The Modern Silk Road – Celia Grace Fair Trade Wedding Gowns

Posted on May 13th, 2013 by Barbara Polinsky

I recently met Marcie Muehlke, Founder and CEO of Celia Grace at Wed/Altered in NY and was intrigued by the mission of her bridal company.  Not only are the dresses beautiful but she can also track the origin of the raw materials and see the positive results of her efforts in the stimulation of small women’s sewing collectives.

Marcie Muehlke, Founder and CEO Celia Grace

Marcie Muehlke, Founder and CEO Celia Grace

Barbara: What makes Celia Grace wedding dresses sustainable?

Marcie: Whereas most dresses are made from polluting petroleum-based polyester, Celia Grace wedding dresses are made from natural silk.  Our silk is eco because it is made by hand on a no-electricity loom, uses very little water to make, and it is colored only with safe dyes.  In addition, our silk is made close to where are dresses are sewn, reducing the distance it has to travel.

 

Barbara: What does fair trade mean at Celia Grace?

Marcie: Celia Grace wedding dresses are sewn under safe, fair and empowering conditions.  Our seamstresses are treated like the smart, talented women that they are – they are paid a living wage, get benefits, work reasonable hours, and even learn about democratic participation through their women’s sewing group.  We also pay a fair wage for our silk and donate a water filter to a Cambodian family in need with every dress we sell.

Celia-GraceTheSusanDetail

Barbara: What advice do you have for women shopping for a wedding dress?

Marcie: Wedding dress shopping should be fun rather than stressful!  Do some research and see if there is a brand you love.  If those dresses are sold in stores, make an appointment, grab some of your near and dear, and enjoy the process of playing dress up in some incredible works of art (yes, you might even have a glass of wine before you go in!).  Don’t forget to look for eco, fair, or local brands or seamstresses and reach out to them directly—they are often great to work with and add another layer of meaning and beauty to your big day.

Celia Grace Bridal

Celia Grace Bridal

Barbara: Do you do custom wedding dresses?

Marcie: Although we don’t make custom designs, our dresses are perfect to customize with a local seamstress.  You can pick your Celia Grace dress and then shop Etsy for accessories or look at Pinterest for inspiration and then work with your local seamstress to make your dream dress come true. Our accessories are also great to customize into fascinator or belts or shoe clips or even ring pillows – a really fun DIY project.

Celia Grace Bridal Gown being made by women's sewing cooperative in Cambodia

Celia Grace Bridal Gown being made by women’s sewing cooperative in Cambodia

Like/Follow/Pin and learn more about Celia Grace wedding dresses and accessories here:

On the Celia Grace Web Site: www.celia-grace.com

On Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CeliaGraceDress

On Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/celiagracedress/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CeliaGraceWeddingDresses

 

Celia Grace Wedding Dress Detail

Celia Grace Wedding Dress Detail

 

 

 

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Celia Grace Bridals Features Barbara Michelle Jacobs on Blog

Posted on May 6th, 2013 by Barbara Polinsky

I recently met Marcie Muehlke, the CEO and founder of Celia Grace at Wed/Altered, the independent and socially conscious pop-up bridal shop here in NYC.  Celia Grace wedding dresses are hand made by women’s cooperatives, Fair Trade producers, and refugees rebuilding their lives in the United States.  Celia Grace offers women so much more than beautiful wedding dresses and accessories.  Thank you Marcie for the lovely feature on your blog.

BMJNYC Jewelry featured in Celia Grace Bridal Blog

BMJNYC Jewelry featured in Celia Grace Bridal Blog

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Featured in Rio Grande’s Blog

Posted on April 11th, 2013 by Barbara Polinsky

 

I recently attended the MJSA trade show at which Rio Grande Jewelry was a major sponsor.

 

Nature Castings - Jewelry designed and made in NYC

In the Spotlight: Barbara Michelle Jacobs Casts from Nature in the Concrete Jungle
Apr 10, 2013

Marketing Manager, Eugene Brill, gave a rousing seminar on e-commerce.  He invited designers and other industry professionals to submit articles and ideas for blog entries on Rio’s web site.  I submitted my article ” Flora Refashioned,” recently published in Belle Armoire Jewelry.  To my great delight, they accepted it and posted it!  See their posting titled ”In the Spotlight: Barbara Michelle Jacobs Casts from Nature in the Concrete Jungle“.  I am so thrilled to be endorsed by Rio Grande, a well respected industry resource for tools, supplies and training.

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Flora Refashioned

Posted on February 7th, 2013 by Barbara Polinsky
Barbara Michelle Jacobs Jewelry in Belle Armoire Magazine. Casting from nature

Barbara Michelle Jacobs Jewelry in Belle Armoire Magazine. Casting from nature

This past summer I was contacted by the Editor of  Belle Armoire Jewelry  and asked to write an article about casting from nature.  Specifically, how to make coiled twig rings.  What a thrill to see it in print!  Bell Armoire is published by Stampington Publications who are known for fine magazines on crafting.

FLORA REFASHIONED

by Barbara Polinsky

Belle Armoire Jewelry, Winter 2013

Have you ever seen something ordinary yet so profoundly beautiful that you wish you could freeze the moment in time? What if you can alter that object and use it in a fresh way? I enjoy trying to blur these lines between reality, fantasy and time. I usually trip over my most interesting ideas and this is exactly what happened one spring afternoon.

Just missing the cross-town bus, I decided to meander home through Central Park instead of waiting for the next bus. Enjoying the magnificence of the day and deep in thought, I heard a loud snap and looked down realizing that I had stepped on and broken a branch a branch. Picking up the very ordinary twig I imagined what it would look like turned into metal and embellished with gems.

Fast forward a few years, I’m so delighted with how this lucky find has taken on a life of its own. The likeness of those little twigs, from that sunny say are now being worn people around the world as Wedding Bands, Engagement Rings, Earrings and Bangles. Who would have thought that a walk in the park would have been SO inspiring?

I would like to share with you how my one-of-s-kind wild botanical rings are made. These examples happen to be more sculptural than wearable because the organic elements I choose here are pointy and sharp. If you would like them to be more wearable and sweater friendly, I suggest you select a smoother shape for the top element.

I learned how to make jewelry using traditional Metal Smithing techniques and I often approach design from this perspective because of my background. It is possible to create a similar ring in wax, metal clay or a combination of techniques and materials. The instructions here are merely a suggestion. I create very much the way I cook – by trying a little of this and a little of that and not following too many rules. Any way you choose to do it, I highly recommend starting this project with a walk in the park – you never know where it may lead you.

Barbara Michelle Jacobs Jewelry in Stampington Publications

Barbara Michelle Jacobs Jewelry in Stampington Publications

BMJNYC in Belle Armoire Jewelry, Stampington Publications 2013

BMJNYC in Belle Armoire Jewelry, Stampington Publications 2013

BMJNYC- Flora Refashioned article 2013, Belle Armoire Jewelry, Stampington Publications

BMJNYC- Flora Refashioned article 2013, Belle Armoire Jewelry, Stampington Publications

This post has 2 Comments | This was categorized in Informational, Press
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What are champagne diamonds? Or, how to make lemonade with carbon….

Posted on November 29th, 2012 by Barbara Polinsky

The term champagne diamond is used to describe untreated diamonds that are yellowish brown in shade.  Intensity can vary from soft yellow to deep brown.  Once, not so long ago these diamonds were regarded as inferior industrial grade stones and they were sold to machinery manufacturers to be used for making drill bits, files and blades.  Over the past twenty years, demand for these sparkly brown stones has changed drastically.  They are prized for their natural beauty but I love them just ask much for their Cinderella marketing story.

Champagne Diamonds

Champagne Diamonds
clockwise – Shade Range, BMJNYC Champagne Toast Solitaire, Rough Diamonds, BMJNYC Champagne and Roses, BMJNYC Golden North Star Necklace, Faceted Stone.

This story really starts 1.5 billion years ago when the diamond crystals formed but let’s fast forward to 1979 when the Argyle volcanic pipe was discovered in the Kimberley region of Australia.  There was much rejoicing.  That is, until it was revealed that the mine held a wealth of brown diamonds, not the bright white baubles the investors were hoping for.  Eighty percent of the diamonds from the Argyle mine were thought to be brown so the industry faced the dilemma of mucho supply and little demand.  This is when the marketing wheels started to churn and these formerly brown diamonds we renamed and marketed with romantic names such as Champagne, Cognac and Chocolate.  Design competitions were held to encourage designers to use the stones, the general public became aware of this “new” type of diamond and a funny thing happened – marketplace perception changed. Brown diamonds were no longer looked at as the ugly step sisters of diamonds but they had value for their own characteristics.  The golden part of this story for the mining companies is that through clever marketing, they increased demand  which increased trading prices significantly.  To date, the Argyle mine has produced over 670 million carats of rough diamonds and generated more than six billion USD in revenue.  The marketing machine is still pumping and champagne diamonds are hotter than ever.

Additional links:

Argyle Diamond Mine 

Modern Jeweler

 

 

 

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How Gemstones Are Cut

Posted on September 13th, 2012 by Barbara Polinsky

Here’s to all the gem cutters out there!

They know how to bring out the best characteristics inherent in a stone and fool us into believing they had nothing to do with the gem’s beauty. This 5 minute video by master stone cutter shows how it’s done. John Dyer.

Bring on the sparkle!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJPxVwe4Zlw&feature=player_embedded

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Journey to Expression Through Art

Posted on August 22nd, 2012 by Barbara Polinsky

I love to experience art at face value and have a true respect for technique and skill but it’s often the back story of the artist or piece that that give art deeper meaning and relatedness.  It’s how you frame it – pun intended.   Chuck Close’s portraits are stupefying in scale and detail on their own but become even more fascinating when you learn that the artist struggles with prosopagnosia, an inability to recognize faces.  Some say that Chuck Close’s grid-like artistic portraiture style may have evolved as a way for him to create structure to when reading faces.  That quote “We are the sum of our experiences” comes to mind.

Meet Mary Ellen McEvily, Watercolor artist, wife, mother, former Ursuline Nun, retired English teacher, cancer survivor and my dear friend.  Mary Ellen recently developed a curriculum for teaching watercolors to cancer patients and their care givers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital, offering a welcome distraction and a new vocabulary for self expression. Like Chuck, Mary Ellen’s art is beautiful and sensitive in its own right.  Knowing a little bit about her journey explains the depth and connectedness.  Here’s a link for more about the Art Expressions Program.

Are there threads from your life are woven into your present work?  Can you think of any other artists where knowing the back story is significant in understanding their art?  I would love to hear about it.


 

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Teeny Tidy Studio – A very brief tour

Posted on July 30th, 2012 by Barbara Polinsky

Be it ever so humble…… here are a few quick snap shots.  More to come.

Viewing clockwise:

Soldering station: Charcoal Blocks and Grit bowl by Metalliferous, Antique Bench, “Every Woman Should Have a Blowtorch” – Julia Child poster by UUPP on Etsy.

My beloved bench:  Inherited from a dear friend.  Story to follow at a later date.

Bench & Tools:  Obsessively organized.  That’s just how I am :)

Microscope: by  Kassoy  Every set stone is inspected under magnification before shipping.

Jewelry Studio Tour
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Caring For Your Jewelry

Posted on June 12th, 2012 by Barbara Polinsky
Keep it Clean

Keep it Clean

Fine jewelry is often an investment which should be worn and enjoyed.  Proper care will ensure that your treasures will last longer than a lifetime.   Here are some general guidelines for basic care to keep your valuables looking brand new and the stones secure.   If, for any reason, you are uncertain about a piece after reading this, consult us or a local jewelry professional.

Always remove jewelry before doing manual labor and when coming into contact with chlorine especially in common household cleaners.

 

CHECK-UPS:
Check settings periodically (at least once per year) professionally for any damage to prongs or bezels. Contact me or bring the piece to a professional jeweler for repair immediately if you observe any of the following.

    • The setting looks out of line

    • Loose prong(s)

    • A stone that wiggles, rotates or moves freely in mounting

Hold jewelry up to your EAR and tap very gently with your fingernail on the shank of the ring (the band part) or base of pendant. Tap in an area that has no stones. If anything is loose, you will hear a buzzing sound instead of a solid sound. Please note that  is possible that a bezel set stone may make be secure yet still make a sound. Please have it checked anyway.

CLEANING:

Quick DIY Home Cleaning Solution:
• Prepare a small bowl of warm sudsy water with a mild liquid detergent such as Dawn.
• Soak for 20 minutes
• Gently brush the jewelry with a soft toothbrush while still in the suds.
• Rinse each piece under warm running water with the drain closed.
• Pat dry with a soft lint-free cloth or commercial polishing cloth such as Sunshine® Cloth.
Beware of ultrasonic cleaners. The vibrations can cause stones to become loose and/or fall out. NEVER clean these stones in an ultrasonic cleaner – Opals, Pearls, Emeralds, Tanzanite, Tourmaline, Peridot, Malachite, Onyx, Turquoise, Jade, Amber, Lapis, Mother of Pearl, Coral, Diamonds with lots of inclusions, Colored Diamonds, Malachite or Synthetic stones. Carefully follow the manufacturer’s directions.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Sterling Silver – Store in an airtight zip lock bag to prevent tarnish. Clean with a commercial polishing cloth. Do not use a commercial cleaner or polishing cloth on oxidized finishes because doing so will remove the surface treatment.
White Gold – Rhodium plating is often used as a finish on white gold for extra brightness because plain “white gold” is really grayish/yellow in color. (see post “White Gold – isn’t that an oxymoron?” ) The plating may wear away if the item is worn regularly and is in contact with other hard surfaces. Consequently rings and bracelets will occasionally require re-plating; earrings and necklaces will rarely need re-plating. Having a white gold ring re-polished can result in removing the plating.

Pearls – Wipe pearls with a soft, lint-free cloth as soon as you take them off. Pearls should be re-strung every few years, depending on how frequently they are worn.

 STORAGE:

When not wearing, keep jewelry in a cool dry place and store each piece separately to prevent pieces from bumping and scratching each other.

INSURANCE:

It may not make sense to cover each piece of jewelry individually but do spend a few minutes investigating so you can make an informed decision.  Please see my post on What to Know about Insuring Your Jewelry and Insurance 101 from The Knot

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Urban Chillin’ with Flair – Spa suggestions for a relaxed NYC Weekend

Posted on June 1st, 2012 by Barbara Polinsky

Medi Spa Dark ZEN - Genuine Beach Stones available from StoneMe on Etsy


It’s Friday afternoon in June and you can almost hear a pin drop because the city empties out on weekends in the summer.  It’s my favorite time to enjoy the restaurants that are crazy busy the rest of the year and to chill at a spa.
Spa experiences can range from the ultra-luxurious to a more modest bathhouse experience and are instantly transporting. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s a must -at least once.  As much time as we dedicate to work and family we owe it to ourselves to reenergize and enjoy the silence. New York City has some of the best and most varied array of spas.  Here are some great options:

ECO-FRIENDLY:
Great Jones Spa 29 Great Jones Street NY, NY 10012   Great Jones offers numerous services including several types of massage, body treatments, “skin-food” facials utilizing organic line Alkaitis, hair services, pedicures and manicures. One of their standout services has to be the water lounge which includes a river-rock sauna, chakra-light steam room, hot tub, and cold plunge pool

Go Green Organic Spa365 Broome Street NY, NY 10013   Located in Little Italy Go Green is a simple and small spa that offers holistic facial and body treatments as well as organic waxing. Their skin care line of choice is Eminence Organic which does not use any harmful chemicals or additives.

Spa at Eventi  851 Avenue of the Americas NY, NY 10001   This day spa is located in the Hotel Eventi which uses natural and organic products exclusively. Spa at Eventi offers body wraps, scrubs and exfoliating facial treatments utilizing green-friendly Kerstin Florian products. One of their standout services is their facials for men.

LUXURY
The Spa at Mandarin Oriental   80 Columbus Circle NY, NY 10023   Alan surprised me with a special afternoon here for a recent big birthday.  It was AMAZING!  Considered one of the city’s best and most luxurious spas, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental is located on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in the Time Warner Building.

The spa therapies infuse ancient and contemporary techniques with a strong focus on holistic rejuvenation. Each treatment includes time to relax in their heat and water facilities. For the ultimate splurge they offer a one of a kind 650-square-foot VIP Spa Suite available for a half day or full day.

The Peninsula Spa by ESPA  700 Fifth Avenue NY, NY 10019  The Peninsula Spa located in The Peninsula Hotel  is the ultimate in holistic luxury offering many extras such as steam and sauna rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness center, glass enclosed pool, sun terrace and yoga studio. Their services range from body treatments, reflexology, facials, waxing plus much more. Their popular 90-minute rejuvenating facial uses plant oils and phyto-active extracts to revitalize skin. Couples can enjoy the Private Spa Suite for two. The spa also touts the Melange Salon which provides a full range of hair, nail and make-up treatments for men and women.

BATHHOUSES
NY Spa Castle 131-10 11th Avenue College Point, NY 11356  Modeled after a Korean bathhouse (jimjilbang) New York Spa Castle is an experience in which you could easily spend the entire day. It is 100,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor bade pools, igloo-shaped saunas, bath and lounge areas. Spa Castle also offers a plethora of body treatments such as hand and foot reflexology and the Golden Caviar Facial.Being one of the most affordable spa options entrance fees are only $35 for weekdays and $45 for weekends and holidays.

Wall Street Bath & Spa 88 Fulton Street NY, NY 10038Wall Street Bath & Spa like NY Spa Castle is also only $35 daily. It is modeled after a Russian bathhouse (banya) that includes an infrared sauna, eucalyptus steam room, jacuzzi, cigar lounge and ice room. In addition to the bathhouse Wall Street also has a spa, tanning and laser treatment center. One unique offering is the platza treatment, a Russian treatment where a Platza Master scrubs you with a broom made of fresh oak leaves soaked in warm astringent. It exfoliates while stimulating circulation for an invigorating, pore-opening experience.

Looking for some really awesome beach stones like the ones pictured above?  You can find therm at http://www.etsy.com/shop/StoneMe

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