Creative Living

Jewelry of the Day blog post

2008-12-17T17:25:00.004-06:00

I was flattered and honored to have my Carpe Diem steampunk necklace included as a new entry on a very cool jewelry blog entitled Jewelry of the Day. Check it out for some really great pieces. Find this encklace and others at www.traceellements.etsy.com and even more at www.traceellements.com.

Got Baby On The Brain? Good!

2008-03-12T17:49:00.009-05:00

A Pregnant Pause

Ever wonder what pregnancy does to you? Other than the usual suspects...stretch marks (not inevitable...do not fear), moodiness, emotional highs and lows, weird skin things, ever consider enhanced creativity?! Yes, that too!

When I was pregnant I painted everything in sight. I wasn't tired. I wasn't cranky. I was simply blissful with my paint brush in hand and my clothes speckled from head to toe. I dreamed in pastels and couldn't wait to get up the next morning, whip my hair into a ponytail, grab a paint brush for each hand and one for between my teeth.

Every time I enter our teeniest, tiniest room in the house painted top to bottom in Dr. Seuss characters from all those wondrous books of childhood I'm reminded of those dreamy days of pregnancy wondering what it will be, who it will look like, and how I'll rock that sweet baby to sleep in a white wicker rocker in the corner of my new Dr. Seuss nursery. Only catch now is I can never move from this house and my daughter will be eighteen with a Yep On The Steps next to her bed until she heads off for college...if you know what I mean!

When You're Down And Out....Duck It!

2008-03-10T19:54:00.000-05:00

I don't know about everyone else but I know some days I, and most of the moms I know, can feel overwhelmed some days and just downright defeated. Yet it's amazing how feelings of struggle, helplessness, frustration and self-doubt can all be erased by a little yellow duck sporting a happy grin. Children can snap us out of the worst kind of moods like a free and non-addicting drug. It's instantaneous. A magical flash of baby teeth and a giggle that should be bottled and sold over-the-counter and you're good to go. Isn't it wonderful that the simplest of remedies still work to cure us of all our ills and woes.

Thank heaven, for little girls! (and boys...they work too!)

See how she's inspired me at www.traceellements.com

Vintage Filigree Jewelry Reinvents Itself

2008-03-08T16:15:00.000-06:00

Those buttoned-up, corseted-tight, gloved-to-the-elbows lovely ladies of days gone by were certainly on their best behavior which is why they must have felt the need to express themselves through their eye-catching and elaborate jewelry designs of the time. Today that wild abandon for unusual and eyebrow-raising jewelry translates beautifully into today's desire for more exotic and eccentric tastes. Modern day women want to express their own individual style through their fashion sensibilities and vintage inspirations are the perfect accessory vehicle. No longer is the standard silver or gold posts or hoop earrings enough, with the resurgence of these antique designs to the marketplace we find dragonflies reign supreme, lizards scale up lapels, bees buzz around lobes and sparrows take flight on decolletage.
Art nouveau repousse and art deco filigree play a part as well in this time-honored aesthetic. Big, bold, colorful stones of azure, crimson, cobalt and amber ignite the senses when enveloped in intricate filigree settings. Mass production had no place then or for today's women of style, they and we know the true art of elegance. Choosing a piece of jewelry to wear for the day or evening was just as integral to the event at hand as the garment to be worn... to afternoon tea, a walk down the boulevard, for a formal dinner and then off to the drawing room to unwind. The intricacy of the jewelry was just as complicated as the layers of lace and the multitude of buttons that ran from the nape of the neck to just past the waist.

It was all worth it. And while those times called for an elaborate dress of the moment, these same fabulous ornate vintage jewelry designs look fantastic paired with the more simple and clean-lined silhouettes of modern fashion. They bring an extra je ne sais quoi to an ensemble, the finishing touch, the piece de resistance that otherwise might leave an uneventful outfit crying for self-expression. Today you can find old world dyes still being reproduced in the most engaging detailed patterns...raised winged butterflies, ladies reclining in the crescent moon, love birds beak to beak, even Victorian skeleton keys find there way into the mix as once useful elements of the past become today's adornments.

Not just limited to earrings, this antique jewelry style has far reaching effects from bracelets to lariats, brooches to chokers, pendants to rings for every finger even the thumb...not even the glam girls back when were that hip! Finding reworked or new vintage pieces can be tricky, and costs for the real deal can often be cost prohibitive, but not impossible if you know where to look. Many times the attic is a good place to start or Grandma's jewelry box. If that comes up dry check out local flea markets and small antique shops away from the big cities...they're already super savvy about what a girl wants these days.

Independent artists are another great source since they take the time to reproduce their own renditions of the look and don't charge a fortune because they love what they do. Good luck in your search for the past revisited and when you find it and you're spotted wearing it taking your walk down the boulevard don't be surprised if you get stopped often and get asked, "Where did you find that great piece of jewelry, I've never seen anything like it"? Then you can reply, "I love it too, it's so totally me"!

For a great source of extremely affordable, extraordinary reproduction vintage jewelry designs check out my extensive collection at http://www.traceellements.com/

Tracy Ellison currently designs and creates vintage inspired jewelry creations and home accessories for her company Trace Ellements Jewelry & Gifts, works as a fashion and home design writer, worked as fashion editor for Marshall Field's, as a photo stylist, set decorator and wall muralist.

Smart Fix For Ceiling Fan Pull Chains

2008-03-07T14:24:00.000-06:00

Which is which? Whether it's the first time or the thousandth time you reach to pull the chain on your ceiling fan to either spin the fan or just shed some light on the subject inevitably you grab for the wrong one. Why? We're not sure but we do know it can be frustrating. But here's an easy answer that not only kicks back on frustration but also adds some personality and style to your room...unique, colorful and totally individual ceiling fan pulls that look different from each other while still looking like the perfect couple. Pair up your pulls so that they match in color and design yet vary in some regard, whether they go opposite in color or complement each other so slightly only you'll notice a difference. That difference will soon be put to memory and allow you to reach for the right pull every time.

There's a world of possibilities open to you...choices from contemporary, metallic, richly hued designs to period pulls such as Victorian era designs, modern, geometric, art deco just to mention a few. Or consider themed options such as animal designs running the gamut from fat cats to long and lanky lizards...the whole animal kingdom awaits in fan pull designs. There are pulls for babies' rooms, sophisticated living areas, teapots and pans for kitchens, nature designs to bring the outside in, glistening fancy glass pulls, patterned pulls from zebra stripes to cheetah spots, and let's not forget the whole underwater category from colorful sail fish to big old blowfish in a myriad of colors.

Adding a little color and fun to your ceiling fan pulls is a great way to add a little personality to a room while cleverly and indiscreetly labeling your light and fan pulls so the next time you enter the room you won't wonder which is which anymore. Let's face it, a little less stress everyday is definitely a home improvement we all can live with.
Tracy Ellison currecntly works as a fashion and home design writer, worked as fashion editor for Marshall Field's, as a photo stylist, set decorator, children's room muralist, home accessories designer. Many style and option possibilities are available for ceiling fan chains.

Check out all the great designs available--over 275 unique styles--at
http://www.traceellements.com/