Navy Blue & Gold Editorial Featured on Burnett’s Boards

Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe EventsWe recently had the honor of seeing an editorial shoot we contributed to earlier this year featured on the wedding blog, Burnett’s Boards. In this post we’re sharing a few of our personal favorite shots by Red October Photography from this cool, modern D.C. bridal shoot with gold and navy blue elements.

We especially love the way Tiffany of Simply Breathe Events chose to style the jewelry from our collection into a few different looks for the bridal model – and that amazing cake created by Evan of Sweets by E! Check out the full gallery, and let us know in the comments which part is your favorite.

Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe Events

Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe Events

Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe Events

Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe Events

Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe Events

Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe Events

Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe Events
Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe Events
Navy blue gold rose gold Washington D.C. wedding inspiration editorial styled shoot couture bridal jewelry druzy pearl crystal by j'adorn designs Maryland DC Virginia custom jeweler bridal accessories Red October Photography Simply Breathe Events
Fellow contributing vendors:
Photography: Red October Photography
Planning & Styling: Simply Breathe Events
Venue: River Farm
Hair Styling: Jewel HD
Makeup: Blend DC
Bride’s attire: Fabulous Frocks of DC
Groom’s attire: Lapel
Florals: Flower Bud Florals
Cake: Sweets By E
Rentals: DC Rental
Calligraphy: Allison Dee Calligraphy

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Everything You Need to Know About Druzy Jewelry

druzy jewelry, druzy necklace, blue necklace, something blue, bridal necklaceAre you in on the druzy trend? These sparkly gemstones, in all their shapes and sizes, have been taking the jewelry world by storm for the past two wedding seasons (at least!), and the design possibilities seem to be endless. Whether you’re a total newcomer to druzies or have already started a collection of your own, you’re bound to learn something new in this latest edition of the “Know Your Bling” series. (And if not, you’ll still get to feast your eyes on some really sweet eye candy!)

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What is a druzy?
The word “druzy” (or “drusy” as our friends across the pond would say) comes from the geological term “druse,” which refers to the phenomenon that occurs when a fine layer of crystals grows on a gemstone, usually in a vein or other fractured surface. It’s the same effect you’d see in the geodes you may have purchased from the science store at the mall when you were younger.

Jenna Shriver Photography_Jadorn Designs_Fall 2015-24
Druzy in Jewelry 
In the jewelry world, druzies are a favorite for their ability to add a lot of sparkle to a design. If you look closely at a druzy, you will see countless little facets that catch the light from every direction. Because they come in many different shapes, colors, and sizes, they also offer a lot of versatility for jewelry designs. Even the crystal facets come in different sizes, so you could choose a more rough looking stone for an edgier style, or one with finer facets to create a more delicate effect.

druzy, drusy, drusy earrings, druzy earrings, champagne earrings, sparkly earrings, bridal earrings, bridal jewelry, jewelry designer, couture earrings, bridal couture
How I use druzies
Because I aim for a happy mixture of wearability and glamour in my designs as a jeweler, I tend to let these stones be the stand-alone stars of the pieces I use them in. I’ve experimented with various methods to mount the stones, from a full wire wrap to a more minimal floating design. I’ve even added a chain tassel for a pair of custom bridesmaid’s earrings; but generally I don’t overcomplicate things when I use these lustrous stones.

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Here’s a look at a few of my favorite druzy designs from the J’Adorn Designs collection. Tell me which one is your personal favorite in the comments, then click on over to the shop to claim it as your own!

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druzy, druzy jewelry, drusy jewellery, pink druzy, purple druzy, blue druzy, green druzy, druzy earrings
Jenna Shriver Photography_Jadorn Designs_Fall 2015-23

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Mini Makeover with Carolyn Thombs


Jewelry designer makeover and lifestyle photo session with Carolyn Thombs

I met Carolyn Thombs virtually when we worked together on the Coffee Inspired Wedding Shoot I contributed to earlier this year. A few weeks later, we met in person at a networking event hosted by The Knot and we hit it off immediately. Carolyn is a talented makeup artist and stylist based in northern Virginia and when we got together to style & shoot our collaborative effort with ThredUP she offered to do my makeup and take a few shots. In this post I’ll be sharing some of my favorite shots from the mini makeover and lifestyle photo session Carolyn created with me.

I tend to go with natural colors for my makeup day-to-day, particularly when it comes to lip color, so Carolyn suggested we do something out of my usual comfort zone. I’m so glad I took her advice because I fell in love with the bright pink lipstick she used! Check out all the photos from our mini-makeover after the jump.

Jewelry designer makeover and lifestyle photo session with Carolyn Thombs

 

Jewelry designer makeover and lifestyle photo session with Carolyn Thombs

 

Jewelry designer makeover and lifestyle photo session with Carolyn Thombs

 

Jewelry designer makeover and lifestyle photo session with Carolyn Thombs

 

Jewelry designer makeover and lifestyle photo session with Carolyn Thombs

Love the jewelry you see here? Score it for yourself over in my shop! [Specific pieces linked below]
Necklace, Bracelet #1, Bracelet #2

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Vintage Jewelry Repair: Turquoise Statement Necklace

Refurbished vintage turquoise necklace by J'Adorn Designs

 

From time to time, I get the opportunity to use my jewelry skills to give new life to an old piece that’s seen better days. I love projects like these because they tie my love for vintage to my creative work, which usually involves making brand-new items. Some projects are more intricate and involve a complete redesign while others, like this, simply need to be restrung to be ready to wear again! I am so pleased with how this vintage necklace turned out with just a little bit of extra TLC.

Refurbished vintage turquoise necklace by J'Adorn Designs

This piece came to my studio from a friend of mine who found the necklace while thrift shopping and thought it would be the perfect birthday gift for his sister. The only problem with the piece was that the stringing thread was clearly falling apart and it needed to be restrung with something sturdier. Thankfully, he was able to see the piece’s potential and knew just the person to call to give this special piece a much-needed refurbish.

The stones (real turquoise – beautiful!) and golden clasp were in great shape, so my job was easy. I chose white natural silk thread to restring the necklace in a nice heavy weight. The beads were large and I wanted to make sure that they wouldn’t pull apart the knots and come unstrung with regular wear and tear. A few extra knots along the length of the silk thread did just the trick to reinforce the construction.

Refurbished vintage turquoise necklace by J'Adorn Designs
So, with just a little love and some new thread this timelessly beautiful necklace is ready for action again!

Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry that could use a little refurbishing? Maybe some pretty earrings with tarnished hooks or a bracelet whose elastic is shot? I’d love to give new life to your old favorites. Send me an email for information on pricing and available repair services! 

Xo, Ali

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