My Own Precious Jewels

These are my mascots, my babies, my incredible kitty cats, Moxie, the blue-eyed blonde and Gizmo, the white-breasted calico with the jade green eyes. They guard the back door when I'm in my studio and are waiting for me on the dining room table. Gizmo curls up on the desk in the den when I'm on-line or writing; and Moxie lives on our bed. They've been with me 14 years and act as if they're still kittens. Moxie talks; Gizmo is brilliant. What can I say. . . they make my life wonderful with their presence and their purrs.

Purple Haze

I'm in love with these agate slices. They are primitive and the same time that they're different and elegant. I put a sterling silver floral bail on this one and paired it with lovely amethyst beads for a "Prince-ly" piece.

Chysacolla Ovals with Malay Jade Rounds

One more chocker-style necklace, this time with magnificent and large chrysacolla ovals accented with deep green Malay jade round beads. The colors remind me of a pine forest -- how appropriate for deep December and Christmacy-toned jewelry. This is not a flashy necklace, no sparkle, but plenty of drama and style. I'd like to see it with a gray or black suit, hanging out in the board room.

The Winter Necklace

There is something almost wintery about the these variegated agate ovals, dusted with tones of deep gray, some brown and winter aqua, like the light in the Arctic. With light gray pearl roundels, this choker (around 18-19") feels wonderful as the stones warm up to body temperature. It is designed to rest right on the clavicle, not too tight, not too loose.

Sea Rose with Prehnite and Amethyst

The pendant -- a wonderfully colorful combination of prehnite and amethyst with a ffanciful carved amazonite rose -- dictated who she wanted to live with. Amethyst would have been too dark; amazonite that color is hard to find in a bead. So prehnite it was. I love the prehnite stone because some of them have tiny rutiles in them, as these do. The faceting gives them even more texture. Instead of anchoring the pendant from two larger silver beads, I suspended it from a row of smaller sterling rounds, so there is easy movement.

Tropical Paradise

The fuchsia faceted jade is deliciously tropical especially in combination with Chinese turquoise mini-coins and the large faceted aquamarine crystals. The clasp on this lovely two-strander is fuchsia sequins set in Sterling silver, designed to look like sari-cloth. I can see this worn with a pretty spring print dress, a fuchsia bathing suit. . . and a great tan. This is definitely a winter vacation piece. Cancun, anyone?

Le Rouge et Le Noir

My favorite color combination has always been red and black and nothing is blacker than black onyx which facets beautifully. When the light hits a piece like this, it flashes back, gleams and almost has a life of its own. I combined these large, faceted onyx roundels with a Siam red Swarovski crystal -- to wear with Christmas black velvet or a nice cream silk blouse. This is one classic necklace that will take you anywhere.

Chrysacolla with Amazonite and Vermeil

Chrysacolla is such a beautiful bead. It has all the qualities of turquoise, ie. the beautiful deep aqua-blue color, but it has been splashed with a deep green, making it a very interesting stone.

Aqua blue Agate, Natural Coral Accents, Sterling Clasp

I've always loved these beads. They look spikey but they're smooth and sexy and really comfortable to wear. I found some natural pink coral that is so tiny and delicate to provide some color contrast along with a few serially spaced silver and Swarovski crystal beads and put it all on a silver clasp. Adorable.

Chinese Turquoise with Cloisonne Beads

I found a very good source for cloisonne beads and have been using them most of the summer. I found an almost exact match for the turquoise in the little gold/turqoise enameled teardrops and made this sweet, single-strand piece. The kind of thing you can wear with anything and probably will never take off.

White Turquoise Slab with Copper Czech Fire-Polish Bead

I've never seen white turquoise quite this beautiful before. Actually, I don't think this is turquoise at all but matrixed howlite or something man-made, however, it looks fabulous on all skin tones, lays flat and feel sexy-sensual as it warm to body temperture. And it's not expensive, $150.

Lively Blue Lapis with gold-filled Beads and Clasp

Three strands of Afghani mystery here -- bright blue (probably dyed) lapis that I strung with my last remaining gold-filled shell clasp. (Reminder to self: Get some more of those). The blue is extraordinarily bright and this is a way to own Lapis Lazuli without breaking the bank. $300.

Citrine Nuggets, Fancy Vermeil Beads

These are very high-quality faceted nuggets in tones that vary from light lemon to sunshine yellow to nearly rust. Surrounding the vermeil fancy beads are faceted citrine nuggets. Like wearing a wreath of sunshine around your neck.

Gem Quality Chrysophrase with 18K Antique Gold Beads

I love the translucence of these beads which are very high quality. The green is exceptional. I paired the beads, which was part of the Karen Riley gift box with faceted 18k gold antique beads. This is a very rare find, indeed. $750.

Gem Qualiaty Labradorite, 14k Gold Stardust Beads

Labradorite is one of my favorite gemstones. There's a lot going on in these seemingly dull gray-green stones. Lightening bolts of iridescent blue flash and gleam. Geologists call the phenomenon "Labradorescence" and it happens only in this stone which is mined in Labrador. I prefer pairing Labradorite with gold because among the colors you'll find in the stone besides blue and flashes of purple is gold. These are subtle, not only because the stone itself is so low key, but because of the laser-surfaced stardust beads which are textured but certainly not flashy. $750.

Massive silver and shell pendant, jasper roundels

I found a series of shell pendants on line that are much prettier and more ornate in person than they appear on-line. I thought about putting this particular pendant on black onyx, but the faint deep rusty red in the shell tracings cried out for recognition, and I had these red jasper beads. . . and that was all she wrote.

Mixed Turquoise, Tiger Eye, Green Apple Turquoise Clasp

This piece and I call it "major," started out with just the variegated turquoise clasp which sat for almost a year before I decided w hat to do with it. I found some lovely apple green turquoise at a show and slid in some tigereye, silver and bright aqua turquoise. I had seen some presentation necklaces by a designer that Neiman Marcus carries and thought: why not. It's a way to be Southwestern without being kitchy.

Giant Faceted Carnelian and Bali Beads

Once in a while, you find really special beads. These carnelian and faceted and beautifully rusty orange. I spaced them with faceted carnelian roundels flanking large silver Bali beads. This necklace measures about 18" and is considered a choker.

Matrix Turquoise Slabs and Coral

I designed this turquoise slab necklace to sit on the neck like Cleopatra's collar. It feels so comfortable and warms with your natural body heat. The coral tube spacers are antique and part of the stash I got from my friend Karen in Santa Fe.

Lavender jade with Mother-of-Pearl pendant

I found this Mother-of-Pearl pendant at a jewelry show. There are two bezel-set faceted amethyst of extraordinary color, all the better set off with lavender jade and tiny faceted amethyst roundels.