Mother's Day Gift Ideas: Sea Stars by Diana Kauffman Jewelry Designs - Club Monaco

Beautiful statement pieces by Diana Kauffman Jewelry Designs

Mother's Day should remind you that beach season is just around the corner. This year, why not treat Mom (or yourself) to beautiful handcrafted jewelry that can be worn with a beach caftan or your favorite bikini?

Sea Star Earrings 2 with beautiful antique copper French Hooks

These earrings are gorgeous and perfect for a trip to the spa or a tropical resort. Handmade in the USA, these beautiful statement pieces are a gracious compliment to: sun dresses, beach wear, resort fashions, vacation honeymoons.

Sea Star Earrings 2
Strands of genuine leather in turquoise shades wave with artisan-made ceramic beads dangle from antique copper ear wires. See them online at DianaKauffmanDesigns.com

Sea Star Signature Necklace

This necklace compliments the Sea Star Earrings so beautifully, you'll look like that Saint Tropez model wearing them together! I really like the organic look of the necklace which showcases little sea treasures of a copper starfish and silver scallop shell. Absolutely stunning on tanned skin.

Sea Star Signature Necklace
Handmade Greek ceramic beads anchor this necklace made from SilverSilk; a non-tarnish, permanently enameled gunmetal wire knitted around a hematite bead chain. Embellished with copper starfish and silver clamshell.  Approx. length: 32”

Club Monaco Quartz Necklace
Another of my beachy favorites is the long green quartz necklace from Club Monaco, 5th Ave. My brother and I were shopping and we saw this piece and went "Wow". I've come to find out that such
quartz necklaces were worn as a sign of power and prestige in the British Isles centuries ago.

Club Monaco 5th Avenue Sea Foam Green Quartz Necklace

French Cloisonne Glass Perfume Holder
This is another of my favorite jewelry pieces for the shore. Inside the little winged creature is a large glass vial for your favorite perfume or fragrance oil. I prefer to use an anointing oil inside as it is thicker than perfume and less likely to spill out. There is a metal rod applicator inside the top and the necklace is silver.

French Cloisonne glass perfume holder

Fashion Weekend Zolbayar Artist Reception

Artist "Zol" at his first solo exhibition Saturday night at Fidias Art Gallery.

July 7th, 2013 Fashion Weekend While NYC Fashion Week continues on Monday, this Saturday night, I had the pleasure of an out of city experience - Zolbayar's first solo art exhibition in Freehold, NJ.
Zol was born in St. Petersburg, Russia but now resides in the US.  As a self-taught artist, Zol's style is totally fresh and unpretentious. Gleaning inspiration from natural elements and the environment, (Zol works in masonry), he is able to create an organic transformation of acrylics into a marvelous abstract landscape of texture and color.

Wine, cheese and great canvas!  Zolbayar's first solo exhibition.

Some of Zol's paintings remind me of sandstone hills and the rock climbing I always attempt at the park. Others take you to the cosmos as they resemble galaxies of stars. There are so many that I liked but I wanted to know which were the artist's own favorites. These are the ones that I photographed for you here.

This creation by Zol reminds me of the natural veins found in marble.

I spoke with Zol and he said that his technique can include the use of fire to achieve the unique finishes you see on much of his artwork. Some have a three dimensional pebbled finish and others are smoother with texture.

Another one of Zol's creations on exhibit at Fidias Art Gallery

This was a delightful evening with a rather large turn-out of invitees and locals who support the Fidias Art Gallery. It is refreshing to see an artist who is both talented and well grounded. I'm looking forward to seeing Zol in NYC for Fashion Week and beyond as I believe his future in the art world is secure.
The Zolbayar Collection will be on exhibit from September 7th - 21st at Fidias Art Gallery, 12 Court Street, Freehold NJ 

This Evening's Outfit:
Metamorphose Dress by Horny Toad - This LBD is an easy to wear convertible wrap you can dress up or down. Tonight I wore the straps up, halter style and added a Red-Taupe Silk Blend Scarf by NewportStyle.net

Metamorphose Dress by Horny Toad

Metamorphose Dress with straps down and Green Quartz necklace by Club Monaco, 5th Ave.

 

Resort Fashions Newport Mansions - LBD Goes from Beach to Evening

PHOTO: The Breakers, the grandest of the Newport Mansions

The Breakers, Newport RI One of the things I really enjoy about traveling in New England is the easy, yet elegant style you'll see from Nantucket Island, Mass. to Newport Rhode Island. When I took the tour of The Breakers which was the Vanderbilt summer cottage, there was the Cliff Walk and many other seaside attractions. Newport also has a vibrant nightlife as it is home to the Newport Jazz Festival each year. So how about a dress that can go from the shore to a night out at a posh dinner club?  Here you go!

Horny Toad's Metamorphose Dress can be worn so many ways.

Daytime
Hand Bag: Handwoven Pewter Sand Dollar Bag from NewportStyle.net, the Newport Mansions Stores.  This bag is somewhere between a tote and a Nantucket basket purse. Handwoven of natural Ata grass, it is a work of art but the leather straps and sturdy construction only underscore its beauty.

Shoes: Earthies Vista Leather Wedges in Alpaca The woven leather picks up on the handcrafting of the Pewter Sand Dollar Bag and these shoes go from the Mansion Tour to the shore. Comfortable yet pretty they remind me of a similar design by Diane Von Furstenberg this season.

Nightlife 
Really, this is what that special little black dress is for. You can dress it up or down. When you are traveling, you'll appreciate having it along because you will have worn it to the beach and now it's time to make dinner plans.

Necklace: Green Quartz from Club Monaco, 5th Ave. Bag by Betsy Johnson. Raynia Pumps by Earthies available at Nordstrom.com.

Your Evening Look

Lips
Here you need to go bold or go home! Classic RED lipstick adds a touch of elegance to your evening look so try a sheer moist orange-red like this one from Clinique in 06 Red Red Red. It is long lasting and enriched with olive fruit and aloe.

Add a bright, bold lip, lots of golden glow and some serious fragrance.

Skin
This dress shows a lot of skin so make it count.  Hard Candy's Glow All the Way in Tropical Tan is an instant bronze and gradual self tanner with 24 karat gold! You get a good 2.7 oz tube so go for it.

Fragrance
The evening won't be complete without applying a little perfume to your pulse points. As the nightlife heats up, it will continue to mix with your chemistry for a lasting scent. Lancome's Hypnose and Salvatore Ferragamo's F for Fascinating are two of my favorites.

Black Sequined Lip purse by Betsy Johnson

My Evening Makeup:

Kett FIXX Creme Foundation is waterproof and stays on all day without blotting or retouching.
Kett Hydro Foundation & Blush applied through an airbrush
Purely Cosmetics Diamond Perfect Finishing Powder (infused with pure diamonds!)
Lips: Clinique Long Last Lipstick in 06 Red Red Red
Eyes: Sephora Waterproof Liner in Navy Blue




Dress, shoes and Woven Handbag c/o Horny Toad, Earthies and NewportStyle.net respectively.