On My Nightstand...

At the end of a busy day, I really love to curl up with a good book while snuggled under blankets in bed.  It’s a great way to relax and wind down from the day before heading off to la la land.  Two new books hit my nightstand last week that I want to share with those of you who enjoy French history and anything related to Marie Antoinette….

Marie Antoinette’s Head – The Royal Hairdresser, the Queen and the Revolution, by Will Bashor.  Just published last month, this new biography about Marie Antoinette’s hairdresser, Leonard, is a fun read.  It’s been reviewed as being “The Devil Wears Prada comes to Versailles”.  I found my copy on Amazon, HERE

Marie Antoinette’s Versailles by Cecile Berly.  This book is beautifully photographed and features the public and private places of Marie Antoinette at Versailles.  The book is produced and sold in France, but there is an English translation available from the boutique bookshop at Versailles.  I ordered my copy online direct from Versailles and received it in less than a week.  You can purchase a copy too by going to HERE.

 

xoxo ~ Joy

Pop-Up Sale! 1 Day only!

SALE!!  1 Day only!!!    Today marks the 220th anniversary date of Marie Antoinette's execution.

To honor her memory I am offering a beautiful golden antique locket necklace filled with photographs that I personally took of her bedroom ceiling at Chateau Fountainebleau on my last trip to France.  

Gorgeous painted angels and cherubs that Marie's eyes once gazed upon, grace this beautiful one of a kind antique necklace.  

This one of a kind necklace is on sale for 20% off with FREE shipping too.  Click HERE to come shop and save.

Merci mon amies - Vive la Reine!   ~ xoxo ~ Joy




 

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

 

 



 

 

Studio Update!

Things are so very busy these days in the studio!   Slowly but surely, I am adding more jewels to the website, so please stay tuned….. 

 

 

I feel so blessed by my wonderful customers who come by and make a purchase from me.  I LOVE what I do and your faith and support in my little business helps to keep me going and allows me to continue making these special jewels. 

Do you follow me on Facebook?  I find that I am using Facebook more and more because it is simple and fast to update everything in one place.  With over 2,200 + followers on my Facebook page, I can reach more of my customers there than I can here on my blog. 

 

If you are not following me on Facebook yet, please click the link below and come signup to follow me there.

My FaceBook Page

 Merci mon amies!  ~ xoxo Joy

Antique Watch Fob Jewelry

From as early as the 16^th century until World War I, when the wrist watch became popular, one would carry their timepiece on chains or ribbon, tucked into a pocket or attached to a belt or chatelaine.  Marie Antoinette even had a pocket watch that was attached to a blue silk ribbon which was intertwined with diamonds…oooh to see that long lost piece of history!

Watch chains were weighted and dressed up with charms called “fobs” and they could be merely decorative or functional.  Many were designed to be used to stamp wax seals with the wearer’s personal monogram or family crest. 

 

 

 

I love working with these bits of history and most of the pieces in my collection date to Victorian times.  Combined and connected together, they form a beautiful and wearable way to carry a piece history with you as you go about your day.  What interesting stories these pieces from the past could tell! 

My newest designs have been listed on my website today and if you share my passion for true antique jewelry, please come see these treasures HERE.    Merci 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?

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