It's the most wonderful time of the year...

AWARDS SEASON!!

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the holidays as much as the next person. What's not to love about excessive family gatherings, the shopping for loved ones [oh-so-personally] online, and snowstorms grand enough to shut down main highways throughout the upper midwest? :)

But with the new year comes a plethora of awards shows in LA and Hollywood; a time to flaunt glamorous gowns and bedazzled accessories down red carpets galore. Even behind the irony of it all (I mean California is a state defined not only by it's movie stars, actors, and bad reality-tv characters, but also by it's own enormous financial crisis...) I do enjoy seeing the designers creations (good and bad) and once in awhile an award given to the right people (HELLO Kate Winslet, 2009)

So mark your calendars, get out the popcorn and champagne, and enjoy the show(s)!

The 67th Golden Globe Awards-- Sunday, Jan. 17th
The 16th Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards-- Saturday, Jan. 23rd
The 52nd Grammy Awards-- Sunday, Jan. 31st
The 82nd Academy Awards (aka Oscars)-- Sunday, March 7th

Isabella meets Project Runway's Christopher Straub

Sarah, Christopher, Natalie

Just a typical Sunday afternoon, chatting with this season's Project Runway fan favorite about fashion, Heidi Klum's quirks, Burberry, Minneapolis, and Tim Gunn's great uncle-vibe.

Showing his new line at The Hanger in Victoria, we were able to hear about his next steps as a designer, where he hopes to settle down (Minnesota, duh. He loves it here) and of course snap a few photos with him.

EXTRA EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT US!!

Check out Isabella Jewelry in the St Paul Pioneer Press business section TODAY!!

Click here to read the online article

but head to a newsstand, gas station, or coffee shop and grab an actual copy to see the lovely pictures included, too :)

Decking those halls

Here at HQ we are in full out production-mode in preparation for this Saturday's Holiday party. We are working our little fingers as fast as we can to ensure you won't leave our party empty handed.

Isabella has come up with some fantastic gift ideas that include:

• unique and quirky stem gems (for the sister, crazy neighbor, secret santa)
  
• meant-to-be earring/necklace sets (for the mom, mother-in-law, aunt, teacher)
  
• wine bottle stoppers (for the vino connoisseur)
  
• one-of-a-kind vintage pieces (for the people you really, really love)

Powered by holiday music, fueled by coffee and pain meds (kidding!), inspired by the blank canvas of your LBD and the colorful gems around us, we hope to see EVERYONE this Saturday afternoon (1-4 pm to be exact) for a holiday get together in the name of Isabella.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHIEF!

The lovely Sarah turns 23 today!
Best wishes to you, dear friend, on your birthday

beware of the newest household-hazard..

the swivel office chair.

It may take a certain person to find danger in the likes of an everyday mesh office chair, but somehow that certain person might just sit with her right leg under her body, swivel the chair with the floor-touching left leg, and manage to tear the outside cartilage of her right knee... resulting in a 90 degree angle locked knee and surgery 72 hours later.

Stifled laughs and prescription Vicodin aside, this special person now has the gift of time on her hands. Luckily the full length leg brace doesn't get in the way of jewelry making, blogging, prepping for this week's Isabella party, on-line holiday gift guide browsing, and perfecting our website.

So my tip of the day- stay grounded with both feet touching the ground when you slide into your comfortable office chair. You never know when you might tear precious cartilage in your delicate and under-rated body.

make yourself at home, 'cause i'm going out...

as a test run for our new YouTube account (http://www.youtube.com/user/IsabellaJewelry), i uploaded a clip from last night's AMAZING Mason Jennings show at 1st Ave in Minneapolis- enjoy!