Guest Blog by Liza Powel O'Brien

As a rule, I do not get gussied up. Most days, cargo pants and rubber flip flops are the uniform. But once in a while, I am forced to call in the professionals to make my appearance more fit for public consumption. It takes a many hours and dollars to achieve the proper effect, and overall the experience is less "princess for a day" than "awkwardly painted, corseted and on the verge of breaking my ankle." The up side, apart from my husband's appreciation of this (sadly fleeting) transformation, is when a talented artist like Kimberly Mcdonald generously allows me to borrow some of her gorgeous jewels for my moment on the other side of the looking glass.

Kimberly began working with geodes for her first jewelry collection in 2007, but her fascination with the crystal-filled rock formations goes back to childhood, when she was a self-described "rock geek" who filled cans with cool-looking stones plucked from the driveway. Working only by hand, she pairs the naturally stunning geodes with other precious stones (one pair of earrings features inch-long, paper-thin slices of diamond) and reclaimed precious metals. Earth-honoring efforts permeate all her pieces; any wood she uses has been re-purposed from things like shipping containers and musical instruments.

I was lucky enough to get to wear these blue geode earrings and ring for a night this past weekend, and it was just what my super comfortable but almost dangerously understated black Alaia dress needed: a dash of celestial blue with a flash of diamonds at the edges. Kimberly said the geodes would bring good luck, and they did, for me, in that I did not (as is always my fear) fall down, tear my dress or otherwise embarrass myself. Also, I got lots of compliments, which is always nice.

Visit kimberlymcdonald.com for more information and to find a list of retailers. (photos by Steweart Schecter)

Editor's Note: Unlike myself, Liza was too humble to include a photo of herself in these to die for jewels!  See Liza in Kimberly McDonald Jewels here.

The estate-inspired Judith Ripka Deco Estate Wide Cuff ($60,000) has been fashioned from 18K white gold and it features over 15 carats of diamonds...nice! I love the art deco-meets-Victorian feel of this piece. It's classic, but will still get lots of attention. If I had the extra money to splurge, I would love to wear two of these stacked on one arm and a simple diamond-encrusted watch on the other with an LBD and a pair of Camilla Skovgaard's signature pumps. How would you wear this cuff?

Venessa Arizaga's love for travel is evident in her tchotchke-esque collection. The designer, who has previously worked for Tuleh, Carolina Herrera, and Zac Posen, started her handcrafted jewelry line three years ago and all of her bracelets and necklaces feature a mix of charms and chains. I love the contrast of the mixed media (slim silk threads interwoven with chunky metal chains for example), that the designer uses and it'd be hard to ignore anyone wearing one of her charm necklaces! I'm particularly drawn to the Night Shift Necklace ($250) - somewhat of a Frugal Snob Rodarte!

This has the same effect and look of chandelier earrings with the current trend of shells and yellow gold. One layer has round diamonds for some added pop. Each shell is naturally curved making it interesting and original. If you're wondering why the price is such, these are good size earrings hanging at nearly 3.5 inches so be prepared for maximum impact and glitz. Exclusively at Brown's Fashion for $8414.

Olivia Palermo wearing the Timex Originals Easy Reader with brown metallic strap; Kelly Rutherford sporting the Timex Originals 1940s Inspiration with a black face and green canvas strap.

While I rarely leave my house without my Cartier Santos, I sometimes like to mix things up and wear something flashier, which is why I've been so into the Timex 80 collection. Recently the brand hosted an event at Bendel to launch their Originals line ($50-$110) and among the guests who showed their Timex love were Kelly Rutherford, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and Olivia Palermo. I'm completely obsessed with the Oversized Gold Digital (apparently so was Jamie-Lynn Sigler). It's a "remixed" design from the brand's archives that's totally eye catching and I love that it looks men's-inspired (frugal Rolex!). The line also has a slew of more classic watches, like the ones Palermo and Rutherford opted for, which are also chic and incredibly well priced.

Can one ever have too many cuffs? I think not (at least not judging by my jewelry arsenal!). I love the power that a cuff has when it comes to livening up an outfit. I'm a big fan of LWDs and LBDs so I often rely on my jewelry for pops of color. The Rachel Leigh Pyramid Enamel Cuffs ($132) are a versatile, easy-to-wear option. They're also just the right size to be worn either on their own or you could opt for two of them stacked since they're made in complementary colors. I'm particularly fond of the Tobacco and Honey cuffs on the right, which, besides going great with black and white, match up near-exactly to some Ports 1961 jackets and dresses I recently bought at Super Saturday.

I was first made of aware of Roberta Freymann's line of jewelery after doing some research on some fabulous necklace that Olivia Palermo was photographed wearing. The socialite is such a fan of the designer's pieces, the two actually teamed-up for a collection of statement necklaces. Given Palermo's impeccable taste I'm not surprised that I'm loving pretty much every piece in the resulting collection. Best of all nothing retails for over $300. I snapped-up the Chelsea Necklace ($175, on the left), and it's getting me amped for my upcoming trip to India (even though it was named after Chelsea in NYC and there is no mention of an Indian inspiration, it strikes me as very India-inspired). 

Just when I thought I was over the bib necklace trend! What do you think about this collection of necklaces?

A few weeks ago I went to an event at the Fenton/Fallon store where I was able to make a necklace with the help of designer Dana Lorenz. Almost immediately when I got home I went online to buy a few cuffs to complement the necklace I created. I got two cuffs on sale - my favorite of which, the tomb cuff on the far left, is unfortunately now sold out (I bought it for only $88), but check-out the Fenton/Fallon store if you're in NYC and interested in it. The other two I bought were the Patitz Bracelet (marked down to $53) and the Victoria Fair Isle Cuff ($232), all of which incorporate elements used in my necklace. If I wasn't a Fenton/Fallon addict before, after visiting the designer's store, I certainly am one now!

To do a collaborative collection for collaboration's sake is just plain dumb. So you can imagine my fascination when H.Stern announced it had designed a collection of jewels inspired by and honoring architect Oscar Niemeyer. Now 102 years old, Niemeyer, a native of Brazil--which also happens to be where the H.Stern brand hails from is best known for his fascination with curves. What's even more special, the collection of jewelry is based on his own sketches. They include a jewel designed by Niemeyer in a silk-screen print from the 1980s, and various others inspired by the female form, which he recorded in different designs. When I first saw the collection, I fell in love with Niemeyer's ability to seemingly bend straight lines, "transforming curves into a natural solution for his creations." H.Stern has gone and done the same with gold and diamonds. Rings, bracelets and earrings, meanwhile, emphasize simple lines, interspersed by empty spaces.

The H.Stern Collection by Oscar Niemeyer includes jewelry in gold and diamonds, divided into eight different lines and baptized with the names of designs, works and some famous projects. The sub-collections, with names like "Favorite Woman," "Pampulha," "Brasilia" and "Curves," convey the simplicity of the outlines: loose, free and flowing.

Available at H.Stern boutiques nationwide, 1-800-7HSTERN, www.hstern.net

The design of this ring is pure genius. I, being Chinese, equate jade with old fashion old ladies. There is definitely nothing fresh or hip about jade. But this Mawi ring with traditional looking vines over a perfect and gorgeous green hue jade topped with a skull breaks every rule in the book but the most fun way imaginable. It's like a food fight at an uptight ladies' luncheon. LOVE IT!! But you wouldn't really do this to real jade because you would be breaking some sacred Chinese law (we are serious about jade and even more serious about death) so it's even better that it's just costume jewels here. I wonder what my mom would think if I took her jade jewelry and started adding skulls to them? Not sure I want to find out... =) MAWI Gold-Plated Jade and Skull Ring at Net-a-Porter for $340, available in 3 sizes.