November 12, 2008

Head of the Class

Bourgeois Buttons Rings

You keep your high- and lowbrow pals mutually — and socially — exclusive. No one you know wants knuckle and finger sandwiches in a single setting.

When going for middle ground, Bourgeois Buttons rings come in handy.

Local designer Paula Herrema uses early plastics (Bakelite, Lucite, celluloid) and antique sparkles (Victorian black glass, knotty Old Hollywood buttons) in her adjustable ring designs. They’re inexpensive (most are under $40), but carefully curated and handmade. And they’re attention-grabbers — in a subtle way.

Shops display her rings in antique cigar boxes that Herrema sources, along with everything else, everywhere from eBay and antique markets to overseas and online dealers.

All in all, a class act.

Available at Kaleidoscope, 252 West Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur (404-378-1214); Indie Craft Experience, Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., at Ambient Plus Studio, 585 Wells Street, unit a, Downtown (678-923-8020 or ice-atlanta.com). To see styles, go to bourgeoisbuttons.com.