11 August, 2012
This May Not Be Jewelry...
It's definitely adornment but might be clothing. It's pretty and versatile, though, and would make anything you own a little more modern/medieval. How many items do you have that can do that? Wonder what it sounds like when you walk.
Made by Fanniechiavoni, available at http://www.notjustalabel.com/shop/62245. She also has some fantastic PVC and steel chain bustiers and a steel cropped top that is the BOMB.
10 August, 2012
Black Friday
Ladies and gentlemen- Black Friday presents the Lotus Arts de Vivre snake cuff! 18 karat gold, silver, wood, and precious stones, this jaw dropping boomslang is available on www.1st.dibs.com.
Black Friday will be a somewhat regular event featuring black jewelry- quixotic and aesthetically tense.
Black Friday will be a somewhat regular event featuring black jewelry- quixotic and aesthetically tense.
05 August, 2012
Keeping Track?
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| http://nataliebcoleman.bigcartel.com/product/super-soft-silk-all-the-jewellery-i-never-got-t-shirt |
Doesn't everyone keep a list of the jewels that got away? The ones that haunt you because you did not get them and feel the hole in your psyche until this day? Yeah- you know it. This is for you.
04 August, 2012
02 August, 2012
Snake Jewelry Is Always in Style
The Victorians loved snakes in jewelry, starting with Prince Albert's giving Vicky a snake ring (those crazy, kinky kids)! Now they are ubiquitous, often looking like something on loan from Voldemort. But this contemporary, beaded necklace is gorgeous!
Metalic and 24 karat gold plate over glass beads. Is this subtle or freaky?
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| Gold Snake II by Claire Kahn at Patina Gallery, www.patina-gallery.com |
Yummy!
This is James Bond's favorite recipe for potted shrimps, from The Guardian:
Serves 4
200g unsalted butter
Juice of ¼ lemon
¼ tsp ground mace
¼ tsp white pepper
½ tsp anchovy paste or Gentleman's Relish
200g cooked and peeled brown shrimps
Cayenne pepper, to serve
1. Melt the butter in a pan over a gentle heat, and then allow to simmer until you spot the first dark flecks – watch it carefully, or it will burn. Strain through some butter muslin, or two sheets of kitchen roll, into a jug.
2. Wipe out the pan, and pour in two-thirds of the butter. Add the lemon juice, mace, pepper, anchovy essence and a pinch of salt and simmer very gently for five minutes, then take off the heat and allow to cool but not set. Divide the shrimps between 4 ramekins, pressing them in tightly.
3. When just warm, but still liquid, divide the spiced butter between the ramekins and put in the fridge to set. Once solid, pour over the remainder of the clarified butter and return to the fridge to set.
4. Serve with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and a lot of hot toast.
And why would you care about potted shrimp, you ask, wondering if I have some weird Flemming-philia. Because of this delicious little Goring Shrimp, by Alex Monroe.
Usually food doesn't make attractive jewelry, but this one is adorable! Sold with a shrimp tea at the Goring Hotel, it is also available on Alex Monroe's site, www.alexmonroe.com. His blog does not say if the shrimps at the hotel are potted or not, but a shrimp tea is, well, very very (teddibly teddibly) British that they should be.
Since I am not British, I'll leave you with the shrimp and corn chowder I made the other night. It's from the best soup cookbook ever, Twelve Months of Monastery Soups, by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette.
Serves 6
4 cups water
2 chopped onions
2 chopped celery stalks
1 small chopped pepper
1 finely diced carrot
2 large, diced potatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 can creamed corn
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 lb cooked, shelled shrimp
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley and paprika for garnish
1. Pour water into large pot. Add onions, celery, pepper, carrots, potatoes, and bay leaf. Bring to boil and then simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
2. Dilute flour with milk. Add to soup.
3. Add corn, cooked shrimp, salt, and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, stirring over low- medium heat. remove bay leaf and serve with sprinkles of garnishes.
Serves 4
200g unsalted butter
Juice of ¼ lemon
¼ tsp ground mace
¼ tsp white pepper
½ tsp anchovy paste or Gentleman's Relish
200g cooked and peeled brown shrimps
Cayenne pepper, to serve
1. Melt the butter in a pan over a gentle heat, and then allow to simmer until you spot the first dark flecks – watch it carefully, or it will burn. Strain through some butter muslin, or two sheets of kitchen roll, into a jug.
2. Wipe out the pan, and pour in two-thirds of the butter. Add the lemon juice, mace, pepper, anchovy essence and a pinch of salt and simmer very gently for five minutes, then take off the heat and allow to cool but not set. Divide the shrimps between 4 ramekins, pressing them in tightly.
3. When just warm, but still liquid, divide the spiced butter between the ramekins and put in the fridge to set. Once solid, pour over the remainder of the clarified butter and return to the fridge to set.
4. Serve with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and a lot of hot toast.
And why would you care about potted shrimp, you ask, wondering if I have some weird Flemming-philia. Because of this delicious little Goring Shrimp, by Alex Monroe.
 |
| Rose gold over silver, grey pearls for eyes- awwwwww. |
Since I am not British, I'll leave you with the shrimp and corn chowder I made the other night. It's from the best soup cookbook ever, Twelve Months of Monastery Soups, by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette.
Serves 6
4 cups water
2 chopped onions
2 chopped celery stalks
1 small chopped pepper
1 finely diced carrot
2 large, diced potatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 can creamed corn
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 lb cooked, shelled shrimp
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley and paprika for garnish
1. Pour water into large pot. Add onions, celery, pepper, carrots, potatoes, and bay leaf. Bring to boil and then simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
2. Dilute flour with milk. Add to soup.
3. Add corn, cooked shrimp, salt, and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, stirring over low- medium heat. remove bay leaf and serve with sprinkles of garnishes.
31 July, 2012
The Latest Bond Girl Really Sparkles
Queen Elizabeth also has a particular style when it comes to her jewels. With her options including an untold numbers of jewels, the Queen maintains a predictable bling routine- earrings (usually big pearls), a necklace, and a brooch, almost always from her personal jewels.
Queen Elizabeth can choose between her personal jewels or the crown jewels, which do not belong to the woman but the ruler of England and are only worn for affairs of state. She has great-grandmama Victoria to thank for that division.
The division is not as neat as it sounds. The diamond brooch she wore during her Jubilee this year is two diamonds, the Cullinan III and Cullinan IV. These were cut from the Cullinan Diamond in 1905 after it was given as a birthday present to the King of England. Queen Mary frequently wore pieces of it, to include the III and IV included it in her crown; Queen Elizabeth calls the III and IV "Granny's chips." Are "Granny's chips" crown jewels or personal?
The basket pin, worn recently as she greeted Olympic athletes, was a present from her parents after the birth of Prince Charles. That's easily personal, as is the three strand pearl necklace that she often wears. It was a present from King George V.
Loving the art deco aquamarines she wore at another appearance during her Jubilee. If anyone knows the provenance of the other pins in these photos, please drop a note.
Notice how her hats and pins inform and accentuate each other? Anything more would be too much for daytime. Night time and formal state events require another variation on earrings, a necklace, a pin, and a hat.
I've missed blogging- there are so many fun things out there that need to be shared with fellow enthusiasts! It steals the joy a little when you show your significant other or your kids something really cool and their eyes glaze over. This time, I'll post more infrequently so I don't lose my excitement. I'm grateful for the sabbatical, and I am glad to be back! Let's look at some jools!
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