Just a few days to July 4th and time to look through your closet for all things red, white, and blue!

Indoor Fireworks

Did you click on the video? The perfect soundtrack for this section. What would be more romantic than presenting your soul mate with some diamonds during the fireworks? Make sure you are cuddled up on a deck or in a hotel room with a view of the display in the night sky. Guaranteed that you will create some of your own indoor fireworks.

Diamond earrings are always a good choice – they make a great commitment-free gift for a girlfriend and they are also are a special treat for your wife. Remember, jewelry shouldn’t always commemorate a special milestone or occasion – the best gifts come as a complete surprise. You can buy a very nice set of diamond earrings for less than $80 or you can go get some real celebrity-style icing and get earrings for several thousand dollars.

Happy Birthday

Gina Lollobrigida was born on July 4, 1927. She is actually Italian but was engaged to New York real estate heir George Kaufman for a brief period in 1969 and also was a Hollywood actress, starring in movies with Humphrey Bogart, Burt Lancaster, and Rock Hudson. At one point she was known as ‘the world’s most beautiful woman.’

She is wearing the perfect outfit for a July 4th picnic.

Add some celebrity icing to your style:

Check out this cute dress is from Tokyo Pink.

Accessorize with a vespa coin purse from etsy.com if you don’t drive the real thing. Also note, if you think a red, white, and blue color theme is too much you can try a light blue, pink, and white coordination like this one for your July 4th style instead.

And don’t forget the most important July 4th accessory of all, a picnic blanket!

American Sweetheart

Do you see fireworks when you kiss your American sweetheart? Propose on Independence Day and you will! Here is the perfect engagement ring for the day you give up your independence and start living the American dream – a house, a dog, some kids… okay, let’s just start with the ring, shall we?

The heart-shaped diamond and vintage-looking scroll pattern evoke old-fashioned romance. The cathedral style setting makes the most of the diamond and shows you are serious.

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We recently featured Audrey Hepburn here at celebrityicing.com, so this month when I was looking for a new celebrity to feature, I naturally thought of the other famous Hepburn…

Katherine

Born on May 12 1907, Katherine Hepburn was a Taurus. Although I’m sure she would have thought the very idea was ‘poppycock.’ Yet Taurians (is that what you call them?) are known for their steadiness of character, calmness in the face of obstacles,and steadfast nature. Characteristics that even Kate probably wouldn’t snort at.

Katherine Hepburn appeared in many,  many movies over a long lasting career. She won 4 Oscars and is deeply respected today for her talent and her strong personality, particularly considering the era in which she started her career.

Katherine Hepburn was able to portray very strong women who were also uniquely vulnerable – this made her roles very interesting (and timeless).

She also had a talent for comedy and an ability to be beautiful and funny at the same time.

My favorite Hepburn movies has to be Philadelphia Story – I think I’ve seen it more than any other, and I still enjoy it every time. There is a another version of the same story starring Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby, and it is also good – but not AS good as the Hepburn version.

Hepburn Style

If Katharine Hepburn inspires you, let her style inspire your style…

Isn’t She Yar?

This diamond bracelet would be perfect for her character in the Philadelphia Story.

Seating For One

Here’s an opportunity to support the theatre, celebrate your own individuality, and pay respect to Katharine Hepburn’s hometown at the same time. You can ‘buy’ a seat at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, Connecticut: “preserve her legacy – her fame – her personality – and her snappy style – by sponsoring a chair with your name or a name of someone you would like to honor on a chair plaque.”

Classic Style

Katharine Hepburn had an understated style that was very elegant, like these two-tone earrings and this gold diamond engagement ring. Yellow gold is the perfect type of gold for the Taurus, as well as anyone who enjoys classic movies, and vintage style.

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What Season Are You?

This week we continue our flashback to the 80’s – when everyone was getting their colors done. Last December I featured the method of determining which colors work for you in an article, “The 1980′s Called and Asked: What Season Are You?“  This concept originates from a book called “Color Me Beautiful” by Carole Jackson - which spent 4 years on the NY Times bestseller list. All fun aside, Jackson’s style advice is a blessing for anyone out there who is color-challenged. You can wear the most expensive make up, the hottest clothing, and the best jewelry – but if you are wearing the wrong colors you will still look horrible (and sometimes, even ill). For more information straight from the source, you should visit her website at carolejackson.com – she provides samples of color swatches that you can refer to once you identify which season suits you.

Wondering if you are a Winter? Then please read our article called “Get Your Colors Done Part 1: Is Winter Cool For You?“

Wondering if you are a Spring? Then please read our article called “Get Your Colors Done Part 2: Is Spring A Fresh Idea?“

Are You A Summer?

Photo: Olivia-NewtonJohn.com

In the last article featuring this topic, we explained that “Spring” people look better in warm tones like peach and coral, and yellow gold jewelry flatters their complexion. It makes sense that Summers also look great in warm colors – it is the warmest season after all. However, Summers actually fall into the “cool” category. Examples of cool colors are: green, blue, and violet. Imagine pinks and greens with a blue undertone, and you are on the right track.

Take the Test

Summers are the least common color – it seems like all Summers have naturally blond hair color, which is also rare. To be even more specific, we’re talking cool blonds, not yellow blonds… If you’re a summer your face will reflect a blue tone rather than a yellow tone onto a white piece of paper.

You will look best in subtle color combinations and should avoid contrasts. Summers can still be bold, but it is best to stick to one bright color – like the red Christina is wearing below (note that this red has a blue undertone, making it work for a Summer).

Summer Ice

White gold and diamonds are perfect for the girls (and boys) of Summer.

The simple elegant design of this white gold solitaire engagement ring would be perfect.

This highly polished sterling silver collar necklace is also a great way to frame that beautiful summer complexion and blond hair!

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It’s October and all the leaves may be brown and the sky may be gray, but that doesn’t mean you want to wear some of your own icing, right? Add some Autumn awesomeness to your style by wearing some leaf-inspired jewelry!

Click play on this video for the perfect soundtrack to this article…

If you’re city folk like me, you spend a lot of time surrounded by the manmade, manufactured, mass produced environment of offices, grocery stores, traffic, and shopping malls. And, even though I work from home, I spend too much time in front of my computer with a few houseplants scattered here and there – and not enough time in my backyard or the nearby parks…

I think that’s why wearing jewelry that evokes nature feels so good. Flower hair clips, a lady bug brooch, a leaf designed scarf (okay I wouldn’t suggest you wear these all at the same time!) – elements from the natural, organic world comforts us as we live our city lives… they keep us grounded.

This week we are going to focus on some Autumn inspired art as we feature the leaf in jewelry.

Leaf Necklaces

Jennifer Aniston wearing a gold leaf necklace in the movie “The Break Up”

The gold pendant below is made from a real Birch Leaf.

A more ornate version of the leaf necklace, from Studio Rona(Etsy).

I love the asymmetric look – this necklace would be fantastic with a scoop neck sweater when the weather cools down, or dressed up with a black velvet strapless gown.

Leaf Rings

Fun

This dainty ring is made by organic metal jeweler Beth Cyr.

Each one is unique (no mold is used) and made from sterling silver.

Formal

A leaf design runs around this platinum princess three stone engagement ring from Danforth Diamonds.

Leaf Earrings

This Autumn Leaf hoop earring design looks like something Vanessa on Gossip Girl would wear.

Leaf Bracelets

Silver vine bangle from Australian jewelry artist Michelle Pujol.

I just discovered her today, you should check out her website for other amazing nature-inspired creations.

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Happy Birthday to Me!

People born between August 22 and September 23 are Virgos. While some people say we’re persnickety, picky, even prudish, perfectionists – we know that we just like to do things right the first time. Virgos are great planners because they are great at paying attention to the details. And, while you might find us to be hyper critical of everything (and quite possibly every one), keep in mind Virgos are usually the hardest on themselves…

Virgos are a little bit nerdy…

Virgos are also plucky – Pee Wee Herman is back for a limited engagement in November at the Music Box in Hollywood (latimes.com) and there is also talk of other Pee Wee projects in the works… .

and a little bit rock and roll…

Or, in the case of Joan Jett, virgos are a LOT rock and a LOT roll! Apparently Kristen Stewart is set to play Joan Jett in an upcoming movie… which is hard to picture at the moment due to her portrayal of the weak, annoying character she plays in Twilight. I’d like to see Joan Jett appear in the Twilight series instead – she could set Edward straight! And I’m betting she’d totally go for that werewolf character (can’t remember his name – is it Sam?) – he’s way hotter than stone cold, Victorian Edward.

Virgos write it all down…

Agatha Christie

William Rice Burroughs

D.H. Lawrence

Henry L. Mencken

Agatha Christie

You can read a great article about Agatha Christie, described as “what Steven Spielberg is to American cinema. What Stephen King is to the horror genre” by Yoshinori ‘Todo, at criminalbrief.com.

…and can be, perhaps, a bit creepy

H.G. Wells

Stephen King

Mary Godwyn Shelley

Mary Shelley wrote the original Frankenstein story when she was 19 years old and is also the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft (considered by many to be the very first feminist).

Virgo Style

Earrings

Necklaces

Rings

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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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“Spotted, Juliette Lewis in Tribeca. Greenwich Street between Watts and Desbrosses.” (omgicu)

Website OMG ICU (omgicu.com) allows users to share New York City star sightings with each other.

Often the information just includes the name of the celebrity and the location; but sometimes the information is juicier.  For example,what they are doing, who they are with, even critiques of how they look are sometimes included. I found first spottings of engagement rings and smooches, and I’m sure there will also be spottings of weddings, newly married couples coming out of churches in the future, too!

You can search by most recent sightings, neighborhoods, or celebrity standings (A to D list). You can also do specific key word searches for celebrity names, streets, or other key words. A list spottings include everyone from Stephen Colbert to Justin Timberlake and the Dalai Lama. D list spotting examples are: Nicholas Cage (what?! I do not agree!) and Fisher Stevens (formerly married to Kirstie Alley).

Members also get to rate whether they care about the celebrity sighting (or not). For example, 75% of members cared that Uma Thurman was spotted “…on her blackberry, Busy but friendly, smoking a cigarette and looking great.” (omgicu)

Members who live in the NYC area can sign up to receive texts when sightings occur.

This site is great is you are in New York City, but also fun if you just want to keep up to date on your favorite celebs!

Heather Matarazzo

Heather Matarazzo (of Welcome to the Dollhouse and The Princess Diaries fame -she was also DJ’s girlfriend on Roseanne) spotted on the 5 train to Union Square“reading Conversations with God with an engagement ring on“(omgicu).

Edward Westwick and Chace Crawford

In a beautiful case of irony, Gossip Girl fans can keeps tabs on their favorite gossip boy crushes Chuck Bass and Nate with OMG ICU. Also a great way to find out where they are filming so you can try to catch a glimpse of them ‘for reals’.

“…saw ed westwick and chace crawford at a gossip girl set infront ofgramercy dorm “Chase Crawford with a big posse @ The Thompson Hotel (190 Allen St) on the les around 1am wearing a hat and hoodie.” (omgicu)

OMG ICU is a new website (it is currently operating as an alpha version) so I think the lack of current members is swaying the ratings quite a bit. Do them a favor and sign up and help save Kyle Maclachlan and Kim Gordon from the D-List category, for heaven’s sake!

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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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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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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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