the many views of Tracey...

Apparently my newest pastime is attending weddings. Between friends and clients, I have one every month or so during peak wedding months. We already have 4 save-the-dates for next year! It's amazing!

Currently I am trapped on the couch sick (I'm finally admitting that I have a cold) and was flipping through photos of weddings we have attended. And oddly enough, so many of the photos are interchangeable... all that differs is the dress and shoes!

Let's see...

There is insane dancing Tracey...


... and mellow Tracey (after a glass or two of wine)...


... then annoyed Tracey (being forced to try to catch the bouquet)...


... and finally exhausted Tracey (shoes off, hair mussed... looking disheveled.)


So be forewarned... this is what you get if you invite me to a wedding.

the casting...

Just got the casting back for the engagement ring. I gotta say, it's a pretty sweet design. Sometimes I surprise myself ;)

The casting has not been cleaned yet, I'm going to start on that now. So please ignore the spru at the bottom and the insane length of the prongs. But it gives a good idea of what the final piece will look like!

engagement ring design...

This is a quick sketch for an engagement ring. The key words for this piece were:

Classical
Architectural
Organic/Aerodynamic

I know... crazy huh? So, this is what we have come up with...

The center stone is an internally flawless F color cushion cut flanked by a pair of pears, which will be held by 'flying buttresses.' The band will be a soft ellipse, based on 'Bird in Space' by Brancusi.


I'll keep you posted on how the design progresses.

put it on!

I have received so many emails about what the pearls look like on, so I took some photos... just for you. After a few attempts to take photos of it on me (in the bathroom, in a mirror) and they looked horrible, I knew I needed a plan B. So I pulled out the sewing mannequin (My Double) and displayed it on her.

This photo shows a normal day to day style for the pearls with the clasp on the side...


But then, for those special evenings when a sexy low back dress may come into play, you could wear it like this...



The clasp can be worn in the front, as a choker pendant... then the pearls would cascade down the back. OOO... sexy!

Chocolate Shortbread

I haven't shared a good recipe with you for a while... so here goes...

Chocolate Shortbread Bars

• Butter (for the pan)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Extra flour (for sprinkling)
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or 2 bars ( 2 ounces each) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely broken
• Granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
• Confectioners’ sugar (for sprinkling)

Set the oven at 250 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan. Butter the paper. In a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, cream the butter. Add the granulated sugar a little at a time until it is well blended. Beat in the yolks and vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dry mixture into the butter mixture a little at a time until it is all incorporated. The dough will be sticky.

Place two-thirds of the dough in the pan. Using your fingertips, press it into an even layer. Flour your hands as you work. Prick the dough all over with a fork.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips of pieces over the dough to within 1/4 inch of the edges. Place clumps of the remaining dough around the perimeter of the chocolate, making a 1/2 inch border. Then scatter the remaining dough clumps to fill in the rectangle. You will still be able to see chocolate through the dough. With a lightly floured hand, pat the clumps gently all over to flatten them slightly. Sprinkle the dough lightly with granulated sugar.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the pastry is pale golden. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool.

Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate just until the chocolate sets. Remove from the refrigerator and cut the pastry into bars, making 3 horizontal cuts and 4 vertical cuts.

Lift out the bars, sprinkle them with confectioners’ sugar, and stack them on a plate.


...mmm.

sneak peek...

The holidays are right around the corner (gulp) and Green Spot Studio is gearing up for 'em! The buggies are done... and quite cute, if I do say so myself! And they will be on sale next week on the website... woo0hoo!

I'm going to be completely honest with all of you... well, I always am... but I am extra nervous about this holiday season. None of us have money to burn this year. And that is what I kept in mind when I came up with my small line for the holidays this year... high quality and low cost.

I don't want to force my clients to run out and buy something poorly made, gold plated, hollow, etc., just to save a hundred bucks this season. I really wanted to give an option, even though there are only a few, that would be adorable and high quality and wouldn't break the bank. So I came up with my idea of the LITTLE BUGS.

Each of these pieces are 18K on a Sterling Silver chain. And I'm offering them at WHOLE SALE pricing. Each piece will be $250 (plus tax for MA residents.)

But... my faithful readers... I'm giving you one more chance to save a little money for the holidays. These will not go on sale on my website till Sunday or Monday. If you drop me an email here BEFORE MONDAY AT 9 PM I will give you and EXTRA 10% OFF! All you have to do is send me an email telling me which bug you want, your contact information (full name, email address, mailing address and phone number) and mention the BLOG BUG SALE and I will send you an invoice reflecting the 10% off. Simple enough!

And you don't have to be a full time blog reader either... pass this along to friends and family and co-workers.

So, without delay, here are the buggies...

The BEE - 18K Yellow Gold / Sterling Silver Chain




The GRASSHOPPER - 18K Green Gold / Sterling Silver Chain



The LADYBUG - 18K Red Gold / Sterling Silver Chain



All of these pieces are so much cuter in person! As I always say, high polished - high domed jewelry photographs poorly.

NOW... there is one more small thing! All of these piece can be made semi custom. You can turn any of these into cufflinks (for men or women), add some stones to them (black diamonds for the lady bugs spots, diamond wings on the bee, etc), emeralds on the grasshopper... who knows... get creative! And if you contact me about this before Monday at 9PM I will give you 10% off of a semi-custom on the bugs.

I hope this helps to kick off a good holiday season for us all! Cheers!

where i've been...

So, I bet you have been wondering where I have been... well, this is what has been taking up all my time...


I built the swirl filigree pearl clasp. It is insanity. Here are a few views of it...




And the back side of the clasp...


And the matching earrings...


NOW... for the specs...

-3 Strands of 10-11mm Fresh Water Cultured Pearls (the color is called Minty Silver)
-The first strand is 19 inches, the second is 22 and the third is 25
-The clasp is 30mm x 15mm
-14K white gold
-the large diamond is .85 ct VS2 I/J color Mine Cut
-the small diamonds are SI quality single cuts, each one is approximately .025 ct

The entire piece was done by me... and me alone. No casting, no outsourced stone setting... all me. And this is one of the first pieces that I have completely fabricated by hand in a very very very long time!

Seriously, the photos don't do it justice! But will get Sal to take a few photos of it on me, you need to see how this lays. I LOVE THIS PIECE!