Not too long ago, I was shopping for a bridal gift for a good friend and came across some beautiful hand crafted gemstone jewelry by the artisans in Asia. I like to offer something creative, special and uncommon and a hand crafted piece by a true artisan can’t go wrong at all. While I used to design laptop bags for friends as gave them as gifts, I don’t do it anymore due to my busy schedule. Thankfully, I can’t still buy nice handmade gifts with the vast selection of online stores in the web.

This piece of beautiful gemstone necklace was just the right handmade bridal gift for my friend. Ethereal and beautiful, a fiery blossom centers this choker. Artisan and Designer Busarin combines lemon citrine with bright carnelian while faceted beads add sparkle. Splendid tendrils create the appearance of lace, and the curvaceous necklace is adjustable in length.

Citrine and carnelian choker, ‘Fire Flower’

Each time I browsed at her collection at the Takashimaya counter in Singapore, I would be tempted to stay a little longer just to try out her unique necklaces. This morning, I couldn’t resisted the markdown jewelry collection that were considered ‘off season’. I suppose I have bought myself a christmas gift and am glad that it is handcrafted by a fine jewelry designer such as brenda herself.

Citrine and carnelian choker, ‘Chrysanthemum Trio’ Layers of delicate citrine petals form chrysanthemums centered with carnelian. The beautiful trio poses on a choker with Busarin’s hallmark styling. Faceted crystals and glittering beads complement the natural gemstones.

When it comes to online jewelry shopping, I won’t hesitate to highlight the artisan works at Novica.com. From gemstones to handmade fine jewelry, you can find all kinds of artisan works – handcrafted rugs, handpainted vases…etc. These handmade jewelry are crafted with dedication and skillful hands by artists from all over the world. Whether it’s wedding jewelry or just a keepsake jewelry, you can find all kinds of handmade jewelry in Novica.com. Shop to experience for yourself the artisan handiworks of these talented artists.

My hubby flashed me with that look when I was oggling Oakley watches at the store display in the mall. I had to assure him that I was only ‘looking’ – just window shopping in other words. I am switching more to a eco friendly fashion lifestyle of late. Even when it comes to shopping for sunglasses and other accessories, eco friendly sunglasses or jewelry made from recycled materials are coming top in my list. For a great one stop shop for eco friendly fashion goods including clothing, shoes, gifts and others. Even if you are not a big time fan for eco friendly stuff, you can start simple by learning how to conserve energy in your house! For instance, switch off the power when your electrical goods are not in use! For eco fashionistas, check out the eco friendly store at GreenLoop now!

You often hear people uttering the comment, “Times are bad”. I know of people who are high spenders even though they are tagged with lots of financial burdens including huge credit card debts and debt consolidation loans. These high spenders can often be seen strutting out of Louis Vuitton shop with a new monogram bag or adorning themselves with glittery sparkles.

For me, I would rather live a simpler life and enjoy some real artisan handmade jewelry than splurging more than I can financially afford. Novica seems to have the luxurious looking handmade jewelry at an affordable price. Very often, it’s not about how expensive your wearable jewelry are but the right pieces that complement your overall appearance and attire. You don’t want people to focus on your jewelry and clothing. Instead, you want them to remember you as a person, thus, whatever you wear should ‘complete’ your personality.

This morning, I was greeted by a nice website design change at Novica.com. Perhaps the site design had been changed for a while and I had sort of missed it due to a very busy schedule. Novica is a great place to shop for Handmade and Unique Clothing and Accessories from Around the World. I love their artisan jewelry collection especially the ones crafted with sparkling and colourful gemstones and quality silver. They are original, creative and unique for indie shoppers who like an artistic touch to their accessory treasures.

This jade choker by the name of ‘Harmony’ is a lovely creation of artisan Matta from Chiang Rai. Orange jade enhances energy, while yellow jade is linked with understanding and empathy. White fosters the practical application of spirituality. Cool and serene, green jade is thought to augment longevity, fertility and harmony. Jade is just one calm stone who anyone who seeks serenity and a balance to their busy minds. For more handmade jewelry and accessories, check out Novica.com.

Who says that being a mama means losing your style and sense of fashion? All it takes is a mindset that is positive and modern and some efforts to stay abreast with what’s going on in the design and fashion world. You can continue to accessorize and collect your favourite necklaces, pendants, rings and even new pocket watches. How about looking HOT with this hot mama charm necklace handcrafted by an artisan? It is modern, industrial and very cute hand stamped “hot mama” on sterling and then oxidized. Get it from Mintd.com

What you see here is a lovely lampworked glass created by sighfoo at Etsy. You can see from her works that she loves to experiment with color and texture, playing with the nature of glass. Here’s the beauty of different types of glass: they portray various levels of opacity and transparency are layered together to create depth and complexity. These wearable single cell creatures are handmade using marble making techniques. Each glass art piece is truly one-of-a-kind.

That’s it for now. I gotta go get a memory upgrade for my PC before adding more posts in the next few days!

For another creative glass jewelry artisan, check out the beautiful collection by Starving Artist Bazaar. I melt at the glass pendants especially the Amoeba collection.  The imperfect and  abstract spirals are beautifully created with the right combination of colours. Check it out!

While I like gemstones for its exotic colours and finish, they look best when fallen in the hands of the artisans and indie jewelers. I love colours and rich hues like carnelian, turquoise, corals and exotic jade. This is a beautiful necklace from bouf.com by Gems of London, handmade from semiprecious stones- sodalite, carnelian and agate.