Yearly Archives: 2020

…………………………There is such a great variety of WHITE SHELLS and sea creatures….all beautiful…………..The SAND DOLLAR is just one that I particularly love. It is actually a sea urchin. When they are washed up on the shore and dry out they get bleached by the sun. They are said to resemble old Spanish and American coins hence the name Sand Dollar…..They are so fragile and very thin so one must be careful when handling them……..They come in many sizes from very small like 1/2 inch to 3 inches and more, but on every one the design is almost exactly the same. Sand Dollars are given spiritual meaning by some Christians. According to some legends and poems the the Sand Dollar represents the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The FIVE POINTED STAR at its’ center represents Bethlehem, and the five holes surrounding it are said to represent the wounds Christ suffered during his time on the cross…………For others it is also considered a symbol of PEACE……Inside the Sand Dollar are five small pieces that are said to look like peace doves…..Whatever meaning is given to the Sand Dollar….or not…..it is still a unique gift from nature………………….enjoy………………..much Love…………………………Louis

………………………Now you know the complete story and legend of the Sand Dollar…………..I have long been fascinated by the shape, design and thinness of these “shells”…..by their fragility and bleached white color. I have often thought of how I could use these in a piece of jewelry, but because they are so fragile I have always left the idea in limbo………Then the light bulb came on. What if I reproduced them exactly in metal and had them plated in an off white to match the original Sand Dollar……..Voila!……..The Sand Dollar pendant. In my collection of shells I have quite a few Sand Dollars in different sizes……..I brought them to one of my manufacturers who specialize in metal jewelry. When I pulled out the shells I could see on their faces “OH NO, what has he brought us now, and what does he think we are going to do with shells????!!!”….When I explained what my idea was, to reproduce them in metal, the mood immediately lightened up, and I could see them all thinking of the possibilities. When I said I wanted to plate two of them in the off white they really got on board, because this would be so much more impressive than plain metal reproductions. They were able to reproduce the shells exactly, and when I placed the metal white shells next to the real Sand Dollars you couldn’t tell the difference. Instead of one single shell I decided to make three, two in the white and one in gold. The gold shell becomes the back drop for the smallest shell…………There is also a Sand Dollar Earring. I have taken the smallest shell added a small gold bead and hung them form a lever back…….On their own they are marvelous conversation pieces. I know there will be people who are thinking you are wearing the real thing………PEACE!……..

J487847 is the style number of the Sand Dollar, and it’s avail now! ………………enjoy…………….much Love…………………Louis

……………………Many of you have asked if the Espresso Shantung jacket worked with this and that, so with time on my hands thanks to everyone being restricted to their homes, I thought I would make some pics and post them………From left to right….The ESPRESSO JACKET with the BLUE MOSS CREPE short sleeve top and scoop neckline, A353387 [love the pop of color, an any color will work!], and the ESPRESSO FLORAL CROP PANT, A351474 R, A352729P [on clearance at a great price]……This pant has all FIVE STARS!!!! With that the three pieces in the CHOCOLATE GRECIAN group,  necklace J485280,  earring J485278 and bracelet J485276……..PERFECTION…….next COLOR BLOCKING with the same Moss Crepe Blue top and WHITE SUPER PONTE CAPRI PANTS, A351410 [a terrific proportion with the jacket]. Again, the Chocolate accessories……Last, the Espresso top worn as a SHIRT with the ESPRESSO WOOD BLOCK print gauze pant A351470R, A351471P, [on clearance at a fabulous price…petites are limited], and the Chocolate accessories. I think it looks very exotic together…..very Balinese!………………There really are so many ways to wear this Espresso color, and so many colors and prints look great with it. I’ve only scratched the surface……………………enjoy……………..much Love …………….Louis

………………………A beautiful way to wear the new ESPRESSO SHANTUNG JACKET is with BUTTERCREAM………Above, the Buttercream satin tank, A374664 worn with the Buttercream Super Ponte Pant, A268216………Two of my favorite necklaces with this combination are the MIDAS necklace with the TIGER EYE BEADS [tortoise on QVC], and the TIGER COWRIE SHELL necklace, J485360………………..Tortoise sunglasses and Gold Hoops finish the look……..If you’re not sure of a shoe…..a gold ballet flat or sandal will be perfect…………..enjoy…………….much Love…………Louis