Creative Paradise

This is the perfect creative environment.

I can't think of a more perfect vista to enjoy, and it's one that helps my creative juices flow. My creative paradise is here, where Puget Sound empties into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, at the tip of the Olympic Peninsula, just below the San Juan Islands. I often sit on this bench in the backyard of my "summer studio" atop a very tall bluff overlooking the kayaks, ferry boats and sail boats floating along Admirality Bay.

Garden "friends" and flowers provide an inviting backdrop for me to ponder my next collection or analyze an upcoming marketing endeavor.

Color schemes are easily snatched from nature.

Patterns evolve from textures and shadows.

I am often asked where I get my ideas, and my answer is always, "My surroundings." I am currently conceiving my 2014 collections, and launching an innovative way to market my products. Surrounded by nature's beauty, and fortunate enough to live (at least temporarily) in this creative paradise is the perfect incubator for creative thought. Stay tuned to follow my progress!

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The Instant Gratification Trunk Show

Who doesn't appreciate instant gratification? So we decided to apply that principle at our trunk show this past week at Potpourri in Atlanta, and it worked! We love Potpourri, a fabulous, well established, upscale boutique in Atlanta with devoted customers, some of whom have been shopping there for  30 years.

We had a great time there, enjoyed meeting their loyal clients, and loved being able to thank them for supporting Montage Jewelry over the years.

Most trunk shows require patience. You fall in love with an item, but have to order it and wait a few months before receiving it. We decided to take a different approach and the Potpourri girls appreciated being able to take their special item home with them the very day of their purchase.

Who couldn't resist our fabulous chunky necklaces and bracelets? Both were a big hit. We found out that Atlanta girls love bold bracelets!

A big shout out to Potpourri for hosting a fun and fabulous trunk show. We enjoyed meeting everyone and hope to come back soon.

Here is the link to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheMontageCollection 

And don't forget to visit the website: www.myrnahalpern.com

Timeless Curiosities

If you have ever read the About section of my website, you will see that I describe my jewelry as "timeless curiosities." The operative word here is timeless. My hope is that Montage Jewelry will be passed on to future generations because it will never go out of style. I tend to stay away from trends. Have I ever put a skull in any of my jewelry? No. While I think it is fun, edgy and quirky, I don't think it is an element that is timeless. Someone asked me if their necklace from six years ago was still in style. The answer is, "Yes, and hopefully it always will be." To further emphasize that point I thought that it might be time for a walk down memory lane.

Here is a stunning piece from the Montage archives. Honestly, I wish I still owned it. The pop of emerald green is amazing, not to mention that emerald is the Pantone color of the year for 2013. Is this necklace still in style? YOU BETCHA!

And what about this head turner? A sparkling rutilated quartz teardrop is enhanced with an antique cut steel connector and mixed metal chains. Not only will this piece always be in style, you really can wear it with just about anything. Timeless, yes. Versatile, yes. In style today, yes.

Moving on to bedazzling earrings. These pass every test. Eye catching, colorful, classy, timeless, and so on and so forth. If you had bought these five years ago, you would still be enjoying them today. If you own them, congratulations!

Drum roll, please. This antique shoe buckle is one of the prettiest I have ever found. Spectacular shoe buckles like this one are still being incorporated in today's bracelets. Whether you mix them with leather or metal, they always add an interesting touch and are great conversation starters.

For those of you reading this blog who covet a piece of your Montage Jewelry, please take a picture of it and put it on our Facebook page. It will be fun to see some of the favorite oldies but goodies. Here is the link to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheMontageCollection 

And don't forget to visit the website: www.myrnahalpern.com

Expect the Unexpected

"The New Fusion. It's all in the mix: evening pieces and casual basics combine to create an unexpected daytime look that's undeniably cool." This quote came from a recent e-mail blast from www.net-a-porter.com

Net-a-porter demonstrates The New Fusion with Tibi's silk track pants shown here with stilettos and a gray sweatshirt, makes quirky good sense, if you think about it.

J. Crew, masters of the unexpected, "fuse" a chambray button up shirt with a white sequin pencil skirt. Wear it anywhere, any time, day or evening. www.jcrew.com

And Jane Darling by Me, known for their legginskirt made from high tech fabric (makes you look 10 pounds thinner)  adds a sequined trimmed jacket to move the legginskirt from the tennis court to a black tie event. www.jdbymecollection.com

 Clearly The New Fusion is a sensible approach to dressing today's busy woman. In some ways modern fashion has morphed into one indistinguishable blob.  Dressing up is now dressing down. As one store owner recently mentioned to me, "Remember my customer is very active." 

I can relate. I often plan my next collection as I zone out to the music during my spinning class. I run from there to the grocery, design meetings, luncheons, soccer games, doctor's appointments, favorite restaurants, movies, and charity events. And that's when I'm not on an airplane on my way to my next trunk show, or driving on the road to my next sales meeting. Sound familiar?

Out of necessity, women have become expert jugglers, and that's a very important fact to remember. As a jewelry designer, I think of all fashion in terms of it's relevance to today's frenetic lifestyle. That is why a light bulb recently shone in my rattled brain and I decided that my next online jewelry collection would focus on that very active lifestyle that we all enjoy. To put it in jewelry terms, think edgy rubber bracelets with pearls and lockets as an accessory for high tech fabrics and sequins. Stay tuned. Can't wait to show you. 

For more information about The Montage Collection, visit our website www.myrnahalpern.com and be sure to like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheMontageCollection

Never Say Never!

We warmly welcome Deka to our circle of unique boutiques who feature our wonderful jewelry. Honestly, I never would have thought to contact a sports store to feature our collection, but Deka is no ordinary sports store. I like to call it Sports Couture. Take a look, and be sure to find out more at www.dekaatlanta.com

All I had to do was look up at the swanky chandeliers which really set the tone for these unique and upscale boutiques. And it's not just the chandeliers that are swanky!

The clothes are amazing, far from your pedestrian yoga pants and athletic shoes. And to think I was expecting to show Jim, the owner, our funky rubber bracelets. No, he went for chunky rings, and diamond necklaces and bracelets.

Like our fabulous new Nanda bracelets with diamond studded connectors in ruby, labradorite and sapphire.

You can also find at Deka a great selection of our 24 karat gold plated chunky rings, perfect for the girl on the go. Be sure to visit Deka when you are in Atlanta or Chicago, and tell them we sent you!

For more information about The Montage Collection, visit www.myrnahalpern.com

Shhhhh........Listen.........Pre Fall Buzz

Just received an e-mail from Neiman's with their launch for pre-fall fashion. I loved it all, but my four favorite trends were as follows: Violet Femmes, Black and White, Leather, and Animal Prints. To purchase any of the clothing below visit www.neimanmarcus.com.

This stunning sheath by Jason Wu exemplifies the trend they refer to as Violet Femmes. A variety of shades of violet and plum play a prominent role in the pre-fall collections.

Our answer for the perfect accessory for this gorgeous dress in vibrant violet is our 48 inch Dwayne necklace. Fabricated of gunmetal, amethyst, garnet, gray pearls and chocolate brown shells, it is coming soon to Oak Hall, Memphis, Tennessee. Visit www.oakhall.com.

 Donna Karan can definitely pull off the ultimate in black and white! Her cocoon blouse with signature drapey black pencil skirt is a great example of unpretentious luxury.

We think that our Areli necklace with handwoven medallion will definitely rock this ensemble! Love the feminine loopy feel to complement the sophisticated, yet girlie vibe by Donna Karan. Now available at City Woods, Highland Park, Illinois, www.citywoods.com

The next pre-fall prediction from Neiman's is leather, still a stronghold in wardrobe building. Who better to exemplify this trend than the Italian master, Brunello Cucinelli! Love the subtlety in the color combination of navy, brown and taupe.

The only accessories you would need with Cucinelli's leather outfit above is an armful of our killer leather bracelets embellished with handwoven beading. Our Murphy bracelets are available in 8 different color combos at Frances Heffernan, Winnetka, Illinois, www.francesheffernan.com

Always a classic, animal prints are back, or maybe they never left. Lanvin's answer to this trend is this not so classic, drop dead gorgeous silk number. Meow!

Fight fire with fire, as the old adage goes. And these necklaces are quite literally from our collection named Fire! Either of our Katherine pendants with suede fringe would add an extra jolt of drama to this Lanvin silk stunner. Both color combos are coming soon to Kittie Kyle, Memphis, Tennessee,

www.kittiekyle.com

For more information about The Montage Collection, visit our website www.myrnahalpern.com and be sure to like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheMontageCollection

Form and Fashion

So many people ask me where I get my ideas for my jewelry designs, and I usually answer, "Everywhere!" Traveling is always a great stimulus and the photos below are from a recent trip to Berlin. If, like me, you are driven by a passion to design, you are stimulated by both form and fashion in some of the least expected ways!

So what did I see in this manhole cover from the middle of a busy Berlin thoroughfare? Well, I love the combination of colors and textures. It's a great monochromatic color scheme. I also love the worn patina which I can try to imitate the next time I am oxidizing metals to get an antique finish.

This table is from the room where the Potsdam Conference took place after World War II. The pattern is another source of inspiration. I love the symmetry and the combination of different woods sparks all kinds of ideas!

And what about this very cool chandelier from our hotel lobby? Well, of course, I'm figuring how this translates into an amazing pair of earrings!

So much for the influences of Form. Now onto Fashion. Net-a-porter.com was the source for these striking models portraying the oh so popular boho chic look that has been reinvented from the 70's into today's modern designs. I am really into this emerald green, Pantone's color of the year. My autumn/winter line is teaming with it!

                          LOVE her ring. (Yes, I do have these in my line at www.myrnahalpern.com.)

Would definitely love to channel this model's vibe in my jewelry! I am really into the colors, textures and patterns going on here. Who knows what this might cause me to do! Stay tuned to find out!