Me, myself and Rhode Island

It might be the smallest state in the U.S.A but little Rhode Island is a state that plays a BIG role in my life.

First, in an all girls school in Newport and then in Providence, designing and working in one of the famous jewelry factories of Rhode Island.

I started working in a Woonasquatucket factory supervising a production of

crystal buttons for Yves Saint Laurent Beaute -where i worked at the time.

It took me forever to actually learn how to spell Woonasquatucket

and i had a cheat sheet with the city name on it for the Fed-Ex driver.

The button project lingered and i had alot of time on my hands in the factory.

I asked if i could make design and make something while i was waiting.

They ask if i knew anything about making jewelry and i said "No".

I sketched some pieces and worked with a model maker to make what became

my first collection. 

I truly believe that things work out better when you do not know what

you are getting into- your more open and willing to make mistakes.

That month my line was born and i went from VP of Creative to Designer/Owner

of Roberta Chiarella,Inc.

In 2012- I was asked by the Acessories Council in NYC to join a group of Designers
called" USA Made".
I am so proud of my work and the amazing people that i work with-
I was thrilled to participate.
It brought me back to my companies roots and mission-
Designed in NYC and Made in the U.S.A.

Fashion week has now ended in New York and my work begins.
This week i will start creating jewels to work with the collections that just
walked down the runways.
My Fall 2013 collection will be born in NYC and made entirely in Rhode Island.

So once again,i am back near the Woonasquatucket River in Onlyville digging through boxes of vintage beads and crystals.It is a great place to be.

going for gold

As the Olympics come to an end and The USA brought home the gold...Congratulations!

We want to know a story or a treasured item that you hold golden to your heart.

Go to Robertachiarella.com on FACEBOOK and enter to win some really great Golden Prizes.

We would love to hear from you-thanks for sharing.

We have a fun and interesting contest EVERY week on Facebook-good luck the sparkles are worth it!

Hello Summer

Summertime means different things to everyone.  Being a New Yorker you either are a Hamptons or Jersey Shore girl. Roberta and I are both surprisingly Jersey Shore girls.  Since summer is right around the corner I asked a few people today to give me one word that reminds them of summer; boardwalk, lemonade, pool, coral and turquoise jewelry, beach, popsicles, strawberries, summer house, and long weekends were some favorites.  In here we LOVE coral and turquoise jewelry, it’s all we sport all summer. I look forward to taking it out like I do my bathing suits.  Summer  jewelry has become an important accessory in every fashion magazine; it dresses up shorts, sundresses, caftan’s, tank-tops and it has even found its way to the beach or pool, wearing it with bathing suits it’s the ultimate fashion statement.

We would like to hear if you are a Hamptons or Jersey Shore girl and what is one word that takes you to your summer.

Summertime is just memories waiting to happen

Emerald Green with Envy

May is the month to leave your friends Emerald Green with Envy. Countless fun celebrations as well as Spring are associated with this month; Cinco de Mayo, The Kentucky Derby, Mother's Day, Roberta's birthday and Memorial Day.

May's birthstone is the emerald which means love and success. Who doesn't need and want more love and success in their life!

For a long time wearing emeralds seemed out-dated and stodgy until the beautiful Angelina Jolie sashayed down the red carpet wearing an amazing pair of emerald earrings and a gorgeous emerald ring . She took the fashion industry by surprise and to a new level. For the first time it was not about the dress it was all about her emerald jewelry. From that very moment emeralds made a come back like no other fine gem has ever made in history. RobertaChiarella.com makes it easy to leave your friends Emerald Green with Envy with beautiful, sparkling affordable crystal jewelry. 

Angie's Earrings

Who first beholds the light of day
In spring's sweet flowery month of May
And wears an emerald all her life
Shall be a loved and happy wife 

Fashion's Night Out

What a great idea- get the entire fashion industry, from Macy's to Henri Bendel to that little boutique in Greenwich Village to stay open till midnight on a friday night. Have all of these places provide music, food, drinks and display their newest, hottest and most fashionable attire in a coctail party setting. It sounds like a  movie, but it was REAL, and (of course) we were there!

In Queens, the stores of the Queens Center Mall were all participating, of course you've got to take the subway to get there, so the models have their subway maps in hand to navigate their way over.

Models on their way to the subway!

 Last year saw Anna Wintour over there, this year the Swarovski shop had a great event along there. In Greenwich Village, the fashionistas spilled out onto the sidewalks, so many boutiques were packed with happy shoppers and folks enjoying the festive atmosphere. I was at our flagship outlet, Henri Bendel on Fifth Avenue, where the place was decorated and oh-so wonderful. Even though people came to see me, I got to see some of my favorite designers as well. Do I look happy to be with Allison Overbeke and Alex Woo or what!
And, the hit of the evening was the Ken doll collection, except those hot guys in the windows weren't dolls! They were probably not too comfortable in those boxes but they were really cute. After a couple of glasses of wine, the photo could be sharper, but you get the idea. Unbelievable!

The Roberta Chiarella design counter is on the second floor, and in Bendel's it is a big atrium, here's the view from my perch! We had a great time, and our jewelry was admired, desired, and purchased by lots of happy fashionable New Yorkers.

Then, before you knew it, it was midnight and time to go home. Much to our surprise, the models escorted the partiers and shoppers down Fifth Avenue in a parade of umbrellas!

It was a really great night, coming in the middle of Fashion Week (now at Lincoln Center) and on a beautiful summer evening. I hope you enjoy the pics, and we'll have more fashion week items in the next post. Ciao!

Emmy Awards and Pigs and Goats

OK, how do I put both in one post? Tonite is the Emmy Awards, and as usual there are just so many beautiful gowns, hairstyles, jewelry on display by our favorite TV stars it will be hard to pick a 'winner'. I caught a glimpse of the walk down the red carpet, and can't wait for the actual show to start. I know who I want to win, Toni Collette has worn some great clothes and jewelry so I'll root for her. Of course, Edie Falco has had her hair up on her show, 'Nurse Jackie' and has had so many great earrings on that I am sure if we judged actresses by earrings, she'd win.

OK maybe I don't know who'll win but that is why we watch. One thing is sure, I'm going to try out the 'still picture' setting of our TV set so I can get a good look at the clothes and jewelry, I've got a date with the Today Show staff on Tuesday to prep for the "Emmy Award Look" segment that Jill Martin will host on Thursday.

Yes, we've got the look once again, robertachiarella.com will be providing as many great emmy award looks as we can and it'll be an absolute thrill to do this show again. I love the fact that in just a few days girls who really wouldn't even be able to buy any of these stars outfits will see how they can get the look of this fashion and glamour from regular stores, at normal prices. It's where you look- the fashion is out there and we've got plenty on our website.

For example, the Angie Earrings are enjoying their biggest sales of the year (though maybe the buy one, get one free sale helped a bit) because they are timeless and beautiful with so many of the outfits you already own. Keep your eyes peeled and see what your favorite stars are wearing, then come back and I'll show you what we've got!  If you can't wait till the next post, be sure to check out The Today Show on thursday.

Tonite we'll be eating salads while we watch the show, thanks to a food overload from the amazing Dutchess County Fair, one of the largest fairs in the east coast. Over 100,000 people show up to this 'salute to agriculture' which is funny when you think that you walk from the 'deep fried oreo' stand to the fried dough and funnel cake booth in between the diving dog contest and the goat milking jamboree (yes, I milked a goat, but my brother was too busy with his goat friend to take a picture of me doing it).

 There is something wonderfully relaxing about leaving Manhattan, travelling to Rhinebeck (where Chelsea Clintons wedding just took place) and seeing prize winning corn, the state's largest pumpkin and play some games to win little stuffed dolls. It is always a blast and we got home exhausted. I wouldn't want to be checking my cholesterol today, though.

They even have a 'hall of commerce' where things made in NY were all on display and for sale. There were cowboy boots, log homes, beautiful handmade shoes and linens, but no jewelry. I took home an application for a booth...

Can you imagine a week at the fair- how much fried dough and corn dogs you could eat? Of course, I certainly won't run into Brad and Angie at the fair, and it runs the same week as the Emmy Awards, so it might be a bit much, and I've never been one to live in a camper, which is where the fair exhibitors hang out (not that there's anything wrong with that!). Well, maybe I'll just think about it while I watch the Emmys. Ciao!

a beautiful day in new york, time to leave !

Well, we've finally had some decent weather here in the big apple. I can't say it is actually summer, as the evening temperatures are cool enough to require a jacket, and we have not used the air-conditioning much, but it is sunny and bright, after a month of cold, dreary rain. The 4th of July was perfect; a family barbecue, strolling along the water with the dogs at sunset, and having time to relax.

Of course, we spent some time looking at some new jewelry design samples that have come in from the factory, and I think we are going to have some hot new items on sale soon.

Generally, I design the pieces by drawing the basic look on paper, and we can make some mock-ups in the studio to get a feel for the pieces. Then, the factory will make prototypes and we will make modifications, pick the perfect color stones and fine-tune the pieces. Sometimes, we'll show the designs with beauty editors or some friends in the fashion industry, to get some feedback.

I had some great prototypes to show off at the barbecue, if our family's positive feedback means anything, there will be some knock-outs available in the upcoming season.

One hot trend this summer is the earring and necklace set, we featured this on the website and the sales are brisk. Women love light and simple pieces for summertime, and when the colors are bright and the price is really affordable, you might buy two or three at a time. Another hot seller is the grand super nova, it shows off beautifully when you are wearing just the right top.

And, if you want to see our newest collection for HSN, be sure to tune in July 14th at 2:00 eastern time. It's my "first anniversary on HSN" appearance, we've got a whole hour and I am really proud of the collection I am going to show on the network.

Bill Green will be the host, and he knows a thing or two about jewelry. I've never worked with him before, so it should be a fun experience.

To get ready, I went shopping for some clothes and accessories, and took a walk around the city to enjoy the weather. I love walking around manhattan, there is so much going on every minute of the day.

While walking down 42nd street, we felt a bit warm in the sun, so we ducked into the lobby of the Daily News building. Superman fans know this is really the Daily Planet, and as you can see, the place is still in it's 1930's glory. Across the street is the Ford Foundation, which has the largest indoor garden you'll ever see. It is truly amazing this place is in midtown manhattan, and it is both free and open to the public. When you are in the city, it is a must-see.

So, I'm off to Florida to get ready for HSN, they are the nicest people to work with and the trip is always fun, although TV appearances are not nearly as easy as they look. But try to see for yourself, we have some jewelry on this show that I made exclusively for HSN, and you will love it. The show is Tuesday July 14th at 2:00 PM. Ciao!

Farrah Fawcett, it was good to know ya!

Farrah Fawcett, an american actress and pop icon passed away yesterday after a long fight against cancer. She was instantly recognizable anywhere, in part for her beautiful hair that we all wanted to copy back in the '70's. She was in so many TV shows, notably Charlie's Angels in 1976 and starred on Broadway as well. Our time together was brief but memorable. I was a new jewelry designer at the time, and one of my designs was was featured in InStyle magazine. The phone ring and it was Farrah herself! She'd seen the magazine and she saw the necklace and wanted to buy it but, she explained that she had 'special proportions' and that the necklace needed to hit her in a certain spot. So, she said "wait a minute" and put her phone on speaker and proceeded to shout out all her measurements, to make sure I would make the necklace the right size to fit exactly where she wanted it to. She was very real and and very funny, and a pleasure to work with.

When she received the earrings and necklaces she called to say they were perfect! In the photo she sent me, she had dropped an earring, and got help to find it.

A while later, I received an outline of her foot in the mail in order to make her an ankle bracelet. Even though she had a busy and productive schedule, she took the time to write to me (there was no email back then) every time she got something and was so sweet-she would always say to me "i can't believe i am talking to you". Can you imagine, Farrah Fawcett was happy to be talking to me- while I was jumping for joy!

To this day, she was by far one of the most gracious and appreciative “celebrity” I have known and worked with. She regularly sent me handwritten “thank you” notes, fun pictures of her wearing the jewelry, sometimes sent me daily up-dates of her whereabouts and activities, along with photos! I still can't believe that a star of her magnitude kept in touch with me. She took time from her busy schedule with a phone call just to say hello to me, Roberta…WOW!!! Farrah had a way of making you feel extra special!!

It was a real blessing to have known her, my association with her gave me so much pleasure and encouraged me to continue my work as a designer and produce jewelry of such a high style and quality that someone like Farrah Fawcett would want to wear my designs. In some ways, my career as a designer got jump-started by my relationship with Farrah.

If you look on my website, that necklace I made for her, in her special size, is still on sale. We renamed it the Farrah's charm today in her honor. Farrah Fawcett was a lovely lady, a real person who inspired so many as she bravely fought the cancer that eventually took her life. I will never forget our interactions, and am honored that she took a liking to me and included me in her life, if just for a while.

She will be missed by many so many people who knew her personally and by all of her fans. God bless you, Farrah Fawcett, and thanks. Ciao.

It's time for the Summer of Luxury

Memorial day has come and gone, marking the unofficial beginning of summer. We spent some of the time enjoying the long weekend, and then it was back to the studio and the computer to launch a contest! I love contests, and enter them all the time. The first step is to decide what to do for prizes, after all, who would be interested if there weren't great prizes? Luckily, my friends at Amazing Cosmetics liked my idea, and generously contributed gift certificates and some great summer makeup items to be part of the prize packages. I love to buy their products, winning them would be even better!

We lucked out with my partners at Swarovski, they send me copies of Unbridaled, the marriage of tradition and avant garde. This coffee-table book features more than 100 designers from areas including fashion, jewelry, interior lifestyle, and they worked to create a "celebration of marriage". They define it as a fairy tale dream come true, and when you look at the beautiful photography you'll know they are right. I was honored to have my jewelry used for some of the shots, and this book is just wonderful to sit and look at for hours.

To make it a really great contest, I have some limited edition jewelry to give some of the prize winners, and decided to make the grand prize worth $1000 in order to give people a real good reason to enter.We've found that customers often come to my retail website to see what what is trendy, they may have seen my jewelry in a magazine or on TV. When there is a contest going on we get more visitors, and more interest in our products than usual. To top it off, if someone can win something spectacular you know it will surely make people happy.

It's the most rewarding thing about being a jewelry designer, to make products that put a smile on your face when you wear them. So, check it out and enter, after all, you never know.. .. .. Ciao!

go balance an egg

March 20th was the spring equinox. It is one of two days each year where we have parts of day and night. This is because on this day the sun is now positioned exactly above the Equator. If that isn't enough science for this blog, there is also a strange phenomenon that only occurs on the equinox, and it is practiced once in a while in the Chiarella household. On the equinox you can balance an egg on its end. Trust me, it's not as easy as it seems, but if you are persistent you will see that it does work. I couldn't do it after an hour of trying, but Elizabeth got it on the 3rd try !

The equinox is also considered the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere and the word Equinox comes from the latin words “equi”, and "nox" or night. Many ancient civilizations celebrated the equinox as the coming of good times (warm weather and trees/plants starting to regrow), and places like Stonehenge celebrate the equinox. I can say for sure that the first day of spring is always a good thing.

We've had nothing but bad news lately, with the economy and wall street. But, in the jewelry biz, we just keep plugging along. I know that no matter how terrible the economy, if I put on a nice outfit and a pair of sparkling earrings, my day gets a bit better.

My company, like so many other businesses across the country, has seen slow sales, but we want our customers to be happy. I can't make the stock market go back up, but I can cut the prices on lots of items in the online store, and offer gifts with purchases, give bridal party discounts and do whatever else we can afford to do so that our customers can get some bling to brighten their day. We want customers to be happy, and the equinox is a good excuse to do something extra for our customers.

I'll share some emails that I have gotten lately, they indicate that maybe I really am doing OK. We had a promotion running on the retail website, but Alli did not have the coupon. I wrote back: I noticed on your order that you wished you had a coupon. I will be sending you a pair of earrings that are part our next promotion as a gift. You will love them! -Roberta.

Here's the return email: Thank you! I work at a design agency where I manage packaging design projects for consumer good brands. I know the importance of customer service. And I know the importance of building a brand. You do them both very well. If you are ever hiring a marketing rep for the mid-west, please give me a call. I would love the opportunity to learn more about your organization. Thanks again, Alli.
At the studio, we love to make our customers happy. It makes the day go by faster, and we don't pout about the dow jones when our customers are sending us emails like this one:

Hi Roberta and Elizabeth, I got the earrings and the bracelets today and they look great. Thank you so much for your help; the bracelets are the perfect compliment to the earrings. Also, thank you so much for my gift! It was such a lovely surprise. And while I know I have already said it twice, thank you again. I will certainly send pictures of the girls wearing the jewelry.
All the best, Lisa

The coming of spring means it is time to get out of the winter blues. Lots of customers haven't bought themselves anything for a while, but want some nice bright affordable jewels for the warmer weather.

Joan writes: Hello,I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with all of the jewelry I have purchased from you! I have not taken off my silver bean earrings from my first order until now to replace them with the gold bean earrings that I just received in my second order. I love the delicate look of the jewelry & the high quality. Everything has exceeded my expectations & I found you from your line at HSN. Thanks for some beautiful jewelry and I'm a jewelry maven!! Joan

Just to make sure everyone's happy we like to put a gift into an order every now and then, just to make someone smile. Let me share this email: Hi again Roberta,
Well I think it was one of your sweet packers who snuck a little surprise-prize in my most recent order. I just wanted to thank you since it's your company, but I think it was your sweet employee who did such a nice thing. She sent me the "perfect" earrings in tanzanite blue but I guess I'll have to take off my bean earrings and switch them around once and a while. I think the beans are the perfect earrings.
So anyway sweet lady, I just wanted to tell you how lovely your people are, how much I appreciate it, and what an evil temptress you are, because every time I open my package from your company I'm swooning and smitten, and then I have to go purchase the same exact thing in the other color metal. And then get them for gifts, and then for back up in case I ever break one.... See how it goes? EVIL!!!! Please don't ever stop making the bean earrings, if you do, send me an email and I'll buy a gross of each color. Thank you!!!! Joan M.

Isn't it nice that people take the time to write us, to express their satisfaction with a product. If only we could feel this way about Citibank! But, that's not my area of expertise, my little corner of New York is jewelry, jewelry, jewelry! We are doing the best we can to make americans feel good now that the days are getting longer. Just don't ask me to try to balance an egg for you! Ciao.

Oh, Oscar!

I've been behind on my posting, thanks to the academy awards. You know, any designer worth his (or her) salt follows the activities with great passion, in order to spot trends and see what the celebs are wearing. Like everyone else, I sat down in front of my TV to watch the academy awards, but as a designer I have my sketchpad, my computer, and my remote control all in front of me. When a star walked down the red carpet, or came up for an award, or was just photographed in the crowd, I look at their jewelry.

Do I have something in my collection that looks like what a movie star has on? Can I produce something to complement one of the many beautiful gowns I saw? Once I fix on a superstar look, i hit the pause button and draw. Then I try to take a snapshot of my TV screen, and make my husband search online to see who made the gown or the jewelry. Only then can I let go of the pause button. So, if you think the oscars were a long show, I can assure you it was a lot longer in the Chiarella household!

Of course, the thing I really wanted was a repeat of the fantastic luck I had at the Golden Globes, and I was not disappointed. When I saw Angelina Jolie come out with those emeralds, I almost fell off the couch. These 2.5 million dollar earrings were nearly identical to a set of beautiful Swarovski crystal earrings I was still in the process of manufacturing. So, faster than you could imagine, I sent off an email to Elizabeth so she could christen these "angie's earrings" and write some copy to put on the website.

We had to stop and repeat the moment a few more times on Oscar night, as out comes Kate Winslet in another pair of earrings that were nearly identical to ones I sell. If anyone reading actually knows Kate, please tell her about me, after all it seems she loves designs just like mine, having won her golden globe wearing another earring almost identical to my "baby a's jewel earrings". When we saw Penelope Cruz come out with a necklace that is really similar to my true passion necklace, I almost had a dizzy spell!

I felt so unbelievably excited, knowing that hollywood stars (or their stylists) choose baubles from places like Harry Winston that I sell every day in stores and on my website. If that wasn't enough excitement, the Today Show ran a segment on the "oscar knockoffs" and showed the stars on Oscar night paired with designer knock off gowns that will give you the look for much, much less. When it came to accessories, thanks to Jill Martin from Us Weekly Magazine, who wore both the Angelina Jolie gown and my emerald earrings. On the segment, anchor Natalie Morales noted that my jewelry was a similar look but cost a lot less than 2.5 million! If you want to see the clip, head over to youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UL40pgt2AQ and take a look.

Believe me, it is so amazing to get publicity like that, and we were all ready for the orders to come in due to everybody loving my jewelry enough to even compare to the million dollar jewels the stars were wearing. And it looked great! You know, even in a recession girls want to look good, and when you see what we have to offer (made right here in the USA) in an affordable price range, you might find a way to squeeze the budget to get yourself an earring or necklace. We shipped the jewelry out to the customers who ordered right away, and the feedback is fabulous. People really love the jewelry, and we're thrilled that the pieces are so popular.

Us Weekly did it's post-academy-awards issue noting the same thing, that there are american designers who make affordable, high quality versions of the couture gowns and precious stone accessories you saw on oscar night. It is such a thrill to get recognized by Hannah Deely, the Us Weekly accessories editor who was responsible for the today show segment featuring 'oscar looks for less' and the coverage in the magazine itself.

The response has been incredible, and has kept me busy in the studio, answering questions, reading emails and filling orders! It's so inspirational, I have a dozen new designs in my head and on paper, which will be made into prototypes to show around and see if I've captured the look people want. Maybe I'll send some to Kate and Angelina, to see what they think. Ciao!

75 and still beautiful

Brides magazine is celebrating its 75th anniversary. For the occasion, they had a little party at the 'top of the rock', the observation deck atop 30 rockefeller center. It's always special to be here in this complex, which (at age 78) is even older than brides magazine. We came to see the mile high honeymoon suite, an incredible creation with views to die for! The top of the rock was completely renovated and re-opened a couple of years ago, and although not quite as high as the empire state building, the combination of an indoor observatory and a fence-free outdoor deck makes this a favorite spot for both tourists and native new yorkers.

There is plenty of room, it's warm (the indoor observatory) and the exhibit and the reception were perfect! Imagine having this place for you and your spouse- well maybe not for me as I would spend the whole night staring at the skyline of new york.

When you get inside the lobby of Rockefeller Center, there is a plaque honoring John D. Rockefeller. It's not well known that he built this complex, on 22 acres of prime midtown manhattan real estate, with his own money at the beginning of the great depression. He leased the land, got the loans, and put together the project at a time of massive unemployment and financial hard times.

Originally, the site was to hold an opera house, but rockefeller wisely changed the plans and built this office complex, which also contains radio city music hall and NBC studios. I'm sure this was the biggest thing going on in the city during that terrible depression period, and this project likely saved many new yorkers from hunger and poverty. And no, he didn't ask for a bailout!

Brides magazine has 75 years worth of wedding gowns in this months issue, and many were right here for us to look at. The styles change with the times, but one thing about a wedding gown, it is always incredibly tailored. The designer in me just marvels at how these things are made. How many seams, the lace, the embroidery, the beading, oh it is too much to imagine! Even the peasant girl look of the 70's was here, in a gown that was so unbelievably tailored to create the relaxed look everyone wanted back then.

I'm glad that style had passed when I got married, after all, you are only going to wear your wedding gown once, it had better be the most beautiful, most complex, most incredibly decorated dress of your life. Peasant girl look? Not for me! We spent a nice evening with the brides magazine staff, and assorted public relations folks, photographers and a fair number of new yorks top designers.
They had wonderful food and plenty of champagne. And did I mention the view? Just lovely, and with valentines day coming soon, it was a great evening. Love and wedding gowns, they go together very well. Ciao!

My life in color(s)

Walking around Manhattan this time of year, it seems like everything is dull and gray. The sky is gray, the tree trunks are brown, and people are all wearing what seems like the same outfit: a dark coat, snow boots and various hats, scarves and gloves in muted dark tones. The picture is dull, dull, dull. Sure, every once in a while I see a bright pink ski jacket or a pair of colorful Ugg boots, but for the most part the colors of the season are muted and drab.

Color experts (yes, there are color experts and they consult to marketing firms and fashion designers) know that our color choices are influenced by the economy. When things are rough, americans get colorful! We like to buy brightly colored things in a down economy, its a form of retail therapy. Unconventional colors typically cost more, our researchers note that during bad economic times consumers spend less for everyday necessities but are likely to spend more for something "different" in order to feel better.

Retail analysts believe that people are willing to pay more for things that look special, in order to give themselves a psychological boost and allow people to feel some pride of ownership.

For instance, even though cars are not selling well right now, general motors has introduced new colors (bright blues and orange "solar flare") in the hope of sparking some demand. Kitchen appliance makers have jazzed up their lines, and showrooms tout today's kitchen with bright green appliances. I don't know about this part, they might be setting us up for buyers remorse. I did a lot of cooking on an avocado colored stove that my mom bought in the '70's, and trust me, a green stove does not age well. But, if you compare the date of the range's arrival to the dow jones average, it shows retail therapy was just as popular back then as a cure for the recession blues. Who says history doesn't repeat itself, take a look at these appliances from LG. I'm not going to rush out and redecorate my kitchen with these, but colorful clothes and jewels are another story!

For my jewelry line, we're looking at fashion trends for summer right now, as magazines have started planning their photo shoots for their summer issues. And, guess what, there is a lot of demand for brighter colors, the experts know we'll be looking for things that look exciting and fresh. I was asked to show some jewelry for a summer photo shoot where the model will carry new coach handbags, in their newest colors- teal and purple. Of course, our jewelry line for summer will complement colors like these. Color research is really interesting stuff, and very necessary when you want to sell things to shell-shocked consumers. We're not going to offer avocado crystals, but pink, turquoise and red jewelry is being designed right now. We've got some great, stimulating colors on deck for summer so we can do our part to make people feel better in a down economy.

Designers know they have to give consumers an added incentive to cross over the hesitation line and spend some money. And wearing some bright colors might actually be fun. I'm actually looking forward to this, as I was one of those people who wore only black outfits when the economy was flying, back then bright colored clothes didn't interest me too much. But, my new camera is pink! Hmmm. Maybe these researchers are on to something. Ciao.