The Paris Memories Continue...

It rains in Paris.  A LOT.  During our 2 weeks there, we only had 1 day of sunshine.  It rained every other single day.  But Paris in the rain is still beautiful. 

One of the first things we did before leaving the airport was to purchase Museum Passes.  Ours were good for 7 days and you could see as many museums as you wish.  They also get you quick entrance so you don't have to stand in long lines at the museum ticket office.  We could use the express lane!  The Louvre for one, is notorious for lines that take hours to get through.  If you go to Paris, get a museum pass!

One very beautiful museum is the Musee des Arts Decoratifs.  It is located at the end of the Louvre and it is dedicated to all things interior design wise...especially 18th century. The wonderful thing about museums in Paris is that you can walk around rooms like you were a guest in a private home.  Every museum we visited allowed photos, with the exception of the D'Orsay.  You just can't use your flash.  I was in heaven.....

An 18th century salon....

...a royal jewelry box.....

.....18th century perfume bottles......

.....a display of chairs owned by royalty........

....an original chair that belonged to Marie Antoinette......

......china that belonged to Madame Du Barry......

Another 18th century devoted museum is Musee Carnavalet.....once a private home now a museum filled with treasures.....

Notice the worn stone stairway.  You can see the wear from ancient footsteps that have worn the stone smooth over centuries of use.......

It took everything I had not to crawl into this gorgeous bed for a quick power nap.......

Hallways were filled with paintings by my favorite French artists....Francois Boucher and Jean Honore Fragonard....

.....and this delightful treasure......a small sculpture of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette that was a gift given to the royal couple.

Thanks for your visit....hope you enjoyed a small sample of some of the beauty Paris has to offer.  Merci mon amies ~ xoxo ~ Joy

 

 



 

 

Remembering Paris....

It was just a year ago this weekend that my hubby and I boarded an Air France jet for Paris.  We were reminiscing all weekend long saying to each other...."this exact time last year we were....." 

In honor of the anniversary, this weekend we enjoyed croissants, French beer and wine, and Sunday night dinner was Paris Chicken.  We also enjoyed looking over our photo albums and I thought I would share some of my favorite photos with you.

We stayed for 2 weeks in this charming apartment located just a block and a half from the Louvre on Rue Saint Honore.  We booked our apartment thru HERE and their services were great and I will use them for our next trip.

Our apartment was located above a Boulangerie & Patisserie and every morning around 5:00 am we would be awaken by the delicious smells of fresh bread and pastries being baked in the shop below.   It was a memorable and delicious way to start our day!

We made a beeline for the Eiffel Tower.  My long held dream has been to go to the top of the tower, kiss my husband and drink champagne.  Check.

Then off to photograph the most beautiful city in the world.  I was packing my big girl camera!

For our first full day in Paris, we blocked a whole day for the Louvre.  Exploring every nook and cranny that we could find....and there are lots!  You can't see the Louvre in a day....but we did our best. 

The famous glass pyramid is really an entrance.....this is what you see from below.....

The art is jaw dropping in beauty and scale....

....and the ceilings are every bit as beautiful as the art hanging on the walls.....

Everyone makes a run for the Mona Lisa first.  I found taking a photo of those trying to get close and take a photo of Mona more interesting.......

....then everyone runs for Winged Victory.  It is stunning to see her in all her glory.

Personally, I found some of the interior stairways to be the most beautiful and peaceful places inside the Louvre.....

....and after walking miles and miles that day, even a marble bed looks like a comfortable place to take a rest!

Every little thing your eyes take in is beautiful in detail and photo worthy....some of my favorite photos were the ones I took looking outside thru centuries old windows and glass panes....

On the way back to our apartment, we enjoyed a stroll through the Tuileries gardens.  I have read about these gardens for so many years and to finally be able to take in the beauty of this special place was a dream come true.  Day One in Paris - done!!!

Although we were there just a year ago, sometimes it seems like just yesterday and other times it seems like a lifetime ago.  Paris is enchanting and she gets under your skin.  I know that I will visit her again, it may not be soon, but someday I will return.  Until then, I have my photos and sweet memories and thank you for allowing me to share these with you here in my little corner of blogland.   More photos to come over the next week or so :)   ~ Mercie mon amies ~ xoxo Joy

My Reading List...

I love reading.  I mean REALLY love reading.  I often have more than one book going at the same time….one to read before going to sleep, one to read when I grab a relaxing moment in the living room or studio, usually one to enjoy in a bubble bath and I always travel with books.    I most often read biographies, history and reference books on jewelry.    I am currently juggling these four books and if you enjoy beautiful 18^th century French paintings, history and books on antique jewelry, you might enjoy them too….

Brilliant Effects:  A Cultural History of Gem Stones and Jewellery -   A gorgeous book full of historical information about owning, wearing and trading gems and jewelry during post-Renaissance Europe.  It’s a fascinating read and I am devouring the chapters right now about the French royal crown jewels during the time of Marie Antoinette.

Portrait Jewels: Opulence and Intimacy from the Medici to the Romanovs -    I discovered this book in a quaint bookshop on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris.  I adore working with small portrait pieces in my jewelry making and this book spoke to me.  The photography is stunning and the history and technical details about this type of jewelry is simply awe inspiring. 

Francois Boucher – One of my personal favorite artists of the eighteen century, Boucher’s work is beautiful and romantic.   I was thrilled to stand mere inches away from his original paintings when we were in Paris and as an official painter to the royal court, his work can be found everywhere from Versailles to the Louvre and beyond.  This book offers a great collection of his work and combined with his biography, one of the most complete books I have been able to find on Boucher.

Fragonard’s Progress of Love at the Frick Collection -  I found this book in the gift shop at the Louvre in Paris.  After viewing original Fragonard’s in the museum, it was a treat to purchase a book on this subject of his work.  Fragonard is another one of my favorite artists from the eighteenth century and he was also a student of Boucher, so the style and themes of his work is very similar.  If you like one, you should like the other!  This fascinating book explores the behind the scene history of the creation of the Progress of Love series originally created for Madame DuBarry, the mistress to King Louis XV. 

For me, I enjoy reading as much for relaxation as for learning something new.   If you enjoy reading, what are you reading now?

Back in the Studio...

I am back in the studio after our whirlwind trip to Asheville, NC.  For a Florida girl, the chance to dress in jeans and sweaters is a real treat and we really enjoyed the crisp, cold, mountain air for a change of pace.

I also enjoyed shopping for jewelry pieces to work with and this is just a small sample of what I came home with......

....but this was my most favorite find....and because I loved her so much, an early birthday gift from my prince.....

...a gorgeous Virgin Mary statue.  She stands close to 3 feet tall and looks like she stepped right off an alter located in an historic church in France.

 

 

I found her outside of Asheville in an old tobacco barn that now sells antiques, which only added to her charm especially when I found her by chance....tucked inside a wooden box sitting in a dark corner of the barn.

 

 

 

She will stand watch in my studio and hold pieces of religious jewelry and rosary beads for me.

Now that my batteries are recharged I am inspired to start working with the haul I made up and down the east coast and with an upcoming Gem and Jewelry show in town this weekend, I am sure I will be busy in the studio for some time.  Can't wait to share these upcoming pieces with you and share the stories of where they came from!    .....soon mes amies.......... : )   ~ xoxo ~ Joy

On the road to romance...

.....packing for a trip to here with my Prince to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary.

....plus a little jewelry buying trip for Cupids Charm mixed in between sightseeing and sipping champagne.  Back in the studio next week mes amies!    ~ xoxo Joy

Shopping for Sparkle....

....just a small portion of the haul I made today with my favorite jewelry picker!  Lots of antique and vintage pieces, lots of French, Victorian and Edwardian pieces too. 

 

Another busy week in the studio with these pretties and I am still working with last weeks haul : )....stay tuned for some truly gorgeous jewelry pieces.  Hope your upcoming week is full of sparkle too : )  ~ xo ~ Joy

 

 

Marie Antoinette, Chateau Fontainebleau & Boudoir Jewelry!

When we were in France, we toured Chateau Fontainebleau where the French court of Louis XVI would visit every fall for the hunt.  We were enchanted by the beautiful suite of rooms occupied by Marie Antoinette when she was in residence.  Especially the pretty sitting room located near her bedroom. 

The ceiling was painted with the most romantic images of flying cherubs, cupids and angelic goddesses and I took extensive close-up photographs of that gorgeous ceiling!

 

 

 



Knowing that this ceiling once held the gaze of Marie Antoinette, I knew I wanted to use the images from my photographs within special pieces of jewelry, as a small way to share a touch of romantic beauty and a moment in time from Marie Antoinette's world.

I finally found time to work on these beauties this past weekend...... 

My first series of one-of-a-kind jewels are available now on my website and you can visit HERE if you would like more information.  Merci ~ xoxo ~ Joy

Cartier

My favorite shop on the Champs-Elysees in Paris?  Cartier...a dream jeweler world renown for their style and jaw dropping creations.  Cartier has been called the "Jeweler to Kings and the King of Jewelers".

My bucket list contains shopping for a classic Cartier tank watch...in Paris, but until my hands are holding a winning lottery ticket, I can only window shop.  But what beautiful windows!!!  It was very exciting to see their store in person when we were in Paris, but I was too intimidated to enter and simply took a picture instead...

....but a girl can dream and that's ok.  I wanted to share this enchanting little video/movie Cartier produced.  The video is beyond gorgeous and the music combined with the stunning images will send shivers down your spine.  You will FEEL the jewelry!  Turn up your speakers and enjoy a trip into a fantasy land full of sparkling treasures.  ~ xo Joy

Join me at Le Petit Trianon!

I had a chance this weekend to work on a few photo projects and wanted to share my recent visit to the Petit Trianon with you. 

I tried to capture a romantic and elegant feeling with my photos and hope that all of you who adore anything Marie Antoinette related will enjoy the video.  Please click HERE to start your tour!    

xoxo ~ Joy

 

The Petit Trianon at Versailles

Of all the places I dreamed of visiting in France, the Petit Trianon was at the top of my list.  The simplicity and elegant beauty of this home, as compared to the gilded excess of Versailles, made it easy to understand why Marie Antoinette loved spending time there.  I shot over 1,200+ photos at Versailles that day and I thought I would share some of my favorites from the Petit Trianon.

It was raining the day we went to Versailles, but as we walked up the tree lined avenue to the Petit Trianon, the sun broke out and my first glimpse of Marie Antoinette’s home was radiant…almost as if she was welcoming me there after so many years of dreaming of this day…

The ground floor entrance takes you through the service areas first.  The faded blue/grey painted door and window details made me sigh....not to mention the marble floors worn smooth over centuries of history walking over them...

The china storage room had beautiful plates displayed that belong to Marie Antoinette....

This simple room was where meals were prepared for serving.....

...and finally you come to the beautiful stairway that takes you up to the living floors....

The salon is simply gorgeous.  The raspberry red fabric stood out against all the beautiful details of the walls, ceiling and floors....

After seeing this portrait in so many books over the years, it was a thrill to see it in person.  I thought the beautiful carved and gilded frame was as beautiful as the actual painting!

Loved this chandelier too since the design is as beautiful as it is practical.  The glass surround kept the candles from blowing out when the windows were open for fresh air.

....sigh.....

Beautiful paintings graced the tops of doorways and the details in the ceiling and wall moldings stopped me in my tracks several times....

...even the doors with their hand carved details, door knobs and latches were amazing to see...

 

 

Maries Antoinette's favorite room in the Petit Trianon...her sitting room with the moving walls of mirrors that could be raised and lowered to cover the windows to insure privacy.

Her simple bedroom which is very restful looking as compared to her formal state bedroom in Versailles....

This chair is original to Marie Antoinette as well as the fabric that covers it.....

I loved this life sized bust of Marie Antoinette and thought she would be beautiful in my studio wearing jewelry!  You can buy copies in the gift shop....but at 2,300 Euros...it was a little out of my budget...LOL...besides, I think Air France would have made me buy an extra seat ticket for her on the return trip home....

Loved this blue carved bench too....it lines along the back wall of the Petit Trianon and was a beautiful place to take a break and enjoy the view......

....of Cupids Temple.....a lovely and romantic garden feature.

Thank you for visiting with me today and allowing me to share this very special place with you!  As things are crazy busy in the studio right now, it's nice to take a break and remember the incredible beauty of the Petit Trianon.   Merci ~  xoxo ~ Joy