Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

Rub Me the Right Way

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Here is a preview of my newest jewelry design. It’s a genie in a bottle, available as a necklace or as cufflinks. This is a picture of the cufflink version, showing the silver “bottle” with its black pearl stopper.

© Wendy Brandes

Here is the cufflink in action on my gorgeous father’s sleeve.

GeorgeB’s new cufflink

You’ll have to wait for the professional pictures to see the 18K gold genie who lives inside the silver bottle. While you’re waiting, you can check out this tribute site for the I Dream of Jeannie television show. As a child, I always liked Jeannie’s bottle abode and hairdo, but I was disturbed that she called her astronaut discoverer/boyfriend “Master.” Now I realize that Jeannie and Major Nelson* were in a completely consensual BDSM relationship, which is A-OK with me. Different strokes for different folks, and all that. This clip of Jeannie playing stewardess seems to prove it. Note the chains and tight seatbelt action.


Interesting that the “submissive” seems to be in charge, eh?

Here’s the animated opening from the show. I warn you that once the tune gets in your head, it will be stuck there forever. I’ve been humming it to myself for 35 years.

And you can’t talk about genies without mentioning Christina Aguilera: “I’m a genie in a bottle/You gotta rub me the right way.”

If you are more serious about your genies, you can read about the origins of the Aladdin folk tale here. Aladdin’s genie was in a lamp. You can see how the lamp was shaped in the poster for the Disney version of Aladdin.


For jewelry, I didn’t care for the shape of the lamp or TV Jeannie’s bottle so I made up my own bottle. I am the Master of my own genie. So there.

Enough about genies. It’s Valentine’s Day! In the spirit of the day, I encourage you to read this blog post by Cakespy, then go out and commit a random act of sweetness.

*The character of Tony Nelson started the show as a captain, but was promoted to major in the first season.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I love that Xtina song, it’s one of my favourite guilty pleasure type things. I’m pretty keen to see the little genie who lives in the gold bottle though, don’t hold out on us too long…

  2. Thanks for commenting on my blog! I actually need to get a trim soon 🙂 Love your writing style, and the jewelry is gaw-geous 😉

  3. wow, thanks for ruining i dream of gini! haha, i always wanted to be her for halloween when i was younger, but my mom would never let me (for good reason!)

  4. wow, thanks for ruining i dream of gini! haha, i always wanted to be her for halloween when i was younger, but my mom would never let me (for good reason!)

  6. Hi there-You never cease to amaze me with the differently unique designs you make! Truly stunning, the cufflinks are a stroke of genie-us!!

  7. What an adorable little piece!
    Speaking of, what happened to that beautiful nameless design you posted a few months ago? x

  12. Great idea for a piece of jewellery. I’ve always intended to decorate my home in the style of Jeannies bottle, le sigh, someday…
    As for the weird relationship, I never figured out why she would choose the Major over that sexy piece of arse, the Blue Djinn.

  18. hi, happy valentines day!
    i love your new genie bottle design. so great!! when i was a kid one of my favourite shows was “i dream of jeannie”. i decided not to watch the intro to the show that you posted though. i don’t want that tune stuck in my head all weekend…

  19. As a backend product you should do a Paul Lynde tie clip. He was on Bewitched but I’m sure people would get it.

  21. I really love the shape of your genie bottle, and the details on it. I can’t wait to see the pictures of the genie inside. I’m putting this on my shopping list.

  22. Love Jeannie! No way was she subm!issive. Now Samantha, that’s a different story.
    And I so want a jeannies bottle of my own

  23. Love love love this Wendy! It’s so original and nice tribute to Jeannie! Looking forward to the gold photos!

    PS Are you going to the IFB party on Monday? If so, you should rock some of your jewelry – I’ve never seen it in person.

  24. Jordana, I do plan to be there and I’ll definitely be wearing my pieces. I must say that my photographers are brilliant but jewelry can’t ever be really captured by the camera. It’s all about the feel (especially with my pieces, which have a lot of heft). So I will let you try some on 🙂

  25. Oooooh la la Christina + fab cufflinks? Excellent vday fare!

    Happy Valentine’s Day, WB!

    xoxox,
    CC

  27. Awesome idea for a piece – I love that you’ll have a little genie in it.

    Subs are actually the ones in control – everything done is with them as the focus. They call the shots and say when enough’s enough.

    Uh, not that I know anything about this… 🙂

  34. i reckon the reason why I’m wearing more shirts with french cuff is down to.. you. seeing so many cool designs. only thing left to do is to actually own one of yours….

  35. that’s brilliant!
    anyone would have to be an idiot for not wanting these lovely babies on their cuffs.
    😉

  37. sooooooooooo cool!

    i dressed as jeannie the halloween I was 8. Not a pretty sight since my tummy has never ever been anything other than round 😉

  38. Gorgeous cufflinks.
    I am now happily humming the theme song. I may not be so happy about it in three days time when I’m still humming it.