The Jewel of the Month post for December comes to you in two parts this time. Our topic is the sapphire-halo engagement ring that I created for my dear friends Abigail and Max. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already gotten a sneak peek. A post shared by Wendy Brandes Jewelry PR (@wendybrandesjewelry) on…
The Resistance Strikes Back: Jones Wins in Alabama
I know that a few of you blog readers get the weekly action newsletter I do for my local chapter of the grassroots Indivisible movement. For those who don’t, this is how I started the email version of this week’s newsletter. CREATE THE MOVEMENT. DON’T WAIT FOR THE MOVEMENT. At another resistance group’s meeting, I…
See the Chicken at Hummingbird
On Friday, I announced that 10 of my classic designs are available at Hummingbird Jewelers in Rhinebeck, N.Y., over the holidays. You can see them all in the front window there. The second of the three layered necklaces in the back is my chicken-in-egg locket in 18K yellow gold and blackened silver. I’ve shared this…
The Week in Review
In case you missed it, here’s what was on the blog this week. Monday, December 4: Jewelry expert Jennifer Heebner got me thinking about how I fell in love with heart-shaped gems. Wednesday, December 6: I sometimes sass her in my YouTube videos, but in reality, my right-hand woman Eryn is an inspiring person to…
Fly Over to Hummingbird Jewelers in Rhinebeck!
I’ve been selling exclusively online for over a year now so I’m super-excited to announce a rare opportunity for jewelry lovers to try on some of my best-known 18K gold designs at Hummingbird Jewelers in Rhinebeck, N.Y. Thank you to Bruce and Peggy and the rest of the Hummingbird team for putting together this gorgeous display…
Wednesday’s Video: Five Things About Me
Officially, Eryn Decker (née Patton) is my right-hand woman at Wendy Brandes Jewelry, but in actuality, she often functions like the boss of me. As anyone I worked for in my pre-jewelry days in the corporate world can attest, not just anyone can be the boss of me, no matter what the organizational chart says….
Heart-Shaped Gems Can Be Lovable
Jewelry expert Jennifer Heebner has written about the increasing popularity of heart-shaped gems. As Jennifer points out, hearts in jewelry tend to be a love ’em or hate ’em kind of thing. I used to fall into the latter camp, because I had only seen poorly cut or poorly set stones that looked more like…
The Week in Review
In case you missed it, here’s what was on the blog this week. Monday, November 27, and Tuesday, November 28: My post-Thanksgiving promotion of 0% discount and a 50% charitable donation generated some good business — a special welcome to my new engagement ring customers! Alas, none of the purchases triggered donations to the ACLU,…
Time for R. Kelly to Face the Music
Post-Harvey Weinstein, it feels like there is no end to the list of badly behaved men who are finally being exposed. This week included two huge names. On Wednesday, glib morning-television personality Matt Lauer — he of the blatantly sexist 2016 presidential forum — was fired by NBC as exposés by Variety and the New…
Throwback Thursday: 2017 CPJ Press Freedom Awards
I already posted the dress I wore to the International Press Freedom Awards dinner held by the Committee to Protect Journalists on November 15. In case you missed that “meh” fashion moment, here it is again. I’ve been wondering if getting rid of those cap sleeves will make the dress look less like a sad, raisin-colored…