A Custom Christmas

What better way to say "I Love You" than custom designing a holiday gift for your sweetheart? Last year, a client came to me looking for a special bracelet for his wife's gift. I obviously couldn't post about it then, but now that I'm feeling this year's holiday spirit abound, I thought that it was a good time to share.

The inspiration for the project was grapes. His wife is a huge fan of them. So he provided a few pictures of items that he thought would fit her taste, and we passed ideas back and forth for several emails.

We finally decided on a clustered yet lacey look using various sizes of purple pearls and twisted silver. Here's the finished product:



Unfortunately I couldn't be there on Christmas morning to see the treasure unwrapped, but I heard through the grapevine that the custom created bracelet was her favorite present of the year. ...and her husband came back this year to complete the set (what a huge compliment!) Maybe I'll be able to post about that project next holiday season!

JP Open Studios at the Mall

This past week-end, I joined roughly 40 other local artists at the Mall at Chestnut Hill for a unique art show. We filled the entire ground floor with our various talents, and had a great time admiring each others' work whenever we found a spare moment. Below is a slideshow of the event via my flickr photostream. Enjoy!



You can also view the event's listing on aurorapalesca.com

100 Hearts of Bliss

You may have heard that a little Aurora Palesca surprise will be handed out at the doors of the Chicago Bridal Bliss Expo. The event is coming up on May 2, and is free with pre-registration (be sure to register by May 1!). The first 100 brides to arrive will receive a complimentary gift bag full of goodies... among which, a delicate heart charm handcrafted by yours truly.

Since I am terrible at keeping secrets, I snapped a few pictures of my 100 tiny submissions before sending them off early in the week. Perhaps it ruins the surprise... or maybe it gives those attending something to look forward to. In either case, here are the pictures:







If you are interested in attending, please visit bridalblisschicago.doattend.com to register. Happy wedding planning!

Introducing Our New Jewelry Model

You may have noticed a new model popping up around my website. Perhaps she looks familiar? Well, let me introduce you to... myself!

I hesitated for almost a year about using my own face as a spokesmodel for my jewelry designs. Being extremely shy and very modest, I prefer to stay behind the camera. However, after studying countless professional jewelry websites and blogs, I was convinced that I had to grit my teeth and let my husband snap a few (about 400!) full portrait pictures. ...and I'm so glad that I did. The difference is remarkable!

Hopefully in the future I will be able to draft a few lovely ladies to replace my face on www.aurorapalesca.com. Then I can continue to live out my lifelong dream of being a reclusive artist. For the moment, though, find my picture posted all over the world wide web sporting handcrafted eco chic jewelry by Aurora Palesca (a.k.a. me).

Giving Back

I love philanthropy. It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. So when I discovered that the Starlight Children's Foundation was accepting donations for an upcoming silent auction, I of course offered some of my jewelry to aid in their fund raising efforts.

To quote directly from their website, "Starlight New England is dedicated to bringing happiness, hope and an improved quality of life to seriously ill children and their families in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. With your help, we can continue to brighten the lives of children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and life-altering injuries."

They established Purses & Pearls as an annual event to both benefit their organization, and to give children a first-hand experience of philanthropy at its finest. Set within one of the Four Seasons' Traditional Afternoon Tea Hours, children will partake in cupcake decorating, magicians, and dancing by Mass Motion Dance Academy. Everyone will have the chance to create spring crafts to be sent to hospitalized children.It is an afternoon filled with good will, and truly an affair to remember.

I decided to donate not only because I recognize the importance of giving back, but also because this foundation strikes a chord close to my own heart. Illness descended upon my family several years ago when a cousin was born with down's syndrome and a congenital heart defect. He unfortunately passed away shortly after his first year of life, and I watched as his immediate family struggled through hospital transfers, surgeries, and bleak prognoses. I cannot stress enough how much the brief moments of happiness meant to them during this very painful time.

So, in honor of my little cousin Jacob, I will be offering one of the following two sets (I haven't been able to decide just yet):

Dripping Necklace and Earrings















Exotic Majesty Bracelet and Earrings
















I value your input here. Which one do you think would garner the most attention at auction? ...or is there another item that you think would be more appropriate, such as pearls?


You can learn more about Purses & Pearls on my website at www.aurorapalesca.com

and purchase tickets on the Starlight Foundation's page at www.starlight.org

A Perfect Fit

During this past holiday season, I had a customer purchase a necklace and bracelet for his wife. It was the perfect sale. He came, he purchased, he walked away positive that he had chosen the perfect gift. There was only one small catch-- he wasn't sure about the fit.

Having an item fitted ahead of time is something that many people overlook. When a woman opens a gift, there is nothing that feels better than to put it on and admire how lovely it looks on her. If it doesn't fit (especially if it is too small), something in that special moment is lost.

I remember when my husband proposed, we ran into this very issue. He bought the ring abroad, and the smaller sizes were out of stock. So he settled for the larger size, and figured that we could always have it fitted later. It is a gorgeous ring, and I was so determined to wear it right away that I wrapped a huge chunky ribbon around the back. I refused to take it to a jeweler for months, because I didn't want to take it off!

Of course, every woman is different, so finding the right size is not always an easy task ...but a little bit of effort and forethought can go a long way. Here are a few tips that will get you a little bit closer to a perfect fit:

1. Measure another similar item in her jewelry chest, making sure that the style of the fit is similar. For example, a wrap bracelet will have a snug fit around the wrist, while a chain bracelet usually hangs loosely on the hand.

2. If you can't measure, watch how she wears other jewelry. Does she prefer a longer, looser necklace, or a shorter one?

3. Communicate her body type to the jeweler. Most of the time he/she will be able to at least make an educated guess about the appropriate size.

4. Find a friend with a similar body type, and bring her along for a fitting.

5. When in doubt, always buy a larger size. It is much easier to adjust to a smaller size than a larger one...and at least she will be able to wear it in the interim.

As for my client, we made an educated guess about the size, knowing that his wife would be back to perfect the fit later. I'll save the details of her visit for a later post. For now, suffice to say that it was a happy holiday for all of us.

I hope that this will help to ease your gifting stress for the next big day on your calendar. Of course, and as always, please feel free to contact me at info@aurorapalesca.com if you need any help, advice, or friendly jewelry conversation. I would love to hear from you!

Black Beauties

I LOVE black pearls. They are dramatic, deep, and fantastically luminescent. I recently was asked to make a custom bracelet using these beauties, based on the design of my Hanging Hoop Bracelet. I couldn't have been more thrilled!

The finished bracelet was just intoxicating. Not only did I want to keep the bracelet for myself (I did not), but my customer also wanted to hold on to it (she did). She had originally purchased the piece as a gift, but decided that she just couldn't part with it!




Once I have the neccessary materials, I will be adding a Hanging Hoop Bracelet in Black Pearls to my online store. It's just too beautiful not to share!