julie vos pegasus collection

With all of the year-end hoopla and twelve-month recaps, I usually forget to share a few of my favorite memories from the merriest month of all. Here are some of my beloved snapshots from December:

Kicked off the month at the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas concert. The first half was a little dry with opera singers and unfamiliar classical music, but they energized the room with beloved carols after intermission. The gospel choir was amazing.
Wore my favorite holiday earrings. I found these darling Kate Spade studs on eBay a few years ago and I look forward to wearing them every Christmas. It looks like there are a couple on eBay for reasonable prices here and here. I also adore this year’s pair of festive studs.
Mailed our first photo cards. I’m normally one for handwriting notes in traditional cards, but I’m getting lazier with old age! These Modify Ink cards allowed us to change the colors of the design to personalize our greeting. And match our outfits.
Tucked my hair in my turtleneck for an ever-so-chic faux bob!
Coaxed Bacon out from between the clean sheets. Fresh laundry is by far his guilty pleasure.
Unpacked dozens of ornaments, including this nutcracker we picked up in Belgium last year…
…and vintage ornaments from antique stores and the attic of my childhood home. (I’ll never know why the previous owner left such treasures behind!)
Adorned myself with pieces from Julie Vos’ “Pegasus” collection. Learn more about the designer’s inspiration here.
Took a stroll on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus for the first time since I graduated in order to take these photos.

Let’s be friends on Instagram @bedknobsandbaubles!

I don’t know how you warm-weather gals get in the holiday spirit. It’s above freezing here with spring-like weather and not a snowflake in sight — which makes it seem unbelievable that Christmas is in just a few short days. We’ve already attended a couple of family gatherings and I’ve already enjoyed too many cookies and “holiday spirits.” Thank goodness for loose dresses and major statement gems to distract the eye! My go-to pieces have been from Julie Vos’ Pegasus collection. As you’ll read in the Q&A below, Julie created the unique pieces to be reminiscent of Greek archaeological finds — but that’s not the best part. Three pieces in the Pegasus collection have spinning components to create two unique looks from one piece of jewelry.

What inspired you to create the Pegasus collection?
“I was inspired to create jewelry that could be found in a museum, as if the pieces were unearthed from an archaeological dig. I wanted the collection to reflect ancient Greek culture and myth. The key figure is the winged horse, Pegasus, who is associated with poetry and has the star constellation named for him.”

How does your inspiration translate to the pieces?
“I intentionally made the pieces look a little bit rough and hammered, as if they were made a long time ago. To keep the collection soft and feminine, I added some pretty detail and luminous cabochon stones.”

What are the unique features of the collection?
“Hammered links and spinning centers. A pendant spins, so Pegasus is on one side and a reclining goddess is on the other. There’s a ring and cuff which also spin — one side is a semiprecious stone and the other is the Pegasus. We call these two-in-one pieces.”