Recent Posts
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My Five Favorite Gifts: Daria's Gift...
It’s that time of year again and if you’re scratching your heads for gifts to give, I’ve got you covered! Here are a few of my favorite things for 2024:First...
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Q&A with Christine Webb
For me, there is nothing better than visiting a natural history museum and spending hours in the gem and mineral halls. One of the most famous institutions is the Smithsonian’s...
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Q&A with Newell Harbin
This month’s guest blog features my friend Newell Harbin, who recently stepped down from her position as photography director for Sir Elton John’s incredible collection. This chapter of her life...
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Q&A with Alex Mason
July’s blog features my pal fine artist and textile designer Alex Mason, whom I first met when we were both exhibiting near each other at the Chicago Antiques and Art...
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Q&A with Monica Stephenson
This month’s blog guest is Monica Stephenson—a fellow gem and jewelry lover, whom I first met two decades ago when Monica was simply blogging about designers. Since then, she has...
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Q&A with Nicole Collins
Episode 2 of my guest blog Q&A series goes to beauty-expert, Nicole Collins. I’ve known Nicole for decades now and she has always been at the forefront of the beauty...
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Q&A with Caroline Lizarraga
I’m excited to be launching my new Q&A series with renowned painter and decorative artist Caroline Lizarraga. Based in northern California, Caroline just debuted her first collection of wallpaper for...
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Red Carpet Ready
Every year when Hollywood’s award season rolls around, I take another look at the jewelry in my safe. I’m often loaning jewels for the red carpet and it’s fun to...
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Recipes from My Heart to Yours
When I was in my teens, the words straight out of my mouth were that I never wanted to cook and would have to marry someone who could. Luckily, that...
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5 Favorite Things From 2023 That...
As the year starts anew, I wanted to take a moment to reflect upon the past 365 days – to digest what inspired and excited me the most and share...
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My Guide to Museums
My Guide to Museums When I travel, I always like to find some time to visit the local museums, galleries, and art exhibitions. For me, this is not just inspirational,...
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A few of my favorite things:...
Let’s kick it off with the item every lady needs to be their holiday best: jewelry cleaner. This customized special formula is a bio-based cleaning formula that contains no harsh...
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Art Imitating Earth
Daria talks about the Paintings of Landscape How did this concept of working an actual jewel into a painting come to you? I’ve been getting into painting again, and in...
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Why October’s Pink Ribbon’s Are Less...
When October rolls around and pink ribbons start popping up all over the place, I hold my breath just a little. It’s a very bright, visual reminder of my tangle...
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The Painless Way to Change up...
I had an epiphany lately. I realized that a lot of the pieces in my closet aren’t “me” anymore. Apparently, I was holding on to outfits I still liked, but...
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The Case for Active Meditation
Living a creative life can be demanding. There is the challenge of trying to put aside enough time from running a business to be artistic and of course, there are...
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Behind the Paintings of Landscape
I wasn’t expecting to start painting again…. I hadn’t painted with oil paints, or really any paint, in decades. But in my free time over the last few years, I...
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Behind my Latest Collection
Years ago, at one of the gem shows I attended, I had purchased a few larger stones that intrigued me. They were landscape stones. Stones that provoked my brain neurons...
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How to Pack
Summer often brings about travel for many people – and of course, you all know how much I am on the road year-round! Whether going far or near, I’m always...
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Western Wear Goes Mainstream
There’s something about the coming of summer that brings “the West” to my mind. Visuals of wide expanses of earth, clouds of dust, rugged cowboys, and sweating horses swim through...
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Style v. Glamour
Style and glamour are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Style is a way of expressing oneself through clothing, makeup, and accessories....
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Secret Stories
What you might realize about me by now is that I love details, mystery, and a good narrative. Paintings of yore used to have all those aspects incorporated into their...
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The Thrill of the Hunt
Even though I am no longer ten years-old, I still love digging in the dirt! So, last summer I finally organized one of my Bucket List trips and went fossil hunting...
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A Pirate's Bounty
One day early in the year, a good friend of mine texted me a strange photo of a lumpy, pipe-shaped stone. She had been on vacation with her family in...
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What’s Old is New Again –...
Recently, I received an email from someone who had been following my work but I had never met. She had been given an aquamarine ring from her husband, passed down...
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