whimsical wednesday

although my day is far from over, it's been a nice and different sort of wednesday, which i've totally appreciated. this morning i went down to the west loop at 7:30am (thank god for big gulps and starbucks) to help set up for a hugo boss sample sale that's happening in chicago this weekend. although sizing menswear isn't most people's idea of the best day ever, it was so lovely to be bopping around with brandon all day. such wonderful fun, she is :)

as the "errand girl" for the day, i drove around for a bit picking up various supplies we needed. i had a wonderful little moment when i noticed some beautiful jewelry displayed in a store window next to where my car was parked. it was called blackbird fly (the site doesn't show off the jewelry, sadly), and i decided to stop in and check it out...the baubles were gooooooorgeous. i had a quaint little conversation with the store owner, who is a graphic artist. he originally opened the boutique as a place to display and sell his art, and it has since developed into a little store that features jewelry and art from a whole host of different artists.

i immediately spied these unbelievable bracelets made of very large, circular beads...one was brown, one green, and one purple. after trying them on, the man and i decided that i must have the green one.




isn't it stunning? don't look at it in conjunction with what i'm wearing in the photo...it doesn't really match this dress, it's just what i happened to be wearing at the time and i didn't feel like changing my outfit. it's hand-made from glass, and it was a mere $14...isn't that ridiculous? i just had to have it...it's such a beautiful piece, and it will be perfect when paired with my many gold baubles and alabaster skin.

it was so lovely to discover a place i'd never heard of before...and who doesn't love a new place to buy hand-made, inexpensive and completely exquisite jewelry? it was a delightful little blip in an otherwise work-filled day.

i encourage you all, no matter where you live, to explore a new area sometime soon...you never know what wonderful treasures exist out there...

what are your favorite little gems that you've discovered?