December Baby,

 You waited ALL year for your birthstone.....But it was worth the wait, YOU GET 3!!! Blue Topaz, Turquoise, and Tanzanite!!!

Rings Pictured Below from Left to Right:

Premier 2.30cttw Tanzanite & 1/5cttw DiamondRing

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Round Sterling Ring

22.00 ct tw Ostro Royal Blue Topaz & 1/4 ct tw Diamond Ring

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise and Iolite Sterling Ring

Premier 3ct Oval Tanzanite & 3/10cttw DiamondRing, 14K

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Oval Cluster Design Sterling Ring

Carolyn Pollack Turquoise & Pave' Gemstone Sterling Enhancer

Bring on the blues, in a happy way! Your birthstone crashes in the end of the year with heavenly blue topaz, cooling turquoise, and the pleochroism properties of Tanzanite in blue, purple, and red! Your stones are breathtaking and highly sought after.

Turquoise has been valued since the ancient civilizations of the Egyptians, Turks, American Indians, Aztecs, and Persians. It represents friendship and luck, and many travelers wore turquoise to bring them good fortune along their journeys. Take care of your precious turquoise and keep it safe from scratches as it is on the softer side at between  5.0 and 6.0 on the Mohs’ Hardness Scale.

Bronzo Italia Turquoise & Polished Bead Inlay Round Bangle

Bronzo Italia Multi-strand Turquoise & Brushed Satin Nugget Bracelet

Your Blue Topaz has cooling properties thought to settle hot tempers and cure insanity…..that’s a stone for me!!!! Blue Topaz is known for its good clarity, and it’s cool blue that is similar to aquamarine, but without the green tones. It’s a very sturdy stone, at 8.0 on the Mohs’ Scale, so if it’s properly taken care of, it should last a lifetime!!!

London Blue Topaz Sterling Tennis Bracelet

Gemstone Bold Sterling Bracelet

Or Paz Sterling 2.40 ct tw Blue Topaz Large Bangle

Tanzanite was newly added as one of your birthstones in 2002 and that makes you super cool because it represents a happy life and good fortune! Tanzanite is a recent addition to the gem world- it was discovered in Tanzania in 1967, and that is still the only place it can be found, which makes this scarce stone extra special!! You should make sure to take good care of your tanzanite because it is a relatively soft stone – a 6 on the Mohs’ Hardness Scale.

So all you December blue babies, celebrate, because you have 3 of the most sought after stones and everyone loves them! (Including ME!!!)

Happy Birthday!!!

Xoxo, A

As a host at QVC, it’s part of my job to try out products before I present them on-air, so that I can better speak to them (definitely not complaining about this job responsibility!!!!). One day, I saw a small package in my mail box. It was like it was glaring at me, and I was glaring right back at it. I knew EXACTLY what it was, and I didn’t want ANYTHING to do with it. This little box that was causing me such a big headache was a Fitbit.

About a week went by, and I still hadn’t removed the Fitbit from my mailbox. I was hoping it would disappear!!!! But then our fitness buyer called me and asked me to just “Give it a try, Antonella!” So, I (very) reluctantly pulled it out of the packaging, and slapped it on my wrist….It was sort of like an accessory, so already I was warming up to the idea LOL!!!

I even wore it for jewelry shows!!!

I knew going into this that there was NO WAY I was going to join a gym, exercise , or go on a crazy diet. I mean, I’m Italian, and so far, I haven’t come across any all pasta diets!!! I told myself I was just going to wear my Fitbit for 1 week just so I knew where I was at as far as activity level. BOY was it eye opening! It seemed like I barely even moved all week!!! I was a bit stunned, so I decided that I needed to make some changes. I still wasn’t planning on joining a gym, or giving up the wonderful Italian food I know and love!

I knew I needed to make some changes, but I didn’t want to set an unreasonable goal that I would never achieve or place harsh restrictions on myself that I would never be able to follow. I didn’t want to set myself up to fail. The little (but loud) voice inside my head was saying, “You know what Antonella….you CAN handle little changes. No one is asking you to move mountains!”

Slowly but surely, I incorporated small changes into my lifestyle. When I went to the cafeteria at work, I started choosing bananas over bagels, and water over sweet, sugary drinks.

I stopped looking for the closest parking spot and decided that walking a few extra steps wouldn’t hurt!!! When I got a chance, I would go out for some fresh air, and just walk a little bit!!

Every week, when I looked at my Fitbit results, I couldn’t believe it!! These minimal changes were actually making a big difference!! I actually lost 16 lbs over 3 months! And I did it not by trying to move mountains, but by setting small, achievable goals and making very small changes in my day to day life. These small changes made me feel so accomplished!

I think the Fitbit is perfect for not only those of you who are fitness fanatics, but also for those who  want to monitor and get a better handle on your activity. It’s a fun, easy way to be on the road to looking better, feeling better, and living better.

Here's to a New Year, and a New YOU!

Xoxo, A

Sooooo... As many of you know, I'm NOT a beauty host, but that doesn't mean I don't like to dabble in our goodies. Lol. When I find something really cool, I love sharing it with you!

Here's how it all started: I was curling my eyelashes and got sick of seeing half of them stuck to the lip of the curler. Do you know how LONG it takes to GROW  an eyelash?? Sheesh!! So I'm watching Jamie, from IT Cosmetics, demonstrating HELLO LASHES. She said it curled your lashes and made them super long. Hmmmmm... The very next day, I saw Jamie and enthusiastically started bombarding her with HELLO LASHES questions. I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm crazy at this point, but she was sooooo sweet and kind. Jamie is the same as what we see on TV, except nicer (she's really pretty too).  Jamie gave me a tube and told me to wiggle up my lashes and hold the brush at the base line for a few seconds, before moving out to the lash ends. Okey-dokey, will do. I went home that night and gave it a whirl..... OMG!! I'm hooked!!

BEFORE HELLO LASHES

AFTER HELLO LASHES

The lashes swooooped up (without that tell tale sign of an 'L' shape, ratting you out that you curled your lashes). They were long and lush. I'm pretty sure I heard swooshing sounds every time I blinked, tee hee hee...My lashes are fierce and the great news is... I get to keep all of them (no more lashes stuck to the evil eye lash curler). Hahaha.. And no more glue or false eyelashes to wear.

SWOOSH!!

I'm really happy about all of this and wanted to share. Please excuse the 'no make up'.. I really wanted you to see JUST the product and nothing else enhancing my look. I'm naked faced. Ugh, but you guys are worth it.

Xo

A

Oooooh k... Here's the scoop on my birthday dinner at SUR. My daughter, Hope and I gave it the episode titled:

LOST HOPE AT SUR..( Hope pretended she was lost and I lost Hope)

We had our own mini drama and here are the details….LOL!

We were in LA for Hope to interview at PHD schools and being that we would be there over my birthday, I begged Hubby to take us to SUR (Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurant) for dinner to celebrate. He isn't a fan of the show Vanderpump Rules, but knows that I have watched it since the first episode.

Hope and I were sooooo excited to get there, we could hardly contain ourselves in the car. Chris and Nathan (Hope's boyfriend) thought we were being so goofy.....maybe he was right :) 

As we pulled up to the entrance, our eyes widened to see the pink/purple glow that beckoned us in.

We jumped out of the car and walked in. It was dreamy and very sexy. We made our way to the hostess to let her know we were there for our reservation. Our eyes darted from side to side, looking for any of the people on the show, or even better…. Lisa Vanderpump!! The place is gorgeous!! Chandeliers everywhere, pink roses on tables, sparkling lights and such a cool vibe. We were completely entranced.

All of a sudden, the hostess steps away, just as we were about to speak to her and guess who takes her place.... PETER ( or Peeta, as Lisa would say). He’s the manager of SUR. Hope and I were giddy with glee. We hadn't even gotten half way in the place and we already saw Peter. We were quickly seated, as Hope and I tried to play it cool (yeah right… lol). Hubby and Nathan said that watching us was the most fun ever.

We needed a plan. Hope thought we should get our order in, have a cocktail and then go investigate the place... Act a little lost and say we were looking for the bathroom. That was our only chance to walk around the place and scope out some of the other characters. Lol. We did just that. I got up first and Hope followed. We made our way around and kept our eyes peeled.

Something was wrong, though, we weren't seeing the whole place. We know exactly what SUR looks like and some of it was missing. We 'accidentally' overshot the bathroom, which led us to an open back door and there it was!! THE BACK ALLEY... You know the one, where the table and chairs sit and the crew goes out there to have their "Chats"... We stood there looking at it and saying, " ahhhh... There's the table in the alley!!!"

We turned back inside and went to the bathroom.

 Returning to our table, our waitress, Monica, was waiting for us. We finally broke down and told her we were fans of the show. She smiled and thought it was cute. I asked her where the rest of the bar was? The other one we see on TV? She said it's not open on Sundays and Mondays, but we could go peek at it. She pointed in its direction and off we went to spy "the big bar"…..

HERE'S THE GOOD PART…..

The door to the big bar was slightly ajar, we walked in and there it was in all its glory!!! No one was in there, except for one person….Peter….

He didn't notice us….yet. We didn't want to bother him, so we quietly looked around. All of a sudden, a deep, slightly annoyed voice says, "Excuse me..." We froze. It was Peter and he didn't sound very happy about us snooping around. "You're not allowed in here", he said. We walked over to him and I said, "I'm sorry, our waitress said we could have a peek. We are fans of the show and just wanted a quick look." Peter wasn't having it…"You need to book a tour, I need you to leave."... Poor Hope, her face just fell. Of course, I tried to lighten up the tense interaction and stupidly said, "Ok, we're sorry, Peeta (said with Lisa's English accent)"... He didn't think I was funny. Tails between our legs, embarrassed and a little humiliated, we sheepishly made our way back to our table.

Chris and Nathan heard a complete blow by blow of what just happened and they had a good chuckle over it. Hope and I decided not to look at it in a negative way, but to view it as our own dramatic episode on Vanderpump Rules, where Peter kicks us out of the bar. (In all fairness to Peter, he was really busy and the place was full and we should not have done what we did)...

So then the waitress comes over with a flaming desert for my birthday. She also delivers two free cocktails, compliments of the house for my birthday.

When the meal was over, guess who came to the table with the check...Peter...yikes. He offered to take us on a tour and apologized for the interaction we had earlier. Hope and I declined the tour, mostly because we felt embarrassed and a little humiliated. Chris spoke up and said, “I understand there was a little trespassing going on tonight". I kicked him under the table. Peter smiled and nodded.

So now that you’ve heard my saga, here are THE FACTS… JUST THE FACTS…

-The place is absolutely gorgeous!!

-The food was superb (of course we had the fried goat cheese balls...yum)

-Hope and I had Lisa's signature pink drink with Vanderpump vodka,,, it was soooooo good!

-Monica, our waitress, was a delight and took very good care of us.

-I was surprised at how affordable it was. Reasonable prices.

All things considered, it was an awesome experience! It was really cool to see the place exactly as it is on TV. The place is beautiful, the service was great and the food delicious. I hope Peter can forgive us for overstepping the boundaries. We just couldn't help ourselves. I'm sure they get a lot of crazy people, like us, come in every night and Peter tried to handle us as best he could. Still... It was our own little dramatic episode at SUR. Tee hee hee :)

Xoxo

A

While in LA for my daughter's interview for PHD schools, I got to grab some birthday fun. California is such a beautiful state, with such kind people. It was my first time there and it was a dream come true to finally visit. It's breathtaking!! I wanted to share some photos from my trip with you!!

Malibu Beach....WOW!!

Hope and her sweet boyfriend, Nathan (love him!!).

Look at the sign in the back!!!

Ahhhh... Sophia Loren was right here!

I ALWAYS wanted one of these! (I hear the real ones are heavier though) ;)

This is the set from "Friends"... The couch looks big on TV... but it's really small. LOL!

I had to go to Whiskey A Go Go to see where all the big bands got their start. The doors, the Stones, Motley Crew.....Amazing!

No trip would be complete without tasty food! Check out this mile high cotton candy!!

Friends and family --and great food! It doesn't get any better than that!

I even got to catch up with my girl, Joan, a college friend who has lived in LA for 26 years. Lucky girl!!

I HAD to go here...and what a night it was! You can read more about that adventure here.

Me and my girl Hope <3

Now THAT'S how they do birthday candles in LA!

 Tha-tha-tha-that's all folks! 

Until next time, California Dreamers!

Xo

A

You all know that I love my gold jewelry!!!! I was lucky enough to be able to talk to Eterna Gold and answer a few questions so that you can all get to know my style a little more :) 

2. Reinventing classics. What is your favorite new gold trend or way to wear gold?

EAR CLIMBERS!!! They are the HOTTEST thing going and I love the way you get a lot of lobe coverage with one earring!

3. Do you have a go-to or signature gold look?

My signature look in gold is stacked bangles….as many as I can slip on!! I have collected gold bangles my whole life and try to get one a year. I love the feel, the sound, the look….yummy!

4. Do you remember the first gold piece you purchased, and why you purchased it?

The very first piece of gold I bought for myself was an EternaGold Bangle... Of course!! They sold me on the life time warranty, haven't ever had to use though.

5. There are so many ways to personalize jewelry, how do you "personalize" your gold jewelry?

I love personalized pieces, they make me feel special. I personalize with birthstones and initials. I also think it's nice to have inspirational jewelry, it holds great meaning too.

6. Are there essential gold pieces every woman should own?

Essential gold jewelry is truly a personal think. Whatever you like best, is going to be your essentials. For me, it's bangles, a classic cigar band, hoops and a chain... gotta have them!

7. How do you decide when to purchase fashion jewelry and when to purchase a fine jewelry piece?

There is a time and place for everything. I adore my Gold and its a 'Forever' kinda thing. Fashion jewelry is pure fun! I lean to fashion pieces when I want to get a little crazy and have fun. 

8. Why do you love gold?

I love gold for its pure, buttery glow. I love the way it looks and makes me feel special. It's a love affair I have had my entire life. There is nothing else like it!!

As I finally get a chance to rest in my hotel room, I wanted to take a moment and chat with you about my day and the days to come. Dreams really do come true, if you hope and pray enough. This was my dream and here it is, unraveling and unfolding right before my eyes.

I have always wanted to make this trip and share with you what Italy is like, the heart of Italy and what it means to me. From cobble stone streets to the crazy way the Romans drive. I wanted to show you the true heart of the people, the small towns and what really makes this country's heart beat. They are passionate about every thing: food, wine, cheese, leather, fashion and of course jewelry.

Every where you look, there is an inspiration to be beautiful. The architect, the churches and even the flower filled window boxes, give way to creative thinking and artistry. It doesn't matter if it's in a big city like Rome, or a small town like where I am from. The music of life and love, sings through it all. There is a friendly smile shared by strangers on every corner. Vespas whizzing by and children eating gelato, while the older folks exchange life long stories with each other over a cup of cappuccino.

Life is slower here, they drink it in like a fine wine. Romance and love is set before you on every door step and the promise of a beautiful day lingers with every breath you take. It is these things that inspire all the beautiful things we get from the Italians and I want to share them all with you.

Today we landed in Rome and stopped in some local towns to chat with people and enjoy a cup of coffee. I would express both as being warm and friendly, inviting and soothing. Tomorrow I will get to go to the trade show (I'm going to lose my mind, looking at all of that jewelry!! LOL). David Markstein and I will pick out some pieces for the big event in June, so fingers crossed that I can stay focused long enough to pick something that you will like!! I don't want to let you down, so I promise to do my best for you. I'm really excited to see what is new!

The culture, the people and the whole country prides itself on their jewelry. So many times, the most sought after pieces come from these small towns we are visiting, made by families that have passed down through the generations, their wisdom, technique and true passion for creating these pieces of jewelry.

I also got to meet one of the Italian show Hosts, Sara. She is absolutely delightful and we might get to do some presentations together during the big June show. I'm soooo excited and I'm sooooo nervous and I'm a little scared. Sheesh.

Most importantly, I just wanted to show you Italy through my eyes, I wanted to show you my Italy. I was made in Italy and born in the USA. I love both countries. I have so much pride saying that I am the first born American Citizen in my whole family and so much love to share with you, that I was raised with, in my big Italian family. The food, the love, the honesty and the way of life is just a little bit of what I hope to reach out to you with, on this trip. 
Xo

A

We started our day with The Fair...soooo many outstanding pieces of jewelry to choose from.  The gold glistened in hues of sunshine yellow, the Bronze flirted with soft feminine pink tones and pearls, gems and diamonds rocked my world.

It was a sheer delight seeing so many beautiful things in one place. I'm not going to lie, my heart was pounding and could hardly focus! David and I looked through everything, searching for that perfect piece just for you.

After lunch, we headed over to Blu Oro factory, where Carlo met us. 

A man that greets me with a tray full of jewelry is number one on my list!! You can see in his eyes how proud he is of his work. It was incredible!! The amount of hard work that each and every piece takes to make,,, one by one,, piece by piece,,, I even tried to satin finish an earring myself and let's just say, let's hope I don't lose my day job, because a jewelry creator I am not!! 

I was soooo impressed with all the different steps that they have to take to make just one earring. Carlo said, "Antonella, each step must be taken slow and easy or a mistake will build up through the process and will clearly be seen in the end."This is where the gold is fired up: 

This is where they flatten it into a workable unit. It's 18kt gold in this picture that is around 65 feet long!! You know I had my eyes on that!!

Then they pull it through another instrument to make it into a tube. Blu Oro is number one in the world for tubing because of all the processes the gold goes through, most of it by hand!! 

It's all polished by hand too.

Then off to detailing it and quality assurance.

 So much pride, time and effort goes into making these fabulous pieces for us!!

Of course I couldn't keep my hands off of anything! The finished product is admired and loved by everyone that worked on it. Highly skilled and deeply passionate about what they do.

WHY WOULD I BUY MY EARRING ANYWHERE ELSE!!

 No matter what, life balance is the most important thing and family always comes first.

Here is Carlo with his son David. The love and respect is clearly there and easily seen in their eyes. Family first!

David giving his dad, Carlo, a nice big Italian kiss.

  
My mind is spinning from the work and way of life I saw today. Blu Oro is absolutely incredible in their workmanship and pride. Now I know why Carlo is always smiling,, he loves what he does!

 After work, a lovely dinner with Carlo, Crew and Sara. 

We even saw a dog enjoying a nice evening ride on his owners Vespa. 

Back to our hotel to rest up for our shoots tomorrow.

Off to bed I go. Miss you!! More pics tomorrow. Xo

It's with a little saddness that we say goodbye to Italy tonight. We shot some great footage of the location for the big show in June. Pauda is a very quaint town with so much history. It's where the very first University was that studied Anatomy (against the churches will). It struck me as odd that a little town could cause such a big change back then. I like it, little things can do big things. 

Here is the lovely town square, all lit up at night, with beautiful music playing softly. It's like a lullaby that gently bids you good night. 

In the backround, you will see the large fountain. It's in tiers and layers, spreading its majestic size accross the piazza. It begs you to jump in and play, but you know better!

There is a sweet smell of chocolate that wafts through the air from the shops right next to the fountain. 

Moon light... 

Music...

Sparkling fountains...

Soft glowing light...

THIS is how the Italins are so easily inspired to create such amazing jewelry and art. They are surrounded by beautiful thigns that fill the senses on overload. They have no choice, but to be inspired and create. 

There is fun...

There is food...

There is jewelry...

There is beauty every where! 

Thank you sooooo much for sharing MY Italy... The Italy that I know and love. The Italy that surrounds itself with laughter, love, joy, and family. So whether it's from my small home town of Marano or a big city Rome, life in Italy is about your roots, your life, and what keeps you grounded, yet inspired and reaching for the stars. 

Please join me in June for the Big Show!

I can't wait to share all of the beautiful pieces we found, that were inspired by this fabulous country and its people!! God Bless.

Xo

A

Ok friends... I have some VERY excited news for you coming up tomorrow! 

For now, I want to take a little moment to appreciate the jewelry piece that really outdid itself!!! Who remembers this Barbara Bixby ring? I asked my Facebook fans a few days ago to share theirs so that we can really appreciate the AWESOMENESS of this ring. Thanks to everyone that participated in sending me pictures!! 

Freida C. this is gorgeous... love how you paired it with the matching bracelet!

Gaynella B.... Oooo lala girl! 

Rosalind C. this looks stunning with your nail color!!!

Alice W. has them all!!

You go, Karen M. rock those rings!!! 

Xo

A