Holiday Gift Guide 2016: TV Fanatic

I've long been a TV fan, even before I started making jewelry and having my pieces seen on TV! My favorite shows as a kid was original Star Trek, classics like Gilligan's Island, and yes, I even had a stint with daytime soaps (General Hospital, Days of our Lives).

Now that the holiday season is here, why not grab a gift for that TV fanatic in your life? Here are some of my picks, from one fan to another!

1) Peggy Li Creations Jewelry - of course I have to plug my work! Grab unique jewelry designs seen on some of your favorite TV shows. Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, Scandal, Jane the Virgin, Elementary, How to Get Away With Murder, Pretty Little Liars and even all the way back to Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (where it all began).




A little bit of bling seen on a favorite character brings you closer to that character and can perhaps even complete your outfit if you're heading out to a fan convention (Comic Con or Heroes and Villains anyone?) or just wanted to put the finishing touch on your cosplay!

2) Nuts on Clark - any Netflix and binge needs some great snacks! I can never resist the Chicago classic of cheddar cheese popcorn mixed with caramel corn. While there is much debate on who makes the best, my pick is Nuts on Clark. Don't like those flavors? No problem, there is lots more to choose from!


3) Law & Order: The Complete Series (Seasons 1-20 Bundle) - few shows have made it through 20 seasons and if you ask me, the original Law & Order could have kept going for another 20. While it is on endless rotation on network TV, it is an amazing binge when you own the discs yourself. Pricey since it is no longer in print, this is really one of the best gifts I ever got!



4) Entertainment Weekly - for me, this magazine is the bible of current entertainment, from film to TV. With so much media (streaming, TV, film) these days, it's hard to keep up! This is one magazine that sits in my bathroom and always gets read.



5) Onsie - Yep! Those great one piece pajamas have been updated for adults! I've always been fascinated with the ones made by OnePiece, a company out of Oslo, Norway. You bet these are on my holiday wish list!

What better way to Netflix and chill than in total binge-prepared comfort? The only question is: footed or non-footed?

Of course, you can find any number of fun equivalents at your local Target or Amazon (I'm partial to the animal ones as well!):


6) TV Ears - my Dad loves to watch TV but now has problems hearing. He of course refuses to wear hearing aids, so what was our solution? TV Ears! While these are not a replacement for hearing aids, they do allow my Dad to watch TV at his own volume, so anyone else watching can listen at more manageable decibles. So far, so good.



What are your favorite gifts for the TV fan? Let me know in the comments and happy holidays to all!

xoxo
Peggy

Jewelry on How To Get Away With Murder season 3

Fall is my favorite time of year. The weather in San Francisco turns warm and mild, with crispness in the air and great holidays just around the corner. Also, of course, Fall means TV returns to our screens!

So thrilled to now include "How to Get Away With Murder" to my As Seen On jewelry roster! Starring Viola Davis, Karla Souza, Aja Naomi King and Liza Weil, this Shonda Rhimes creation features Viola Davis as brilliant law professor Annalise Keating. Viola Davis (who has already worn my jewelry, in her indie film Lila and Eve, with co-star Jennifer Lopez) won an Emmy for her performance on this show.

Starting with the Season 3 premiere, "We're Good People Now", here are some of the Peggy Li Creations jewelry pieces spotted on the show!

Viola Davis as Annalise Keating in a  Peggy Li Creations jewelry necklace
Viola Davis as Annalise Keating in my Fern Mother of Pearl Necklace on How to Get Away with Murder.
Aja Naomi King as Michaela wearing Peggy Li Creations earrings
Aja Naomi King as Michaela wearing my Black Spinel Threader Earrings. 

Michaela wearing my Woven Gems Necklace in grey pearls on How To Get Away With Murder.
Season 3 spots continue!
Laurel (Karla Souza) in my Infinity Charm Necklace on HTGAWM 
Mysterious Bonnie (Liza Weil) on HTGAWM wearing my Compass Point Earrings


Annalise (Viola Davis) in a great spike earring look you can get with my Quill Earrings

Do you watch this show? Hope you love!

xoxo
Peggy Li

FAQ: Handmade Jewelry Tools at My Bench


Thought it would be a good time to update what I have at my bench! I'm not getting any younger, so work friendly tools are getting more and more important for my handmade jewelry business, Peggy Li Creations. Here is the latest snapshot of some of the tools near my jewelry workbench -- pliers, wire cutters, hole punches. Nothin' too fancy. I will say, if you're working a lot with these tools (and I am!), don't skimp on the quality. You will pay more for quality tools, but they will be more durable and last you much, much longer than the cheaper tools. Plus, your hands and forearms are your MOST important tools, so treat them well with good equipment to use (and remember to stretch and not get locked into the same motion for too long).

When I look for quality in jewelry tools, I look for tools that spring back open, have ergonomic features for your hands and replaceable parts. I prefer Lindstrom over Swanstrom, two of the biggest jewelry tool brands. I find that Lindstrom tools, which are made in Sweden, are smaller in size, which fit my smaller hands, and they are lighter overall. Lindstrom tools are made in the USA and feature longer handles and heavier construction.

I've always said, have a pair of needle nose flat (no teeth!) pliers and a pair of wire cutters, and you're in business.

Armed with these basics, I have all I need to create most of my handmade jewelry designs for you!

Essentials at my bench:
  • Lindstrom Rx 7893 pliers
  • Lindstrom Rx 8141 wire cutters
  • Swanstrom S512E flush cutters (I use these sparingly to keep blades sharp)
  • Xuron wire cutters (for thicker wire ie over 20ga)
  • Eurotool nylon jaw pliers
  • Wigjig Centaur
  • Punch pliers (round, 1.8mm size punch)
  • Bench block (for hammering against)
  • Hammer (chasing)
  • Rawhide hammer
  • Metal ruler at least 18" long

Great suppliers like Rio Grande or Beaducation will carry a wide variety of jewelry making tools, probably more than you ever thought you needed!

What do you have at your jewelry bench? What jewelry tools can you not live without?

Peggy

Jewelry on Prison Break - Sara

Cult classic Prison Break returns to TV and stars Wentworth Miller and Sarah Wayne Callies are reprising their roles!

I was so excited to hear that Ms. Callies needed a second Mini Tusk Necklace (in Onyx) because she wanted to use "her favorite" necklace on her character Dr. Sara Tancredi.

See the preview picture below!


I loved Sarah in The Walking Dead and can't wait to see her reprise her role as Sara in Prison Break!

Shop the  Mini Tusk Necklace here.

xoxo
Peggy

Jessika Van - Seoul Searching

It's been awesome watching the journey of a little indie movie called Seoul Searching and helping one of its stars, Jessika Van, dress up for the screenings and press tour!

The movie is a quirky coming-of-age story set in Korea and featuring fresh Asian faces. The humor and heart make it a completely winning film and I'm so excited to see it get more and more screen time.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jessika at the movie screening in San Francisco (she was kind enough to invite me!) and I was even more thrilled to see her wearing Peggy Li Creations jewelry throughout for her press for the film!

Here are some of the great pics, below:

Jessika Van wearing my Emerald Green Earrings, converted to clipon earrings!

Jessika looking red hot in a PLC horn and geode necklace an my Onyx Point Earrings converted to Clip Ons!
Find out more about Seoul Searching the movie and Jessika and her castmates at the official Seoul Searching website.

xoxo
peggy

Jewelry seen on Stop the Wedding

I love working with Rachel Boston - she's an actress and also a producer, and she always has a point of view about what she likes and wants. It's always fascinating to hear her character breakdowns and inspirations. I've been lucky enough that she's worn my jewelry on her hit TV series Witches of East End as well as on fun Hallmark movies Ice Sculpture Christmas, A Gift of Miracles and A Ring by Spring.

Her latest creation is Stop the Wedding, a fun and romantic Hallmark Movie in time for the June wedding season. Based on a novel by Stephanie Bond, Rachel stars as Anna, who rushes to stop her Aunts' impulsive engagement to dashing TV star Sean Castleberry (played by Alan Thicke). Anna has been laser-focused on her career as a lawyer and is surprised to find that love can happen in an instant - in this case, with Clay (Niall Matter), the son of the man her Aunt is going to marry!

Rachel's Anna starts buttoned up but gradually gives in to embracing a more balanced way of life. What I think I love the most about Anna, however, is that the girl wears flats (like most of us do!).

Here are some Peggy Li Creations handmade jewelry picks seen in the movie!

Anna (Rachel Boston) wears Clustered Circle Earrings

Anna (Rachel Boston) wearing my Clustered Circle Earrings and Tiny Feather Necklace in TV movie Stop the Wedding.

If you love classic screwball comedies/romantic comedies, you won't be disappointed with this Hallmark movie.

Thank you Rachel!

xoxo
Peggy

Interview with Twigglings, Gemstone Artist

Today I bring you a little Q & A from an artist I have been admiring on Instagram, Abigail Kramer aka Twigglings on Etsy. Her eye catching sketches and prints of gemstones and minerals are so vibrant and realistic, you almost can't believe they were hand drawn! Of course I am attracted to this kind of art because of my handmade jewelry business, Peggy Li Creations which you can check out here.

Here is what she has to say about her inspirations and small business.



Q: Abi, your work is amazing! Do you have formal art training? How did you get started with your art?
A: Hello Peggy! Thank you so much for your kind words about my work! Art has been a part of my life since I could first hold a crayon. Through all my growing up/school years my parents educated me and my siblings at home and my mother, who is an artist herself, scheduled an art class that she taught us art and art history every Thursday in our homeschool classroom/studio and encouraged my siblings and I to grow in the mediums we found interesting and learn on our own, and in high school I took private watercolor classes.

Q: Why gemstones and minerals? 
A: Good question! Rocks have always been something I loved and picked up (some early memories include finding quartz on a gravel road I grew up near) and admired in a uneducated way, but in the past couple years became more interested in rockhounding and the mineral world through exploring Arizona and my eyes were opened to the rich mineral deposits in our area and through the 2014 Tucson Gem Show which I attended as a wide eyed admirer of beauty and was completely blown away by the beauties of the earth that are hidden from our eyes until being brought to the light through mans discoveries. Then in mid 2015 I decided to combine my interests of art and crystals and drew a fuchsite included quartz and was completely hooked! 11 months and almost 100 gems, minerals and fossils later I am still fascinated by the world of minerals and the pursuit of capturing their beauty in an artistic medium.

Q: What are your favorite mediums to work in? 
A: Colored pencils are the first medium I remember working with and drew A Young Girl Reading by Jean-Honore Fragonard before I was 10 and that was the first artwork I felt proud of. I continued with colored pencil and then the private watercolor lessons in high school and even went through a permanent marker/graffiti phase and only returned to colored pencil when I decided to try my hand at that fuchsite quartz and it has felt like coming home. And fortuantely, watercolor and colored pencil combine beautifully and I have been able to use them together through the mineral series.

Q: How long does it take you to complete a drawing? 
A: It all depends on the piece. They range between 2-16 hours (that I have kept track of).

Q: Which work is your favorite right now?
A: It may sound cliche, but every new piece is my favorite. Though if I had to the choose, I have seen a marked improvement in the pieces from last 2015 and into 2016. In learning my strengths and weaknesses with previous mineral studies, I have been able to choose pieces that inspire and fit my creative style and it has been a delightful year so far and I look forward to many more studies and prints to come!


Q: Where can we find your work? 
A: I share process photos and videos, things that inspire me and various snippets of my life as Twiggyabi on Instagram and take (limited) custom work requests through email, direct message on Instagram or through my etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/twigglings

Shop the Fashion You See on TV!

C'mon, admit it. Sometimes you watch TV just for the fashion! Television has been influencing fashion for decades - think Dynasty, Friends - and so are shows today like Scandal, Elementary, Jane the Virgin and Pretty Little Liars.

There are definitely challenges to dressing like your favorite TV character. Aside from budget, most of these shows are filmed weeks before they hit the air. That means that awesome dress you saw Jane wearing might already be sold out!

(I really try at Peggy Li Creations to keep all the jewelry looks seen on TV in stock, but sometimes they sell out!)

Moving fast is often important and that's where some of my favorite TV fashion spotting websites come into play! With TV fashion crossing over into the real world costume designers (and stylists) are coming more and more to the forefront.

Here are some of my favorite websites for tracking down that amazing outfit you saw on Olivia Pope or Felicity Smoak that you just have to have:

Wornontv.net
WornonTV.net - A great roundup of fashion from a variety of TV shows and includes "close matches" for those items that are no longer available. Updates quickly - follow their Twitter for instant info.

Pradux.com - Super classy fashion spotting site that covers more than just TV, but includes events, music, tech and more.

Possessionista.com
Possessionista.com - a tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek fashion roundup by Dana Weiss, consisting of her favorite (and love to hate) shows. Nice and heavy on reality TV! Also includes lots of behind the scenes interviews of costume designers and great deals/giveways from fashion brands featured.

Arrowfashionblog.com- a fashion spotting site devoted to the TV show Arrow!

Joan's Fashion Show - a fashion spotting site for the TV show Elementary. She is great about finding the sometimes eclectic wardrobe on the show and has been an amazing Peggy Li Creations supporter. I especially love the animated gifs she uses to capture a spot!

shopyourtv.com

ShopyourTV.com - A great site devoted to spotting fashion on TV, from the clothes to accessories to jewelry.

StyleID - sophisticated website with many costume designers themselves talking about your favorite outfits.

Fashion on Castle - by the costume designer for Castle, Luke Reichle

Looking for jewelry seen on TV shows like Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, Elementary and Jane the Virgin? Check out my work for these TV shows and more at my As Seen On page at peggyli.com.

xoxo
Peggy



Jewelry on Pretty Little Liars

I can tell you the moment I got the email - I was sitting in a darkened room at the San Diego Comic-Con, waiting for the pilot screening of Supergirl, when I got the email from costume designer Cameron Dale who wrote, "I'm now working on Pretty Little Liars". I about jumped out of my seat! In my mind, Pretty Little Liars is one of those iconic shows, like Scandal, Revenge or Desperate Housewives, that changes the way people view fashion. The unique styles of Aria (Lucy Hale), Alison (Sasha Pierterse), Spencer (Troian Bellisario), Hanna (Ashley Benson) and Emily (Shay Mitchell) are all so distinct and full of fun, as set by series costume designer Mandi Line. For Cameron to take over after the five year time jump is genius, and with her experience on shows like Hart of Dixie, truly an exciting change. The girls in high school were about to grow up. And grow up wearing Peggy Li Creations jewelry!

Do you have a favorite Liar? Each girl represents a personality we'd all like to be (or have in a BFF).

Bad girl Alison is an interesting change, since of all the actresses' have jumped five years into the future. She is now a teacher at Rosewood high, and her prim and proper wardrobe reflects her new career and (maybe?) attitude. Not entirely, as evidenced by her edgy Draped Onyx Earrings, giving the now-good-girl a bit of edge.
Pretty Little Liars Earrings
Alison (Sasha Pierterse) wears Peggy Li Creations Draped Onyx Earrings on Pretty Little Liars.
Brainy Spencer is seen here wearing my Mini Tusk Necklace in Onyx plus my Eternity Knot Bracelet. She's always been a little bit preppy and prim and her new career in Washington DC politics has only refined her style even more.
Pretty Little Liars Spencer Necklace
Spencer (Troian Bellisario) wears a Peggy Li Creations Mini Tusk Necklace on Pretty Little Liars.

Hanna (Ashley Benson), has gone from the outsider to the fashionista insider. She's ditched the oversized jewelry to someone more refined and simple, like my Basic Cobweb Necklace.

To view these great looks and other jewelry seen on TV, be sure to visit my website, Peggy Li Creations!

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016 Jewelry

Another stunning issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016 is now available, featuring not one, but THREE beautiful cover models; Ashley Graham, Rhonda Rousey and Hailey Clausen. I love having my handmade jewelry in Sports Illustrated, it really is a lot of fun and celebrates female beauty in many forms. The 2016 issue is all about T and A and why not? They're accented with beautiful landscapes (locales like Tahiti, Malta) and of course, beautiful necklaces from Peggy Li Creations jewelry!

Below are images from the print magazine as well as from the SI Swim website, which is chock full of behind the scenes videos, additional (stunning) images. I'm so thrilled to see Peggy Li Creations jewelry on supermodels like Gigi Hadid, Samantha Hoopes, Robin Lawley and Bo Krsmanovic.

Gigi Hadid necklace
The always gorgeous Gigi Hadid in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in a Slim Lariat Necklace by Peggy Li Creations.

Robin Lawley necklace
Robin Lawley wears a Lion Coin ancient pendant necklace by Peggy Li Creations in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition 2016.

Samantha Hoopes necklace
Super sexy model Samantha Hoopes wears a Peggy Li Creations bronze Horn Necklace in Sports Illustrated Swim!
This is the second year that the beautiful Gigi Hadid has worn my jewelry, which blows my mind. I think she is so gorgeous! Love these beautiful women and delicate, beachy gold jewelry? Check out additional jewelry looks from all the magazine issues here:


Sports Illustrated Swim 2015 jewelry (Gigi Hadid! Lily Aldridge!)

Sports Illustrated Swim 2014 jewelry (Kate Upton! Chrissy Teigen!)

Which piece of beach jewelry is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo
peggy

Jewelry seen on Second Chance

Second Chance debuts tonight 1/13/16 and stars Dilshad Vadsaria as Mary Goodwin, the female half of a genius pair of twins who create company Looking Glass. In a mysterious side project, Mary also brings back from the dead disgraced sheriff Ray Pritchard - doesn't hurt that he is played by hunky Robert Kazinsky.

I had the joy of working with the costume designer Shawna Trpcic (who designed Firefly, Dollhouse and more) at the onset of production for the show - back then, it was called Frankenstein Code. Shawna had specific notes for me about what she'd like to see. Futuristic, but realistic, fashion. Edgy, unique.

Hope you love my jewelry creations!

Mary Goodwin Moon Earrings
Mary Goodwin (Dilshad Vadsaria) wears my Triple Moon Earrings on Second Chance.

Mary Goodwin small silver earrings
Small Spike Earrings and a concerned look from Mary Goodwin.
For these looks and other Peggy Li Creations jewelry seen on TV, check out my As Seen On pages! My earrings, necklaces and rings have been used on TV shows such as Witches of East End, Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, Scandal and more.

New Year Resolutions for 2016

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've been able to blog. A lot has happened between 2015 to 2016...

Middle Age
My business has reached a 15 year milestone. While not all of those years were spent full-time, Peggy Li Creations jewelry has been a true labor of love. And like all relationships, there are ups and downs. Approaching my 15 year anniversary, I found myself reaching out for new challenges, education and inspiration. I'd gotten into comfortable routines with my business but that is no way to grow. So for 2016, I hope to make some changes at peggyli.com, including:

- a website refresh
- new jewelry designs
- images featuring model shots

Middle Age
For the first time ever, hundreds of jewelry pieces later, I have injured my hand. It wasn't that busy a December, so my injury is a harsh wake up that my body isn't starting to work the same or heal the same. As another birthday approaches, I absolutely need to prevent injuries if I want to maintain my business as a small business, a solo act. So it's time to reevaluate my working set ups and get myself some more ergonomic tools.

ergonomic jewelry tools
New year, new ergonomic tools.

Middle Age
The past few months have also been a challenge as my parents, who live near me, are starting to feel their age. We've had a few accidents and a few hospital stays. You know these life changes are coming yet of course you are never prepared. Luckily I also have siblings on hand to help, but the stress of trying to take care of loved ones is often overwhelming.  Your parents become like children, except unlike children, they will not grow stronger and more independent...

I've had a hard time focusing on my work and that is how it should be. But I just wanted to take a moment to thank you, my fans and supporters for sticking with me!  I promise, I will be back! Plus, there are some very exciting developments for Peggy Li Creations in 2016. The train rolls on...

Here's to health, wealth and happiness in the new year. Happy New Year, everyone.

xoxo
Peggy Li