Things are pretty chilly and grey here in the studio this morning. As I sit typing, I’m wearing a fleece pullover, a blanket, two pairs of socks, and fuzzy slippers. We may have an insulation problem…

With the unfortunate climate in mind, I thought it would be nice to feature some pretty little things I’ve spotted on Pinterest to brighten your day in case it’s as wintry as mine.

I’ve got weddings on the brain these days. Maybe it’s because I’ve been working on a lot of bridal jewelry sets lately, or maybe it’s because so many people dear to me are getting married in 2013. Whatever the cause, I’ve been a crazy pinning lady over on my Wedding Bells board. This invitation set from KM Paperie photographed by Chard Photographer is one of my  favorites. I especially love the dramatic emerald green, which in case you haven’t heard, is Pantone’s official color of the year for 2013.

This dress from ASOS is another wedding-worthy item. I could see a lineup of chic bridesmaids in this vibrant and full lace dress, or I’d love to wear it myself to a summer soiree. I’ve seen a lot of royal blue in the weddings I’ve been designing jewelry for this year and I think this piece is a great example of using the color in an elegant way. 

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3

Food has also been on my mind a lot these days, particularly with the imminent weather change. This time of year I usually start to get antsy, ready to plant my gardens and switch from heavy warm dishes to lighter salads and inventive sandwich combinations.

Cheese is a year-round staple in our home – we’ve been known to snack on cheese and apples on a regular basis – and pastries are always a good decision. I’ve been collecting macaron recipes and may be ready to try my hand at the famous Parisian treats in the near future. I’m planning a birthday weekend for myself next week that’s going to be chock full of pastries as a last hurrah before I bid farewell to gluten permanently on March 25th. They may just have to make an appearance, along with…

BUNNY COOKIES.
Don’t act like you’re surprised. My obsession knows no bounds.

Happy Monday to all of you dear readers. May it be filled with sunshine, literal or figurative.
Xo, Ali

It’s hard to believe that we’re already a solid week into the new year! Is it just me or do the holidays fly by a little faster each year? (#grownupproblems) I had the unfortunate pleasure of catching a sickness that I’ve named the Christmas Plague, so my holiday celebrations were more low-key and home-based than initially planned. If I’m honest, though, it was nice to get the rest that I needed.

Now that I’m {almost} 100% again, it’s full speed ahead into 2013! I’ve been working on some really fun new pieces for the Spring 2013 collection, which I’m excited to reveal to you all soon. I’ve also been meeting with brides to talk about custom wedding jewelry and I am *so excited* for what this new year will bring!

With the launch of the J’Adorn Designs Weddings page, I’ve been focusing more and more on bridal designs. I draw so much inspiration in looking at expertly crafted pieces for all elements of the wedding. Great art inspires more great art, so I find myself collecting images of flowers, cakes, centerpieces, dresses, hairpieces, props, tablesettings… anything and everything that goes into making each wedding the masterpiece that it is.

I’m eagerly looking ahead to this new year and planning for more growth, more lessons learned, and more handcrafted loveliness to share with you all.

Is there something new you’d like to see from J’Adorn Designs in 2013? Leave a comment; it could happen!

Are you a bride planning your masterpiece? Drop me a line on the “contact” form – I’d love to talk about how I can help make your vision a reality!

Here’s to a new year full of new opportunities!
Xo, Ali

There are so many beautiful colors and themes in style for holiday wrapping & decor this year. It always impresses me how new looks seem to come out each year to wow & stun us when this season has already come around so many times. Part of the excitement for me when the holidays approach is waiting to see which color and texture palettes rise to the top.

This year, my absolute favorite holiday style has to be the luxe look. Beautiful metallics, high-gloss whites, and LOTS of glitter. It’s dramatic, but delicate and pretty. I love that it’s so festive but it doesn’t include any of the traditional reds or greens you usually see around this time of year.

I’ve been shopping my little heart out getting ready for the J’Adorn holiday party (it’s this Saturday already! Eep!) and I’ve found some really lovely pieces to adorn my living space. Some of the best pieces I’ve spotted lately have been over at BHLDN, and with Cyber Monday in full swing, I couldn’t resist picking up a few items to add to the party roster. Here’s a look at some of my favorite pieces from the BHLDN decor line:

 I love the details on each of these items and how they all evoke that handmade-with-care feel. I’d be proud to use the paper heart garlands, confetti or dramatic tassled balloons (which you already knew I love)!

So what did I order? Ok, ok, I’ll tell you. I got a few things, but this one is the most perfect item on the entire site:

Seriously, you guys. I think the designers had me specifically in mind when they made these bunny card holders. THEY ARE PERFECT. I’m probably going to be waiting for the UPS guy at my door until they arrive.

What are your favorite holiday decor items this year? What can’t you live without?

As many burgeoning small business owners know, the lines between home life and work life are not always clear. For me, the beginning of J’Adorn Designs happened on a weeknight while I was sitting on my couch and getting crafty at the coffee table. I made my very first macro braid necklace that night, and the business has stayed under this roof since then.

I often dream of what it would be like to have my own studio in a space that’s separate and dedicated solely to that purpose. Instead, I have a dining room/office/workshop in a one bedroom apartment. It works for me, but it’s not really pretty and it’s definitely not Pinterest-worthy.

I’m comforted to know that I’m not the only one suffering from studio-self-consciousness. Becka Robinson over at Life as an Artistpreneur articulated this sentiment perfectly in this post in which she discusses the dissonance between the beautiful dream workspaces that we long for and the practical, feasible spaces that we actually have.

She started The Real Space Project “to show off the real life spaces of real life artistpreneurs. In all of their un-styled, not-magazine-worthy glory.” I’m honored to have my workshop included in this project, imperfect and tiny though it may be. Below you’ll see the photo of my workshop that was featured in the project, but feel free to click on the link to see all of the other wonderful spaces from my fellow artistpreneurs!

{Check out the full post here.}

I’m thankful to Becka for creating this project, for reminding us of the value of our real life workspaces, and for highlighting the imperfect beauty (and power!) of a space that is more useful and effective than it is pristine.