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Oxidized sterling silver colorblock torsade with antique Chinese turquoise, tiger's eye, carnelian and malachite

I've been collecting beads from around the world since 1973. Sometimes inspiration is as simple as a color story and rummaging through dozens of clear boxes and drawers filled with thousands of semi-precious stone beads in every color, size and cut imaginable. The result, a one-of-a-kind collection of beaded pieces, each stone with a story to tell.

Oxidized sterling silver colorblock bracelet with antique Chinese turquoise, tiger's eye, carnelian and malachite

The GreenPiece Collection debuted in the Summer of 2008 at The Parrish Art Museum Shop, as a seemingly randomly patterned assemblage of vintage beads chosen for their uniquely unadulterated color and form. The collection focused on an earthy palette of high quality semi-precious stone in luxe-bohemian style with superb and rare examples of greenish vintage turquoise. Crossing all lines between fashion, art and craft, GreenPiece is really about the visceral beauty of making things by hand.

Selections from the GreenPiece Collection are available only by special request at cynthiarybakoff.com, $138 to $995 .

Fresh Direct

So what new business models, readily available to the aspiring designer/entrepreneur, will emerge victorious from this economic tsunami? My money is on the direct sale approach. Whether online, or at your local flea, fresh design is cropping up everywhere and it’s affordable.

One of the best examples of the new DIY sales model is Supermarket, a digital storefront platform where you buy products directly from the independent designers who make them, and guess what? The savings are passed on to you, the design hunter. Developed by co-founders Randy J. Hunt and Ryan Deussing of elsewares.com, Supermarket is a well-curated and designed shopping experience that “makes it easy to buy great design”, as boldly stated in the uber-accessible language of Mr. Hunt’s intuitive aesthetic.

Rosie The Riveter via Design*Sponge

Ryan was a guest blogger yesterday on Grace Bonney's heavily bookmarked design*sponge, with the important task of interviewing independent designers on what’s helping them get through this new era of careful-consumption. The resulting 15 “ideas for making upturns in a downtime” is a candid and informative look into what seems like optimism on the design front. Ryan included some of my own philosophy, under the heading "Good Idea: Adapt to new realities". Read the entire post NOW. And buy a copy of “Who Moved My Cheese?”, a motivational parable about dealing with change in your work and in your life, by Spencer Johnson.

Last year, the demand for my pricier goods dropped off to the point where I needed to make a big change (my cheese was moved). A couple of weeks ago, I opened a shop at Supermarket, for super cool sterling silver jewelry that’s mostly priced under $100 (I found some new cheese!). My sterling silver Collection pieces run as high as $2,500, but at Supermarket I’ve created a collection that tops off at $300. Happy hunting!

Like A Prayer

A modern take on an ancient classic, the Like A Prayer Bead collection is a sleek interpretation in polished sterling silver with red or espresso Japanese wax cord. Bracelets and necklaces for relaxation, mediation or obsessive counting of any kind.

Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver Zen Bubble bracelets in red or espresso, $88.00, available at Supermarket.

Eye Candy

I'm so excited for one one my bracelets to be posted to NotCouture, a digital bulletin board of visually stunning and innovative luxe fashion + design. Many thanks to the editors there who supply us with our daily fix of eye candy!

Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver Atomic Bubble bracelet, $298 at Supermarket.

Shiny Disco Balls

clockwise from top left: Donna Karan via style.com, Cynthia Rybakoff Disco Bubble Earrings, $124 at Supermarkethq.com, Luc Gensollen chandelier

The bubble has gone oversized, sleek and shiny. The post-luxury era beckons the return of a more understated and affordable precious metal, sterling silver. Molecular clusters of silver beads have a futuristic look. The effect is sci-fi chic meets disco diva meets atomic mad scientist.

Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver Atomic Bubble Bracelet, $298 at Supermarkethq.com

Here's a first look at my new sterling silver Bubble Collection, now available exclusively at my Supermarket shop, where it's easy to buy great design online! Bubblicious earrings, necklaces and bracelets from $14 - $298, with most pieces under $100. Check back over the next week as I add more items...

Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver Disco Bubble Necklace, $188 at Supermarkethq.com

On The Road

Some good friends just left for Italy, which left me thinking…a European trip would be just the thing to inspire some fresh ideas. I’d rummage around curiosity shops in the Old City, snatching up kitschy souvenirs, like these cool vintage silver European travel charms. The hand painted tiny shield charms typically featured miniature scenes or heraldic motifs and date from the 1940’s though the 1970’s. I just adore the bright mix of enamel colors!

Cynthia Rybakoff single edition sterling silver and semi-precious stone vintage travel charm bracelets: from top amethyst, rose quartz, chalcedony. lapidorite, at cynthiarybakoff.com.

Buckle Up!

Bottega Veneta via style.com

My favorite look of the Fall 2009 season so far is Bottega Veneta's dusty mauve elegance. The luxurious dresses were so wonderfully understated when accessorized with just the right amount of white gold and colorless stone jewelry. One look in particular caught my eye - a lovely woven buckle cuff with pave diamond accents.

Cynthia Rybakoff Estate Collection sterling silver Edwardian hinged buckle cuff
with hand etched vine motif, $695 at CynthiaRybakoff.com

Ornate buckle motif cuffs were extremely popular in the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, as sterling silver jewelry regained favor in the waning years of the 19th Century. The buckle symbol stood for strength and protection, making them, in a sense, the original Wonder Woman cuffs. Today these timeless cuff bangles are simply classic and chic.