How To Wear Estate Jewelry - The Corporate Christmas Party

Well, it's time for the corporate Christmas party again where dress and behavior really do matter...especially if you haven't yet learned what your year end bonus is going to be. 
Naturally, modesty and decorum are highly recommended at all corporate events,
and control when it comes to your alcohol consumption.
Also, try not to dress better than the CEO's wife or else he will think that he is paying you too much.

Last night while attending a fancy schmancy corporate shindig at the Bel Air Country Club
I curtailed my wild and wanton ways, and didn't even attempt to dazzle the old guard financial types with dancing on tables with a lampshade on my head. Especially since I was guest.
Instead I dressed up in my Christmas best.

Not the clearest of photos with my iphone but you get the idea.

My bright red silk dress was perfect with this ruby and diamond bow set.

I love this jewelry, especially the earrings.
It was beautiful and bright and yes perhaps a little girly...but the bows were just perfect for Christmas.

BTW, be sure not to miss the post today at Privilege about the Lavish Conference.
It has lots of useful information about blogging and a little sumthin sumthin from Beladora!

From Russia With Love

Last year we had Berlusconi and his bimbos, I mean his nice young lady friends
and now we've got Putin's little picture of pulchritude
Russian beauty Alina Kabayeva

In spite of posing on the cover of the latest issue of Russian Vogue,

Miss Kabayeva is more than just a pretty face

She is a former Olympic rhythmic gymnast and a MP in Putin's political party.

But, in full John Edwards style

The rumours later escalated when bloggers claimed Miss Kabayeva had subsequently given birth to Mr Putin's love child. Mr Putin has angrily claimed that there is "not one word of truth" in any of the allegations, while Miss Kabayeva's spokesperson has refused to discuss what she derided as "nonsense."

Usually I find that he-man Putin has a look on his face like the cat who ate the canary

But here he looks like a man totally besotted.
In fact he looks more genuinely in love than the Royals.

Don't you agree?

Christmases of Blogging Past

In Christmases past I have posted Christmas music videos and Beladora gift suggestions
but I've been too busy to get BHB cranked up for Christmas this year.

But busy as bees is good
or I so keep telling myself as I can't seem to find the time for blogging.
Perhaps, I should be wearing this pair of bee brooches today.

 Red Enamel Bee Pin in 18K $395

Green Enamel Bee Pin in 18K $395

I haven't even started considering Christmas gifts yet, but one of our favorite bloggers, Privilege has. Today she has shared her thoughts on gifts, extravagant and economical, at A Femme d'un Certain Age.

Capturing The Christmas Spirit

Somebody was playing reindeer games last night
and I've got the photos to prove it.

First put on the all important reindeer headband

Then, make sure that your trusty tree trimming assistant dons her reindeer headgear as well.

Then open a bottle of red wine

Put on the Christmas music

And try to trim the tree without breaking too many ornaments

Stop, analyze the tree for ornament coverage, rage at tree becuase it is a nordman and not a noble,

pose for a photo for posterity

then get back to the trimming

Et voila, Christmas has officially arrived chez BHB

Would those of you who are suffering with the snow be offended if I told you that here in LA we have clear blue skies and 80+ degree weather.  Sunbathing in a bikini on the terrace would be in order today...but sadly, not for me.  I'm still trying to catch up with errands, paperwork, housekeeping, xmas shopping, etc.

How about you, are you ready for the holidays?

Holiday Flaunting or Not

Obviously, all my loyal readers know that product placement is important to branding.  Who doesn't want to see their product on the pages of a high end glossy or adorning A list celebrities?

Of course you never quite know what you are going to get when jewelry goes out the door.

A week ago we were asked to provide vintage jewelry for Julia Roberts to wear for presenting the Medal of Honor to Oprah Winfrey at the Kennedy Center and for a formal dinner at the White House last weekend.
Of course we jumped on the opportunity.  She's gorgeous and she wears vintage so well. 
Now...if only we could find an image on the internet somewhere....anywhere...with her in the Beladora bling.  She's a very private person, which I admire, and somehow she missed the red carpet photographers, ergo we have no photos to flaunt.
Sometimes that happens.

And then sometimes we get fabulous photos that are unflauntable.

About a month ago we were asked to provide jewelry for a beauty shoot for the edgy Flaunt magazine. The talented Donna Trope was going to be photographing the goods so we knew the quality of the work was going to be artsy and awesome and probably not safe for work.
And we were right.
We just got the print copy this week and here are the photos...with a little help from snagit.
This is a family blog after all....

Because we are nothing if not modest, here chez BHB,
I thought that the NSFW post it notes were appropriate.
And the jewelry looks beautiful.

Flaunt is full of gangly guys posing with gallery girls, mostly in deshabille.
It is definitely a magazine for the edgy indie crowd.
So there you go...Beladora is now edgy and indie by association!
Who knew?

On another topic I'm way behind on my Christmas posting...hopefully I will catch up on it before Xmas Eve.
I'm so impressed with all the blog posts of holiday trees and table settings, from Australia to Argentina to Belgium to France, thanks to FF, Tish, Dash, Vicki et al.
I just might have to get going with that whole tree thing soon.