Heavens to Murgatroyd!

That's what gay cartoon icon Snagglepuss might say, if he saw you sporting this chunk of ruff rock crystal points around town. I don't know which galaxy Murgatroyd is located in, but just think of all the gems that might be found there! Exit, stage left!

Cynthia Rybakoff Murgatroyd Crystal Pendants with oxidized silver foil bezel on a heavyweight sterling silver chain, for boys and girls, $128. Available at Supermarket and Artists & Fleas.

Swede Times

One chilly June, in the late 90's, I spent a blissed out two weeks in Sweden, scouring flea markets, pristine antique shops, salvation armies, tony mid-century galleries, and dusty old junk stores, until I had filled several suitcases with treasures representing over 100 years of Scandinavian design in wood, glass, metal and ceramic. It helped to be staying with an expert Swedish design picker, who led me through the modern city of Stockholm, into the cobbled streets of the historic Gamla Stan, and out into the surrounding provinces like a pro, on what was to be the design trip of a life time.

Waxing nostalgic for 11pm sunsets, Josef Frank prints and crayfish, I couldn't resist this recent aquisition of colorful limited edition vintage Swedish map charms; eye catching mod souvenirs of a country that personifies good design. Celebrate your love for all things Swedish with these collectible kitsch pendants in the shape of one very cool country.

Cynthia Rybakoff one of a kind and limited edition vintage travel charm collection, available weekends at Artists & Fleas, Brooklyn and online at Supermarket.

Mixed Messages

I heart wearing my initial or monogram, hand engraved on fine sterling silver. Sentimental keepsakes, as well as instant heirlooms, an engraved piece of jewelry is a perfect way to celebrate a special event, capture a memory, or simply make your mark on this lonely planet.

Cynthia Rybakoff hand engraved monograms and initials are now available by custom order at Artists & Fleas, weekends 10 -7, 70 N. 7th, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Silver Obsession

"One to Watch: Cynthia Rybakoff's Sterling Silver Obsession" ~ special thanks to NBC New York and Catherine Blair Pfander for this thoughtful and definitively groovy profile on the Thread|NY insider fashion blog!

Find Cynthia Rybakoff modern vintage jewels weekends only, from 10-7pm, at my Artists & Fleas pop-up shop, or online at Supermarket.

Travels With My Aunt

She's the original Gaga, having survived an early career as an infamous cabaret singer, and several marriages to curious gentlemen of European extraction. She's been around the world more times than she cares to recall. She loves to collect souvenir items, and doesn't think it's touristy at all. She has a flaming bouffant and long lacquered nails to match, with impressive stones on almost every finger. She wears Cleopatra eyeliner and flowing caftans in loud prints. She makes flourishing gestures with her bejeweled wrists and hands for emphasis, as if casting a spell. She drinks bellinis at 10, espresso at 4, martinis at 6, Campari and soda at 8, followed by a continental dinner at 10, her only meal of the day.

She is your aunt, not you, of the understated chic urban set. But you love touristy things too, especially little hand painted enamel charms from fabulous places you and your husband are too busy to visit, what with careers, a family, and a home to manage. Maybe some day, you tell yourself, when the kids have grown, you'll plan fabulous trips around the world, more times than you care to recall.

Cynthia Rybakoff one of a kind sterling silver and vintage enamel travel charm collection, available weekends at Artists & Fleas, Brooklyn.

Nice Ice Baby!

Sweet as sugar, with none of the calories! My new Sugar Cube Necklace is a unique holiday gift, at a great price. Created with hammered rock crystal and sterling silver, the surface texture of the crystal cube resembles a tasty hunk of rock candy. Yum. While you're at it, soothe that sugar rush, with a Crystal Calm Bracelet, or earrings, and the natural healing energy of pure rock crystal.

Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver and rock crystal Sugar Cube Necklace, $28.00, Crystal Calm Bracelet, $68.00, and Crystal Calm Earrings, $18.00, available at CynthiaRybakoff and Supermarket.

Sicaria In The City

Last week I had a surprise visit from Khushbu Sikaria, of the sicaria, at Madison Square Market, where I was promoting my holiday collection for IndieShop.com. Khushbu, who is also the founder of sicaria.com, a luxury fashion e-tailer launching soon, was visiting designers in NYC + enjoying herself in the Big Apple! She suggested a video presentation of my holiday collection might be fun for her blog, so I did my best not to sound too silly.

Video courtesy of the sicaria.

Silver Foxes

Silver has never looked more distinguished, than it does on dapper dressers this fall. Kristen McMenamy and Roger Sterling have it right, in tailored elegance. With sterling silver recently hitting a two and a half year record high, at over $20 an ounce, the warm gray metal is more precious than ever and deserves your studious attention. Polished silver adornments, such as Tiffany's timeless classics, are what to wear with menswear looks for fall, and letting your hair go gray.

Images courtesy of Vogue, Tiffany, and TV Guide.

Be Still My (Black) Heart

Black Heart Pendant

Black Heart Drops

Is there a silver lining in the future of fashion? I sure hope so. Meanwhile, silver jewels rock out for Fall 2010, in a smoky distressed finish, with glistening black stone accents. Fabulously chic and versatile, you'll want to wear these delicate yet substantial pieces everyday, with everything from denim to a sleek LBD. See the entire collection at IndieShop.com.

Cynthia Rybakoff oxidized sterling silver and cubic zirconia Black Heart pendant, $98.00, and earrings, $48.00 at IndieShop.com.

Rare Earth

New for fall 2010, but something you'd want to wear year round, is this magnificent smoky quartz druzy necklace from my Rare Earth Collection. I heart druzy, because of it's organic texture. It's nature's own statement piece!

Druzy crystal formations, which can be found in numerous types of stone, is a natural curiosity, growing inside the hollow cavities of rock veins and geodes. The smoky quartz druzy beads in my Treasure Island necklace have a micro-crystalline top surface reminiscent of brown sugar with a smooth flat bottom.

Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver and smoky quartz Treasure Island Necklace, $148 at Supermarket and A little Of What You Fancy, 19 Newtown Lane, East Hampton, 631.324.3113.

Pretty In Pink

Agate fosters love, truthfulness, courage, bravery, strength, abundance, wealth, good luck, longevity, acceptance, protection, balance, harmony, generosity, security, congeniality, compatibility, and creativity. It's also quite pretty in pink!

Cynthia Rybakoff Crazy Heart Collection, featuring agate and sterling silver pendants and bracelets, at Supermarket.

My, She Was Yar

"My, she was yar...It means, uh...easy to handle, quick to the helm, fast, right. Everything a boat should be, until she develops dry rot."

- Katherine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story

Images courtesy of Daytrip Society, Handmade On Peconic Bay, Cynthia Rybakoff

Set Yourself APART

Save the date for a very special pre-summer NYC shopping event with the Hamptons in mind! Come hang out with us on May 13th from 6 - 9pm at the Splashion Soiree, hosted by APART fashion showroom and Kitten Lounge. Check out the fabulous APART Summer Collection, sip Figenza vodka and Skinny Water, and browse a colorful selection of Hamptons ready Cynthia Rybakoff jewels! Come meet the APART team and get style tips from Kimmie Smith of Kitten Lounge. I'll be there as well, so stop by and say hello!

RSVP to Rose@apartstyle.com and get ready to think summer!

Wisteria Lane

There's a real Wisteria Lane located in a forgotten alley in Greenwich Village, and it was the perfect location to shoot my Spring 2010 Collection look book!

The Washington Mews originally housed stables but was converted to housing in the 1930's. We choose the loveliest home for the shoot, with shell pink doors and fragrant bunches of wisteria climbing the facade on woody vines. The flowers happened to be in full bloom, which only lasts a few weeks each year... Dinah, the cat who lives there, came out to say hello to the visitors.

This particular house has a unique story. It was once the home of Gertrude Vanderbuilt Whitney, founder of the Whitney museum which was originally located just around the corner on 8th Street!

It also had a cozy bedroom for her niece Gloria Vanderbilt, who would stay with her aunt during school breaks. Gloria painted this wonderful picture from memory of her aunt's home, for New York Magazine, when they published an article about this converted carriage house!

Cynthia Rybakoff Spring 2010 Collection available at CynthiaRybakoff.

Images courtesy of Matt Shapoff and New York Magazine.

How To Travel In Style

There are so many wonderful films about Americans traveling in Italy, but my favorite is Sir David Lean's Summertime, starring a gorgeous middle aged Katherine Hepburn. A story of unrequited love and a hopelessly romantic secretary named Jane Hudson who falls for Renato, a married antiques dealer and Lothario, the film celebrates the city of Venice like no other.

Here's Jane showing us how it's done at any age, with amazing style and grace. I never get tired of her prim wasp waisted 1950's dresses, sensible white sandals for meandering the streets of Venice with her movie camera and perfect costume jewels...

Read more about the film here and do watch this wonderful clip of Renato admiring Jane in the Piazza San Marco. My guess is you will rent this movie or make travel plans to Venice pronto!

Travel in summertime style with distressed sterling silver stacking rings from my Estate Collection, featuring miniature hand painted enamel vintage travel charms. Popular tourist trinkets that date back from the 1940's to the 1970's, I'm sure Jane picked up one in Venice for her fabulous charm bracelet!

Cynthia Rybakoff Estate Collection Venezia Travel Rings, $275.00 exclusively at CynthiaRybakoff.com. See them at NOTCOUTURE.

Film stills courtesy of ALoverOfVenice.

The Royal Treatment

WHAT designers is a curated website that promotes the work of bold, modern, independent designers. Be sure to check out their Spring 2010 Independent Design Guide called The Royal Treatment in which indie designers put their spin on brilliant blue-hued designs. I've featured highlights here, including my Blue Is Peace Pendant. You're also invited to vote for your favorite design! The designer with the most votes will get a feature in the Summer 2010 design guide.

Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver and blue quartz Blue Is Peace Pendant, $105.00 at Supermarket, Shopflick and CynthiaRybakoff.

Images courtesy of WHATdesigners.

Let's Get Minimal

I stumbled upon this romantic minimalist set at Polyvore with my Bubble + Chain stiletto earrings. I love the neutral taupe colors, the softness of the slip dress and all the different textures going on with the accessories. The blunt-toe platform shoes are an interesting contrast... don't you think?

Image courtesy of Polyvore. Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver Bubble + Chain Earrings $22 at Supermarket.

Crystal Palace

Joseph Paxton's Crystal Palace of 1851 was grand cast-iron and glass building erected in Hyde Park, London, England. It's revolutionary modern design referenced the great cathedrals of antiquity with it's monumental and awe inspiring presence.

Another magnificent crystal palace, albeit fictional, is Superman's frozen Fortress of Solitude, the  inspiration for my super popular sterling silver and crystal spike Fortress Of Solitude Series.

The Fortress Of Solitude Series available exclusively at Supermarket.

Here's my Smallville hero Clark in his Arctic fortress and a certain superwoman wearing the Fortress Of Solitude necklace with super styling!

Good news for Superman fans, the fortress actually exists! This awesome image is from a giant crystal cave called Cueva de los Cristales in Mexico..

Images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Dylan Cole Studio, Cynthia Rybakoff, TV,  all the mountains...

Lovebirds

The term lovebirds was used as early as the 16th century to describe a couple with a tendency for PDA. Lovebirds and doves remain popular symbols in Western culture, representing love and fidelity. A bird is also slang, used by blokes looking upon the fairer sex with a slightly more carnal eye. With that in mind here are some avian inspired goodies for the season of love.

A very feminine amethyst and pink tourmaline partridge charm necklace and dangling partridge charm ring make cute love tokens for your bird on Valentine’s Day.

In nature lovebirds are a small and social species of parrots, noted for human-like affection for their mate. Lovebirds sleep sitting side-by-side and turn their faces in towards each other, like the pair on this note card by Handmade On Peconic Bay.

Cynthia Rybakoff sterling silver Love Bird Necklace, $48.00 on Supermarket and Shopflick. Mrs. Partridge sterling silver charm ring, $28.00, on Supermarket. Love Birds note card by Cynthia Rybakoff for Handmade on Peconic Bay, $3.50 at Supermarket and Etsy.

Crazy At Heart

Love is in the air, and it smells so sweet. Dear husband, it's not red long stemmed roses that I crave for Valentine's Day, but bunches of fragrant pink peonies, velvety garnet calla lilies and majestic purple irises. This Valentine's Day, I am tickled pink and purple and maybe just a little bit crazy at heart.

Inspired by our annual spring landscape on Peconic Bay in Long Island, with it’s bursting pink peonies, pink and lavender hydrangea blooms and rich carpeting of shocking pink and purple petunias, I’ve put together a not so understated Valentine’s Day collection of stylish jewels and cards, available at Supermarket.


Highlighted by modern engineered stones that have been dyed or heat treated to create impossibly rich shades of magenta, purple, pink and ruby, the collection features fabulous items like my Dear Heart agate pendants, pictured at top, which are slices of pure color on blackened sterling silver chain. You can also find my Spring 2010 jewels listed on the Kitten Lounge Love Guide, which is all about things we would love to have or do.

Cynthia Rybakoff Spring 2010 Crazy Heart collection, $28 - $125 and Handmade On Peconic Bay art print cards, $3.50 each at Supermarket.