I am resurrecting Bread + Cake for the sole purpose to give a shout out to Cari Streeter. This story is a bit of a long walk. Hear me out. About two weeks ago, my little dog, Roo, (a.k.a. chuckle-head or chicken bone) decided to pick a fight with a bigger, stronger dog. She ended up with … Continue reading →
By my calculations, about three years and four months ago, I walked into Manika Jewelry for the first time and struck up a conversation with the owner, Peter Walsh. I went on and on, as I do, about how much I love jewelry and that, in another life, I should have been a jewelry designer. Peter, as … Continue reading →
The aesthetic appreciation of color is tricky. You can never be sure if you are really seeing the same color as someone else. We all know that there is such a thing as color-blindness but perhaps we fail to consider how subjective color is and how different it can seem to different people. When I first saw … Continue reading →
In the last week, we had some family in town. Some of that family is young and small. Thus, we took in a lot of family-friendly sights and activities. Twice, we ended up at an aquarium. I guess that stands to reason in San Francisco, what, with all that water. One of them was the impressive aquarium … Continue reading →
I am often in awe of jewelry that is not necessarily right for me. When it comes to picking out jewelry for myself, I go for the miniature and impossibly delicate. That’s kind of sad for me because I also love all things lapis. That gorgeous stone — like pieces of the night sky. I never tire … Continue reading →
I’m like a ferret. Dangle a shiny thing in front of me and you have my attention. It could be a button or it could be a diamond. It doesn’t really matter. I have numerous childhood memories of rifling through sewing boxes, old jewelry boxes in attics, or long-forgotten purses under beds. All in search of something … Continue reading →
Here, I so often try to find new things to say about design elements that speak to me. Sometimes, I just want to just share something I’ve found and say, “Hey, I love that. I would wear that.” But, really, shouldn’t I say more? Shouldn’t I say why? You know, it’s just not that easy. It’s easier … Continue reading →
I was not allowed to get my ears pierced until I was eleven. Eleven! The shame. It took an all-out campaign to get my dad to acquiesce. Even then, he wouldn’t take me. Having acquired permission, I had to talk a babysitter into it. Once pierced, I quickly accumulated a collection of crappy earrings. I loved … Continue reading →
The title of this post is the beginning of one of my personal catch phrases. “Life is complicated … (and a beat later) … morally ambiguous.” I am not sure that the second half of that has much to do with my point. Mainly, I am claiming that my absence from this blog is because life is … Continue reading →
Hello All: I had meant to announce the hiatus of the B + C blog. I really had. But, like so many things, it got away from me. I just didn’t write anything for weeks and weeks with no explanation. So, now, with great delay, here is my story. In my other life, I am an attorney. … Continue reading →
Nothing says traditional jewelry quite like a cameo. Components carved in the cameo style have appeared in every type of jewelry — rings, necklaces, earrings — for a very, very long time. Only a designer with boldness in her heart would try to update the cameo and succeed. The bold Jessica J. Fein has done just that. … Continue reading →
The Shins very thoughtfully let a little piece of jewelry play a role in this awesome video, thus, giving me the excuse to post it. Did you see it? It’s in there — a necklace which justifies the video’s presence in this blog. Ha. I just love that video. It seems like it could be a dark … Continue reading →
I’ve found a place in this blog to confess some things about my taste and sometimes my character. It seems it is time for another one. While I am not one for a lot of clutter or silly characters, I love garden gnomes. Just for the record, I loved them before they became cool in that ironic … Continue reading →
In my early adulthood, whenever I was sick and had to stay home from work or school or whatever generally occupied my time, I would obsessively watch the movie Fargo. I don’t particularly like that movie but that is a fact that would inevitably escape me when felled by food poisoning or a sinus infection. Go figure. … Continue reading →
It is not too difficult to find old jewelry components that are suitable for being repurposed into new pieces. Your mother’s jewelry box, thrift stores, antique stores — it’s everywhere, really. The trick is in the designing. It takes practice to do it well and have collected components find a home in a new piece. Peiyu Tan, … Continue reading →
In the fall of 1993, I started college and became friends with Marianne Brown. Through Marianne, I was introduced to many things that would become mainstays of my adult life — art galleries, thrift stores, and jewelry making. She helped form my concept of joy and she is a huge part of who I am today. She … Continue reading →
Hello Everyone: So, I haven’t posted a few days … and today’s post isn’t really going to be about jewelry. Rather, it is about an unexpected acquisition from jewelry class. Meet Roo: Isn’t she sweet? She has positively charmed everyone in the house — including the existing animals. How did she come from jewelry class, you ask? … Continue reading →
Jewelry designer, GG, was kind enough to share her thoughts with us. It’s poetry. Enjoy the interview and feast your eyes on her incredible work available at http://www.ggoriginal.com. B+C: How would you define “jewelry” to someone from another planet? Can aesthetic communication be defined to some thing who is not “one of us?” Beauty can be a … Continue reading →
DrCraze is doing some amazing things with an unusual jewelry material — concrete. By filling in his pieces with pigmented concrete, he creates an effect that is somewhere between enamel and mosaic. The results are clean, colorful designs. These and other pieces are available in the DrCraze Etsy store.
(Extra credit to anyone who can name the movie from which I took this post’s title.) When I first got engaged, I would come home and report in what light my ring looked best. I experimented for a while but, as it turns out, it was the elevator in the building where I was working at the … Continue reading →
The Chinese New Year was on January 23, 2012. This year is powerful in the Chinese zodiac — the year of the Dragon. In honor of this, I went on a hunt for an elusive beast — tasteful dragon-themed jewelry. Fortunately, I am happy to report that it exists! Dragon Hatchling Ring by S. Hinton – available … Continue reading →
I can’t take much credit for uncovering the gorgeous work of Loek Sia in her Etsy store, Minicyn. The good folks at Etsy were clever enough to make her the featured seller this week. Loek Sia’s pieces are unique and reflect a special vision but it is the stamped designs on her pieces that really got my … Continue reading →
Artists, Gil and Irena Tsafrir, have used their respective skills to create a beautifully varied and diverse line of jewelry. Their line, which is available in the Etsy store, zulasurfing, is full of unusual ideas — it is fun, bold line. 24K Gold Plated Ring with Crystals Sterling Silver and Dichronic Glass Ring Swarovski Crystal Brass Ring
Hearts? Um, no, not usually. It is a perfectly lovely shape but it does not normally speak to me from a design perspective. However, Sandra Russell took the heart and made it her own by turning it, elongating it, and adding texture and pattern. Circle Heart Pendant Circle Heart Pin Heart Stack Ring Heart Stack Ring Perhaps, … Continue reading →
Hello Readers: The very talented and prolific jewelry designer, Mark Poulin, kindly agreed to answer some (slightly odd) questions for Bread and Cake. I think you’ll enjoy this window into his jewelry-designing mind. His work can be found in his Etsy store and on his website. Enjoy! Baby Blue Tulip Necklace B + C: How would you … Continue reading →
Hello All: What follows is my dad’s response to yesterday’s post. While it is not about jewelry, it is informative. Noelle: In the picture of your mom in the basement at 602 Audubon [Youngstown, Ohio] is a California type case with individual pieces of type called foundry type. They were assembled by hand it what was called … Continue reading →
My sweet father reads this little blog every day. This one is for him. In various ways, I have ink in my blood. For his entire career my father worked in the newspaper business. My mother (an artist) and her sister (a writer) had a great love of amateur printing. They had both been members — my … Continue reading →
We are going to venture beyond metals once again with the playful, sculptural, fiber pieces from Mandy Besek‘s Etsy store . I didn’t think that I’d write something about non-traditional jewelry materials again so soon. But, Mandy’s work really caught my attention with its bold forms and flowing spontaneity. Textile Bracelet Bangle Textile Necklace – Mermaid Textile … Continue reading →
Today’s post is a sidestep from jewelry. Although Audrey Hepburn’s image in popular culture became intertwined with one of the great jewelry houses of all time, this post is about what she, and her most iconic role, have meant to me. Audrey Hepburn died 19 years ago today. She resides in our collective imagination and, perhaps, always … Continue reading →
Textured metal in jewelry can be a bit predictable. But, when it is good it is very, very good. The designers at the Etsy store, Mika Scott, do it very well. Their unexpected and bold textures take the next step and become essential design elements. Impressionist Spiral Studs Ruby Dune Earrings Sea Urchin Ring
I have mentioned the wonders made by Midwest Alchemy in the past but that incredible Etsy store really deserves its own post. I am utterly amazed by the effect created by electroforming the metal around beautiful raw stones. Midwest Alchemy helpfully describes electroforming for us on Etsy: Electroforming, in the simplest terms, is the intricate process of … Continue reading →
Clever, tactile, real, polished and raw. These are all words that come to mind when viewing Vicki Pellegrini’s work in her Etsy store Alegra Jewelry. Her work displays a great sense of shape and scale. Every design has the kind of visual punch that only comes from good design — each piece is surprising but remains wearable. … Continue reading →
In 2004, I turned 29. I found that birthday to be a good time to look back — even more so than the big 3-0 that was coming next. In order to process my life, I decided to escape, by myself, to London and stay in a “youth” hostel. (I figured perhaps it was the last time … Continue reading →
I think that most of us want to feel good about what we wear. Generally, we want to feel as if the materials were responsibly harvested and that our lovely possession was made by people happy in their work who are well compensated. I was recently saved from buying something that, deep down, I would have felt … Continue reading →
So, I wonder, if have I encouraged anyone to buy a new piece of jewelry or make something? If so, perhaps that next question is: “What do I do with this lovely new piece?” If you are anything like me, you have faced the problem of jewelry storage more than once. Enter Jessica Farmer, of the Etsy … Continue reading →
In this blog, I have used the descriptor “hand drawn” a few times. By that, I mean that the jewelry designer has created a three-dimensional object — an unyielding form — that also manages to have the charm and spontaneity of a drawing. It can mean that the designer has tactfully left something looking less finished or … Continue reading →
Hello All: Yesterday, I posted by 50th post! Just saying. Thanks for reading, sharing and re-posting! So, on to today’s post. Normally, I try to find a theme for my posts — bracelets, enamel, lost wax casting etc. Maybe, I am just tired but I’ve found this wonderful designer who I’d like to write about but I … Continue reading →
The first jewelry that I was able to make was made of string. I would spend endless hours trying to keep the string braided while I also managed to tie it around my wrist. It usually didn’t work. It would unravel as I fumbled to tie it with one hand. To this day, I have a weird … Continue reading →
I’ll be honest – I’ve sort of been putting off writing this post. Why? There is just too much to say and, somehow, it seems like the pinnacle of my blogging experience and it is just too early for that. On the other hand, the mental pressure is building up and I can’t hold in my love … Continue reading →
I’ve only been doing this blogging thing for a little over a month. Even though it is early days, sometimes I sit down with no idea of what to write. On those days, the first step for me is to cruise around Etsy to see what captures my attention. Sometimes that can take a while. There is … Continue reading →
I’ve decided to mine the area of spiritual and religious jewelry for posting topics. As I sat down to consider this, I realized that there was much to say — anything from rosary beads to the spiritual uses of semiprecious stones might qualify. But, one thing at a time. I’ll enter this topic area with mala beads … Continue reading →
Katie Johansson, as the creative force behind Dollybird Jewelry, is flat out fearless in her designs. They are sculptural and bold. This necklace in particular puts me in mind of modern art mobiles with its open metal structure and artistically placed stones. Katie’s creative use of materials in her line is admirable. She selects unusual stones on … Continue reading →
As part of my jewelry obsession, I am enthralled by the idea of jewelry that becomes a part of you — jewelry that you never take off. The most obvious example of jewelry that rises to that level is the jewelry used in piercings. I’ve worn a nose ring off and on over the years and, as … Continue reading →
Hey Everyone: 1500 all time hits is not a lot for some blogs but, for this little blog, started just over a month ago, it will be a big milestone. We’re almost there! Thanks so much for reading, sharing, and re-posting! Best, ~ Noelle
Good jewelry design is often about movement. The way earrings turn and flip. The way a necklace swings. That is not usually the case where rings are concerned, though. While ring designs can be dynamic in many respects, movement isn’t natural to the ring form. There are some clever designs, however, that can add movement to a … Continue reading →
This post isn’t strictly about jewelry. It’s about behavior around jewelry. There are two women who I see often around Market Street in San Francisco. They may be twins but they are, at least, most certainly sisters. I would estimate them to be in their 60s but it is difficult to say — as it sometimes is … Continue reading →
I meant to take off from blogging for two days, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. However, it seems that bad planning got the better of me and I didn’t have one ready to go up today. But, the holiday is officially over – no more slacking off. I saved the following piece of jewelry in my Etsy … Continue reading →
The big, chunky, wooden rings that you can get import stores are nice but can be a little unrefined — a little like napkin rings. Vintage buttons have been added to handmade jewelry for some time now. That was novel for a while but its become harder to find a unique use. Enter Jessica J. Fein who … Continue reading →
Rings are my favorite type of jewelry. A lot of rings have passed through my hands over the years. I still have quite a collection. My addiction to rings was once so well known among those close to me that my friend, Kate, who was in art school at the time, photographed me with my collection of … Continue reading →
Well, as I think I’ve mentioned before, I look at a lot of jewelry. Just when I think there isn’t anything new out there for me to ponder, I find something like Teresa Arana‘s collection. Flat out, it’s amazing. I really love the alternative ring designs — especially the open ring. These gorgeous pieces and more can … Continue reading →
I love it when people really get their own work. Being able to articulate your point of view to yourself allows your work to have a consistent voice to others. I think that can be said of Angi Glenn-Quincy. She called her Etsy story “Tiny Armour” and describes her designs as being inspired by “texture, geometry, … Continue reading →
Did you ever see the show, The Riches? It didn’t last very long but, in my opinion, it should have. It had a group of great actors including the hilarious Eddie Izzard and the talented Minnie Driver. In short, the show is about a family of grifters who find themselves impersonating members of a wealthy family. For … Continue reading →
That’s not exactly true. This post is a window into my jewelry fixated mind. I have collected some images of things that, to me, suggest personal adornment (i.e. should be jewelry — but are not). I realized a long time ago that my mind is always altering what I see around me. Somewhere in the back of … Continue reading →
If you’re into making things, you might understand the principle that a complicated or fancy design can camouflage a number of ills. You can always make it look like you meant to do that. Simple and clean is so much more difficult because the mistakes have no place to hide. Making simple design attractive and interesting can … Continue reading →
Metal in the hands of the right person can be an amazing thing. Metal can bend, stretch, take on a texture and more but, to make it do these things and produce a desirable result, takes talent — talent for handling the metal and a vision for the design. Manya Pickard makes metal sing in a way … Continue reading →
It is my impression that jewelry designers are frequently influenced by architectural details. I suppose it’s funny that things so different in scale can reflect each other — aesthetic principles at their largest and smallest. For some reason, though, this interplay does seem to happen. I, for one, often see an old window and think it should … Continue reading →
As I have mentioned, I am in the process of learning metal work and to make jewelry. I’ve been taking classes at Scintillant Studio for about a year. Scintillant, which is in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco, is run by the fascinating Adam Clark. I began my education at Scintillant with a beginner’s class taught by Aimee Golant, … Continue reading →
Polly Wales already has an impressive resume and a stunning collection of work but there are still more inventive pieces on the way. Courtesy of the sales staff at Polly Wales, here’s a sneak peek at Polly’s diamond collection to be launched in January 2012. Truly unbelievable. Unique, stylish, and heirloom quality. Polly uses a casting method, … Continue reading →
Aside from the aesthetic value of jewelry, which I love, I am attracted to the idea of carrying around a little piece of life with me. Typically, that “life” is metaphorical. It can be a piece of history — personal or human history in general. It might be the connection one feels to the maker of the … Continue reading →
I remember pop beads from when I was a child. Even then, I was interested in anything that I could turn into jewelry. For the uninitiated, pop beads look like this: It’s obvious, I suppose, but one side fits into the other and you can make a beaded chain of sorts. They get their name from the … Continue reading →
Oh, how I love enamel! I took an enameling workshop and, turns out, that I don’t really enjoy enameling but I’m sure glad that other people do. People like Michelle Mahler of Teka and Zoe on Etsy and tekaandzoe.com. Typically, I am in favor of a subtle addition of color in jewelry. But, in the case of … Continue reading →
Last night we attended the holiday party at Shibumi Gallery, which is April Higashi‘s place. As I’ve mentioned, this is my second experience here. On both occasions, I’ve noticed that events here are very well attended and they should be. The jewelry offerings from several different designers, including April herself, are artistic, bold, and stylish. April, with … Continue reading →
Gemstones are wondrous and varied. Isn’t it funny that the earth produces these amazing things then we take them, assign them value and, quite frequently, carry them around with us. Far and away, my favorite stone is lapis lazuli. I especially love really dark lapis with a lot of pyrite because it resembles the night sky. Gorgeous … Continue reading →
These little guys are very familiar items to anyone who knows me. I made them myself and, ever since their creation a couple months ago, I have worn them frequently. To an experienced metalsmith they are very simple pieces to fabricate. For me, not so much. I sketched out a design that was small and would require … Continue reading →
The use of negative space should be a consideration in jewelry design. When earrings hang from ears — suspended in space — how are they interacting with that space around them? How does the shape of a pendant appear against the backdrop of skin. Filigree, of course, a style that has appeared throughout the ages, is all … Continue reading →
I’m no expert but, as they say, I know what I like. Look, I don’t really have any bona fides when it comes to art or fashion or jewelry. I dropped out of my art major one semester in to pursue other academic interests. I’ve never been very good in art classes and I don’t play well … Continue reading →
As I have I mentioned, I think that good jewelry design creates a beautiful item that is worn on the body and that it is not necessarily about it’s interaction with clothing. Because of that, brooches and pins tend to fall off of my radar — those are things that your clothes wear. Sometimes, though, a piece … Continue reading →
There is something more personal about jewelry that is worn on the hands. Perhaps that is because the wearer can see it do what jewelry is designed to do — to be in and interact with the world. You can see how your bracelets move and how your rings break the light. I am sure that seeing … Continue reading →
Some years ago, I began to avoid cosmetics with paraben ingredients. I had read about how paraben, which is used as preservative, was an endocrine disruptor and how traces of it can be found in sea life from run-off. It just sounded like bad news to me. (I will bring this back to jewelry, I promise.) So, … Continue reading →
When making jewelry, there are no artistic talents that goes to waste. You can bring skills from all different disciplines to the jeweler’s bench and find them useful. Chelsey, who is the creative force behind the Etsy store Cla Contemporary, proves that point by adding her own handmade ceramics to her pieces. Ceramics in jewelry can get … Continue reading →
If one is a jewelry enthusiast like I am, you may have had the experience of cruising the internet for something that captures your attention — something that you have never seen before. One day, back in 2001, I was on such a search and found this piece: To this day, I have never seen anything like … Continue reading →
As I have mentioned, I am in the early stages of learning metal work and jewelry making. One of the unintended effects of this education, is that I notice the quality of metal work on jewelry more than I previously did. I turn my nose up a messy solder or uneven prongs around a stone — even … Continue reading →
I love the idea of found objects and I’ve used them a bit in my assemblage art. It can be a slippery slope, though. At least for me, when I am contemplating found objects, I start to have square-peg moments. My mind continues to insist that this little something-or-other belongs in a piece of art — even … Continue reading →
Any of us who spend any time in the handmade/DIY world know exactly why this is funny. This post is a little loving ribbing aimed at some of my favorite people in the world — jewelry designers. It’s not easy to give people what they want, especially when they want the same things over and over again. A … Continue reading →
Today, R.JXP and I went to the International Gem and Jewelry Show which comes to the San Mateo Event Center a couple of times a year. I only have experience at two types of gems shows — International Gem and Jewelry and one put on by the Gem and Mineral Society of San Francisco. The experience at … Continue reading →
Lapidary artists can do amazing things with gems — making them reflect light and look as if they glow from within. But, there is something to be said for the use of raw, natural stones. Here are some fine examples of artists finding beauty in the stone more or less as nature intended: As someone who has … Continue reading →
I’ve been eying these super-cool necklaces by local San Francisco company, Yellow Owl Workshop, for some time. I’ve seen these pieces around town and, last weekend, I spotted them on a display at Madewell at the San Francisco Shopping Center, which I would think is a great thing for Yellow Owl Workshop. I just have to comment … Continue reading →
This is one of my own creations. I made it by the lost-wax casting method and the small aquamarine cabochon was added to the finished piece. The design is meant to be an abstract rendering of the stones at the bottom of a creekbed. I like the idea of mixing organic shapes and themes with cleaner, geometric … Continue reading →
To the extent that a blog about jewelry can stir up controversy, I think that this post might be among the more controversial. There is jewelry and then there are accessories and I, for one, am not sure that these things are always one in the same. (There’s a ven diagram in there somewhere.) If I may, … Continue reading →
I’m not much for floral design, especially in jewelry. However, when I see some of Klara Markova’s work on Etsy, I have to sit down and catch my breath. Klara’s work is so creative and detailed. You can almost hear the breeze rustling the silver, flowered vines that accent so many of her pieces. She appears to … Continue reading →
To me, this piece is both bread and cake. This is a cocktail ring of my mother’s from the 1950’s. A cocktail ring is the epitome of personal adornment snack food — unnecessary and purely decorative. But, as it was my mother’s, it is among my prized possessions and it carries with it shadows of a time … Continue reading →
Michelle Lenáe posts some beautiful work for sale on Etsy. Of her work, these earnings in particular caught my eye. These long, dramatic earnings boast prasiolite stones, which is a green-quartz. Stylistically, there is a little clever mixing of metaphors here. Although the ball-chain is made of gold, it is still a ball-chain which makes me think of … Continue reading →
I love jewelry. I love it in a way that, I believe, is not materialistic … I love it for its beauty, its craftsmanship, its history and the role it has in our lives … not for its monetary value, although that can be impressive. Here, I hope to reflect on what’s out there, what people are … Continue reading →
Bread and Cake 