Alkemie

Alkemie jewelry is an LA based jewelry design company founded by husband and wife team  Dara Gerson & Ashley Lowengrub.  The Alkemie collection is forged from 100% reclaimed metals  and the leather used comes from sustainable cattle farms and is dyed with earth friendly dye.


Their designs themselves are also inspired by nature.  There are amazing cuffs and rings and so many great designs it's hard to really pick a favorite.


The thorn bangles ($99) look like they were picked fresh from a vine and wrapped into a cuff.  They would be great stacked in a group of 3 or 4.


Another favorite is the Monkey Ring ($154). I just love the design, but the symbolism is great too. In Hinduism the monkey and god Hanuman bestows longevity upon those who revere it.

Alkemie jewelry is available online, but I originally found it at a little shop in the Mission called Candy Store Collective which is at 3153 16th Street in San Francisco.

Tangled Up in Chains

Right now I'm craving a big bunch of tangled chains that I can pair with t-shirts and a boyfriend jacket. You can definitely seek out individual pieces to combine, but here's a few pieces that are already combined for you.

J. Crew

I love the new Fenton & Fallon line for J.Crew. The Carrington side drape necklace ($275) is an amazing tangle of crystals, brass and silver ox-plated steel chains. I like the mix of girly sparkle with more of a hard-edged rocker vibe.

Alice & Olivia

The Alice & Olivia Multi-chain Necklace ($155) is also really cool with a tangled mix of silver and gold-toned chains. What I like about this one is the variety of lengths of the various chains.

Savage Salvage

From Etsy seller Savage Salvage come some amazing recycled vintage tangled chain necklaces. I think my favorite in all of these is the Decay & Divination necklace ($108) made of vintage crucifixes. It's a bold statement, but I would totally wear this.

A little more low-key, but equally fabulous is the Sweetness Silver necklace ($85) with a tangle of chain, pearls and rhinestones.




Urban Outfitters

Not near as stunning or funky, but with a much better price tag, the Urban Outfitters Cascading Chain Knot necklace ($28) is a layered multi-chain necklace in two-toned metal.

Road Warrior

I am loving this black leather cuff by YMK for Castro ($274). Features slits all around interspersed with copper rings and a 2-strap buckle closure with a chain detail.


This cuff fits in nicely with my current post-apocolyptic clothing obsession--tough, yet still refined and pretty.

Bahama Collection from Red Sofa

I absolutely love the lastest collection from Montreal-based jewelry company Red Sofa. I am a huge fan of jewelry inspired by nature anyway. My problem now is narrowing down which piece I like the best!

The crab claw necklace ($85) is cast from a real crab claw found on a trip to the Caribbean. In sterling silver with a 22" chain. There are also crab claw cufflinks ($95) which would make a great Valentine's gift for that special guy.

The crab shell necklace ($90) is another great piece also cast from a real crab shell. What I like is that this piece has been oxidized for a half shiny, half matte look. This one comes on an 18” long chain. The crab shell is 1¾” across.

Finally, I love the new snake ring ($98) which is oxidized to really bring out the texture of the snake's body. I love the detail and the edginess of this ring. This may need to be a Valentine's treat for myself!

Check out all the designs at shop.gotoredsofa.com or on Etsy.com.

Southwestern Jewelry

Turquoise is my birthstone and I love big chunky jewelry so I was ecstatic to find this website with a treasure trove of vintage and new southwestern jewelry. Here's a few of my favorite pieces from the site or visit http://www.southwesternjewelry.net/ to see the full inventory of great pieces.

I love this contempory Navajo bracelet with a deep green Armenian turquoise stone ($850). An unusual color for turquoise with flecks of copper running through it. I like the dramatic simplicity of the silver setting.

This vintage Navajo concho was reshaped and set on a piece of saddle leather ($550) making it a blend of old and new. Has a buckle fastener so it can be adjusted to fit different size wrists.

This vintage coral and turquoise ring ($225) has a very modern and unusual setting. Looks like it could have been crafted by a contempory artist. Navajo made in size 7 1/2.

Gifts under $25

Given the current economic crisis, I've agreed with my family to keep our gift exchange under $25 this year. Believe it or not there is a lot you can do for $25 or less. Aside from the many items already on this blog for under $25, here's a few more suggestions. It's a little bit late, but if you get it on it right away there may still be enough time!

Jewelry

There's all kinds of great jewelry to be had for under $25. I love this rosewood bracelet ($20) from the Curiosity Shoppe. Made out of a single piece of thin rosewood veneer. Great for the earthy nature-lover on your list.

Or, for a little glitz theseBlu Bijoux star and moon rings ($26) with enamel and crystal look way more expensive than they are. Available from Max & Chloe. I can't decide which color I like best.

Make a wish! These Brazilian good luck bracelets ($5) will make your wish come true when they wear and fall off. They come from the mystical city of Bahia, Brazil and have been known to grant wishes for the past 200 years. They come in a several different colors all with a qoute in Portuguese that reads "In remembrance of our patron saint of good luck in life." Buy 5 in all different colors!

Keep Warm

These wool reindeer socks ($19) are festive and warm for the holidays. Knit in a wool, cashmere, angora blend, they are available in three colors from Sundance.

Plaid is so trendy right now. Keep warm and on trend with this soft acrylic scarf ($28) from Shopintuition.com.

Femme Fatale

I usually don't go for anything too overtly feminine, but every now and then a touch of the "girly" is a good thing. Here's a few finds I'm conveting right now that definitely veer more to the feminine side of things:

Jonquil Sky Dress

What I love about this kimono dress ($198) by Anna Sui for Anthropologie is that could be dressed up with heels for a holiday event, or dressed down with tights and boots for everyday wear. What's even better is that this color palette of bright orange and blue on creamy silk leds itself to Fall and will transition equally well to Spring. Feminine and slightly retro. This just may be my holiday dress this season.

Opera Length Pearls

I've wanted a strand of opera length pearls since the mid-eighties. That was when the movie "St. Elmo's Fire" came out and I think in one scene that's all that Ally Sheedy's character wears.

J. Crew has come out with a long strand of real freshwater pearls ($495). These are 7.5-8mm pearls on a 54" strand. They are still a little pricey so I probably won't buy these for myself, but if anyone out there wants to make me REALLY HAPPY...:-)

Silver Shoes

These silver Mary Janes with silk ribbon ties ($128) are much sweeter than shoes I would normally wear. However, I'm a sucker for all things sliver and love the shape of the slightly upturned toe. Available from Anthropologie.

Corset Rings

I love the look of a corset, but it's hard to fit them into everyday ware. Here's a more comfortable way to wear a corset everday with these great corset rings.

Sophie Gardner Jewelry

Sophie Gardner's jewelry draws from the design of ancient and modern worlds. This sterling silver "Synched" Corset Ring ($190.00) is sexy but still polished. Available from Auto. You can check out all of Sophie Gardner's jewelry on her website.

Spragwerks

Spragwerks makes a much more rugged and rustic version of the corset ring ($160). This oxidized silver version is hand forged. Also available in silver & gold and bright silver. Available at spragwerks.com.

Alexander Draven

This sterling silver corset ring from Alexander Draven is a bargain at only $50! Available from Exquisitecorpse.com.

Do Be, a "do bee"

Do you remember that show Romper Room? I loved the part of the show where they drew the name of a lucky kid that got to be the "do bee" of the day. The show would end with the line, "Do be a 'do-bee'.

My sister is found of the bee (has one tattoed on her hip), so I'm always on the lookout for interesting bee pieces she might like. Here's a few jewelry pieces I've found recently:

Pin

This is a great little Queen Bee lapel pin ($18) from Bell'Occhio.







Necklace

I absolutely love this silver Bee pendant ($100) from Kiss My Ring. Looks like an old seal or emblem.

Cuff


This Jessica Kagan Cushman resin cuff ($160) has a definite sense of humor. Available at shopbop.com.

Anchor's Away

I have to say that I do like the nautical look. I actually own a pair of authentic U.S. navy wool pants and have had a few different nautical items over the years. Here's a few pieces that have caught my eye in this theme lately.

Giles & Brother

These nautical oval Anchor Earrings in silver ($88) from Giles & Brother are just edgy enough not to be overly cute. Available from Blubeeonline.com.

Red, White & Blue

I like the way these red accessories pop in this simple nautical look from Ravinstyle. I've been eyeing these Korkease sandals ($185) for some time and love the red patent version. The Cammie Hill Patent Day Tote ($485) is also very cool although I probably wouldn't shell out the money for it.

Sailor Pants

I like these sailor inspired stretch jeans from Rich & Skinny ($298). Available at nordstrom.com.

All Laced Up

I especially love sailor pants that lace up the back (like the real ones).

I like these cream faille sailor pants from Marc Jacobs (on sale for $123 at nordstrom.com).

Diver Watch

I love this all black 51-30 diver watch from Nixon ($450). These watches are designed for surfers, snorkelers and serious outdoorsy people, but I just love the way they look. Waterproof to 300m, I would probably only wear it in the shower.

Swim with the Fishes

Psychedelic Koi

This koi t-shirt from Christian Audigier ($169) is a little bit more colorful and wild than stuff I usually wear, but love the design. Available at standardstyle.com.

Undercover Koi

Okay, so these cute blue and white koi briefs ($12) are technically for men, but I might just get them anyway. Available from urbanoutfitters.com.

Upscale Koi

This Silver & 10K Koi pendant ($585) from Me & Ro is spectacular, albeit expensive! The Golden Fishes symbolize happiness, fertility and plentitude; and is one of the 8 Tibetan symbols of Good Fortune. It originated as a symbol of the two main sacred rivers in India, the Yamuna and the Ganges.


Casual Koi

I get tons of compliments when I wear my navy and orange Koi Vans. I bought them in the little boys department, but luckily they were large enough to fit me. Looks like they are still available directly from Vans.com.


Koi Decor

I bought this koi doormat ($14.99) from CostPlus a couple months ago and am still loving it. It shed straw quite a bit when we first got it, but is holding up well after a few months of use.

Koi Art

I love this Mystical Fish photograph ($25) by Michelle Wyse available on Etsy.com. Etsy is a great source of art and jewelry in general. I need to dedicate a whole post to this site in the near future.

Spell it Out

Me & Ro

I love Me & Ro jewelry and there are a lot of great pieces with meaningful words or verses in their collection. I bought my mom this silver ring a couple years ago. It's inscribed with a Sanskrit verse from the Bhagavad Gita, symbolizing patience, truth, self-restraint, and tranquility.

The Me & Ro online store can be found here.

Kiss My Ring

Another amazing jewelry designer is Melissa Rallis with her store Kiss My Ring. I own so many of her pieces and she has a lot of designs that incorporate words or phrases into them.

One of her newer designs contains is a ring with an incription from an Emily Dikinson poem “...hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul.” . The silver version is ($100).


I also like her new “Ancora Imparo ” ring which means “I am still learning” which is a quote from Michaelangelo. The Silver version of this ring is ($120).



Declaration of Love

This ring from Sundance Catalog Company ($78) would be a great gift. Definitely a clear message and a great way to remember a loved one. I don't know about buying it for myself! "I Love You" is incribed twice so you can read it from any vantage point.

Your Message Here

For $75 you can have your own message engraved on a silver cuff from Amy Volchok. Available from Giving Tree Jewelry. The possibilities are endless as long as you can say it in 30 characters or less!

Pablo Valencia

I love the quote on this sterling silver ring by Pablo Valencia ($90) and even more so because it's in French. The inscription reads "Il faut vivre et non pas seulement exister" which translates to "one must live and not just exist". Available at Giving Tree Jewelry.

Jeanine Payer

Jeanine Payer's jewelry designs are known for the quotes she engraves on them. I'm not a huge fan of her stuff, but I do like this i.d. bracelet ($485) incribed with an Apache blessing, "May the sun bring you new energy by day, May the moon softly restore you by night, May the rain wash away your worries. May the breeze blow new strength into your being. May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life."

A little bit Rock 'n Roll

Nicholas K

I bought this sparkly gold & taupe sweater from Canvas in Mill Valley and I have worn it to death! It's great with a thin white t-shirt under it and you can wear the built in scarf in different ways. Easy to dress up or down this is my go-to piece for everything.

I love some of the other pieces in the Nicholas K summer line like this long sleeveless cardigan as well as the bronze sparkle hoody sweater.

Definitely a designer that I will be seeking out more.

Fluevog

A friend and colleague from work was showing me her motorcycle boots from John Fluevog.

Looking at their online store I saw these awesome lace-up boots . They are a little bit more flashy than my normal style, but I love them! Hildegard boots from John Fluevog ($485).

Giles & Brother

I love the slightly punk undertones of Giles & Brother jewelry. This tiny silver safety pin bracelet ($63) is still refined enough to wear to work.

I also like the spikey compass rose earrings in silver ($78). They look just a little bit dangerous.

Available at shopbop.com.