What’s your favorite Halloween costume?

Last  year my husband went as Captain Hooker (pirate from the waist up, miniskirt and fishnets from the waist down) and I went as Stinkerbell (imagine Tinkerbell crossed with the Peanuts’ character Pig Pen). My friends dressed up as Alice in Wonderbread (she wore an Alice costume with those big wonderbread dots all over it) and Phantom of the Grand Ol’ Opry – I’m a sucker for these kinds of ‘play on words’ costumes…

Halloween Costume Advice from Celebrity Icing

Don’t use Halloween as an excuse to wear your sleaziest clothes – do something interesting! Do we really need to see another naughty nurse, hooker, or French maid? This year we think smart, ironic, witty, or a combination of all three is much sexier (if it involves fishnet stockings or stilettos, that’s fine – but they should be part of the costume!).

Today celebrity icing celebrates some cool and creepy jewelry and stars in honor of the season.

For more ghoulish jewels, Halloween gift ideas, and some star-inspired Halloween costume ideas, check out last year’s Halloween feature ”Halloween Brings New Meaning to Costume Jewelry“.

Diamonds are a Ghoul’s Best Friend

The jewel below is not a real diamond, it’s resin that has been cast into a diamond cut shape. And, that’s a real Green Rose Chafer Beetle inside – the perfect gift for your Ghoulfriend.

Here is the Lotus Spider Ring offered by Kabiri. I love the heart detail and the bed of diamonds… (and yes, they are real diamonds).

Subtle, Yet Spooky

Here are some nice nods to the season if you’re not dressing up. You don’t just have to wear these on Halloween either!

An Owl pendant with a black crystal ball chain.

Or, grey pearl drop earrings with sterling silver posts.

And, remember – Eat, Drink and Be Scary on Halloween, but for heaven’s sake don’t drive home after the party!

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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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We continue our series on style inspired by the star signs this week with a feature on Libras (September 23 – October 22).

Libra’s love to dress up. They also love art and public service. They do not like to be rushed and they also dislike sloppiness and dirtiness.

Let’s look at some famous Libra stars while celebrityicing points you in the right style direction.

Helen Hayes

Helen Hayes (1900 – 1993) is nicknamed “The First Lady of American Theatre” and is one of only ten people to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. She was also a “generous donor of time and money to a number of causes and organizations.” (wikipedia.org).

My favorite Helen Hayes quote is “If you rest, you rust” but, a wise and observant person, she has many others. For example, “From your parents you learn love and laughter and how to put one foot in front of the other. But when books are opened you discover you have wings.”

Catherine Zeta Jones

Catherine Zeta Jones’ beauty and style is an attention-stealer where ever she goes. She manages to combine elegance and sophistication with a healthy vibrance, not easy to pull off successfully.

Load up on silver necklaces and accentuate with a diamond pendant for this look.

Naomi Watts

I just saw Naomi Watts in ‘The International’ which I really liked (I was disappointed to see that it didn’t get very good reviews). Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman are reportedly best friends and they have a similar style and look (although Naomi is more natural; while Nicole is perhaps more polished).

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I’m due to have my baby very soon so I guess I have babies on the brain more than usual.

Should Babies Wear Jewelry?

Some cultures seem to prefer jewelry on their children very young (bracelets, earrings). My mom bought all of her girl grandchildren tiny engraved bracelets when they were born – not sure if this is  German thing or just a personal predilection – she also buys child-size silver cutlery for all the kids…

This week we feature baby bracelets:

I also know other people who are passionately against the whole concept of adorning their precious little ones in precious metals.

Of course, if you are going to string your baby with bling make sure it is safe.

Always observe the age guidelines for jewelry – most of it is not practical for children under 3 (it is only worn during a photo session or special ceremony like a christening and then kept as a keepsake or heirloom). For specific information about recalls, please refer to ConsumerReports.org. Here are some basic guidelines:

• Don’t leave children unattended (this includes naptime, bedtime)
• Purchase jewelry from a reputable jewelry store (you get what you pay for).
• Be suspicious of any jewelry purchased from a vending machine or dollar/discount store.
• Watch for small pieces and jewels that might detach (choking hazards).
• ”Breakaway” clasps or weak elastic is the best choice for all jewelry worn around a child’s neck (or better yet, just avoid this jewelry until the child is older).
• Ask the store to confirm what metals are contained in the jewelry. Good jewelry stores (online included) will provide this information on their websites.

Guaranteed Goodies

For example, the Danforth Diamond website informs you that their 14K Yellow Gold Baby Girl charm is made from Harmony Recycled Metals (and you receive a Certificate of Authenticity with your purchase).

Charm The Little One

A great gift idea for a little girl – buy her a charm bracelet. You can buy her charms for years to come, making gift shopping easy! She may not be able to wear it right away, but it can grow along with her – the charms you select while she grows up can symbolize milestones in her life (shoes for first steps or ballet shoes for first dance recital, for example). It’s also a nice way to show your commitment to be in this little girl’s life – perfect for divorced dads, distant grandparents, or mom’s best friend!

Traditional Baby

The Gingham Grasshopper offers bracelets that are like the bracelets babies used to get at the hospital, only much fancier. The bracelet pictured below is made from .925 Sterling Silver and freshwater pearls (read their safety issues link for their guarantee).

Yummy Mummy

Dr. Bloom’s Chewable Jewels – are actually for mom, but baby gets to chew on them when teething.

Here’s one of Celebrity Icing’s favorite celebs, Milla Jovohovich, a fan of Dr. Bloom’s jewels.

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Well it was bound to happen – given the cupcake images I use and the name of this blog, so let’s get it over with! 

My favorite cupcake jewelry and accessories

A sweet treat under any Christmas tree (or any other time for that matter). 

Pretty Please, With a Cherry on Top

 

This cute little cupcake is handmade. The ‘cherry on top’ is a tiny swarovski crystal. You can order this sweet pendant and necklace directly from the artist, Natasha Puffer, from  her website by clicking on the photo above.

Cupcake Cutie

How sweet is this? The perfect cupcake baking outfit. 

Jessie Steele Audrey Bib Apron, Pumpkin Cupcakes

Customized Cupcake

You can order a charming custom cupcake charm (or half a dozen!?) from Jessica & Susan Partain at Inedible Jewelry. You get to pick your cake flavor and frosting. You can also add sprinkles, a cherry, or even make special requests. 

Here’s a witty hostess gift for the holidays… 

Or a cute charm for the coffee lover close to your heart…

Uh, You Got Some Cupcake on Your Shirt

Har har. Okay this shirt is really cute. It says pirate, it says cupcake, it says ‘hey I’m a tasty pirate’. I bought a different version for my husband not too long ago and it’s the first shirt I grab when I’m raiding his t-shirt drawer. His response is “ARRRRRR” of course!

Cupcakes that are Craft-alicious

I scoured the Internet for some cupcake crafts and here is my favorite find: 

Some craftsters did a cupcake swap and some of the tasty results were a cupcake coin purse, cupcake candles and a cupcake cookbook (above) all made by a very talented person going by the name eye_on_sparrow. Click on the photo to see the rest of the crafts. 

Get Some Taste

And now that I’ve made you crave cupcakes I thought I better include a recipe. Here is one that caught my attention – it’s a recipe for no-bake raspberry cupcakes submitted by William (Uncle Bill) Anatooskin on recipezaar.com. I haven’t tried it yet, but I think I’m going to have to, it looks so tasty! 

 

And for all things cupcake there are blogs dedicated to this very topic, called ‘Cupcakes Take the Cake‘ and ‘Cupcake Bites’. You can visit these blogs for even more cupcake information… 

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Well, it’s November and my city is officially drizzly, wet, and cloudy. This is my only excuse for why I got sucked into watching one of the shopping TV channels more than once this week.

I’ve never ordered anything and I’m not usually interested in the products – what I am drawn to is the back story behind the celebrities flogging their wares. I like to watch them closely as they chat with the shopping host. I like to listen to the little anecdotes they throw in about their personal lives.

Luckily I write for this blog so I can tell my husband I’m doing research for an article when he catches me. And, luckily he would only read this blog if it was about software, gadgets or design-related stuff so he’ll never find out about my guilty pleasure.

Most recently I’ve seen Joan Rivers, Suzanne Somers, and an intriguing chicken roaster (not all at the same time, of course).

This led me to wonder about what other celebrity-branded jewelry is out there. Here is what I’ve found so far and what I think:

Suzanne Somers

Suzanne Somers’ most famous product has got to be the thighmaster (which she still sells, by the way). However she has branded so many different things that her website is almost as well-stocked as your local Walmart. She sells fitness equipment, supplements, books, skin care, a teeth whitening system… she even has her own line of pasta! Imagine if she had hooked up with Gene Simmons: what a merchandising match made in heaven – they might have taken over the entire world.

Here is an example of her jewelry.

Rhodium Cross Pendant

To be fair, she does offer some jewelry that is less offensive, but this one just jumped out at me.

Rhodium is also used to build catalytic converters – too bad this bit of Rhodium escaped from the car manufacturer.

If you bought this cross after seeing it on a shopping show, don’t fret, I completely understand. While I was watching her, she addressed the camera spoke to us directly. She instructed us to order now and then stared intensely into our eyes. I watched, hypnotized, as the number of sales rolled up and the bauble she was selling sold out right in front of my eyes. Only then did I let the breath that I was holding out, smug that I had escaped purchasing earrings and a matching gold necklace for almost two hundred dollars.

Joan Rivers

When I saw Joan Rivers on the shopping channel it kind of looked like the host was afraid of her, and probably with good reason. Joan Rivers would just speak right over the host on topics not entirely related to the products on hand. She seemed a bit impatient, like she was late for another appointment – and, possibly, a bit out of it. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was going on and this mystery kept my attention for a very long time.

Photo Watch

This is a watch offered in the Joan Rivers collection.

Because every crazy cat lady wants to bring photos of all of her ‘children’ with her when she is taken away to the hospital.

It also helps recluses keep track of when their favorite programs are coming on TV.

Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams is considered a super producer in the music industry. He is also the lead singer and drummer of N.E.R.D.

Charming N.E.R.D.

Last January, Pharrell came out with a jewelry line. I thought his stuff was pretty nice until I found out that they were selling for up to $621,000. Now I’m just wondering which of my single friends I should set him up with!

Nicole Richie

Nicole Richie named her jewelry line House of Harlow, after her daughter and there are some interesting pieces in her line.

This is not one of them.

Leather Cuff

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

If Suzanne Somers and Gene Simmons had married their merchandising and licensing empires, they could have spawned commercial mastermind super twins like these two.

Robert Lee Morris for Elizabeth and James

The twins teamed up with one of their favorite jewelers to create a line of jewelry for their brand Elizabeth and James.

Just in case you didn’t watch them grow up on TV, here is further proof that Mary-Kate and Ashley are just not regular, ordinary people.

If they had grown up like plain old you and me, they would know that you can buy jewelry exactly like this from most street vendors, carnies, and flea market vendors in pretty much every city in North America.

I’m not saying I don’t like it, just that I’m not willing to spend more than twenty bucks on it.

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October 24, 2008

This morning 3 talented musicians will be honored by Billboard at a breakfast at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. Also today, the Women In Music issue of Billboard is going to be issued. 

Deborah Harry, Ciara and Colbie Caillat are all receiving awards today and so Celebrity Icing is going to spotlight their style as a tribute to them. 

Deborah Harry – Icon Award

I am so happy to see these talented people recognized. Particularly, Deborah Harry who has inspired me personally. Did you know that Deborah Harry was 32 years old when her band, Blondie, had their first commercial hit? (1977 – “In the Flesh”, and that was in Australia). Her first US Hit was “Heart of Glass”, two years later. 

I searched for quite some time and it doesn’t seem like Deborah Harry wears jewelry very often. I guess when you’re a force of nature like her you don’t need to adorn yourself with any extra sparkle. She definitely draws attention naturally. 

Venetian Box Link Necklace

Ciara – Woman of the Year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diamond Earrings

Sliver necklaces with pendants

Colbie Caillat – Rising Star Award

    

Colbie Caillat

    

Teardrop Turquoise Pendant

2007

Last year, Reba McEntire received the Woman of the Year Award.

 

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Chris Brown gives Rihanna a $100,000 necklace.

Rihanna reportedly loved the gold heart-shaped pendant so much that she had a diamond cross made for Chris in return.

A heart shaped pendant is a sweet sign of affection and a perfect gift from a man on special occasions or, even better, out of the blue as a surprise.

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