From Emily in Ethiopia

As many of you know, my daughter Emily spent some time recently in Ethiopia working for the Center for Creative Leadership. While with CCL she worked on leadership development programs with NGOs and wrote some blog posts. Here are some of her travel photos from Addis Ababa and Lalibella. And yes, I am a proud Mama.

Emily Altman

Street scene

Church carved in stone in Lalibella

View over Lalibella

Emily and friends

Priest showing crosses in Lalibella

Hut

Emily bargaining in the market

Emily and more friends

Gorgeous ceiling

The Colors of Turkey

I continue to be inspired by my recent trip to Turkey.  I already shared pictures of the amazing tiles, but this time I am sharing the colors - it is such a vivid place with many palettes.  While Istanbul is vivid and energizing, I also spent some time in Cappadoccia, in the eastern Anatolian region.  Here the palette is subtle, sandy and accented with blue skies. 
Enjoy the colors of Turkey!

At the Spice Market in Istanbul 

Fresh pomegranite juice on the street in Istanbul 

Vegetable dyed yarns destined to be woven into beautiful Turkish rugs

Old pots in the entry of a modern day pottery in an ancient cave in Cappadoccia  

Ancient caves in Cappadoccia

Cappadoccia, in the Anatolia area in the east of Turkey, has the most unusual landscapes

New Earrings

Lots of earrings online from the newest collection... 22k gold over sterling silver.  Click {here} to shop and adorn yourself for summer with some real beauties!

Travelog: San Francisco, Atlanta, DC

I love to travel but the first few months of this year left me cherishing a night in my own bed.  Starting with the huge International Gem Show in Tucson, followed by some time in San Francisco, Atlanta, and DC.  And then all of that followed with a trip to Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey.  Stay tuned for a full set of photos from Turkey.  Meanwhile, here are some images from my time in the various US cities I visited, taken on my wanderings. 

The gorgeous rotunda at the Neiman Marcus building in the 

old City of Paris building in San Francisco

 Inside the Eastern Market in DC, the oldest enclosed

market in the US

 A notice board on the Emory University campus in Atlanta

 A classic facade in Old Alexandria, VA

 Lobby at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta

 Lobby of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in SF

 Only in San Francisco - Panhandler who takes credit cards

 Should this little car have to pay the same for parking as the big ones?

 Love the architecture in our Nation's Capitol

Near the old neighborhood in San Francisco

  

This was our old neighborhood in San Francisco.  

I always loved this little sign on all the corners...

Turkish Tile

The last month or so has been jammed full of travel for me.  Tucson, San Francisco, Atlanta, Washington DC and most recently,Turkey.  I promise a travelog post soon, but in the meantime I had to share photos of these beautiful Iznik tiles from Istanbul.  From the Blue Mosque to Topkapi Palace these intricate tiles adorned the interior spaces of many buildings.  I was mesmerized by their patterns and colors.

BYE BUYS! Online Sale Room Open

I usually try to avoid New Year's Resolutions.  Although I could benefit from a diet, better exercise routine, etc. I rarely articulate these specific personal goals this time of year.  Just too famously disappointing as these types of things usually go unfulfilled in the long run.

But this year I did set a business goal to clean out my studio.  As you can see on the side bar to the right, I already sell off extra jewelry making supplies in an etsy store (if you make jewelry, check it out - I sell items pretty much at what I paid for them, or less, just to clear them out and create a little cash for buying new stuff!).  But that only partially addresses the amount of stuff I have in my studio.  So I have set up an online sale room where you can buy items from almost all my collections for mostly 50% - 60% off!  Click here to check it out.


So, please, help me with my New Year's Resolution, and by doing so you will reap some real benefits.  Beautiful jewelry at great prices!


Thanks.

Fur and Jewelry

Over the holiday season I did a few trunk shows with my friend David Kriegsman, who owns and operates Kriegsman Furs and Luxury Outerwear.  David runs the oldest and most respected furrier in North Carolina.  Kriegsman Furs was established in 1928 by David's father and the family tradition reaches back to the 1870s where David's family were prominent Austrian furriers.  

For one customer, David designed some fox muffs as gifts for the customer's daughters.  She bought two of my vintage collage brooches to add to the gift.  Here are photos of the finished products - testimony to the wonderful fit between fur and jewelry!

David is a hard-working and creative businessman, and talented designer.  And he has impeccable taste! He sells outerwear fashion from big name designers and designs and produces his own wonderful designs.  For many years he has remodeled and repaired furs and leather outerwear for his customers.  Combining this in-house sewing capability with his innate sense of fashion and design, he produces limited edition items of his own.  Notably, he has designed some fabulous capes using the best Italian cashmere - some are trimmed with fur and some with intricate leather appliques.

The Kriegsman website says "come visit our retail store, trying them on is so much fun".  And I have to admit after spending days selling my jewelry along-side all these luscious furs no statement could be more true!  You can't help but touch, stroke and, yes, slip into one of his gorgeous coats just for the fun of it.

Judith Altman Designs on the Blogs

You may have noticed the photo credit on my website home page -- Debbie Hayes of Faux Design Studio.  Debbie is an extraordinary artist who does faux finishes of practically anything on practically anything.  You want wood to look like stone?  You want your ceiling to look like the tiles of a palace in Marrakesh? You want something new to look old, or something old to look new?  Debbie is your person.

Silver-leaf wall treatment by Debbie Hayes

One other thing about Debbie is that she always has her camera nearby and her artistic eye instructs what and how she shoots.  We were together last spring at a trunk show and during a quiet time we played with her finishes, my jewelry, a particularly nice slant of light and her camera.  That resulted in some beautiful photos.  To see them on her blog click here.

Tibetan Bracelets photographed by Debbie Hayes

Then last month the exotic and sophisticated design blog Artnlight wrote about Debbie and about our collaborative photo shoot.  Artnlight is the blog of Vineeta Nair, and ex-advertising and art director in Mumbai, India who now writes about design, decor and India.

She has been featured in Elle Decor and it is no wonder.  Her blog is beautiful and interesting and the products she designs are lovely.  I feel a trip to India in my future (I always imagine travel to wonderful places!) and I will certainly be looking her up when I do get there.  Meanwhile, click here to read her lovely blog entry.  Be sure to scroll down through all of the stunning images of Debbie's work to the images from our joint photo shoot.  Then click on her link for her work and see the beautiful items she makes.  Here is one:

One of Vineeta Nair's beautiful boxes

Online Store Re-Opens and You Get 30% Off

Just completed a stretch of shows - lots of days meeting people, selling jewelry, seeing how pieces work for women.  While back-to-back shows can be tiring, I get a lot of energy from meeting people and sharing stories about my work.  Because I had so many pieces with me I shut down the online store while I was on the road.

Now that I am back - for a while at least - I have reopened the store and started to load up new pieces.  In honor of this Grand Re-opening, I am holding a special sale for blog readers, Twitter and Facebook friends.  Use the discount code WEREBACK at checkout between now and Sunday, Nov 7 at 5pm and you will receive 30% off your purchase!  Click here to start shopping and saving now.

Thanks everyone for all your support!

Online Store Closed While We Are On The Road

So sorry, but we have packed up and taken all of our jewelry with us on the road to a couple of shows and thus had to close down the online store for a while.  We will be back and online again in early November.

If you have an urgent need for jewelry that just cannot wait (we understand!) please email us at info (at) judithaltman (dot) com or call 336-209-7277 and we will do our best to help!

All Creative Work is Derivative

By using photographs of archeological artifacts from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, this video makes the point that all creative acts are done in the context of society, other ideas and all that came before.  We might enjoy the idea that we are uniquely creative, coming up with entirely new ideas, but in reality we are the result of our life experiences and our exposure to the creative product of all of society.  Our work extends that which came before and provides influence on others around us and in the future.  That is enough for me!
Enjoy!

Look at this gorgeous table

This wonderful table is from P. Chrisley International and features the hardware that I designed for them.  So exciting to see it come to fruition.  Check them out by clicking here.

highpointMARKET, just around the corner

Twice a year I fill my showroom in High Point with loads of goodies for the highpointMARKET.  This is a 6-day market, previously known as the International Home Furnishings Market.  I look forward to this market every time.  And this season I have developed a great collection.  Lots of new Signature Collection pieces, and some new collections as well.  


So if you attend highpointMARKET, stop by and take a break from your hectic pace.  Pick up some hand-made artisan jewelry.  If you have a store it will be a perfect complement for what you are scouting in the High Point showrooms, and if you just need a treat for yourself (we know you deserve it) we can help with that as well.


We are still in the Suites at Market Square on the mezzanine level (that's one floor up from ground level).  Although everything was remodeled last year, we are essentially in the same area as before, down the aisle from Panera Bread.


We look forward to seeing you in High Point!

September's Stone - Blue Sapphire or Lapis

A maiden born when autumn leaves

Are rustling in September’s breeze,

A sapphire on her brow should bind;

To bring her joy and peace of mind.

-Gregorian Birthstone Poem

Happy Birthday September babies. The leaves are going to start changing soon (or not so soon for those of us living in North Carolina), and the rich colors of fall are a fantastic background for a special birthday celebration! In case you or someone who loves you wants to give a special birthday gift this year, I highly suggest a gift with your gorgeous birthstone, Blue Sapphire. 

Blue Sapphire is truly a stone fit for a queen (and why shouldn’t you be treated like a queen on your birthday?).  This gem is very prominent among the British Crown jewels and was even the engagement stone from Prince Charles to Princess Diana. 

Far before the British Crown jewels, Blue Sapphire was considered a special gem.  Ancient civilizations thought the whole world was set on a giant sapphire that painted the sky with its reflection. Some people believe that the Ten Commandments were actually written on tablets made of sapphire. 

It was also believed that Sapphire would protect against jealousy and poisoning.  When ground into a powder, Blue Sapphire was thought to cure colic, rheumatism, mental illness, and to strengthen eyesight. 

The deep blue stone is a symbol of wisdom and purity.  As a gift it represents sincerity and faithfulness. 

Happy birthday September! I hope you have a great one filled with special people (and hopefully special gifts)! 

August is Peridot!

Wear a peridot or for thee,

No conjugal fidelity,

The August born without this stone,

‘Tis said, must live unloved; alone.

-Gregorian Birthstone Poem

Happy Birthday August!  As school starts up again and it is back to the normal routine, it is just so easy to get caught up in the stress of everyday life and forget to value nature.  What better way to remind yourself than with your very own birthstone, Peridot?

Historically, Peridot has always been viewed as a way to connect with nature.  Egyptian priests drank a stimulating drink called Soma from cups made of Peridot because they thought it would help bring them closer to their goddess of nature. 

Peridot and Rose Quartz 

The gem itself is formed as a result of volcanic activity—a fantastic remembrance of the awesomeness of nature.  Peridot was found on the black sand beaches of Hawaii where natives believed that they were tears of the volcano goddess, Pele. 

 Ancients believed that Peridot would protect against evil and had many uses in medicine.  When set in gold was it was thought to be especially helpful in preventing night terrors.  It was also thought of as a remedy for asthma and a cure for thirst when ground into a powder. 

As a gift, Peridot is a symbol of vitality and signifies strength and the promise of new growth in years ahead.  It is a fantastic gift to remind someone special of the endless possibilities of the future! 

By Guest Blogger, Jenny Kaplan