periwinkle

Periwinkle has an onomatopoeic quality to me. I just think when you say the name you can instantly picture the cute little bright lavender flower that is it's namesake.  Unfortunately for you readers, I'm also an oncology nurse and a huge science wonk. And I love learning about origins of certain medicines. Like vincristine, a major chemotherapy (the O in RCHOP and, yes, I get that that is majorly confusing, don't get me started on medical acronyms that make you go huh?) used to treat lymphoma, it is derived from Madagascar Periwinkle. Vincristine (aka Oncovin, that's where they get the O from) can never be used intrathecally and has a maximum dose of 2 mgs (you can thank me later if that helps you answer a question correctly on Jeopardy). Two cute little teardrops of perwinkle quartz wrapped in gold wire with four rosy lavender glass crystals dangling above. All wire 14 kt gold-filled. $23

lakshmi

Lakshmi is your one stop shopping goddess according to wikipedia. She bestows wealth, both spiritual and material, and she's the embodiment of beauty, really what more could you need? Perhaps these earrings. I wanted to name them after a hindu goddess because I think these would look amazing on someone Indian. The garnet red, with a pop of coral, the smoky topaz glass and gold vermeil spacers between the beads, should I photoshop them on Padma Lakshmi's ears so you can see what I'm talking about? Well I think they would look great on anyone but when I made them I just kept seeing someone with darker coloring wearing them. Prove me wrong, or right. All wire is 14 kt gold-filled. $19

anjou

For the past two weeks I've been experiencing a panic attack. That's right, a two week long panic attack. Needless to say, it sucks. Will my insides ever stop feeling like a vulture is clawing at me? But, on the bright side, I lost any winter weight I gained. Perhaps I have a pheochromocytoma. I am in love the the singsong rhapsody of certain medical terms 'pheo' being a tumor of your adrenals, a fight or flight hotspot for the release of catecholamines, a little epinephrine and norepinephrine to help make your heart feel like it's about to jump out of your chest? I get hung up on words, like the fact that the sympathetic nervous system, paradoxically it would seem, primes the body with a stress response that makes you feel very bad. Maybe the sympathetic nervous system goes by the misery loves company, we're in this together, school of thought. 

This is neither here nor there with respect to these earrings. Four red anjou pear drops weight a tiny trellis of fine gold-filled chain. Bronze, gold and deepest red glass beads climb towards your lobes. All metal is 14 kt gold-filled. $23

skyfall

I don't know about you but Skyfall didn't do it for me. My favorite part of the movie was Adele singing 'Skyfall' and after that I just found it boring and too violent. Who am I becoming? So why the name for these earrings? The teardrop resembles London blue topaz and London made me think British then Bond. It sounded more apt than 'Quantum of Solace' don't you think? And the teardrop is like a lovely little piece of early evening sky that has fallen to your lobes with kisses of the deepest blood red and bronze crystal beads accenting the London blue. All wire is14 kt gold-filled. $23

the orchid thief

This is probably my favorite of the 'petal necklace series' the irridescent purply color is to die for. I swear I must have beeen a tacky hippie in an alternate life, I've really got a thing for irridescent stuff. In the summer at Whole Foods they have the most glorious orchids lining a wall that marks off the eating area, so my kids and I will go have sweet treats in the orchid forest. Did you know about orchidelirium? One hybrid word that's supposed to sum up the obsessive madness that claimed people in their avaricious quest to acquire new varieties of orchids during the Victorian era. I love stories of obsession; even if it's oftentimes misdirected and heavy on greed, it makes for good fiction if nothing else.  Four tiny petals of a purply-gold hang on a slender thread of gold chain. It's a simple, elegant piece. Clasp, chain, beads and wire all 14kt gold-filled. 17-1/4" in length. $37

sugar plums

Now visions of sugar plums can dance on your lobes instead of in your head. A spectrum of plum colored pearls and glass wrapped in gold wire hangs on a thin sliver of chain. Delicate and delectable, it's a sweet treat that won't go to your thighs. 1-1/2" in length. All metal is 14kt gold-filled. $19

petals on the wind

Yes, I'm naming this one after a spinner rack novel, and for those of you that didn't work at a book store that's a rather elitist diss to the wildly popular books that used to occupy the spinning wire racks in independent bookstores. Remember them, before all that existed was Barnes & Noble and Amazon? Sigh. I feel so old sometimes, because I question the greatness of a future where everyone looks at their phones instead of looking up and taking in life, perhaps smiling at a stranger and striking up a conversation. But I digress. When I was in middle school I devoured all those spinner rack novels; Danielle Steele, Sidney Sheldon, and their made for tv movie ilk. Oh but V.C. Andrews, she was special. So creepy, dark and erotic. For someone on the cusp of teendom her works were shocking.  I was hooked and whipped through those books a day at a time. So out of the trilogy Petals on the Wind was the only one I could make work with my jewelry, although maybe I'll branch out and try an If There Be Thorns necklace. Seven petals of pale golden pink glass, separated by six golden beads, hang on a fine gold chain. Beads, clasp, wire and chain are all 14kt gold-filled. 18-1/4" in length. $37

he loves me

This is like the gem version of picking petals off a pretty pink flower. But you can keep the winning petal close to your heart. A faceted teardrop of rose quartz wrapped in wire hangs on a gold chain. Wire, chain and clasp are all 14kt gold-filled. 17" inches in length. $37

under the sea

I wanted to name this bracelet the drop off but felt that didn't sound too gem seductive and I shouldn't obliquely refer to Finding Nemo, even if it is a wonderful movie that I've seen far too many times (I'm very well versed in the movies of Pixar). This bracelet looks like a treasure from the sea. A strand of apatite chips resemble the clear aqua of tropical island waters. Flourite beads cast a spectrum of purples. Lepidolite ovals add soothing lavender with irridescent labradorite rounding out the mix. Consider it spring break on your wrist, without the regret of having too much to drink. Sterling silver clasp, 8" in length. $41