Once again, my famous sterling-silver NASTY necklace is raising funds for abortion rights! From now through September 18 (or until inventory runs out), I will donate $100 of the $300 purchase price of each necklace sold to the group of 10 Texas abortion funds that I mentioned in last week’s post. (As always, I will…
jewel of the month
Happy August!
Looking for a birthday gift … for yourself, maybe? My customers and I are all about self-gifting! For August birthday wimmins, I’ve got a stunning example of the month’s birthstone, peridot, in the form of diamond chandelier earrings on sale on 1stdibs. And let’s not forget birth signs. What Leo wouldn’t love this lion pendant?…
Jewel of the Month: Stars on Your Ears
When I like a style, I like it … Joan Jett released “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” in 1981, and I’m wearing a version of her haircut FORTY YEARS LATER. Designer Stephen Sprouse put DayGlo colors on the runway in 1984, and I’m still obsessed. And I’ve wanted Freddie Mercury’s cool star sunglasses since Queen’s…
Jewel of the Month: Queen Min Earrings
I’m extra excited to share June’s Jewel of the Month here, albeit at the last possible minute, because this is the first significant new gold design that I’ve created since 2019. Last year was a washout for jewelry design, but the pandemic wasn’t to blame. My manufacturers actually masked up and went back to work…
Jewels of the Month: Tolula in a Tiara and More
In 1985, I listened to British singer Belouis Some‘s song “Imagination” on repeat. Kids these days don’t appreciate the dedication it took to play a song obsessively back then! It was a delicate operation, what with lifting the turntable needle up from the vinyl record and moving it to that flat, grooveless space in between…
Jewel of the Month: Black Diamond for Purrkoy
April’s birthstone is the diamond, so my procrastinating ass is going to squeeeeeeze in an April Jewel of the Month post at the last possible moment! Behold, the black-diamond version of my 2010 single-stone platinum Gravity band. This design was originally created as a unisex wedding ring, but I made the new ring as a…
Jewel of the Month: Inspired by Lil Nas X
In 2019, 19-year-old rapper Lil Nas X vaulted from TikTok meme maker lauded by Justin Bieber to record-breaking mainstream success with his country-rap song “Old Town Road,” and there are so many things I love about this story. First of all, this song appealed to every age group, from toddlers to their grandparents. If you…
Jewel of the Month: Lip Necklace in 18K Gold
Whether you love Valentine’s Day or loathe it, the days immediately following the holiday are kind of awesome. First of all, the big Whitman’s Sampler chocolate assortments are on sale in all the drugstores to make room for the Easter candy. If you’re buying for me, I do prefer Whitman’s Samplers to Russell Stover boxes,…
Jewels of the Month: Bye, Don! Welcome 46 & 47!
I don’t know if I should call this the dawn of a new era or a return to form. After years of Jewel of the Month posts, I had ZERO last year because fascism and the pandemic had me that distracted from what I love to do. But now that would-be dictator Donald Trump has…
Year in Review: Jewels of the Month for 2019
The highlight of 2019 for Wendy Brandes Jewelry was a gem of a person! I am still madly in love with the photo shoot I did with Judith Boyd, aka Style Crone, because I’m always trying to show that jewelry is for everyone. When I did appearances this year, I decorated my booth/case with photos…