The Making of a Baroque Lace Collar Necklace

First I sketched a rough picture of what I wanted to make, then I went to Hobby Lobby and Joe Ann’s Fabrics to get the things I needed.

Here is a list of the materials used:

• Fresh water and fake pearls of various sizes.
• Mother of pearl shell shards.
• Various colors (cream, yellow, clear, and light pink) and shapes of crystals, both Swarovski and others.
• Silver deco beads.
• Swarovski silver and crystal rondelle spacer beads.
• A two-inch lace, a trimmer lace, and another thicker, stretchy lace that was about 1 1/2 inches thick.
• Head pins.
• Clasp.
• Mod Podge Shiny finishing spray.
• Pliers.

Step One: Cut two pieces of a wide lace and arrange in a V shape.

Step Two: Sew the two pieces together, and then sew in some pleats so that the necklace curves around your neck. Keep on trying it on to make sure that it fits around your neck well.

Step Three: Sew a lace trim on the inside of the necklace for an added touch.

Step Four: Sew another piece of lace on top of the wide lace–this will give more support for the hundreds of beads that we will attach later.

Step Five: Sew a chain of peals and crystals on the edge of the wide lace and onto of the trim lace. This will create a more “professional” look.

Step Six: Sew a clasp on. I got a clasp that had three rings on it which I sewed, and then reenforced with wire–this is a necessary step because the necklace will be very heavy, and so it needs the extra support, otherwise the clasp will tear off.  I finished the clasp by spraying it with a finishing spray so that it won’t tarnish or rust.

Step Seven: Finally attach the beads! Put them on a head pin, trim, and bend, attaching it to the necklace. I first attached the bigger, statement beads evenly, and then added hundreds of little pearls, crystals, and mother of pearl shell shards. You can add as many or as few as you like–depending on how full you want it to be.

How to style: I paired the necklace with a strapless dress, which created the illusion of having a halter neck line. Since it is such a statement necklace, make sure to keep other accessories to a minimum. I also wear this necklace with a pair of jeans and some killer nude heels (sorry, no pics). I am planning on wearing it with a navy v-neck maxi dress for a fancy event.

 

Xoxo,

Elisabeth

 

Creativity

 

Painted by me 😉 Original by Van Gogh

I left out the woman next to him because I thought he looked like Levin from Anna Karenina–who I adore!

How to Get the Full Eyebrow Look

I am a HUGE fan of the bold eyebrow look, and I have been so happy that it has been trending for the past few years, and is still very popular.

Naturally, I have VERY blond eyebrows (when I get sunburned, it looks like I have halos over my eyes!), so I dye my eyebrows either a very dark brown, or a slightly more subtle brown–depending on what I feel like.  I use the RefectoCil Cream Hair Dye in Light Brown or Natural Brown

After I tint my eyebrows, I trim them with a small scissors, and pluck away the stray hairs–both above and below the eyebrow. I find that it is much easier to see what hairs to pluck if they are darker. DON’T OVER PLUCK!!!! As it was once said…

 

Since my eyebrows are decently full, on an everyday basis I usually just groom my brows with a tinted brow gel, or if I’m in a hurry, my mascara. When I am REALLY doing my makeup, I usually fill in any sparsities with a brow powder or with an eyeshadow.

Good eyebrows are the key to polished makeup. You can seriously wear almost no makeup, and then you put on lipstick and do your brows, and you look amazing!

Xoxo,

Elisabeth

DE-STRESS: Bruckner, Van Gogh, Merlot, Face-mask and Lipstick

I’m sitting here in my room, listening to Bruckner’s 7th symphony with my favorite face mask on, while sipping an Argentinian Merlot in my new lipstick from Milani. I am painting a copy of a Van Gogh gothic chapel. Life is good. Well….mostly good. I am de-stressing from a day at the hospital—don’t worry, it wasn’t an emergency… (a pesky heart issue) However, I always have to de-stress from hospital days (of which I have many). Here are my tips for rejuvenation after an exhausting day of work/sickness/traveling…you name it.

Tip # 1: Either shower, or if you have the time, take a bath with some nice essential oils, and a candle or two. Slap on your favorite face mask.

Tip # 2: Change into loose, comfortable, warm clothes. Anything restrictive can aggravate your body, so loose is key.

Tip # 3: Do some simple stretches. I recommend Tara Stile’s yoga clips on YouTube—some of them are 4 mins long, and very easy and gentle. Your body will thank you. I’m doing the 30-Day Yoga Challenge, and here is day five:

Tip # 4: First drink 2 big glasses of water. Then mix yourself a cocktail, or pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine.

Tip # 5: Dim the lights (especially overhead lights). Too much light can give you a headache, and will stress you out.

Tip # 6: Turn on some classical music. There is nothing like a Chopin nocturne to melt away woes.

Tip # 7: Enter favorite blog, book, movie, activity… I’m watching “Call the Midwife.”–it’s soooo good!

Tip # 8: SLEEP.

XOXO,

Elisabeth

 

30-Day Yoga Challenge: Day 1

Since I have been going through some health…difficulties, I am as out of shape as an 80-year-old in a nursing home. I was on bed rest for about 3 months (due to a heart issue), and now that I have been given the “all clear,” I need to get back into shape ASAP.

I found some pictures of 80-year-olds doing yoga to give me inspiration and hope… 😉

One of my best friends told me about this 30-day yoga challenge on YouTube, and I have to decided to challenge myself, and all of you, to do it!!

All the videos are 20 mins or under, so it’s not a huge time commitment.

Here is the first video:

Comment below if you decide to join me in this challenge!!

Quote of the Day by Carine Roifeld

I encourage you all to embrace your natural beauty, and to complement and highlight your beauty with fashion. While there is no mistaking the quality and beauty of high-end labels, the point of fashion is not to own the most expensive handbag or shoes, but to find the most beautiful items that will bring even more beauty and art to your already beautiful self. Fashion is, after all, not about the clothes, but about the way in which one wears the clothes. Embrace your individual style, and don’t stress about where the clothes come from. If you have the means to afford beautifully crafted items, don’t be afraid to splurge, if you can’t afford them, don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to look, and feel, beautiful on a budget. There will be lots of tips coming soon!

XOXO,

Elisabeth

 

On A Bad Day, There Is Always Lipstick

Outfit of the Day: Sunday Brunch and Bridal Shower

Today I am wearing a beautiful dress from Target which I got for an amazing deal: $8:47!! The material is very thin and so it is perfect for sunny Florida. It is super comfortable, and perfect for day-time events, because it is bright and cheerful, but also very modest. I love how the black detailing draws the eye upwards, so if you are a pear-shape (body type) like me, having more detailing on the upper part of the body can make you look more proportionate. Also, if, like me, you have a smaller bust, the detailing on the bust will create the illusion of more volume.

I designed and made the necklace myself; using a thick industrial wire, I bent it this way and that, to create a zig-zagged collar necklace that was inspired by some of the ancient Egyptian jewelry. I created little bunches of stone beads, and wired them to the necklace. I think it turned out rather well! I call it my Pharaoh’s Daughter Necklace. 😉

The cocktail ring is by Forever 21, and goes perfectly with almost everything in my closet!

The clutch was a super fun project! My sister, Maria, bought me a cream clutch from Nine West and lots of beautiful beads, and I glued all the beads on in fun patterns. It was inspired by a Emilio Pucci clutch that was on the runway last year.

The shoes are one of my most prized possessions! My extremely generous brother-in-law and sister bought them for me. They are by Jimmy Choo, and they are a limited edition pair of the Nova shoe. The lace is by Valentino. I love how the delicate lace compliments the simple silhouette. They add glamour and elegance to any outfit, and they are surprisingly comfortable to walk in.

Since I have so many accessories and so many little details, I wanted to keep the makeup understated and fresh—also I am going to day-time events, so it needed to be day-time appropriate. Inspired by Rosy Huntington-Whitely, I created a soft natural eye with a light shimmery browny/bronzy shade, then I added a bit of pencil eyeliner and mascara. I used foundation, powder, bronzer, blush, and a highlight on the face, and ended with a bright, but still soft, coral lipstick. This took about 3-4 minutes to accomplish.

Similarly, I wanted to keep the hair simple, but since I wanted to show off my necklace (and because it is hot outside…and I didn’t have time to wash it today), I made a braid along my hairline on the side of the head, then gathered my hair into a low bun, and pinned it onto my head with some bobby pins, and ended with a dash of hair spray. This took also took about 3-4 minutes to accomplish.

XOXO,

Elisabeth

“You Desire to Know the Art of Living?”

“You desire to know the art of living, my friend? It is contained in one phrase: make use of suffering.”

~Henri-Frederic Amiel~

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The sea at Les-Saintes-Maries de la mer, Vincent van Gogh

The Earth Has Music For Those Who Listen

“The earth has music for those who listen.” ~ Shakespeare

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Today I encourage you to take the time to take a walk, open your window, or just go on your balcony and take a moment to appreciate the great beauty of nature. I love to take walks and listen to music–I feel like my senses are almost overpowered with the great beauty, peace, and joy that both nature and music give me.

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Here is some music that I have been listening to endlessly:

• Allegri’s Miserere Mei https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Y_ztEW1NE
• Chopin’s Nocturne in c# minor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5qeuVOIbHk
• Smetena’s Moldau https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G4NKzmfC-Q

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Photos:

• The rose garden photo was taken in England, at a mansion in the countryside… the aroma of the roses was breath-taking.
• The chapel photo was taken in Austria, a mile from the house I grew up in. Whenever I need peaceful imagery to think about, I always think of this chapel, nestled amongst the trees on top of a mountain…

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Xoxo,

Elisabeth