Whoops-A-Daisy!

Matt and I were thrilled to find my tablescape featured on Apartment Therapy! Pictured are objects from our own apartment I styled for this shoot: vintage Steelmaster file drawers with (from left to right) Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand ceramic bowls, Tiffany white art glass vase, Jonathan Adler ceramic owl and West Elm ceramic vase with some great pheasant feathers. Above it all, Whoops-A-Daisy Cyanotype print by Matt Shapoff for Handmade On Peconic Bay at Supermarket.

Mommy and Me

Gift with purchase & complimentary gift packaging at Supermarket

My mother and I are particularly close. "Cyn pleeeeze, no more jewelry. I have enough sweetie!", she quips, as she hands back the box of custom emerald earrings with another cheerful reminder: "sell them honey, I don't need a thing!". She quickly adds, "you know what I DO need? An orange earring to go with that Donna Karan sweater,". OK, so this relationship is strictly on her terms.

Mother's Day is a joyous one for giving, nonetheless. With May 10th less than 2 weeks away, you must check out my gift guide of beautifully packaged and affordable sterling silver jewelry at Supermarket, and get a free gift with purchase for that other important person in your life (insert here: your name or your daughter's).

Get a free pair of Cynthia Rybakoff 8mm sterling silver bubble earrings with your purchase of $50 or more at Supermarket. Offer good until May 24th.

Good As New

Re•cy•cle (rē-sī'kəl) To process used or abandoned materials for use in creating new products; synonyms: hand-me-down, nearly new, not new, passed down, pre-owned, worn.

Here’s another installment of what to do with your old jewelry that sits in that fancy box in your drawer and maybe makes you feel just a bit guilty you rushed into buying it in the first place. Above is a “before” picture of a pair of very fine pair handmade Tahitian pearl and black diamond earrings the client found un-wearable. They were too long for her face and the screw tops just too plain looking.

We discussed the problem, and the client agreed to let me peg set two of the black diamond beads into the screw tops and re-wire the drops one bead shorter, neatly solving both problems. Cost: $66 for labor and new materials.

Leave me a comment about your problematic piece or send me a picture, via Blogger, of your unworn jewels of any material, with a brief description of the problem, and I’ll email you back a free consultation on how to re-style your piece and what it might cost.

Down To Earth

It's Earth Week, a celebration of appreciation for our earth and of the environmental movement's successes thus far, as well as an excellent opportunity for discussion of environmental issues and solutions. Today marks the actual event, so I felt it was a wonderful opportunity to introduce my husband Matt Shapoff's collection of framed prints made from recycled wood in our new Handmade On Peconic Bay shop on Supermarket.

When I'm not making jewelry, I'm helping Matt with sales and marketing for his stunningly beautiful Cyanotype and Van Dyke Brown prints in our online shops at Etsy and now Supermarket.

"Numbskull" by Matthew Shapoff, single edition Cyanotype print in handmade frame of reclaimed Mahogany, $118 at Supermarket.

Made To Measure

We are not made alike, but when it comes to jewelry, one size only fits most. Companies design for the “average” customer (I've worked for quite a few), so if you are not, then you know the fit is not always quite right. Personally, I've never purchased a bracelet that didn't need alteration because I have an unusually small wrist, and I have to avoid bangles and cuffs altogether which sucks!

Introducing Made To Measure at Supermarket, a custom sizing service available for many of the jewelry styles in my shop. Look for the tag line THIS ITEM CAN BE MADE TO MEASURE. If your size is not listed or you’d like the piece altered in length, we can do that. Easily.

All you have to do is gage your wrist or necklace length with a piece of string and then measure that length with a ruler. Send me a message before ordering and I’ll confirm your custom size request.

I’ll Have The Classic With A Twist

What happens when the uber preppy sterling silver bead bracelet meets the spiritual Far East wrist mala? A multicultural fashion statement for your wrist that's works as well for lunch at the Devon Yacht Club as it does for your upcoming trek to Nepal.

Like A Prayer Bead bracelets, strung on tropical colored Japanese wax cord, bring together two classic designs in a playful East meets West way that says "I like bright shiny things plus the comfort of my personal mantra". Use for friendship, fun and devotion.

Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver Like A Prayer Bead Bracelets in 4 colors, $68.00, available at Supermarket.

Spring Cleaning

Un-wearable old stuff courtesy of Pack Rat

Re•cy•cle (rē-sī'kəl) To process used or abandoned materials for use in creating new products; synonyms: hand-me-down, nearly new, not new, passed down, pre-owned, worn.

Everyone has a box of jewelry lying around that’s either broken or missing a part, has fallen out of favor, or was never quite right in the first place. Do you a. toss it, b. melt it (if it’s precious), or c. recycle it? If you picked “c”, then grab that pile o’crap and contact me for a no strings attached consultation. Meanwhile, here’s a case study on recycling a problematic piece of jewelry into something the client could actually wear. Check back in the future, for examples of re-styling different types of jewelry.

Pictured above are some lovable, colorful, hand painted wooden beads purchased on a trip to India. Problem: beads are loosely strung on unappealing white thread with no clasp or way to shorten length.

Solution: ream bead holes, re-string beads on heavier black waxed cotton cord and add a new sterling silver Bali bead slide to adjust necklace to desired length. Cost: $25 for labor + materials.

Leave me a comment about your unworn jewelry of any material or send me a picture, via Blogger, with a brief description of the problem, and I’ll email you back a free consultation on how to re-style your piece and what it might cost.