The Elegant Muse Blog

One day it was 74 degrees, the daffodils were blooming, and we all greeted each other with, "It's Spring!" The next day the high was 36 and it snowed. Springtime in Virginia can be a sassy transition, and it sometimes leaves me feeling a bit blue. But when I wear a vintage handcrafted pearl necklace, like this lovely young woman, I can't help but feel hopeful to warmer days ahead. Check out the current selection of handcrafted vintage necklaces to chase away your own winter blues. Model: thestylepsych.com   Photo: crystalcoronaphotography.com

Fairytales, princesses, and castles - many of us grew up dreaming of these. So it’s no wonder I fell in love with this antique castle button the minute I spotted it in an area antique shop. Exquisite in detail and in such pristine condition! I love wearing this necklace and it never fails to spark a conversation. Explore my Petite Collection to see more of my antique button necklaces and be sure to join my list as more will be coming soon!

I love browsing through antique and consignment shops, trying to imagine the pieces of jewelry updated to wear out and about in today’s world. This piece was actually spotted by one of my ballet students, who happened to be inside the same shop as I was with her mother.  “Look, Mrs. Paynter, this would work with your jewelry!” I didn’t even know she knew about my jewelry. How could I not buy the piece? (see the original piece below) And I’m so glad I did. It was a beautifully painted piece but set in a way that, in my opinion, cheapened...

  The hum of bees is the voice of the garden. -Elizabeth Lawrence It’s March in Virginia so though we had a snowstorm last week it’s looking very much like Spring today. And to me, nothing signals its arrival like the hum and bluster of bees. When I came across a pewter set of vintage earrings and brooch depicting bees I couldn’t possibly pass them up. I got to work, perching the bee on a web of filigree and surrounding it with shimmering rhinestones. I think this Bee is content in his new home. Find out more about my Bee necklace as...

What is your favorite color? If you answered "blue" you're in good company. Blue is considered the world's most popular color and has been since the 1940's. I had to do a bit of research as I wondered why blue? “It turns out, if you look at all of the things that are associated with blue, they're mostly positive,” explains Karen Schloss, an assistant professor of psychology at University of Wisconsin-Madison. “It’s really hard to think of negative blue things." We associate blue with things like the ocean and sky, blue jeans, ballpoint pens, and swimming pools! So it's no wonder that...