In order to find a great artisan who is able to make customized accessory pieces, start boutique shopping in some of the more popular locations in the city to see if any jewelry collections look appealing. Once you find something reminiscent of what you’ve been looking for, ask the merchant for some more information about the jewelry maker. Chances are they’ll be happy to brag about the designers they carry.

Here are some great local places to start your artisan-targeted browsing:

Uptown 17th Avenue
Known as one of the trendiest shopping areas in Alberta, Uptown 17th Avenue has over 2 kilometres of fashionable shops and privately owned boutiques to explore. Many people describe this stretch as a cosmopolitan hipster dreamland, and it’s one of the easiest places to find artisans and their creations in person.

Willow Park Village
For anyone hoping for a more relaxed shopping experience that presents them with a wide variety of shops in one location, consider Willow Park Village. It’s a very comfortable way to spend the day looking for your unique jewelry designer. There are dozens of fashion and accessory boutiques, with each one showcasing something different from the rest, so you won’t lack variety if you opt for this locale.

Seasonal Festivals, Craft Shows, and Cultural Fairs
Another great way to source local artisans is by checking out the local seasonal craft shows, festivals, and fairs that pop up throughout the year. Although these events sometimes have an array of artisans from across the country, there is still a very good chance that most of them will offer services for custom jewelry in Calgary if it’s requested. There are a lot of smallish offerings that can be found here and there, but for the best chances and the most selection, make a point of getting to these two extra-special events:

1. The Artisan Fair at Fort Calgary
An ideal fair for finding custom and unique handmade items, the Artisan Fair at Fort Calgary has been steadily gaining in popularity over the years. Every year, local artisans vie to display their finest work for sale and make themselves available to potential clients. It’s a great opportunity to talk to artisans directly, and see which ones are willing to work on private custom jobs.

2. The Lilac Festival
The Lilac Festival is run by the 4th Street Festival Society, and is widely-considered the best free festival in the city, and one of the core artisan events that offers abundant opportunity to see custom jewelry from Calgary vendors. The 4th Street venue draws thousands of visitors who traipse a 13 block festival radius to eat, shop artisan kiosks, and be entertained by local performers.

There are a plethora of places so seek out talented local artisans in Calgary, so it’s really just a matter of taking some time to find the one that suits your taste. You might unearth just what you’re looking for at one of the above-listed locations, or somewhere much less expected. Whatever you do, don’t hesitate to look wherever your whimsy guides you. You never know where you’re going to find your Faberge.

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The Saddledome
The unique architectural design of the Saddledome is one that almost anyone can identify as a striking symbol of the city. The beautiful soft curves and truly unique shape make it one of the best inspirational sites for memorial custom jewelry of Calgary. The wide shallow curve of the dome also makes it a flawless base shape for showing off a luxurious precious gem or two.

Stephen Avenue
The famous Stephen Avenue is a favorite place for both locals and tourists to spend their days in the city. This large pedestrian shopping area has many adorable architectural shop fronts, but the most eye-catching feature is a metal installation that looks like a small forest of trees or large leaves. This installation has a stunning shape and exquisite detail that would instil beauty into any custom jewelry design should it be drawn upon for inspiration.

Chinese Cultural Centre
The Chinese Cultural Centre is filled with many rich and traditional symbols that are sure to offer inspiration if you’re leaning towards a more symbolic custom jewelry piece to represent Calgary. The architecture incorporates vibrant colours along with powerful symbols from Chinese history, and is rife with incredible design details, both outside and in.

Olympic Plaza
The famous Olympic Plaza is a beautiful open outdoor space that many locals enjoy year round. There are some very interesting features to draw inspiration from, especially the intricate arches that are adorned with a fan-shaped Greek detail that would translate into a stunning application of unique jewelry. The wide-variety of colour displayed also provides you with the opportunity to visually select metals and gems that would complement each other nicely.

Millennium Park
For something truly youthful and iconic, Millennium Park is the place to be. As Canada’s largest skate park, it is overrun with visually appealing curves, sculptures, and landmark buildings. Even the large lights are impressive in design. For creative jewelry that includes pieces from a memorable park, choose one or more aspects of this incredible area to include in your unique localized token.

City Hall
City hall is truly a beautiful structure that can’t be mistaken for another. Its streamlined design has a dramatic effect on the landscape given the other low-lying structures that surround it. The reflective glass that encompasses the building offers a beautiful pewter-like shimmer in any amount of light, which makes it an ideal source of creative inspiration for your custom jewelry piece representing Calgary.

These are just a few suggestions and there are, of course, many other stand-out architectural features that are just waiting to be reimagined in your custom design. The most important thing to remember is to choose a feature you not only love to look at but also attach great memories to, so that it will be a feast for both the eyes and the intellect when it’s worn.

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Fashion Central
Contained in three beautiful historic buildings, Fashion Central is a unique shopping experience with a wide range of fashion and accessory boutiques filling three full floors. Here you will find some of the most fashion-forward names in the industry, making it the perfect location to draw inspiration for custom jewelry in Calgary.

Inglewood
Inglewood is known as “the go-to place” for anything one-of-a-kind. The majority of the shops found here are independently owned and filled with interesting fashion accessories and creative décor unlike other vendor that cater to mass market preferences. More than just fashion, Inglewood is also known as the place to find virtually anything designer, which offers ample occasion to find a muse for custom jewelry.

International Avenue
Just as the name suggests, International Avenue is filled with culturally diverse shops and restaurants that lure patrons with a variety of overseas offerings. On top of the year-round shops that are constantly replenishing their unique stock, there is also a huge annual celebration called Global Fest that happens here. During this festival, the locals are able to take in some truly incredible sights and sounds courtesy of all the venues and performances the participants offer up to represent their cultural heritage. This celebration is a wonderful chance to get ideas for design details and colour combinations for various accessory pieces to fill a collection.

Fourth Street
Fourth Street is mostly known for the incredible dining selection; however these 13 blocks also hold many well-hidden secrets that only locals or adept fashion-finders know. For a unique assortment of designer shops and trendy boutiques, a stroll down Fourth Street presents a wide selection of fun décor and design that are sure to strike inspiration for new jewelry styles. Between the delicious gourmet delights and the wonderful atmosphere, it’s no doubt that a visit here will end up with a special accessory idea in mind.

Kensington
This chic area of the city is one of the most sought-after communities for the young and fashionable. Here you will find exotic foods and fashion pieces along with an eclectic mix of design and décor from all over the world. Also known to be the artist’s location for creative inspiration, it’s perhaps one of the first stops that anyone should make for finding interesting jewelry designs.

Victoria Crossing
A historical district reimagined as an upscale shopping and dining area, here there are many trendy fashion and accessory boutiques to get the creative juices flowing to design custom jewelry in Calgary. With this area being built up more each year, it’s a great source for new and upcoming trends in the fashion industry.

When choosing custom jewelry for a truly unique accessory collection, always look to the areas that fashion lovers are most drawn to. These areas are guaranteed to provide incredible selection and offer a glimpse into the trends that are just around the corner, enabling you to design the most fashion-forward one-of-a-kind custom jewelry piece in Calgary.

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Celebrities often are at the cutting edge of what’s fashionable when it comes to jewelry trends.

But, we’re wondering if Alessandra Ambrosio is taking it too far, promoting “push gifts” in the nude.

She posted a picture from her photo shoot for the Vivara Jewelry Campaign on her Facebook page this week.

A “push gift” is a gift to celebrate the birth of a baby. Typically from husband to wife.

Read the full article here:
What are your thoughts on this campaign and push gifts? Appropriate or Not At All?

Feel free to comment below, or share this article on Facebook/Twitter.

Image Source http://www.fashionlatest.net

While there will be some pieces that are soft and delicate to reflect the gentle nature of women, the majority will be incredible statements that simply cannot be ignored.

Necklaces
The neckline is the focus of many designers this season, which is why there will be a wide range of chunky chokers, layers of oversized beads and balls, and not to mention the multi-layered long chains that are made to sway along with the body as the gems and metals sparkle in the light.

Bangles
Bangles are the hot addition to virtually every outfit on the runway this season. Colour blocking is the hottest thing for clothing, so why not in jewelry as well? Combine two contrasting colours in chunky bangles for a fun bold look that is sure to bring a beautiful splash of colour to any look.

Rings
Large and luxurious is the way to go with this summer’s ring collection. Whether it’s one large sparkling stone or a pave set on a large chunky ring design, the bigger, the better. Choose from simple large stones or an arrangement with an ethnic feel for something truly unique.

Corporate gifts are regularly given to customers, clients and executives but they are also a wonderful way to reward hard-working employees for a job well done. While there are many options available for ideal corporate gifts, even for those with a fairly strict budget, there are still a few factors that everyone should consider before getting any gift. This will not only express a very positive message to the employees but it will also reinforce the reputation of being a generous business savvy individual.

By choosing quality corporate gits the employees will feel a sense of accomplishment and appreciation for the work they have done. By offering items like engraved office accessories or personalised jewelry accessory items, they are not only pieces that have a personal touch but they are also functional for everyday use.

For men, there are many professional looking pieces that can be chosen to work well with virtually any personality. Items like watches, tie clips, cufflinks or even rings work perfectly with the overall professional look in business but can also be enjoyed outside of work as well. For women, there is perhaps a wider range of items that can be chosen. For instance, watches, necklaces, bracelets and earrings all work well, however it is important to make a note of the general accessories that each woman generally wears, especially when considering earrings since not all women will have pierced ears.

When presenting corporate gifts, it’s very important to have them professionally wrapped with a personal touch as well. While anyone can go out to pick up nice gift items, the care in presenting it along with the personalised message in a handwritten card mean that much more to those receiving the gifts.

Photo Credit imaxtree

Every season of every year, there are different fashion and jewelry trends that come around to drive fashion lovers crazy. For this upcoming spring and summer seasons, there is a wide variety of trends coming around that are sure to appeal to every personal taste and needs.

Tribal Details
Tribal designs are a huge trend that will be found in every avenue of fashion and style. From tribal designs, patterns, colours and even the materials used to make the accessories; they are one of those key pieces that every collection should have.
To get the most out of this jewelry trend, look for chunky tribal necklaces, large chunky bangles, hoop earrings and other accessories in subtle earthy tones, so they can work with most clothing items in the wardrobe.

Vintage Flare
Vintage has been going strong for a while now and it seems like it’s here to stay. Look for bright vintage patterns and colour combinations. All of the details and accessory shapes for necklaces, belts, bracelets, rings and earring will surely take you back to those fun youthful days.

Soft Feminine Touches
This spring, the more feminine the accessories, the trendier they will be. Look for soft colour tones, subtle patterns, light floral touches and smooth feminine curves for all of the accessory designs. Most of the clothing pieces will have a natural, light and soft feel, which means delicate accessories, will be needed to keep up that look. Anything too bold or too loud will immediately give a look a more masculine feel.

Options to Custom Design Your Engagement Ring

By getting a professional who’s well known in the industry, you will be able to rest assured that you can get the best custom made piece, no matter what your needs or desires. Whether you are the type of person who would like to research and prepare ideas before getting a consultation with the professionals, there are several things that can be done. From leafing through popular fashion and accessory magazines or thinking up something entirely unique, simple sketches or jot notes of details will greatly help jewellers get an idea of exactly what you are looking for to perfectly custom design your engagement ring.

For those who simply have no idea where to start but would like to get someone very good to help custom design your engagement ring, it’s important to choose a reputable jeweller for a consultation. While all jewellers will have knowledge of styles, cuts and designs, the top professionals are the ones who can perfectly choose the best combinations according to the specific wants and needs of their clients.

The Beauty of a Custom Ring

Whether you or your partner are the type of people who appreciate symbolism in a ring or not, you can certainly appreciate having an engagement ring that isn’t found on the hand of thousands of other people. By choosing to custom design your engagement ring, you ensure a unique piece that perfectly matches your personality and work seamlessly with your daily style.

You are able to create a ring that’s as simplistic or extravagant as you desire. Think about your everyday style and see how well the ring will work in terms of style and functionality. Some people have beautiful rings that they can only wear occasionally since it either gets in the way of day-to-day tasks or there’s a fear of damaging it or losing stones while at work. If the ring will only be worn on occasion, virtually any design will work, however, most prefer wearing it at all times, which is when a lot of care should be taken on a practical and stylish design.

Engagement rings come with a wide variety of options that can be adjusted and customized according to a particular budget or desired look. If you find particular stones that look beautiful but may seem too expensive, ask the professionals for alternatives. The beauty with stones is that there are many that look similar to one another but have a significant price difference.

If you would like to custom design your engagement ring, make sure to keep these few points in mind. They will ensure you get the exact ring that works best for you and something that will not leave you worried about extra costs for redesigns or repairs.

Since most people simply do not know how to design rings in a professional manner, it is recommended to get a consultation with one of the professionals in the business. The experienced jewellers will not only be able to offer solid suggestions according to the customer’s wants and needs but also help develop ideas to get the perfect custom gemstone engagement rings that will last in beauty and style throughout the ages.

In order to get a better idea of the different options that are available for custom gemstone engagement rings, consider some of the following tips and suggestions:

Mix and Match Gemstones

There are literally hundreds of different gemstones that are readily available for customizing beautiful and unique engagement rings. To get a particular look in a ring, there are different gemstone combinations that can be arranged where the gemstones either stand out on the ring or create a beautiful subtle look.

Monochrome

A monochrome arrangement of gemstone offers a very subtle look in the same colour range but with different shades of it. Choose some shades that are softer along with others that are brighter. For example, a blue monochrome ring can have any combination of Turquoise, Opal, Blue Topaz or Aquamarine.

Black and White

A black and white combination works beautifully with platinum, silver or white gold rings. The lovely combination of the dark stones with light ones, perfectly enhance a silver band. Some common black stones are Onyx, Black Spinel, Obsidian and Hematite. Common white stones that would perfectly compliment the black ones are Moonstone, Opal or Pearl.

Complimentary Colours

Complimentary gemstones are certainly a fun and unique way to design custom gemstone engagement rings since they really offer a vibrant look that will surely catch many people’s eye. The most common combinations are violet with yellow (amethyst and citrine), red with green (ruby and emerald) or blue with orange (lapis lazuli and coral), but any colours that are found opposite each other on the colour wheel will work beautifully.

Analogous Combinations

Similar to monochrome gemstone combinations, this is when gemstones with colours that are close to each other on the colour wheel are used together. Consider blues with violets, blues with greens, reds with oranges or yellows with oranges.

These types of combinations can give an engagement ring a very warm fiery look or have a cool relaxing feel to it. This is a very popular choice for engagement rings that perfectly match the season of the engagement or wedding. Warmer colours are used for summer, soft and warm or cool pastels for spring, cool colours for winter and warm earthy tones for autumn.

With so many gemstone combinations to choose from, it’s important to closely consider the type of look and feel that’s desired for the rings and look at the various options that are available according to the budget.