Antique Boutique

My boyfriend, Jonathan, is a pro at antiquing (v. to shop for or collect antiques). During one of his recent adventures, he acquired someone's old jewelry box filled with fashion jewelry. Being the kind soul that he is, he handed the box over to me to see what I could make out of it. I introduce to you now, my new collection I like to call Antique Boutique. Made from both vintage and new materials, the pieces in this collection are still one of a kind but now have a little bit of someone else's history attached. Like the example picture above, I took a gold plated charm bracelet that featured charms representing the previous owner's children and made it into a whimsical charm bracelet, adorned with new charms. Now I am on my own mission, with Jonathan's help, to scour the New York area for vintage finds so that I can add to this new collection. This is really exciting!

To check out the current pieces available for purchase in the Antique Boutique Collection, click here.

Joan's Jewelry Box

In August 2005, I had the worst day of my life thus far. My mom, Joan, passed away suddenly. It's been a long road to get to where I am today, and I'm now at a point where I want to celebrate my mom's memory.

AN IDEA IS BORN
My mother had an extensive collection of jewelry. In going through her box of costume jewelry, two things dawned on me. First, as much as I hate to admit it, I wouldn't wear any of the pieces. They are beautiful but not exactly my style. Then, it dawned on me that I could make some really unique pieces out of my mom's old jewelry. Thus the idea of Joan's Jewelry Box was created!

THE COLLECTION
I have created a Limited Edition collection featuring bits and pieces of my mom's jewelry into one of a kind Violet and Blue pieces. Some of the designs can be purchased on the Violet and Blue shop on Etsy. Others will be transformed into custom designs. This collection is only available until December 31, 2009. Order your items now!

SPECIAL MEANING, SPECIAL CAUSE
Part of the proceeds from the sales from the Joan's Jewelry Box collection will be donated to the PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation. My mom suffered from PKD for the last several years of her life. A month after she passed away, I participated in the PKD Foundation's Annual Walk for PKD, their signature fundraising event. My team, Joan's Butterflies, was the second place fundraising team in the adult division. Nothing would make me happier than to make another donation to this wonderful Foundation. To learn about the PKD Foundation's mission and find out about their upcoming events, click here.

"I Love Rock and Roll"

Do I ever?! While I like many genres of music, Rock and Roll is my favorite. When I used to daydream about being a rock star I used to envision myself as a sort of Joan Jett kind of rock star. Tough chick, strong lyrics and great stage presence. Not to mention looking absolutely amazing in black leather pants. These earrings are my Ode to Joan Jett.