I love jewelry. One of the most fun things about writing this blog has been learning more about jewelry design and our local jewelry designers.  As much as I love jewelry, I find that I gravitate to the same few pieces daily–  My go-to’s.  I bet you are the same.  It’s the 80-20 rule: we really only wear 20% of what we have.   I think I’m more 50-50 in jewelry, but none the less, this post is about simplifying your jewelry organization to save time and mind in the a.m. hours.  My one stop for jewelry organization?  Don’t laugh (well, OK, laugh): it’s PBTeen.

It’s the new year and cleaning up your jewelry is kinda like a mini-closet makeover and will leave you feeling like you have accomplished something BIG!

My favorite way to display and organize my jewelry is this Dress Frame Jewelry Organizer, $59, PBTeen:

I like the wrought iron three tiered display shown here as well.  It all depends on the amount of room you have balanced with the amount of jewelry you actually wear.  Even if you have all the room in the world, mentally you still need to pare down your basics and separate them out.  This way, your busy morning routine can be streamlined.

I keep on my dress frame:

Earrings: the dress frame comes with 5 large pins to stick into the bodice, creating an easy catch for earrings. Mingle Sliver Hoops from the Perfect Pair, gold drop earrings from GoodmanSpalding, wired hoop earring with garnets from All Strung Out Designs, Judith Bright Gold and Topaz earrings, Rowanne Designs gold & turquoise earrings and a small pair of silver and gold earrings from Silpada.

Necklaces: Gold chains from GoodmanSpalding and All Strung Out designs; silver chain All Strung Out Designs; small delicate gold necklace from Stella and Dot; platinum chain with diamond encrusted cross; silver cushioned square chain from Tiffanys; fun long necklace from GoodmanSpalding; gunmetal multi-strand necklace from Fabu, and a cloudy-clear chunky necklace from Rowanne Designs.

Bracelets: Silver Cuff from Banana Republic (this link is to a gold bracelet they have right now that I think is fabulous); Gold cuff from What’s N Store (in Franklin, I promise I paid $3.50 for it and I wear it at least once a week); 3 sandalwood bead bracelets from Judith Bright; and one pearl bracelet from All Strung Out Designs. Missing: I will have a cuff (click here) from All Strung Out Designs….I know Carol (owner), I just need to order it…like I’ve been saying I would do for months!!!

As you can see, I gravitate more to metals than stones. The few stones I have are almost always green. That’s just me.  It’s like my boring closet: neutrals and and some greens and a little orange.  But, I know that’s what I’ll wear!

So, the moral of this tale is this: pare down your jewelry to what you honestly wear most days with a little variation for inspiration.  Place these go-to’s somewhere easily accessible that does not require you to open a box.  Then, put the rest in those boxes and jewelry drawers.  This way, you will always have access to your things, not just one earring or a tangled necklace, when flying out the door!

As a last little hint, as I do wear metals so often, I love this little cleaner cloth from The Container Store. A simply way to keep your metals at their best, $5.99

Elizabeth and I are doing a dual authored post for this jewelry line. We kinda fought about who got to write it as we both LOVE this jewelry line SO MUCH.  So, after a lot of “really, you have too much on your plate, I’ll write this post.” or “Why don’t you take a day off and let me write this one, really, I’m good with that,” we both realized that neither one of us was budging on this one.  So, I get to start and Elizabeth gets to anchor this post and thus our writing partnership can continue!

Liza:

Details: Oct 24th 12-6; Oct 25th 2-7; Oct 28th 4-8.  2317 Woodmont Blvd.

Elizabeth had told me how absolutely COOL this line was and how we HAD to write about Jennifer Goodman and Ann Spalding this past summer.  We decided to wait until they were having a trunk sale, but it’s been hard to keep this line under wraps.  I met up with these gals at Ann’s house about a month ago.  Based on Elizabeth’s praises, I was full of expectation.  I was not disappointed.  I was thrilled that Ann lives is this gorgeous house on Woodmont about which I’d always been curious.  As a former designer, Ann’s house is simply STUNNING and we will post about just her home at some point in the future.  It is obvious that she has a great eye and it is carried forth to the jewelry line.  Jennifer was actually the first one to start making jewelry, but after a fortunate trip that they shared with their music business husbands, they realized that they were destined for a partnership.  The collaborative effort is stunning.

As I walked around Ann’s dining room table, they both told me about the antique pieces incorporated into their line and how the line is priced (it’s really very accessible with most earrings at $35! Necklaces range from about $70 to $300 based on the value of the items used.)  I just kept staring and making incoherent sentences because I was really blown away.  I went to see this line with absolutely no intention of buying (that’s what makes this job so hard….I want to buy too much so I have to watch myself!)  But, I just couldn’t stand it, and it was my birthday, so I picked out my favorite necklace and I’ve been wearing it non stop ever since.  It’s so cool….take a look at the two ways I get to wear it:

Jennifer and Ann are adorable and this line of jewelry makes me want to stop spending money on clothes and just accessorize. It’s amazing and I hope you get the chance to go by if only to look.  I feel like a hip movie star in my necklace.  More people have stopped to ask me about it and you know how great that makes us all feel….Get yourself a conversation piece and go by this trunk show Oct 24-Oct 26th.  With the Holidays around the corner, you may just find that perfect gift for a dear friend and for yourself!  Also, Spruce, in Brentwood (I promise we will write about this store soon; it is a total find) carries their line as well as Caldwell Collection (regular readers already know our love of Caldwell).

Elizabeth:

Details: Oct 24th 12-6; Oct 25th 2-7, Oct 28th 4-8.  2317 Woodmont Blvd.

Whew!  After that rave review, it’s hard to add much more, but of course, I will! It took me a month or so to land at Ann’s house on Woodmont with my friend Amy.  Amy kept saying, “You have to cover them in your blog; their jewelry is to die for.”  My obsession with jewelry started at a young age and has ramped up ever since.  I was the obnoxious kid that always played in my mother’s jewelry box, much to her dismay, trying on this earring and that.  My father loved jewelry also, and really thought it through when it came to special occasions.  He found some incredible pieces of jewelry for my mother and loved to buy her pearls.  With 5 daughters and a daughter-in-law, he even resorted to getting our neighbor, who traveled to the Orient on a regular basis, to buy us all matching pearl necklaces and bracelets….since he had an entire brood to outfit!  When we were dividing up my mother’s costume jewelry after her death, I still remembered where most of her jewels came from and who gave them to her.  Even the tacky pieces, like the large shell chokers or jeweled Christmas pins, gave me pause just because they were familiar.  My point is,  jewelry really does make a difference in our lives.

With that bit of nostalgia, I must tell you NOT to miss Ann and Jennifer’s trunk show.  I, too (ha-ha), went with the intention of not buying, (ever wonder why Liza and I decided to write this blog?) and couldn’t resist.  What I loved most about their jewelry is its  whimsical nature.   I bought a necklace, earrings and bracelet after about an hour of walking around the table in complete indecision because I loved it all.  My necklace is simple: it is a single strand of interlocking hammered loops.  With about a 40″ drop, it is the perfect length.  Even when I bought it, I secretly thought, “Will I really wear this or was this an impulse buy?”   Not the case.   What I realized is long necklaces, and especially silver ones, are incredibly versatile.  They look fantastic with a simple white blouse and gorgeous with a dramatic black dress.  As some of you may know,  these are two of my favorite wardrobe items.  Here’s a picture of my necklace against a dramatic black turtleneck!

My necklace goes with everything I own!

My take on their art is they both have an eye for the unusual: putting interesting adornments together in a different way.  So many of their beads and baubles are from all over the world, you’ll never see it again on anyone.  PROMISE.

One other thing to note about the GoodmanSpalding girls is their graciousness.  They love their partnership and absolutely love what they do TOGETHER.  If you do want to go and window shop or table shop, as the case may be, DO IT.  You’ll feel absolutely no pressure to buy.

With the holidays around the corner, think about a gift worth remembering.

Elizabeth

It’s a meteor shower in the trunk sale realm this month.  There is so much to talk about that Elizabeth and I thought it best to simply start listing them and get the word out.  Some of these are TODAY, so take note!

Wednesday, Oct 7th: Roberta Freymann trunk sale hosted by Collins Hooper and Elizabeth James.  One of my favorite Boho-Chic labels.  I love this sale and hope I am feeling well enough to go (yes, THE bug has hit my home, me included).  The clothes are quite reasonable and there is no other outlet in town that sells this label.  A NYC store that sells bags, coverups, tunic tops, sweaters, dresses, belts and accessories.  The sale is aimed at ladies, but there are always some cute tops for little girls as well. 420 Ellendale, 9-5

Wednesday Oct 7th- Thursday Oct 8th: All Strung Out Designs (do you remember that great cuff I wrote about? click here) is hosting  a trunk sale along with Trabeautiful Designs stationary.  There is a 10% discount for all Holiday Cards ordered through this show.  Carol Fails, owner or All Strung Out Designs, creates beautiful one of a kind pieces.  Elizabeth Trabue, owner of Trabeautiful Designs has a real gift for creating custom stationary.  She is the designer behind my personal stationary. She will customize your Christmas card to match the colors and feel of your picture. Laurie Hooper’s House, 4424 Georgian Place,  from 9:30-2:30 both Wednesday and Thursday.  Wednesday night wine while you shop from 6-8.

Through Oct 11th: Etcetera Trunk Sale at Cathy Shell’s house on Hampton Ave.  See www.etcetera.com for pictures and email Cathy to set up an appointment.  Lots of great clothes; be sure to see the black satin pants: not too shiny and a great piece to liven up any wardrobe.  At $150, these pants are a deal b/c they compare to Theory pants in quality and style, and are half the price.

Tuesday Oct 6th- Thursday Oct 8th: Papo d’anjo trunk sale at Jamie.  I love this classic children’s clothing line.  They are on the pricier side, but this Lisbon based company’s clothes are incredibly well made.  They have captured both a timeless look and (for older kids) and happy milieu of designs that are both kid and mom approved!  Jamie, 4317 Harding Rd, Oct 6-Oct 8 10-4.

Thursday Oct 8th: Fabulous, handmade, reasonably priced Ecuadorian items: beautifully woven scarves, tagua (the seed of a palm tree, also called “vegetable ivory”) and shell bracelets, earrings and necklaces, colorful leather coin purses, silver pendants inlaid with colorful semi-precious stones, Happy Jackets* and more! (Happy Jackets are colorful woven jackets.)  Hosted by Susie Ries 3506 Richland Ave. 7-9 pm Proceeds benefit Christ Church Cathedral.

Thursday Oct 8th: As listed yesterday, an Open House at a la Masion on Thursday from 6-8 and Saturday Oct 10th from 10-6.  For more details, read my post from Tuesday here.

Friday Oct 9 and Saturday Oct 10th: Judith Bright (click to read interview) trunk Show. My most complimented earrings come from Judith Bright’s collection. A featured trunk show seller at Henri Bendal, my favorite thing she is currently selling is her sandalwood bracelet collection.  I ran into a friend who had 5 piled on and I looked at her gorgeous wrist with some serious envy!  Get yourself some!  The show will allow you to see some gorgeous jewelry, handmade using the finest Italian traditions, right here in Nashville.  I will write tons more about this sale tomorrow, but the sale is in her newest home renovation project- that is just now hitting the market- and features several local artists as well. Not to be missed. 607 Cantrel 10-9 Friday, 12-7 Saturday

Oct 9th and Oct 10th AshBlue Trunk show featuring Gorgeous Jane and Mani Designs jewelry. AshBlue is the exclusive carrier of these designs in Nashville.  I love the jewelry at AshBlue and on Friday and Saturday you can meet these jewelers! AshBlue is located in the Fashion Square Shopping Center on Bandywood in Green Hills.  Hours are 10-6 Friday and 10-5 Saturday.

Friday Oct 9th and Saturday Oct 10th: Kelley Beaman’s Women’s Consignment Sale.  With fabulous clothes from jeans and sweaters, to Gucci bags, Monolo Blahnik shoes and Caroline Herrera dresses.  This is THE place to go and get great deals.  Many items still have tags on them or have only been worn once.  Featuring 22 consignors, it’s best to get childcare as you want to give this your full attention! 8:30-5:00 Friday and 8-12 Sat.  I’ll write tons more about this for Friday’s post, but you may want to read that post on your phone while sitting in your car ready to pounce inside when the doors open at 8:30.  Really, it’s THAT good!  837 Glen Leaven Dr.

Sneak peek at next week trunk shows:

Oct 15th 2-8 p.m. at NEST INTERIORS: we wrote about those great ransom + scout bags a couple of months ago (see post click here).  Well, now is your chance to get one at a deal!  You will get 20% off these bags during their trunk show on Oct 15th from 2-8 and be able to meet the owners of ransom + scout.  These bags are truly cool. They make you feel cool. They make you look cool.  Nest is a fun store just to go into anyway!  I want those giant white pears in the store and keep envisioning them on my side board.  Sigh.  Very cool store in the hippest strip mall in all of Nashville: Edgehill Village. 1200 Villa Place, suite 112. (located near Music Row, Peabody Campus and USN)

Oct 15th- Oct 18th antique furniture, shell art, antique prints and original oil paintings, private sale.  In a lovely home in Abbottsford, you can be part of a PRIVATE SALE hosted by Kippie Leland of Leland Antiques, Charlotte Terrell, fabulous local artist of fine art, and local conservation framing expert, Maggie Troutman, will be including antique prints and shell art.  We’ll write a lot more about this next week, but go ahead and mark your calendars!  710 Overton Park

October 16-18th: Belmont Community Art Show. With over 45 local artists, and benefiting Christ the King school, this show sounds like a mini-me version of the Harding Art Show.  I love these art shows and this one looks like it is worth the trip.  See this link to Now Playing Nashville for more information.

Looking forward through Oct:

Art Show on Oct 22-24th at Liza Graves home (that’s me!) Gregg Irby Fine Art Gallery of Atlanta is bringing up over 100 works from 12 emerging artists for the only “home” ART trunk show that I am aware of!  At accessible prices, the show features traditional landscapes to out an out abstracts.  And, we have fun!  Gregg says “Our art is offered at affordable prices and is for both the aspiring & established collector.“  Hosted by me, Betsy Cunagin and Walton Foster.  Thursday night Oct 22 6-9, Friday Oct 23 9-2, 5-8, Saturday Oct 24th 9-12.  3617 Central Ave

Oct 24th- Oct 26th: GoodmanSpalding Jewelry trunk show. Jennifer Goodman and Ann Spalding have created a new line of jewelry.  I bought a necklace a few weeks ago and seem to reach for it daily.  I love it!  We will devote an entire post to this collection, but again, mark your calendars.  Nashville has some of the best jewelry designers in the country.  Take advantage of our talent!  Oct 24th 12-6; Oct 25th 2-7, Oct 26th 4-8 at 2317 Woodmont Blvd.  Yes, it’s that really pretty house.