I wish when I started collecting fine jewelry someone would've given me advice on what to invest in first. Jewelry is one of those things that actually can be a sound investment compared to a lot of other material things in this world. 

But unlike real estate or stocks you can enjoy your investment while you own it. My jewelry collection gives me joy and security, which is the best of both worlds. 

The best advice I can give for starting out with your collection is to pick pieces that you truly love. The great part is that stones and metals can all be changed and re-set to make anything. Styles will change and everyone has different preferences but like fashion there are classics and that goes for jewelry too.

Pieces like thick and thin chains, diamond earrings, bangles, cocktail rings will always be classics. I started my collection with rings because I just love rings and I knew that would make me the happiest and would get the most use in my life. So my best advice to you is that, find what you love and start there. 

Till next week,

The past few seasons and even years, earrings have been getting all the love. Statement earrings are everywhere and I love that because I love a statement anything. But I wanted to take a moment to really focus on chains, not statement necklaces but chains alone.

There is so much that can be done with chains via layering. They have the ability to be creative and fun like stacking rings. There is so much possibility to let your style shine through. 

Layering chains in the summer feels so right, something about the simplicity in the different links and the movement. Summer is about flowing and not wearing pieces that are fixed and heavy. I have paired some of my favorite chains together here to give you an idea, but you really should experiment and use what you have.

A few things to remember…scale is important. Pick chains with varying sizes of links, it’s like mixing prints, you don’t want them to be the same.  Length of the chain is also key. You want there to be a difference in where the chains hit your chest. I would start with two chains but three is possible as well if they’re the right ones.

I hope this helps you mix up your summer style with ease and effortlessness. 

Till next week,

This past weekend was one of my favorite holidays, Easter! I think I love it because it’s set in one of the most beautiful times of the year, Spring.

Also, it’s a chance for everyone to get together and enjoy each other without the pressure of gifts. That Spring themes of detoxing and renewing follows Easter and really makes this time feel different than the other holidays. 

We need it now...more than ever!

Of course there was lots of food is involved and last year on the blog I talked about my favorite traditional greek dishes. My family is Greek and the traditions are every important to us but this year I decided to experiment a bit. I tried out a few fun modern Greek-esque dishes and I wanted to share in case you might need some inspiration as well....and, of course, the major difference was we all got together and had Greek Easter via Zoom!

Below I have included two different dishes I made: an appetizer and of course a dessert! Since we all are at home more now...maybe you can try when you get a chance.

Appetizer - Grilled Bread with Tomatoes, Feta Cheese, and Oregano

• 4 3/4-inch slices of bread (country style)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 tbsp. feta cheese (crumbled)
• To Taste: olive oil (extra virgin)
• Garnish: Greek oregano (dried rigani)

Note: Quantities depend on the number of people and the size of their appetites. Be creative!

Grill the bread over coals, in the oven, or on a countertop grill until the ridges are clearly defined and the bread is crusty. Brush well with olive oil while hot. Top with enough chopped tomatoes to cover, and add crumbled feta cheese to taste. Sprinkle with oregano, and serve.

Dessert - Butter Cookies with Sesame

• 1 lb. unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 6 eggs (reserve 2 for brushing cookies)
• 6 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 oz. Ouzo
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using the mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and ouzo and mix well. While the mixer is running, add eggs one by one and mix until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture little by little. The dough will be soft and malleable but it should not be sticky.

You should be able to pinch off a ball of dough and roll it in to a cord or thin tube.

If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour. Allow the dough to rest a bit before rolling into shapes.

To shape the cookies, pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a walnut. Roll out a cord or thin tube of dough about the length of a dinner knife. Fold in half then twist two times. You can also make a coiled circle or an “S” shape.

Beat the remaining two eggs in a bowl and add a splash of water to the egg. Brush the cookies lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Bake cookies on parchment paper or on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until they are nicely golden brown.

Enjoy!

We have all recycled before. Most cities have programs that make it easy to help the planet when it comes to disposing of our trash. But like a lot of things in life we need to be reminded sometimes of the rules and that’s what I wanted to do today.

Over the years some things have changed when it comes to recycling and some rules get confused and start to become facts when they aren’t corrected. Here is a little refresher of what and how we can recycle in our own homes:

The three general guidelines are:

1. Recycle all bottles, cans, paper

2. Keep items relatively clean

3. Don’t mix plastic bags in with the rest of your recycling

DO Recycle: any plastic bottles or containers, cereal or snack cardboard boxes, phonebooks magazines, mail, office paper, newspaper, tin/steel/aluminum cans, glass jars, glass containers, beer bottles, wine and liquor bottles.

DON”T Recycle: loose plastic bags, shopping bags, plastic wrap, egg cartons, take out containers, drinking cups, soiled food containers, soiled paper products, broken glass, fast food packing.

Good Luck!

I’m sure you have been feeling it but there is always a detox-vibe in the air come January. I love to take this time to not only clean out my bad habits but to clean out my physical closet. It feels so good when you release the stuff you no longer need. It makes room of new things to come into your live.

I love to follow Marie Kondo’s method. It’s a beautiful approach to learning to how to get rid of what you don’t need or love anymore. I have noticed how well this method works for me when I am dealing with my clothes, accessories and especially my jewelry.

The majority of my jewelry collection includes pieces I will keep forever but I am quite the hoarder of shiny things and can never say no to a cocktail ring or statement pendant, so you can imagine my collection needs a little detox once and a while. 

Follow these rules to hold your own jewelry clean out and be surrounded only by the things that you love:

- Commit to letting go of what isn’t serving you

- Imagine what your ideal style is

- Finish discarding first, then tidy

- Work by category, not location

- Ask yourself if it sparks joy

Good Luck! and till next week,

As the months get hotter all we want to do is take off the layers and accessories. When I was younger I remember people always pairing down their jewelry and accessories during the summer, but I always thought that this was the perfect time to amp up my style game.

I have always created collections with this idea in mind. The idea that jewelry, like clothing, can be seasonal. I think the mistake is wearing the same pieces you wear during the year, on vacation or at the beach. There has to be some changes made.

These hotter months call for loose fitting jewelry, not so heavy. Not just in weight but in visual appearance as well. That is why you see lots of hoops, and bangles. The lightweight movement of these styles lends itself to the relaxed nature of summer.

I have some favorites, pieces I always find myself reaching for during the summer months. These pieces here are truly the staples I can’t live without once the temperatures rise. I hope this helps you in heating up your unique style.

Till next week,

Wedding season is upon us. Ring the bells and break out the dresses. No matter your age, it’s impossible not to get excited at the idea of a wedding. True love, beautiful floral agreements and lots of yummy food are a few good reasons.

Around this time of the year I get a lot of questions about wedding jewelry. What to wear as a guest and also what to gift bridesmaids. I have done a blog about my favorite pieces for bridesmaids so this time around I’m going to talk about wedding guest jewelry.

It’s important to feel our best while not going too over-the-top. I have the perfect combinations for classic yet statement making style. Check out the below pieces that will make sure to give you that understated glamorous feel.

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Till next Week,

Fashion month is wrapping up and I love to watch and observe not just for motivation (because there's tons) but for style trends. Accessories are a huge part of any runway and every season I pay close attention to see what’s happening in the world around me.

I can’t believe it, but for yet another season we're seeing the statement earring going strong. Of course there're some other jewelry trends happening but the trend that's refusing to die is the statement earring. There are some variations on this trend of course and I want to talk about that.

Can you believe it’s March?! Crazy how fast this year has been moving. I had to take a minute to sit back and revisit the year’s goals/dreams. I make sure to do that at least every quarter but sometimes it’s nice to do it at the beginning of a month, because there’s a real good energy around the first of the month.

The areas I love to look over and make sure I’m still wanting to accomplish the goal I set in the beginning of the year are typically: mind/body, home/family and work.

I know it’s hard sometimes because life in general is so overwhelming and looking at what you’re not doing is a little deflating, but I think coming to terms with what you can actually accomplish is quite liberating. When you’re super honest about the goals you made, you can actually start making them happen.

 

It’s February, and you know what that means…love is in the air. Even if you don’t really care for Valentine’s Day there is something about February that feels fun and light. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s the shortest month or maybe it’s because we are finally over the New Year excitement, but there seems to be a weight that has been lifted.

I know I am feeling attracted to all things sweet and rose-colored. As I was having one of my inspiration sessions I found myself creating a little mood board and wanted to share to the love.

It can be a hard time of the year depending on where you are in your life, but as cliche as is it, it’s important to know you are loved. Maybe you can’t feel it right now, but I can promise you that there are people you touch everyday who are grateful to have you apart of their lives. 

We get so caught up in the schedules of everyday life that we forget one of the main reasons we are here on this earth is to love and be loved. Sending you a big hug.

Next till week,