the blog this week to discover everything that's going on, and check back next Monday to see what else I was able to make with my new polymer clay hobby :)

Tuesday's Treasures: Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Necklace

Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Necklace

Today is such a treat, I've been waiting to unveil this little beauty for over 2 weeks! This is the newest necklace for my NeoAmour designer collection. It is inspired by the enigmatic Cleopatra, ruler of ancient Egypt. The Egyptians are very well known for their beautiful ancient jewelry - many pieces are found to have multiple strands, along with talismans and decorative pendants (seems they were quite ahead of the times in more than just architecture). Jewelry is depicted on many of the ancient tombs. It was a symbol of power, wealth and standing, and Cleopatra's jewelry would have been no different.

This necklace started out with this dramatic and unique focal bead, purchased from Louise of Fireseed (http://www.fireseed.etsy.com). She makes the most amazing beads, and I usually have a hard time sticking to a set spending limit (but it is ALWAYS worth going over budget to get her beads!!). I saw this incredible goddess bead over a year ago and fell in love with it, though I didn't quite know what to do with it until chance brought a few bags of stone beads and the pendant bead all in the same place at the same time. 

I started doing inventory in December (I still haven't finished, don't remind me, haha!), and as I pulled out a few bags of beads to count, they spilled into each other. I was about to curse when I took a second look and, well, Eureka! is the word that comes to mind now. A vibrant mix of turquoise, amber, lapis lazuli (Cleopatra used to grind up lapis lazuli to use as her eye makeup!), black Czech glass beads and brass-plated pewter findings all came together to create this 3-strand masterpiece.

I had been reading a brief history of Cleopatra and was thinking how brave she must have been to have accomplished everything she did. I wanted to make a necklace that would show her love of her country, her bravery, yet also show her vulnerable side. These beads spoke to me and said, "Make us into something Cleopatra would have loved..."

Cleopatra's history is long and the accounts vary depending on who does the telling - many were simply trying to discredit her for their own ends, as was (and is) common. Many said that she was an evil seductress. More likely is that she was a powerful, intelligent woman trying to find a powerful, intelligent man to help her stabilize her rule in a very unstable time.

Cleopatra's Blue Goddess Necklace

The goddess has always been a symbol of femininity and fertility, and I thought that this would be a perfect fit in a necklace for a young Cleopatra. By the time she was eighteen, she had witnessed her two sisters assassinations (they had each tried to take the throne from their father), her father's death, the decline of the Egyptian empire into perilous debt to Rome (thanks to her father) and had been forced to marry her own 12 year old brother. When Caesar came to Egypt to try to sort out Egypt's problems, I can see Cleopatra wearing a necklace like this to symbolize her fertility and womanhood. At that time, one of the only ways to stay safe on her throne would be to have outside help, and a strong man like Caesar would have been just the person to help her (he did, and she had his son, Cesarion).

This is a one of a kind necklace. I can never get the exact same goddess bead again, so if you like this necklace, please get it while you can.

This necklace is now available for sale on my Etsy site: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleStudioJewels?ref=si_shop. Please take a look and get it while you can. I may have enough beads to make a matching necklace or earrings, please contact me if you are interested.

Project Sneak Peeks!

I thought I'd give you a sneaky peek at tomorrow's posting - I've been very inspired by Cleopatra lately and have created two beautiful necklaces, each inspired by a different time in her life. One of these babies will be featured tomorrow, once I get it properly photographed and listed on my Etsy store. I've been working really, really hard on rephotographing and styling my jewelry, as for Christmas my whole family chipped in and got me a macro lens. Now I can get up close and personal and have everything in focus, huzzah! It has meant many hours (so far) of bending over, crimping one eye shut (I swear I'm getting lopsided wrinkles from squinting through my camera with one eye), and taking hundreds upon hundreds of photos, trying to get "the one". I am going to photograph my new Cleopatra necklaces today and post one of them tomorrow.
For now though, you'll have to make due with portions of these two, badly lit and selectively cropped to whet your appetite.
I've also been thinking of posting DIY tutorials every once in a while - is there anything you'd like to learn from me? Recipes? Jewelry-making techniques? Tools and tips of the trade? Let me know, I'd love to share some of my DIY things with you :)

Monday's Methods: Getting Inspired

Sometimes we get in a rut. We want to create something, but we don't know what, or how, or why. In this case, I find my inspiration from many things. One of my favorite ways to be inspired is to look to the past. Above is a painting of Queen Victoria. She was an amazing woman, headed England and helped it to (once again) become a super power during the industrial revolution. She was also a devoted wife, loving her husband so much that when he died, she mourned for the rest of her (considerable) years.
Marie Antoinette is one of the most misunderstood women in history. Believed by many to have been a wanton spender, philanderer and generally bad woman, she was none of those things (okay, she spent, but when she tried to curtail it, she was railed at by the makers of her fine things, and told that she needed to spend the amounts befitting the Queen of France!). Beautiful, kind, and quite out of her depth at being a queen, she did the best she could, always persevering. After her death, the people realized what a mistake they had made, but the damage had already been done: she had been executed by guillotine. She went to her death still as proud and upright as always, and her courage (and handsome tastes!) are to be admired.
Queen Elizabeth 1, daughter of Henry VIII, had a tumultuous upbringing, always afraid for her life, afraid of her unstable father. She rose to power after the death of half sister Mary Tudor, and raised England from near destitution to its former glory and beyond. Each successive portrait shows her in larger and larger gems, and it was said that people would flock to walk behind her as the giant pearls and gems that were often sewn onto her dresses would fall to the ground, only to be picked up by whomever happened to be near her at the time (and kept by those people!). Her dignity and strength are legendary.
Cleopatra was one of the most beautiful women in Egypt. She ruled when women were not supposed to. She used her formidable intelligence to win conflicts, and the hearts of her subjects.
Boudicca was a Celtic warrior queen. When her husband died, the Romans informed her that she was not queen, her lands were not hers, and she, her daughters and people were going to submit to Rome (ie. become slaves) whether they wanted to or not. She was publicly beaten, and watched her daughters raped by Romans. Her strength was seriously underestimated! She went on a crusade to free her people and reclaim her land. She led a few bloody battles (winning, I might add, against all odds), before disappearing into obscurity. Her determination and fortitude is simply astounding and inspirational, as are all of these women of history.

For them, I have created the NeoAmour (NewLove) collection. Inspired by them, in honor of them, I am creating pieces to keep their memories alive.

What inspires you?

Tuesday's Treasures: Cleopatra's Finished! And More Treasuries!

It's Here! It's Here! The Cleopatra Bangle Bracelet is finally here and finished! It took over ten hours and 3000 teeny, tiny seed beads (each individually sewn into the next) but it is finished and FABULOUS! I used glass seed beads in shades of shiny dark lapis lazuli blue and golden amber to recapture the lost opulence of Cleopatra, once queen of Egypt.
This bracelet fits over hands with a circumference of 7-1/2 inches, and is now for sale on my Etsy store. This is ONE OF A KIND! I can't get these exact blue seed beads again so get it while you can. If you would like one in a different size, I can make a similar one for you, just contact me for details...
I also managed to get into 3 different treasuries, filled with other fabulous Etsy artists Click on the links to go and see more. Above is Handmade Holidays Part 2
The one above is Plurkers Unite, from one of my Plurk buddies (see my Plurk feed on the lower right of my blog for details).
This one is Festive Goodies, with more fabulous gift ideas.

Have a great Tuesday, see you tomorrow!