Instant Goddess checks out her own bling rings, and gets glammed up for less at Betty Blue

This week it’s mainly jewels and more jewels… go on adorn yourself! I am!

Tay Jewellery

Last week a friend invited me to Fete on Hollywood, a pop-up shop showcasing independent designer. Much to my surprise and delight, I stumbled across Tay Jewellery, a fabulous jewellery brand. Named after designers Tamara and Jay, this creative duo select large, dazzling semi-precious stones, which are then handcrafted in their studio in Sri Lanka into bold and beautiful jewellery, made from gold-plated sterling silver or brass. Signature pieces include rock crystal necklaces, chiselled cocktail rings and stunning drop necklaces that can either be layered or worn alone – easily taking you from day to night. You can imagine how my eyes lit up with delight as I caught sight of the following:

Prices range from approx $15oo to $7000. The jewellery is only currently available via pop-up events, but you’re in luck as the next one runs tomorrow!

Thursday 23 May and Friday 24 May: The Strand, 18 Cochrane Street, Central, Hong Kong. 4pm-8pm (Thursday) and 10am to 8pm (Friday).

Callixto @ EDIT

So, as I was skipping along the streets of Soho, the glistening of gold pineapples caught my eye –obviously I couldn’t resist, so stuck my head around the door of EDIT and the most wonderful table of jewellery awaited me. As always, excuse the iPhoneography, but this time the lovely ladies at EDIT let me photograph away to my heart’s content. So nice not to be thrown out on my ear for a change… of course no-one manhandles the Instant Goddess and gets away with it! Bad karma and all that.

The wonderful jewels are the work of Callixto, an online boutique that sources fabulous, unique jewels from around the world and who are currently showcasing the fruits of their labour with a pop-up shop at EDIT. Definitely worth swinging by if you happen to be in Soho.

P.S. Aside from Callixto, EDIT also stock one of my fave – et très chic – French jewellery brands Shourouk… va va voom and ooh la la… jewellery heaven! See Shourouk pendant above – simply gorgeous.

Emily Gao on ETSY

Emily Gao is currently my favourite jewellery store on ETSY. In her words it’s “jewellery you can’t live without,” and as you know, my name is The Instant Goddess and I’m a jewelaholic so I wholeheartedly agree with Emily! The necklaces are fabulous quality, very reasonably priced and Emily has some wonderfully eye-catching designs. And what’s more, unlike some of the shops on ETSY, Emily uses a courier to Hong Kong so your rocks arrive in a matter of days. Definitely one to follow on ETSY… and don’t forget to say that the Instant Goddess sent you! 

 Orange statement necklace $370, Blue & pink squares necklace $425, Yellow statement necklace $350 all Emily Gao on ETSY.

STOP PRESS: Betty Blue

No more jewellery to tempt you, but great frocks at Betty Blue! If you’re familiar with Déjà Vu on Elgin (opposite Button Hole) then you’re going to be very pleased that sister store Betty Blue has just opened its doors a hop, skip and jump away on Staunton. Again, fabulous sample frocks from some of the top designers await you but for a fraction of the price… dresses normally retail at the $880 mark. It truly is a fashionista’s delight and has taken over from Button Hole as my fave Soho boutique. Also Betty Blue, like its sister Déjà Vu, is pretty good at ordering in larger sizes (if you ask nicely of course… !)

Betty Blue, Shop D1 G/F, 34B Staunton Street, Soho, Central, Hong Kong. Tel: 2522 0978.

Lights, camera, action! 

We’re straying a little from our normal hair and beauty tips, (but you know it’s good to shake things up a bit every now and again) This week, Zosia Zacharia, an upcoming and extremely talented photographer (you read it here first!) is sharing her top photography tips to get our babies looking good in front of the camera. Well, you can’t be a Mini Goddess without some media training! So, without further ado, I hand you over to Zosia who has recently returned to the ‘Kong after a stint in ‘gay Paris’:

“Photographing babies is all about keeping it simple, with the focus being on the baby’s delicate frame & features. Newborn photos are best taken within the first 7-14 days if you want to really capture them as newborn. After this, of course, they change really quickly, but they still remain really small within the first three months… but the look will differ slightly.

Clothing: For parents, keep colours to white and neutral for tops and bottoms, avoid dark colours and logos. For baby, choose white babygrows for boys and girls. Dark colours absorb light while white and neutral tones reflect light – which is what you need in small HK apartments – also light colours flatter all skin tones and will give your photographs an ethereal look. Tip: Portraits are all about eyes, and the camera can wash you out by 25% so always wear a bit more eye makeup than usual, even if just eye liner and mascara.

Camera mode: If you fancy getting creative and doing your own photo shoot, take photos on A or AV meaning aperture priority mode, using the smallest number available, e.g. 1.4, 1.8 or 3.5. This gives your photo ‘shallow depth of field’, meaning that the focus is on your subject i.e. the baby’s face or hands, while the background is out of focus – just how your eyes see.

Location and light: The bedroom is perfect with plain white sheets on the bed. Lay your baby facing the window for good light, or even use a bean bag. It’s always nice to have a contrasting texture, such as a knitted jumper or blanket when capturing hands and feet. If you are removing any clothing from your baby, just make sure the air conditioning isn’t too cold!

When trying to capture tiny hands and feet, a sleeping baby is best or you might have some trouble trying to focus. Cup their tiny feet with your hands or let them grip your finger to give a sense of scale. Try using a macro lens or macro mode.”

Zosia Zacharia Photography

Midweek Meal Inspiration

Hey Spring Chicken! This week I give you the Beeb’s Spring Chicken In A Pot. It’s super healthy, low fat and easy… just the way we like it at Instant Goddess HQ.

Tip: If you can’t find suitable spring greens, go for spinach.

Until next week Goddesses, and remember you’re ALWAYS, ALWAYS worth it! XX