Big Love

Lavender Heart Valentine at Etsy.

Art print cards on display at Glittering Conscience.

Van Dyke brown botanical print tote at Artists & Fleas.

Cyanotype botanical print at Mascot Studio.

My husband Matt is a true romantic. Recently, he created a heart shaped wreath made of dried lavender from our garden, and made a few test prints. They were a hit, so we've expanded the theme for our Valentine's collection of botanical heart note cards, totes and prints for Handmade On Peconic Bay.

Our Lavender Heart note cards are eco-friendly and come in six amorous colors, perfect for Valentine's Day or any heartfelt occasion! They're available at Etsy and Glittering Conscience, 96 West Houston, in NYC. The one of a kind cyanotype lavender and rosemary heart, pictured above, is available at Mascot Studio. Mascot Studio carries a carefully curated selection of Handmade On Peconic Bay prints and note cards, in a tiny jewel box of a shop, tucked away in Manhattan's East Village.

For those of you in the hood, come visit us in Williamsburg, starting this weekend, when Handmade On Peconic Bay make its debut at Artists & Fleas. Shop our entire hand crafted Valentine's collection of art print note cards, one of a kind cyanotype and Van Dyke brown canvas totes and prints, plus a whole lot more!

Black + Cream

Vive la couture! Jean Paul Gaultier's Victorian vixens have a punk attitude with glam style. These creatures of the night, with feathery mohawks and provacative jet accessories, are most appealing in black with high contrast cream or mocha. The level of rich detailing in the luxe fabrics and tailoring is extraordinary! But of course chéri, this is couture. Some of my favorite ensembles are shown here, juxtaposed with 17th century blackwork prints, which were ornamental designs for enamel jewelry making, produced in Northern Europe between 1580 and 1630.

Images courtesy of Style.com and BibliOdyssey.

Tribal Vibes

Paris. Spring. 2011. Could have fooled me. I thought it was 1973, judging from those chunky African trade bead chokers and bracelets! At second glance, Isabel Marant's spring collection is more fabulous than I thought. Ultra modern easy styling that's preppy chic, and urban bohemian all at once, with a sophisticated mix of texture and color that's soft and feminine. A striking contrast to the heavy glass bead bracelets and chokers that scream hippie. It really works.

I bought tons of African trade beads, when I was first starting out, including the interlocking snake beads, featured heavily in Marant's appealing spring accessories. The jewelry I made back then was rather lumpy, but colorful and full of that 1970's New York City ethnic vibe. Little did I know, my African trade beads were bona fide antiques, made predominately in Venice and Bohemia from the late 1400s through the early 1900s, and traded in Africa and the Americas for goods, services and even slaves.

Today African trade beads have been making somewhat of a comeback. The beads themselves, when authentic, are quite collectible, plus they fetch a pretty penny. I quite adore them right now, for livening up a modern look with an unexpected tribal twist. And won't they be a refreshing change this season from all the fussy glitz, and be-ribboned rhinestones we've grown accustomed to?

Images courtesy of accessoriesmagazine.com.

Grazie! Merci! Arigato!

Here's a handy little cheat sheet for some post holiday etiquette: how to say "thank you" in more than 465 languages. It's always nice to write an actual note to Aunt Clara, for the vintage glass doorknob she gave you for Christmas, on some eye catching stationary. May we suggest some botanical themed blank note cards by Handmade On Peconic Bay, to convey your sentiments, while appealing to her aesthetic nature? And don't forget a pretty stamp. Aunt Clara appreciates the details!

Handmade on Peconic Bay blank notecards are available on IndieShop and Etsy.

Happy New Deal

Your New Year's shopping resolution: I will get great deals. This January, look for special sales events on Cynthia Rybakoff jewelry, starting with 20% off on my entire oxidized sterling silver collection this week at Sicaria. The sale runs through Sunday, January 8th!