It’s raining here today and many people

are already grumbling

about Summer being at an end

but there’s a whole lot of August left – so…

Let’s Get Beachy!

Here’s a shot of Lindsay Lohan in Malibu. She doesn’t let her lack of pants keep her from loading on the jewelry, and somehow it all works – she looks like she’s out for a casual, relaxed day.

Lohan Loads On the Bangles and Necklaces With a Clunky Ring.

What are the rich and famous wearing in the waves?

Here’s sun-kissed Jessica Alba looking positively golden – with gold accessories to match. She’s wearing 5 bracelets and at least two necklaces and six rings; not to mention a lovely chain belt.

Jewelry Sure to Brighten Up Any Shore…

Toned down, this look could work for anyone – two necklaces and several rings are perfect if you stick to the same metal (and color) or select sleek designs.

Beach Party? For shore!

Jim Carrey seems to think his classic suit is enough, but I would recommend something sparkley to really pull his look together.

May I suggest this Silver and Grey Pearl Drop Necklace?

And some classy studs will really make this stud’s day at the beach shine. Studs are always a better option just in case you get pulled into a game of beach volleyball or have to dive in to the ocean and rescue a swimmer in distress – large or dangly earrings might get caught and tear  your ear; or even worse, you might lose them!

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This is guest post by Darius Davies-Shojaee, who also writes The Daily Different on Becks.com.

10) Viggo Mortensen (not to be confused with Vigo the Carpathian from ‘Ghostbusters II’)

When sporting the homeless vagrant look of long, unwashed hair and scruffy beard (as he did in some weird movies about a magical ring), Viggo is almost irresistible to the human female. However, when he is clean-shaven with short back and sides, this guy has less prowess with women than I did at 15.

9) Daniel Craig

Oh, everyone loves him now he’s been to the gym and had his vitamin supplements (Randy Savage style). Plus, those tight-fitting swimming trunks from ‘Casino Royale’ probably increased his appeal to certain segments of the movie going public. But take all that away and what has he got? The face of a rugby player merged with that of Frank Bruno after 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.

Kate Blanchett

Famed for her portrayal of Elizabeth I in the films ‘Elizabeth’ and ‘Elizabeth: The Golden Age’. Elizabeth I herself was famed for being a monarch so wretchedly ugly that she could never find a husband. I rest my case.

7) Victoria Beckham

Somehow readers of lifestyle magazines around the world have been duped into thinking that not only is Mrs. David Beckham a fashion icon, but that she is also one of the most beautiful women in the world. There are many ways of refuting this, but I’ll stick with two:

1. Anyone can look amazing with an infinite budget, a team of stylists, and contractual stipulations that all official pictures be painstakingly Photoshoped;
2. The only reason why she was not referred to as the ugly one (or more accurately “the even uglier one”) from the Spice Girls was due to the existence of Mel C.

6) Cristiano Ronaldo

Me, jealous? How dare you think that? No honest person can deny that Ronaldo has the neck of a giraffe, looks like he’s been dipped in oil, and has bad skin. He also plays for a football team that every Arsenal fan (like me) views as evil. And he uses too much hair gel!

List sponsored by DanforthDiamond.com, experts in diamonds and diamond rings.

(more…)

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The fifth installment in our astrology series!

Give Your Accessories Some Star Power

If your birthday falls between July 23 and August 22 you are a LEO just like some of Celebrity Icing’s favorite stars: Amelia Earhart, Zelda Fitzgerald, Mick Jagger, Dustin Hoffman, and my friend Darcy! (Happy Birthday Darcy!)

This week we will look at some classic Leos from the black and white era of film…

According to astrology-online.com, Leos are “the most dominant, spontaneously creative and extrovert[ed] of all the zodiacal characters” (astrology-online.com).

Clara Bow

The characters played by silent film star Clara Bow fit this description perfectly: a real ‘go-getter’ who would always get her man. According to a fansite, she “was the first actress who visibly flaunted her sex appeal” and has become “an icon of sexual freedom for women everywhere” (clarabow.net).

Note that Ms. Bow didn’t feel the need to wear showy jewelry to get attention – her natural charisma and confident poise would have been enough. Instead she wears a simple gold watch and a yellow gold link bracelet.

Myrna Loy

Another favorite of mine, Myrna Loy is best known for her role as Nora Charles in the Thin Man movies.

Here’s a glimpse of her wilder side. The picture is from an early role in the movie “Across the Pacific”. Note this famous Leo’s wild mane – perfect for a lioness. Hair like this is the only accessory you need (and I should know, trust me!) Perhaps a flower tucked behind your ear is a nice touch; otherwise, simple gold earrings would be enough.

Her most famous roles cast her as a perfect wife – her response to this was “Some perfect wife I am,” she said, referring to her typecasting. “I’ve been married four times, divorced four times, have no children, and can’t boil an egg.” (wikepedia.org)

Happy Birthday Leos!

Here are some gift ideas for the Leos in your life.

Amber or yellow stones are always a favorite of the feline friendly…

The Tiger Eye stone traditionally belongs to Capricorns, but also suits Leos.

It also reportedly helps you gain personal empowerment and courage (not that most Leos need help in those areas). Here’s the perfect gift for the stylish Leo man in your life:

Charm Your Leo

A sweet tiger will charm your Leo.

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We all know that A list celebrities can afford the very best of the best. We also know that most of them are following strict diets to maintain their famous figures.

What if you have a sweet tooth and a fat bank account but you’re on a calorie budget?

It’s all about quality not quantity…

Featured in our very first Celebrity Icing article, Jessica Simpson might want to sweeten up with some of these tasty treats  now that her and Tony Romo’s relationship has gone sour. (See “Jessica Simpson Covered in Icing“, September 2008.) The couple got together in 2007 and there were rumors in 2008 of engagement ring shopping, which Jessica denied. Rumors of an impending wedding surfaced again as recently as January 2009 (USmagazine.com).

I never met a chocolate I didn’t like. (Deanna Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation)

The Best Chocolate in the World (and most expensive chocolate)

Amedei Porcelana

The Chuao bar from Amedei has received Chocopaedia’s highest rating so far (9.3 out of 10). It shares this rating with four other bars – you can see the entire list at Chocopaedia – they describe themselves as an “encyclopaedia of fine chocolate, with lists and information about fine chocolate makers and reviews of the chocolate bars they produce.”

Chuao, Baby!

“The often-quoted price of this chocolate is $90 a pound” (wikipedia). The cocoa beans used to make this chocolate are very rare so that only limited quantities of the chocolate can be made each  year, contributing to the high price.

While Amedei Porcelana has often been called the world’s most expensive chocolate, the truffle pictured  below is $250. For. Just. One.

La Madeline au Truffe, by Knipschildt Chocolatier

Knipschildt Chocolate

According to their website, Knipschildt Chocolatier was “voted as one of the top 3 chocolates in the world by Gourmet Magazine” (knipschildt.com). Not all of their chocolates are priced so high – you can get their Giant Chocolate Box for $25.00. Warning – it only contains 9 chocolates (the term ‘giant’ refers to the fact that each chocolate is slightly larger than the regular size).

“All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!” (Lucy Van Pelt, Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz)

Not Rich and Famous, But Still Want a Taste the Sweet Life?

Pralus

In contrast, the ‘Le 100%’ bar from Pralus is ranked equally with the Amedei bar mentioned above – and you can buy a 3.5oz bar online for $7.75 .

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The fourth installment in a series about

how your accessories can have some star power!

Born between June 21 and July 22? Then you are a Cancer just like Drew Barrymore, Jessica Simpson, Courtney Love, Meryl Streep, and Pamela Anderson.

There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very good indeed,
But when she was bad she was horrid.

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

Cancer Star Style: Drew Barrymore

One characteristic of a cancerian is their loony sense of humor. They also find themselves saying, “well, it seemed like a good idea at the time…”. A lot. Drew Barrymore has experienced some ups and downs in the relationship department but she does shine with good taste in the jewelry department. Her engagement ring to Tom Green was from Tiffany’s and her most recent ex, Justin Long, was seen shopping for engagement rings for her at Cartiers (she reportedly dumped him recently).

Here’s the perfect wedding ring for a cancer: it’s fun, yet it is inspired by a classic Tiffany’s design (Cancers also love tradition and dependability). Cancerian Drew Barrymore seems to favor the simpler, less showy designs – so this would fit right in.

Lost Love: Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain

Two other famous Cancers and an undisputed part of rock n roll history, Cobain gave Love a 5 karat diamond and ruby engagement ring (tragically for Love, it was then stolen on Valentine’s Day one year after his death). I couldn’t find any pictures of the original ring, but here is a 2 karat diamond and ruby ring that I would personally love!

Happy Birthday Cancerians Everywhere!

Here are some gift ideas for the weird yet wonderfully dependable Cancerians in your life…

Grey Pearls

Grey pearl studs with diamond accents – $359.99…

This version is cubic zirconia with grey pearls and is only $25.

The birthstone for Cancers is the ruby (one of my favorite gemstones of all time). And the symbol for cancer is the crab…

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Let’s face it, it’s hard to come up with good names for your kids. You might go out of your way to give your child a unique name only to have 5 other kids with the same name in his or her kindergarten class. A few years ago, no one would have said Isabella was common but now the playground is teeming with Bellas and Ellas. Isabella (or a version thereof) is the new Jennifer and Ava is the new Stephanie…

The trick is to come up with a name everyone involved is happy with, that isn’t too common -but that is also easy to pronounce and spell. My own pet peeve is ‘unique’ spellings of common names – the Jenyfurs, etc –  I’ve always thought it just makes it look like your parents can’t spell. Is your child really going to thank you after the thousandth time they’ve had to correct the spelling of their name? 

Celebrities seem to be be very challenged in this area – I guess their approach is different because they know that little “Rebel” or “Free” will never have to put their name on a resume or seek employment in the real world. A world where studies have shown that any name that is too hard to pronounce, or even just too ethnic – means less interviews… 

Well, here at Celebrity Icing we like to celebrate our favorites, so rather than making fun of all the goofy names selected for celebrity spawn we thought we’d spend some time featuring some of the names we like!

Beckett is the bee’s knees

Melissa Etheridge and Julie Cypher named their son Beckett and their daughter Bailey (presumably before Grey’s Anatomy went on the air…). The name Beckett means ‘Bee Cottage’ which is rather cute and inspires one to all sorts of nursery room decorating ideas. Beckett may have been named after the famous Irish writer or (and I hope it’s this one) Scott Bakula’s character from Quantum Leap. What child wouldn’t want to be named after the mysterious and adorable time traveler?

Coco is classy yet cute 

Courteney Cox Arquette  and David Arquette named their daughter Coco (rumor: after Courtney Cox). This name meets all of my criteria: if you see it in writing, you immediately know how to pronounce it – yet, at the same time, it’s very rare. According to thinkbabynames.com it is originally from Spain and is the short form of Soccoro (which means ‘lover of soccer’? no, just kidding…). It is cute, yet with a classy hint of Coco Chanel. My only fear would be that people might not take my daughter seriously – but that won’t be a problem if she turns out to be funny like her dad or a strong personality like her mom… 

Tallulah springs to mind

Bruce Willis and Demi More AND Simon LeBon and Yasmin Parvaneh both named a daughter Tallulah. This name means “leaping waters” in the Choctaw language (behindthename.com) or “jumping water” (babynamewizard.com). There is a waterfall named Tallulah in Georgia, where famous Tallulah Bankhead came from. It’s a beautiful sounding name and very rare. According to the namevoyager at babynamewizard.com – it’s never been in the top 1,000 names in any decade on record. (In contrast, Gertrude was ranked #24 in the 1890′s and Isabella was #2 in 2007.)  Tallulah Bankhead was actually notorious for her promiscuous behavior, boozing, drugging, and is actually thought to be the inspiration for 101 Dalmation’s Cruella Deville so I’m going with the idea that these children were named after the waterfall! Then again, so many parents named their daughters “Paris” in 2004, that it is ranked #156 in popularity – so nothing can surprise me anymore… yuck… 

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The third installment in a series about how your accessories can have some star power!

Born between May 21 and June 20? Then you are a Gemini just like Johnny Depp, Joan Rivers, Stevie Nicks, and Nicole Kidman.

Geminis are adventurers in life – they aren’t afraid to try new things and they are fun people to have around. Geminis are known as great communicators – they’re good talkers but also good listeners and are usually dialed in to all the dirt on their friends (famous gossip columnist Hedda Hopper was a Gemini). The Gemini, or two sisters, are also known for having two sides to their personalities.

Gemini Star Style: Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman’s adventurous spirit is seen in her very diverse choice of film roles: from chick flick Practical Magic, edgy comedy To Die For, experimental foreign film Dogville, to blah Hollywood flicks like Far and Away and Days of Thunder. Like all Geminis, Kidman has two sides to her character: she is a celebrity but she is also a humanitarian (recipient of the United Nations Citizen of the World Award). She has had two very different husbands. She is a dual citizen: American and Australian – she was born in Hawaii but has lived most of her life in Australia.

One of my best friends is a Gemini and all of these characteristics fit perfectly with her as well: she loves life and is a fantastic listener. She has her professional side, working in the corporate legal world, but also uses her connections and talents to contribute to local fundraising. Early years in California but living in Canada – she has enjoyed two very different childhoods. Happy Birthday, Kristine!

Gems for the Gemini

When a Gemini arrives in our world, Summer is just around the corner. Perhaps that is why they look great in anything that catches the light: sparkly stones, transparent gems, and silver or white gold.

Here are some great birthday gifts for Geminis:

Bulky Bracelet

Birthstone Moppet

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Proving you can have your cake and eat it too, here are some yummy recipes from some sweet stars. We’ve also included some jewelry inspired by our featured stars (because we’re celebrityicing.com and that’s what we do!).

AMY GRANT

Singer Amy Grant is about as wholesome as apple pie. You can get her family recipe for Mud Puddles at recipegoldmine.com.

Old-fashioned but still funky…

These earrings’ lever back closures make them seem like they may have been handed down from your mom. Yet the bezel setting is definitely perfect for today – and for Amy Grant.

ANNETTE FUNICELLO

One of America’s sweethearts, you can get Annette Funicello’s recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies at cdkitchen.com. It received a 4 out of 5 star rating so you know it’s not mickey mouse…

A ‘good’ girl who still attracts the ‘bad boy’…

A conservative style can still be coy, like these two tone ‘X’ hoop earrings – (because boys are always more interested in the X than the O’s).

ELVIS PRESLEY

The King sure had a sweet voice and he also had a sweet tooth, even when it came to sandwiches! You’ve probably heard of his grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches but how about his other favorite, the Fool’s Gold Loaf? Apparently he loved this peanut butter, grape jelly, and BACON sandwich so much he flew to Denver from Memphis to pig out on them. You can read the story and get the recipe at my favorite recipe sight, recipezaar.com. PS I have posted some of my own creations at this site, too.

Fit For A King!

A bold and eye catching ring tells the world that you are successful and not afraid to show it. More conservative folks might say it’s tacky but you don’t care what others think – that’s the message a ring like this sends.

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Weddings are usually all about planning ahead – when you ask someone to marry you, you are asking them to spend the rest of your life with you. Unless you elope, even the wedding event itself takes quite a bit of planning and foresight. So, it just makes sense to shop for a wedding band and the engagement ring at the same time.

I don’t mean that you have to buy them together, but at least keep the band in mind.

For example – jewelers offer sets of rings, engagement rings that have matching wedding rings, as well as stand alone engagement rings.

A Match Made in Heaven

Matching stones on both rings bring the set together visually. Wedding bands don’t have to be plain, boring, bands of gold – they can include designs, diamonds,  and other stones and they don’t have to be shaped in a straight circle: they can be twisted, pointed, or knife-edged (seen below).

Fitting Together Perfectly

Sometimes the shape of the rings complement each other. Keep this in mind when you buy an engagement ring – if it’s an odd shape it might be difficult to find a wedding band that will sit next to it comfortably, without an awkward-looking gap.

They Just ‘Clicked’

Or, the two rings may fit together and actually appear to be one larger ring. This is my favorite style of matching rings – they fit together perfectly (just like the two people getting married, hopefully!).

Here’s another great example- the engagement ring actually rests on top of part of the wedding band, binding them together on your finger.

Trust me, this is something to think about – I write this as I glance down at my white gold engagement ring and yellow gold wedding band… I always intended to just wear my wedding band but I found I was very attached to my engagement ring by the time my wedding rolled around so now I’m wearing both together. They don’t really make a great looking pair but they have learned to tolerate each other…

And don’t worry – if it’s too late to think ahead (she’s already wearing her engagement ring) – a simple wedding band like this will work with almost any ring:

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The second week in a new Celebrity Icing series about Star Signs, Style, and – of course – our favorite Stars! 

TAURUS STAR STYLE: NORA EPHRON

 

Nora Ephron spent her earliest childhood in the Upper West Side of New York City so it’s not surprising that, like most Taureans, her calm and coolness might be mistaken for snobbery. 

Generally the Taurus personality is one that is known for its steadiness of character, it’s calmness in the face of obstacles,and it’s steadfast nature. 

N0ra Ephron, successful as a writer and a filmmaker, has rightfully earned respect and accolades for her work. She wrote the scripts to the successful films Silkwood, Heartburn, and When Harry Met Sally. She hit success as a director in 1993, with Sleepless in Seattle. Her 2006 Collection of Essays was on the NY Times bestseller list in 2006. 

If you were lucky enough to be born between April 20th and May 20th then you are a Taurus – destiny made me a huge fan of this star sign: my husband, my daughter, and one of my very best friends is  a Taurus. So is my sister-in-law and she is one of the women that I truly admire – she’s classy, cool, and kind – and she’s the type of mom that I aspire to be.

Classic Yellow Gold, Timeless Styles

And, while we’re on the topic of When Harry Met Sally – here is a funny version of the trailer recut as if it was actually a Horror! 

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