STAYCATION FUN JEWELRY

Ugh…. I am staying at home and working through the summer. Here’s what I wear to go from a business look to the beachy fun feeling of casual jewelry:

1. Flashy, funky costume jewelry
2. Replace white diamond pendants and white pearl strands with necklaces set with colorful semi-precious gemstones, like Sleeping Beauty turquoise.
3. Wear pastel-colored freshwater pearls in irregular, baroque shapes;
4. Slip on a necklace set with tiny rough cut colored diamond beads for a  hot trendy look;
5. Wear seashell jewelry of any variety not just mother of pearl for the quickest way to accessorize summer clothing’s lighter colors;
6. Change from a serious watch to a  sports watch with a white ceramic or plastic band;
7. Sport a shady cool green jade bead bracelet with a wood bangle
8. Look so cool in white hot, glistening Italian silver;
9. Wear unique fine jewelry with quirky, whimsical designs to automatically generate a fun summer attitude; and,
10. CHEAP fashion jewelry never, ever fails to satisfy me.

 Boutique jewelry is always distinctive but it’s expensive. You can get great buys on hot new trends of  handcrafted jewelry from your local artisans at art and crafts fairs.

Or, if you are going on a real vacation, check-out artisan jewelry at open air markets at your  vacation spot.

Do you have more tips for finding casual jewelry styles for summer???  I'd love to read them.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

ITALIAN ICE SUMMER JEWELRY

Senator Nancy Pelosi was coolly refreshing-looking today wearing her rough-cut chunky aquamarine bead necklace for a casual jewelry look. In fact, I am sure she was chilled cold as ice: Literally!

Aquamarine beads are some of the coldest feeling gemstones I have ever touched: They feel like auto coolant for your skin.

The Democratic Senate Minority Leader accessorized her baby blue colored aquamarine beads with earrings designed with gold and white mother of pearl inlayed onto small conch shells.  Her jewelry perfectly blended with her cream blazer for a soft power look.

Senator Pelosi’s switch from one of her many trademark strands of majestic Tahitian and South Sea pearl necklaces (AAA grade) for the season reminded me to switch my own jewelry style for summer sun and beach fun.

I especially favor cooling blue water and sand colored tones of summer jewelry.

Here are some casual jewelry style ideas:

1. White Hawaiian Puka Shell Anklet
2. Multi-color, inlayed semi-precious gemstone Native American Southwestern bracelets
3. Turquoise earrings
4. Dominican blue amber necklace
5. Waterproof sports watch with a plastic watchband in your favorite color
6. Modern Mexican Taxco sterling jewelry with whimsical designs
7. Artful Bali silver or other ethnic jewelry
8. Any CHEAP colorful fashion or semi-precious gemstone that's a hot trend

Casual jewelry styles won’t weight you down with carats or a too serious attitude, whether you are having fun snorkeling off of your favorite Caribbean Beach, sightseeing in the Grand Canyon or hiking through Yellowstone National Park.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

LUXE LOOKING SOLID PERFUMES

Solid perfumes in jeweled compacts are the perfect “underwhelming” fragrance choice for me in the summertime.

I sparingly apply a speck of solid perfume, then re-apply a little more as needed so that I never risk an over-applied scent overheating the noses around me. 

Here are some solid fragrances for you to consider...

Contemporary Solid Fragrances:

Beyonce Heat

Mark Jacob Daisy

Vera Wang

Collectible Classic Solid Perfumes

Joy by Jean Patou

Estee Lauder Perfumes

Avon Rose

24 Faubourg by Hermes

Fabulously Exotic Perfume

Mukhalat Malaki by Swiss Arabian Perfumes

Solid perfumes are easy to carry, easy on the eyes and generally, a little easier on the nose.

Bejeweled cases are pretty on top of my dresser.  I like the luxe, sumptuous feeling I get when I glance at an ornate solid perfume compact inside of my crystal beaded evening bag.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

MRS. EASTWOOD’S BLUES: EDDIE AND TYLER

In this week’s episode Overtone masked behind-the-scene woes with smooth Zulu singing and synchronized stepping dances at a concert performance. Dina dressed-up with layered gold jewelry for the concert despite the woes with Overtone and her daughter's boyfriend.

Overtone singer Eddie slashed at his wrists.

Francesca Eastwood’s boyfriend Tyler divulged that he “…didn’t go to high school.”

HEART OF GOLD STYLE

At the concert, Dina appeared to be wearing shoulder-duster gold fringe earrings.

She also donned a wide, waist length woven gold bead necklace reminiscent of beaded belt jewelry made by South African women. This was layered with a smaller pendant on a gold chain.

STERLING SILVER LINING

In another scene, at dinner Dina got emotional support from her brother Dominic. Dina wore large silver hoop earrings along with a long silver ring on her forefinger.

He had stepped-in to mediate heightening tensions between Dina and Tyler. Dominic stepped into the conflict after Dina attempted communicating with text messages to teenager Francesca about her boyfriend’s behavior.

Dina was sans jewelry when she, Dominic, Francesca and Tyler all met together at the beach to resolve their differences.  Apologies flowed freely.

Francesca Eastwood seemed emotionally overwhelmed throughout the "Mrs. Eastwood Doubts Tyler" episode and she didn’t wear any new visible jewelry.

Daughter Morgan Eastwood wore a necklace with small whimsical figures as she listened and observed the scenes.

DESIGNER JEWELRY

In one narration spot, Dina appeared demure in thin but long silver hoops and a small pendant hung on red silk cord. Another spot featured Dina wearing Peruvian style earrings: long and wide crescent shaped silver stampato with orange coral bead drops.

Dina Eastwood wears distinctive fine jewelry and a wide range of  artisan crafted earrings, pendants and bracelets.

Native American Zuni jewelry artisan Colin Coonis has designed and handcrafted jewelry for Dina Eastwood according to numerous news reports.

BLUE

Later in the episode, after Overtone’s Eddie slashed at his wrists, Dina herself stepped in to get psychological help for Eddie. He has been in emotional distress throughout the series.

Interestingly, at the psychologist’s office, Eddie wore a carved jade Maori koru pendant which symbolizes positive personal growth.

Dina appeared cheerful in a bright saffron yellow top with Eddie at the doctor’s office. She accessorized the sunny top with southwestern style jewelry including small inlayed turquoise earrings and a blue lapis or sodalite bead bracelet layered with a leather bracelet holding a large turquoise cabochon.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time …

DON’T VIOLATE THESE JEWELRY TRAVEL RULES

Ok I admit it! I violated the number 1 rule for traveling with gold, silver and gemstone fine jewelry.

Rule number 1 for taking your precious, irreplaceable fine jewelry along with you while traveling is:  DON’T carry precious, irreplaceable jewelry while traveling.

I decided to wear my large white gold hoop earrings with dangling diamond charms to our family reunion vacation in the Wisconsin Dells.  These earrings are special because I designed and crafted them from some other earrings I didn’t like.

 I really wanted to look stylish in front of my mother’s 9 sisters and trendy to all my hot younger cousins.

JEWELRY TRAVEL CASE SAGA

While packing for the Wisconsin trip, I also made the decision to violate rule number 2 for traveling with jewelry:  I switched to a flimsy jewelry travel case that was a freebie instead using of my normal travel case.  Rule number 2:  Carry a fully closable travel case designed with secure interior holders for your jewelry.

One of my gold hoop earrings slipped off of the case’s tab, and then the diamond charm fell completely out, luckily into my purse. The case only had a ribbon tie closure.

 I had figured that the flimsy case would fit easier into my purse.

I located the hoop earring right away once I got home, but it took an extensive search throughout my purse to find the charm which had fallen into the pages of a date book.

MUDDY GEM PROSPECTING IN WISCONSIN

Once in Wisconsin, I also happened to violate Rule 3:  Don’t buy major gemstone jewelry while traveling.  Well, I only partially violated this rule.  I “bought” some gemstones for $15.  Actually, I bought a bucket of North Carolina sand containing rough gemstones to prospect at Dells Mining.

MY ROUGH GEMSTONES FINDS:  

1 aquamarine walnut-sized

1 rose quartz pecan-sized

4 marble-sized emeralds,
1 very small ruby 

3 acorn-sized blue sapphires, 

2 pebble-sized garnets,

½ dozen amethyst chips and pebble-sized white topaz.

 Note:  This bucket of sand was not spiked with cut and polished stones like some of the higher priced buckets.

I had some wet, muddy fun “prospecting” and I was elated and overjoyed to find the rough gemstones.  But my elation was quickly deflated when I was told that it would cost up to $18 per carat to cut and polish the pretty rocks into gem quality stones.

I really wasn’t sure if this was a good deal.

Hmmm... I really considered getting the emeralds cut and polished.  But I hadn’t budgeted that type of spending money for the reunion.

Maybe I will next time.

And next time, I won’t violate the rules for traveling with jewelry.

MORE RULES FOR TRAVELING WITH JEWELRY

See my previous post from April 2012 with other rules for traveling with jewelry. You can’t have fine jewelry style if your gold and gemstone jewelry is lost or stolen.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next time…

MRS. EASTWOOD’S STARE DOWN

As if running out of toilet paper and paper towels at her Maui vacation home weren’t stressful enough for Dina, Francesca Eastwood’s boyfriend Tyler dropped the stunning revelation that he can’t smell anything.

Hmmm….

STAMPATO STERLING SILVER

Well at least Dina Eastwood’s jewelry style added a pleasant sensory distraction.

Huge, humongous stampato silver crescent moon dangle earrings with coral colored beads were the clear showstoppers.

Dina wore these earrings in a narration spot. The earrings are vaguely similar to indigenous Peruvian style long silver earrings but they could be Mexican Taxco because of the stampato crescent design.

Hopefully, I can get a clearer view of these earrings in upcoming episodes.  I guess this is the incentive I need to get TIVO.

HANDCRAFTED JEWELRY STYLE

There was a clearer camera shot of the knuckle to knuckle ring Dina wears on the forefinger of her right hand.  The ring is artisan crafted, hammered gold, with 3 ruby red gemstones in bezel settings.

At poolside with the Overtone singing group, Dina wore simple silver hoops and a triple set of Southwestern style bangle bracelets with one holding a large turquoise cabochon.

ON AN ANGEL’S WINGS

At dinner, Dina wore long angel wing earrings, along with a slim white metal bangle holding a large carat solitaire diamond or crystal gemstone.

Angel wing earrings for women and pendants for men are hot new jewelry style trends right now.  On my own vacation,  I spotted a young guy wearing a large angel wing pendant in oxidized, blackened silver.

Dina’s earring jewelry style trends toward larger pieces which are much more visible under her long, thick hair.

Colin Coonis, a Native American artist has designed jewelry for Dina Eastwood per news reports.

FRANCESCA AND MORGAN

Francesca Eastwood wore a stunning high polish, slim yellow gold bangle in one scene from the episode.  In a narration spot, she flashed a large gold turquoise statement ring.

Morgan Eastwood generally sported the minimalist jewelry trend. 

This minimalist jewelry trend deserves closer attention because I have noticed many other teens and young women who wear very little visible jewelry.  I’m talking no visible costume or fine jewelry.

DINA AND TYLER STARE DOWN

This episode’s plot revolved around the ongoing and heightening tensions between Dina and Tyler.

In the reality show’s fifth episode, Tyler confided that he no longer has a sense of smell. He said this while explaining why he attempted to give first aid to a young friend of Morgan Eastwood, who had suffered a bloody nose in a swimming accident.

Dina countered that she was legally responsible for all the teens that came on the vacation trip and she couldn’t take the chance of Tyler giving inadequate medical assistance to a minor.

 “I’m not rolling with that” she said with a dead serious glare.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash until next week…

HILARIOUS MRS. EASTWOOD AND COMPANY - MAUI

What a comical “Lucy and Ethel”* beginning of the 3^rd episode with Dina Eastwood and housekeeper Lisa Thrash doing a touch up of Dina’s hair color. Very funny!

Dina maintains her own hair color?! No wonder her hair looks so healthy.

This episode was about the family’s vacation in Maui, Hawaii.  The boy band, Overtone, traveled along too.

RUBIES, SAPPHIRES, TOURMALINES

In Hawaii, Dina wore long, almost shoulder duster, dangle earrings with red and pink gemstones. 

On the one hand, the gemstones appeared to be red rubies with soft pink sapphires dangling on gold chains. Or, could the gemstones have been bubblegum pink tourmalines paired with baby pink tourmalines?

 I figure the earrings are probably ruby and sapphire because the colors are so pure.

GOLD WORK

Earlier in the show, Dina wore a large gold medallion with a modernistic floral, openwork design.  This was layered with a waist length gold chain.  The gold jewelry was dramatically set-off by her simple black top.

BLACK DIAMONDS

In the limo driving to the airport, Dina looked very elegant in a necklace strung with black diamond beads. The necklace was paired with a white diamond slider pendant.

There were other jewelry designs shown in this episode, but the camera shots were too fleeting for me to  properly view them.

UPDATE ON THE TURQUOISE PENDANT

Each time while explaining the scenes, Dina once again wore a large turquoise pendant hanging on green fabric necklace.

 In a previous post, I reported that the turquoise was set in a swirl pattern sterling silver design. In this episode, the turquoise was set in gold with a leaf design vaguely similar to the Black Hills Gold brand. The gemstone specimen also appeared to be more symmetrical in the 3rd episode.

I have to confess that I didn’t switch to the HD channel when  I watched the first episode.  So it’s entirely possible that the gold leaves were there all the time, but I just hadn’t viewed them properly. 

On the other hand, could Dina own two similar but different vintage-looking turquoise pendants, one in sterling silver and another set in gold with a leaf design?

Colin Coonis, a Native American artist has designed jewelry for Dina Eastwood per news reports.

 FRANCESCA AND MORGAN

Both Francesca and Morgan Eastwood trended toward the minimalist jewelry style look, wearing discreet necklaces but no earrings.

PLOT

Plot elements on this episode involved the family and the band each confronting serious questions about unmarried young people sharing a bedroom.

OVERTONE'S ERNIE BATES

Oh…. I almost forgot to write about the beautiful and shocking adornment on Overtone band member Ernie Bates:  His African continent tattoo drawn in an outline style.  Indeed, South Africans have come a long way.

*Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance performed as Lucy and Ethel on the “I Love Lucy” comedy television show.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash

BELIEVE IT! BLUE JADE!

My blue jade gemstone is the color of the open sky on sub-zero degree winter days in Chicago. The gemstone is icy blue, beautifully and serenely colored.

OLMEC JADE FIGURINES

Amazingly, it was recently mined in the Western Hemisphere, in Guatemala and not in the Far East.

This gemstone was first mined nearly 3 millennia ago by people from the ancient Central American kingdom of Olmec:  Apparently they revered the stuff and made figurines and beads out of blue jade as well as other color varieties of the gemstone.

Here’s a link to the 2002 New York Times article in which I first read about blue jade.

This article is the stuff of an “Indiana Jones” saga.  Luckily, I acquired a blue jade ring because it rare to see it for sale anywhere. The ring intensely invokes serene and positive feelings.

GREEN JADE

Don’t get me wrong. I love green jade, it speaks power to me.  Whenever I need the feeling of a Wonder Woman cuff, I put on my green jade bangle. It’s a light tint of green, and not the expensive evergreen color that’s an exact match to the color of Chicago’s street signs.

But for a very provocative reaction, I put on my multi-color jade necklace strung with yellow, white, black, orange and green beads. I just bought it online last year for less than $40.  This necklace style was popular in the 1970s.   I could not afford the necklace in the 70s, when it was much higher priced than my recent $40 find at an online store.

JADE DYE TREATMENTS

For me, the primary price factor is “dyed vs. undyed”.  Most jade that I have seen for sale in stores and at gemstone shows is dyed, some with very high prices. I presume that most of the jade sold online is also dyed.  At this point, a trusted seller is my only recourse to find good quality gemstone material so I won’t pay too much for dyed jade.

If you prefer translucent, mostly uncolored jade, there is the very luxurious “glass” variety that occasionally comes up for auction in Hong Kong.

But no matter the color or treatment, jade jewelry just invokes intense feelings in me unlike most other gemstones.

Pat Thomas for Jewelrystash

Resources: “In Guatemala, a Rhode Island-size Jade Lode”. New York Times May 22, 2002. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/22/world/in-guatemala-a-rhode-island-size-jade-lode.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm