Friday, December 30, 2011

happy new year!

favorite design of 2011

toward the end of the year I always reflect on what's happened, what I've accomplished, and what I'd like to do differently in the coming year. one tradition I have is to select my favorite design of the year. this year, my favorite design is a multi gemstone necklace that is made from amethyst, carnelian, labradorite, chrysoprase, and multicolor chalcedony. it has lots of color and lots of sparkle!

available here

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

christmas recap

after a busy holiday season, I've been enjoying time with my family in connecticut. there has been lots of christmas cookie eating, movie watching, and sleeping in. here are a few snapshots from the holidays:


annual champagne toast and reading of "twas the night before christmas" in front of the tree


some of my favorite gifts from santa!


my mom loved her new necklace!


grandchildren-grandparents photo







Thursday, December 22, 2011

I heart Blogshop

(photo, designlovefest)

over the summer I decided to start taking my blog seriously and I began posting every day about things that inspire me, new collections I'm working on, and my obsession with nail polish. but I knew I needed more skills with photoshop to take my blog to the next level and so when I heard about Blogshop, I immediately signed up. last week I took part in the NYC Blogshop and it was awesome. I loved meeting fellow bloggers (collaborations to come in the future!) and I learned so much about photoshop. check out some of my fancy new skills:











Wednesday, December 21, 2011

gaga's workshop

this past weekend I checked out Gaga's Workshop at Barneys and it was a wonderland of neon, sparkle, and over-the-top gifts. the sparkle nail art, rock candy jewelry, and outrageous shoe cookies were highlights for me. and the best part is that 25% of proceeds go to charity.

Monday, December 19, 2011

last minute gifts from j.crew



I am basically obsessed with everything J.Crew has out this season (as is the case every season), but I thought I'd pick a few favorites for last minute gifts that are sure to please their stylish recipient!

1. j.crew trapper hat in toffee leopard//2. FACE Stockholm for J.Crew nail polish in Toast of the Town//3. J.Crew tippi sweater in monterey pine//4. J.Crew wandering star bag //5. J.Crew solid watch strap in fiesta purple

Friday, December 16, 2011

things I adored this week


1. preppy plaid + statement red in this Atlantic-Pacific post
2. archie grand for j.crew notebook (in honor of a fabulous blogshop this week!)
3. fabulous new lip pencil discovery: NARS velvet gloss lip pencil

Thursday, December 15, 2011

more sparkle!


I'm pleased to announce that several new sparkle necklaces (the perfect New Year's Eve statement!) have been added to my etsy site. click here to check out the new gold, silver, bronze, and gunmetal sparkle necklaces!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

images that inspire




I recently went through all of the photos I've taken on instagram since I switched to an iPhone in august (best decision ever). I put together a few of my favorite images of things that are sparkly, neon, and colorful. follow me on instagram {@katiebartels} to keep updated on pretty things I come across in my daily adventures.

Monday, December 12, 2011

welcome :)

after blogging on tumblr for a year, I have switched to blogspot. never fear, all of my old posts are here! I will soon be relaunching a new tumblr blog, which will feature pictures that inspire me. updates on that to come. in the meantime, I hope you enjoy my new home :)

Friday, December 9, 2011

favorite thing of the week: "alexander girard"

last night at barneys new york, I attended the launch of todd oldham and kiera coffee's new book, "alexander girard". as a lover of bold color combinations, I have always admired girard's work and was thrilled to learn todd and kiera had compiled all of his works in this fantastic book.

the scene at barneys

kiera and todd sign books

1. Rag & Bone Danby cable-knit wool sweater // 2. Butter London nail polish in racing green // 3. Smythson sling bag // 4. Katie Bartels green garnet necklace

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

stocking stuffers + sparkle

this holiday season I'm giving my friends necklaces and earrings paired with nail polish so I thought I'd share a few of the combinations I've come up with (although I won't reveal whose getting them!). so between now and christmas I'll be posting a couple of combinations, feel free to give the same gift to your friends and family this holiday season!

1. katie bartels red cutout wood and onyx earrings ** 2. katie bartels green cutout wood and onyx earrings ** 3. OPI for sephora nail polish in Good Tidings we Bling

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

the collection of elizabeth taylor

this weekend I previewed the elizabeth taylor collection that will be auctioned next week at Christie's. the jewels were absolutely jaw-dropping and her collection is quite extensive. you can check out images/details of all pieces here or go in person until december 13. its absolutely worth braving the crowds to see this major sparkle!

my absolute favorite piece, a bvlgari diamond and emerald necklace with an emerald and diamond pendant brooch. oh and don't worry, she had a ring to match!

stunning 27.42 carat fancy yellow diamond ring

Saturday, December 3, 2011

favorite thing of the week: colorful gemstone bracelets!

now that my holiday trunk shows are over, I've been spending a lot of time in my studio finalizing my spring/summer collections and working on some other new collections. one collection I couldn't wait until 2012 to debut was my multicolor gemstone bracelet collection! each piece is one-of-a-kind and they are available online here or at NEST Interiors in Chelsea.

here are a few of the bracelets!:

pink quartz and black spinel bracelet

chrysoprase, labradorite, spinel, and multicolor chalcedony bracelet