Written on May 12th, 2010 by kara.
White Coral Necklace
Throughout all of the the years that I’ve been designing jewelry, I’ve never worked with white coral until last month. After one of our suppliers showed me their recent shipment of white coral, I became intrigued with the opaque stone and its texture, shape and origin.
White Coral Bracelet
White coral is naturally porous which gives it a lightweight feel. The color of coral can range from white to shades of red to blue to black, depending on the water in which it grows. Coral is associated with protective qualities, and historically it was given to girls as their first jewelry piece.
This Mother’s Day, we had the pleasure of gifting a white coral necklace (16mm) and matching bracelet with a pave heart charm (pictured) to a handful of celebrity moms. With white coral being a timeless semi-precious stone and keeping in with tradition, we anticipate the moms will pass their MYJ white coral jewelry one day to their daughters.
Written on May 12th, 2010 by May Yeung.
My FAVORITE 5 Gifts for 2010 Graduates:
Coach Grammercy Patent Mini Skinny Coin Purse and Key Chain: $42.00
MYJ’s Sterling Silver Hammered Bracelet with Dark Gray Freshwater Pearl: $70
Jonathan Adler Office Set: $93.87
Tiffany Blue Purse Pen: $95
Filofax Classic Personal Organizer: $110
Written on May 11th, 2010 by May Yeung.
MZ Wallace – The “Jane” Bag in Nutmeg
My obsession with MZ Wallace handbags took place a couple years ago while working a jewelry trunk show at a dear friend’s home. I noticed her carrying a unique black ruched shaped nylon bag, the “Bea” style. What really caught my eye were the bold fuchsia satin lining, beautiful solid hardware and the many functional pockets. It was love at first sight and I knew I had to have one for myself!
I would disclose the number of MZ Wallace bags I now own, but it’s a little embarrassing. Instead, I’ll share with you my favorite bag style. It is the “Jane” bag pictured above. I use it daily and it is the ideal size for work. It fits manila folders, binders, magazines, and even my laptop. With all the pockets, there’s room for your Blackberry/iPhone, iPod, sunglasses, and much more. Each bag comes with a matching cosmetic case. Many of my girlfriends (9, but who’s counting) now own a MZ Wallace handbag. Quite often when we get together, several of us are happily carrying our functional, stylish, and timeless bags.
MZ Wallace was founded in 2000 by two entrepreneurial and fashion minded women who had a passion for accessories; Monica Zwirner and Lucy Wallace Eustice.
Written on May 11th, 2010 by May Yeung.
Step Up Salon – An Evening at Henri Bendel
I’ve been an active member since 2003 of Step Up Women’s Network – a national non-profit membership organization dedicated to strengthening community resources for women and girls. Through teen empowerment programs for under-served girls, professional mentorship and social networking opportunities, Step Up educates and activates members to ensure that women and girls have the tools they need to create a better future.
On May 6th, 2010, the Henri Bendel accessories store in Los Angeles hosted an evening with over 70 women in attendance that included social networking, cocktails, and shopping. They also made a generous $2500 contribution to Step Up to benefit the organization.
For those who know me well, I’m always game for a philanthropic shopping event that involves accessories. I’m like a little kid in a candy store when I’m surrounded by jewelry, handbags, scarves, etc. Bendel’s was merchandised beautifully with their signature chocolate brown stripe noticeable at each corner of the store whether incorporated in display, packaging or product. I couldn’t have been happier soaking in all the creative visuals.
It was a fun evening mingling with dynamic women who support and inspire other women!
Written on May 11th, 2010 by May Yeung.
Me and Liz at her birthday celebration - April 2010
Liz and I met 5 years ago while serving together on the Los Angeles Board for Step Up Women’s Network – a national non-profit organization dedicated to connecting and advancing women and girls. As a devoted entrepreneur, Liz founded Dennery Marks, Inc. a national brand strategy and celebrity outreach firm. Her true passion is helping women build a powerful personal brand from inside out and achieve their life dreams. I am confident Liz will achieve her own dream of touching and helping one million women around the world!
She’s a kindred spirit with a similar fondness for philanthropy, travel, wine, and of course, jewelry. Over the years, Liz has continually given me jewelry design inspiration. I’m touched and thrilled that whenever I see her, she shares an idea or gives me tearsheets from fashion magazines of jewelry designs.
About 5 years ago, Liz received a coin pearl necklace from her husband along with a bag of 30 loose pearls. Liz asked me to collaborate on a few more timeless pieces with the remaining loose pearls to carry her from the office to evening events in confident style. I customized a handful of versatile pieces for not only Liz, but also her mother and mother-in-law. With Liz’s inspiration, creativity, and love for jewelry, was the birth of the Liz Collection – a modern and feminine coin pearl collection.
Written on May 10th, 2010 by May Yeung.
Michael Aram – Lotus Blossom Glass Tray & Tree of Life Serving Set
One of my favorite things to do at home is to host dinner parties with a group of good friends. I get SUPER excited for the visual set-up of my dining room table and which form of floral arrangement will be fitting for the theme of the party. I have to admit my husband thinks I’m crazy when I do mock-set ups the night before our guests arrive.
What I’ve come to realize over the years is that one can never have enough serving trays or sets when having a party. My lotus blossom glass tray is perfect for serving cheeses or cured meats and when it’s not in use, it’s a beautiful and modern decorative home accent on my buffet table. The tree of life serving set was a gift last holiday from a dear friend who truly understands how much I cherish home accessories.
Michael Aram is an American born artist who has lived and worked in India since 1989. His work is a celebration of metalworking craft and handworking traditions where no pieces are ever exactly the same.
Written on May 10th, 2010 by May Yeung.
Michael Stars – Long Sleeve Striped Cardigan
I was originally inspired with stripes 6 months ago after watching Coco Before Chanel starring the French film actress Audrey Tautou. In one of the scenes, she’s wearing a navy and white striped crewneck t-shirt, a classic and timeless print that captures the essence of Parisian style.
Although stripes are a hot and popular trend this season, the truth is that stripes are always in style. Many designers this year are offering nautical striped dresses, sweaters, cardigans, t-shirts, tanks, and scarves. You can easily pair your stripes with dark denim, white jeans, or a pair of khakis for an effortless and chic look that works from day to evening.
Stripes, whether black and white, navy and white, or red and white, are a simple and modern look. To accessorize your stripes, layer a strand of white pearls or a gold link chain to complete your timeless look!
Written on May 9th, 2010 by May Yeung.
May Yeung Jewelry – White Coral, Garnet, & Gold-Filled Link Chain Bracelets
I embraced the art of layering necklaces several years ago and this season, I’m ALL about layering multiple bracelets with my watch of choice. Mixing different styles of bracelets, stone colors, textures, and styles is the accessorizing recipe for creating a unique layered look for your wrist.
Pictured is a combination of two stretchy bracelets and a gold filled oval link chain bracelet. The white coral is light, porous, and mixed with a cubic zirconia pave ball. The garnet semi-precious stones are smooth and opaque with a gold heart charm. The gold-filled link chain is weighty with a petite white freshwater coin pearl charm.
Be creative and have fun with layering bracelets and if you come across some bangles in your jewelry box, add them to the mix to complete your bracelet layered look!
Happy Layering!
