Crazy for Chrysoprase

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June 1st is only a couple days away and with that comes the first day of summer! The weather is heating up and so is your wardrobe. Bright colors are a must this season so time to bring out the sizzle in your accessories. LJ is officially infatuated with our chrysoprase stones and the fun, flashy lime green hues that comes along with them!

Here are a few, fun facts about Chrysoprase! It is a gemstone of the chalcedony family and can range in color from a vibrant lime green, to a deep forest green. Chrysoprase is cryptocrystalline, which means that it is composed of crystals so fine that they cannot be seen as distinct particles under normal magnification. This is one thing that sets it apart from a rock crystal such as amethyst or citrine. The green color of chrysoprase is due to small amounts of nickel that are in it and not the a presence of chromium. Now that we know a little bit more about our newest favorite let’s see how it dazzles!

Molly, Rowan, Peyton, Clary, Sabrina

Chrysoprase is a stone that is all about making a statement. You cannot put on a stone that speaks so loudly without turning some heads and lighting up a room. Even if you are more of a wallflower than a social butterfly we have pieces like our brand new Rowan with a dainty look and feel that may make you more comfortable than the bold Clary. If it is true that wearing bright hues gives you a sunnier disposition than any of our chrysoprase pieces are guaranteed to help you wear your good mood around all day and into the night.

Although you can pair this green gemstone with any clothing of your choice it does sit well on a neutral background like black or white. Wearing this on a white dress, shirt, etc. adds some splash to what may be a bit of a blank canvas. On the other end of the spectrum laying over black gives it an extra flavorful pop with the fun contrast between light and dark. However you choose to wear it we promise you will be pleasantly surprised with the compliments coming you shall receive as well as the positive aura surrounding you.

How do you like your chrysoprase? Big and bold, or quiet and dainty? Send us your favorite photos of you in your Liz James, especially if you have one in chrysoprase!

Night & Day… You are the One

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We are back in full swing this week at LJ, preparing for a long holiday weekend and showing you how to go from career woman chic, to night on the town glam with one fabulous necklace. If you are searching for that perfect statement piece that you can wear to the office and then take off into your night time festivities, we have a great new friend for you. Sometimes all it takes is a little inspiration and creativity, but really all you need is a few changes in your outfit and the rest should fall into place.

Meet Libby…Blazer, Lace Tank, Pants, Flats, Libby, Skirt, Heels, Lip Gloss

Libby is a necklace made up of three different 14kt gold filled chains, hand-wired together with large pieces of lapis. If you are looking for something with a little “chunk” and sass this necklace can definitely accomplish that. This cool, blue piece is vibrant and striking and should not be limited strictly to casual wear. Libby can be worn everywhere from your board room meeting to ladies night out. Although you can match these blue stones up to just about any color, LJ loves to pair the deep blue hues of the lapis stones with sunny coral and bright whites. These great color combinations give you a splash of summer in and out of the office. So pull out your corals and unleash your inner Libby lapis spirit!

And don’t forget… If you are feeling really wild, you can always pair the necklace with the Libby bracelet which brings both lapis and coral to the table.

What will you wear your Libby with?

This One is for Mama

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Mother’s Day is this coming Sunday and who will you honor on this day? A mother, a wife, a grandmother, a daughter, a sister, or even a friend, there are mothers in all of our lives who deserve gratitude on this day for all that they do in our lives. At Liz James most of us are mothers, or are blessed to have a special mother in our life. We share with you a Mother’s Day poem today and a few snapshots from our lives in motherhood, or as a daughter. When this Sunday rolls around remember to give the special woman in your life thanks for all of the ways she makes your life beautiful.

A poem from daughter to Mom expressing her love and thankfulness.

A Poem For Mom

© Champagne S. Baker
You are the sunlight in my day,
You are the moon I see far away.
You are the tree I lean upon,
You are the one that makes troubles be gone.
You are the one who taught me life,
How not to fight, and what is right.
You are the words inside my song,
You are my love, my life, my mom.
You are the one who cares for me,
You are the eyes that help me see.
You are the one who knows me best,
When it’s time to have fun and time to rest.
You are the one who has helped me to dream,
You hear my heart and you hear my screams.
Afraid of life but looking for love,
I’m blessed for God sent you from above.
You are my friend, my heart, and my soul
You are the greatest friend I know.
You are the words inside my song,
You are my love, my life, my Mom.

 A Poem For Mom

Liz James would like to wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day! And don’t forget if you want to get the amazing woman in your life some dazzling jewels to adorn herself in LJ can help. We are offering a special 20% off for Mother’s Day TODAY ONLY, May 8th, from 9am-2pm. Take part in this offer by shopping in our studio showroom or online with offer code MOM2012.

Tell us about your mother or life as a mom! How will you celebrate your mother this Mother’s Day?

It’s a Glorious Day for a Horse Race

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It is that time of year again where the horseshoes go on and the big hats come out. The first Saturday in May marks the annual tradition of the Kentucky Derby. Known as ”The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” or “The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports,” people attend this event and watch from all over the world. What we absolutely love most about the tradition of the Kentucky Derby is the fine outfits heavily accessorized with lavish jewels and large, elaborate hats. Whether you will be sitting in the stands live for “The Run of the Roses,” or attending a themed party you will need the perfect accessories to model your personal Kentucky Derby style.

The Kentucky Derby is a long streaming tradition that goes beyond just the horse race itself. The traditional dress seen years ago at the start of this event is still seen in fashions today. Men in suits and bow ties, women in dresses, heels, adorned with pearls… oh and who could miss the hat! The classic derby style is fashionable and sleek. Playing a bit of dress up is what it is all about, and the more fun you have with it, the more it shows! Take chances with creative or large hats, but one thing that LJ does not want you to forget about is of course your jewels.

You can never go wrong with the pearl. Classy and elegant the pearl is a staple that all women should have in their jewelry collection, and all women should be prepared to drape themselves in them this weekend for the Derby festivities. LJ has no shortage of pearls or the possibilities of how they can be worn, so don’t worry ladies if you haven’t gotten your pearls ready for this weekend yet, we have you covered!

Time to play a little dress up…

Lori Necklace, Linda Necklace, Niki Necklace, Caroline Bracelet, Lucy Bracelet, Claudia Earring

There is no shortage of fabulous at the Kentucky Derby. Be brave, and be daring for this is an event that is no less than extraordinary. The more extravagant you get with your accessories the better. Of course you always want to keep it classy, for you are after all playing the part of a sweet southern bell. So go ahead, get in your dresses, grab your pearls, get you a Mint Julep, and enjoy the races…. Oh and don’t forget your spectacular giant hat!

Eat your heart out Louisville!

What will you adorn yourself in at your Kentucky Derby soiree?

LJ Weekend Wine Pick

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We love our Friday afternoon wine tastings, and we are here to report week 2 of our LJ wine tasting pick for under $10.

The buyer today was the lovely Ashley who works for Hat Creek Burger Company whom we share office space with. The cheese and grapes came from Dan who is also a part of the Hat Creek crew. We tasted two different wines, both were red, one from Argentina, and one from California.

Our two wines that were unveiled today were Trivento and First Timer.

Trivento is a 2011 Malbec from Argentina. It has a dark/inky color with robust flavor. It has a sweet, but not too sweet taste, with a nice velvety finish. Trivento is said to pair best with grilled meats and stews. We all thought it was a smooth everyday wine that you can pair with about anything.

First Timer is a California red wine blend from 2009. First Timer is a dark wine rich with tastes of fruit, like black cherry and peppery spices. Oddly I could not find much information online about this wine other than it is from the Chain Gang Vineyards, so I am not sure of great pairings, or professional dialog on the wine. Our tasters found this to be a bit more of a full-bodied wine. Very rich in flavor with a kind of tang, but with a sweet finish.

So the votes are in for todays tasting and the winner is…. Trivento! You should be able to find this at your local store ranging in price from $7-$10.

We hope you enjoy your weekend and let us know if you have any special wine picks we should try under $10.00!

‘Tis the Season…

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…Wedding season that is! Spring brings blooming of blossoms and blossoming of love. Spring can sometimes be a mild season with warm weather and sunny days. This recipe can bake up the perfect wedding day, and hey even if it rains that is just good luck on your side. Every year new trends spring forth of creative setups or themes, even different types of wardrobe. One thing that remains constant throughout the years is the idea of a bride in a white dress and or course her glimmering jewels.

Classic jewels are traditionally the most sought after for a bride on her wedding day. Pearls, diamonds and other sparkly pieces are most common. On your special day you want to not only feel like the princess that you are, but you want to look it as well. The right jewels will bring your look together and leave you feeling beautiful and confident.

Liz James has a wedding collection that likes to touch on the classic all the way up to the modern. Pearls are one thing we know best, and of course even when it comes to your wedding day we say you can wear as many pieces or as few as you see fit.

Since the tradition says “something blue,” having a nice subtle hint of blue color on your baubles can accomplish two tasks, fulfilling both the tradition and your need for great jewels. The Dianna chalcedony earrings can do just this with a pale blue shade that can fall down your neckline either with hair back to let them shine, or hair down with just a small speck of color that will peek through. Some of our other small turquoise earrings at LJ would also serve well for this purpose like the Lauren earrings. Other options for your “something blue” could be a simple bracelet like the Zoey bracelet. It gives you a hint of color without completely overwhelming the rest of your look.

Truly it can be said that you cannot go wrong with the classic pearl. Pearls are a great choice for either a bride or her brides maids. Pearls are completely timeless and will never go out of style. They are perfect for elegant, formal events and what is more perfect than your wedding day. LJ has many pearls to choose from, but the classic Claudia is one of Liz James original designs. The Claudia sweeps across your neckline with pearls threaded on cord and spaced to give an illusion of floating pearls.

When needing something old, and something new, pearls can be a fabulous choice. It is wonderful if you have an older pair of pearls passed down from a family member for something old or borrowed, but if you are wanting pearls and do not have older ones to wear you can always look for something new! Our bride in the photo has a chunkier necklace look with a small pearl earring. This combination syncs well together, but you can always do the opposite by switching your look up with a daintier necklace and a larger pearl drop earring. Our Norah necklace, for example, always works well short and doubled up to stay high on the neckline. Norah pairs beautifully with the Claudia or Brandy earrings to keep the simple pearl look flowing. Each of them comes in either gray or white pearls if you do not want to keep your whole look so bright, and the Norah can be found in several other colors if you want to play up your look a bit for something more modern.

LJ has touched on the blue and on the pearls, so don’t forget about the sparkly! Liz James does carry a few items made from raw diamonds if you are a diamond kind of gal. You will see our diamonds linked together on 18kt gold wire on the Liz necklace that also has a diamond cross that hangs from the front of the piece. If you are wanting something that has that sparkle, but is on the more modest side the Julie diamond necklaces are perfect.The Julie diamond falls from a 14kt gold chain with a small link of diamonds falling across the front. Layering these together can give a great look as well, and hey we all know Diamonds are a girls best friend!

So there you have it, some jewel ideas to help you shine and sparkle as you walk down the isle to your future of happiness. And remember if you don’t only want to wear jewels this year at weddings you will see new trends of brides adorning them in their hair, on their bouquet, and even on the wedding cake.

To any of you getting married this season we wish you all the best! What jewelry is your favorite for a wedding? Even if you are only attending one this year what would be your jewel of choice?

That’s A Wrap!

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There are wraps you can eat or there are raps you can speak… but what about wraps you can wear? There are all sorts of accessories you can use as a wrap to pair perfectly with your personal expression.

Hair, Shoulder, Waist, Neck

… Or wrap it around your wrist! LJ has all sorts of fun wrap bracelets to choose from. Whether you need an extra pop of color, or just want to dress up a casual outfit you are sure to find that one of these will rhyme well with your style. The beauty of the wrap bracelets that LJ designs is that they are a multi-purpose kind of piece. If your heart so desires you can always wear one of these stunning bracelets around your neck. Most times you can wear the necklace long, or you can double it up for a shorter look. LJ likes to create our jewelry in the most versatile way, to give you the creative reign over how you will sport it.

Pic 1: Vivi Laboradite, TQ Bracelet, Leigh   Pic 2: Vivi Turquoise   Pic 3: Jan Coral, Jan Pearl, Vivi Turquoise   Pic 4: Jan Turquoise, Lucy

Wrap up these bracelets in bunches for a bold statement look, or wear one wrap at a time to simplify on your accessorizing. Dress them up, or dress them down, you know the drill! And you know your own personal style best. So there you go…. that’s a wrap!

What bracelet would suit you best?