There's No Business Like Show Business

This is how our booth looked when we arrived... Mathew at Lost City Arts in the Bowery helped us pick just the right mid century furnishings. The flower petal tables were fantastic, along with the Kai Christiansen and Nelson credenzas. It felt like we were in a cozy library/salon.

After a day of organizing, merchandising and lifting poetry books we could take a breath. The gorgeous flowers from the Japanese artist, Katsuya Nishimori at Florisity were the finishing touch--it is hard to really see in this picture but notice the leaves are on the outside of the vase.

A good looking crew, despite the fact that I had my dress on backwards by accident for the first half of the day.

Inside the Javits Convention Center.

We had the good fortune to be right at the entrance of the show but the bad fortune to be across from the hulking Swarovski 'lounge.' Rap mashups do not create the best ambience for showing our wares. The good news: free bedazzling!

Our good friend and neighbor, jewelry designer Gerard Yosca, deciding what necklace to add to his collection.

After taking a break from trade shows for a few years it was wonderful to see our long time accounts in person again. Here is the mother and daughter team, Elaine and Shea, from Jambu in Marblehead. Elaine is a hoot and Shea is an opera singer in NY... who refused to sing in our booth.

Whitney and Robyn from Silverado in Saratoga Springs work with Kazu and Anton.

Doug from Silverado (wearing Chrome Hearts, what the heck?) and fellow jewelry designer and my long time show husband, Alexis Bittar. Alexis and I have standing lunch dates at the shows for over a century--that's in 'show years.'

Here we have the sexy MK, talented blogger and manager of Cursive, the amazing store on the ground floor in ABC Carpet and they also have an outpost in Grand Central. I am so proud to be featured in their ezquisitely curated stores. They have one of the biggest collections of our work in the country.

Goodbye New York! for now! We had a fantastic time!

JP

Behind the Scenes at The Trade Show

breakfast before the show in my room with Anton, Kazu.


my room in the in the West Village


the sitting room where I have had a few appointments in my day.

My secret place...is no longer a secret.

Kazu in front of our favorite magazine store in the village



breakfast before press appointments.

my trusty travel companion and wholesale manager, Kazu.


Anton just arrived the night before the show.


I got to stay with one of my best friends in Brooklyn for a few days and his art collection made me feel like I was staying in the Frick.

The view from his window...

All Our Progress Is An Unfolding

This hand was inspired by a drawing I did of my son's hand I did when he was sleeping. Here it is as a one of a kind 18k with a teardrop rainbow moonstone. This piece was sold in our store last week and I was so happy to know it went to a woman who had an extensive collection of pieces...I was sort of sad to see it go...



When I work on limited edition and one of a kinds it is very freeing. This is an moss quartz I got in Tuscon at the gem show a few years ago. It makes a wonderful book cover.


All our progress is an unfolding....You have first an instinct, then an opinion,
then a knowledge, as the plant has root, bud, and fruit. Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason...it shall ripen into truth, and you shall know why you believe.

--Emerson




Years ago I bought several pieces of these Italian red coral cabochons when I was not so conscious about the environment. I won't be buying any coral ever again that isn't antique but the material I still have in my studio is so beautiful and I feel it is a shame to not use it. This little book is such a ripe little gem.

We need, in love, to practice only this:
letting each other go. For holding on
comes easily; we do not need to learn it.

--Rainer Maria Rilke
translated by Stephen Mitchell

Jeanine Payer at the Movies - "The Kids Are All Right" - by Anton

A scene from "The Kids Are All Right," with Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo

I was thrilled to see Mark Ruffalo wearing the Sycamore necklace in Lisa Cholodenko's stellar new film, "The Kids Are All Right." Centered on a couple (Annette Benning and Julianne Moore) who reconnect with their children's birth father (Mark Ruffalo), the movie is receiving critical attention in California, particulary in the aftermath of Proposition 8, the state-wide initiative banning gay marriage. This issue is close to many of us here - when the initiative first appeared, we released a special edition of our Dale necklace benefitting Equality California, the advocacy group fighting the campaign.

Watching the film, it's hard not to think of Proposition 8, and Lisa Cholodenko doesn't gloss over this. But instead of politicizing the issue, she presents an endearingly normal portrait of a dysfunctional but loving family - one that happens to have two gay parents. It's a wry and poignant look at a very modern couple, and, for me, it's a huge pleasure to see our work featured in the film.

The Sycamore necklace

But your solitude will be a support and a home for you, even in the midst of very unfamiliar circumstances, and from it you will find all your paths.

--Rainer Maria Rilke translated by Stephen Mitchell

New Wedding Rings Are Coming...

Adagio and Stella are often used as wedding rings.


I am doing a small group of wedding rings for the holidays and it has been a fun process, especially working on some interesting takes on the paired engagement/wedding combo. There are an infinite amount of choices out there and while knowing that is a bit daunting, I am also excited to add my voice to this intensely meaningful, and highly endowed category.

My New Nick Name

Maira Kalman asked me if my nick name was Lu Lu Margoni at her book signing last night at the Jewish Museum. I had her autograph it to J.P.

I went with my dear pal, Rae Dunn, to the book signing and opening of Maira's show. One of my favorite books is The Principles of Uncertainty. It isn't just her quirky paintings, drawings, heartstoppingly beautiful needlework and collections of ephemera, but is also the power of her non-linear narrative that leads you down the road of her thoughts on life. I was laughing and crying at certain points as it is that moving. I also was thrilled to see an original M. Kalman last weekend in Paul and Lauren's home--the folks who own Twist.

Anyway, Maira now owns a small Yabba cuff because a little bird left it on her book signing table--Rae left her some of her magical rocks, too. Maira said to Rae, 'The line stops here when gifts arrive!'

I love my new nick name.

Wish you were here,

Lu Lu Margoni

We Had a Great Time

The owners of Twist started out as artists themselves before they opened their first store in Eugene in 1980. A weaver and a potter, they come from a place of nurturing and support of the artists represent. Not only world class retailers, Paul and Lauren are also tireless in their search for inspired, cool things. Kazu and I stayed in their beautiful home while doing a personal appearance in the store over the weekend (look for pictures of their home in the October issue of Architectural Digest) which was a treat in itself. Thank you Paul and Lauren and your impeccable team for having us for such a fun weekend.






The renowned retail architect, Richard Altuna, designed Twist in his dynamic and theatrical style. And in our own six degrees of separation, Richard was one of my first 'bosses' back in the day at the visionary concept store, Aerial, in SF in the late 80's, early 90's
.
the main entrance of (the enormous) Twist

this little three year old girl has one of our bracelets on--so sweet.

'I choose all' is what this young woman carefully selected on her new necklace of a saint's hand.

perfection

more perfection....we had dinner at the super chic butcher shop, Olympic Provisions...

Summer hair, Summer earrings by Melissa

Fabienne earrings

Giselle, Marigold and Spring earrings


It's been feeling like Summer here in San Francisco and I decided to cut my hair (which was down to my back) into a shoulder-length bob. I've been wearing it long for over 6 years and it was time for a change!
Summer is a great time to show off your earrings. Everyone either sports a shorter 'do or wears it up in a ponytail. Jeanine has designed some gorgeous pieces - from the decadently-sized Fabienne hoops to the delicately petite Spring earrings. There's something here for everyone (and their hairdo's).

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. --Goethe

Twist Trunkshow June 26th

I am so looking forward to my visit to Twist, one of my longest standing retail relationships in the history of JP. The owners, Paul and Lauren Schneider, tracked me down 17 years ago in my studio when I was a three person operation. I remember my horror as they came in and there was nowhere to sit that wasn't covered....in dust!!! I am embarrassed to say that I didn't have proper ventilation back then besides the working windows. They were troopers and have supported me ever since. It has been several years since I have visited so it should be really fun.

New Life in the Studio

I took a trip to the Flora Grubb Gardens last week.


They helped me pick the perfect mix for my flower boxes in my design studio...


It is amazing what new life can do for a room.


I got some other plants as well for the rest of the studio. Here is the wholesale room where we meet


I like C. Jere metal wall sculptures because they loosely relate to what we do but in a large scale.


This cheerful bright green guy is for the shipping/customer service/websale room.


I came in to find the Jeanine Payer boxes were just splayed out in front like a cornucopia.

Janine B. told me about the amazing Flora Grubb Gardens a while back when she first went there to find our succulents for the retail store flower box. Because our building is a historic landmark we are not allowed to have an awning. And our sign is tiny. The flower box is the only reason I think people are able to find us! So the succulent has become our version of a sandwich board, and quite the conversation piece. People stop to take pictures of it all the time which is really surprising to me. It must be due to the Little Shop of Horrors size it has grown into.