Karat Top

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but this rose will be forever sweet.

A keepsake collectible for Mother’s Day, the rose, picked at its peak, is gold-dipped, preserved with an electroform technique and finished in 24-karat gold.

The American Beauty roses (about $40) are grown in the United States and gift-wrapped with ribbons.

They are available at Zia Jewelry, 31761 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, (714) 493-1322.

Pillow Talk

Silk pillows by Michele Morgan put the accent on smooth.

All of the brightly colored designs are hand-drawn by Morgan of Mission Viejo.

“It’s a way for me to show the playful side of my personality,” says Morgan, who learned the technique from another artist and has been making pillows for six years.

Morgan’s dye process takes six steps and in a similar fashion to batik.

Morgan, who is a musician, says she strives to go beyond the ordinary, creating works to showcase her other interests. The Musician Series, which includes a jazz singer and saxophonist, was recently exhibited at Gallery Luna Loca in Capistrano Beach.

Morgan does not sketch her designs first, choosing instead to “go with it.”

“The medium is not very forgiving, so you have to learn to incorporate any mistakes into the design,” she says.

Morgan’s pillows (15 by 15 inches) cost from $38 to $150, and custom orders are accepted.

For more information, call Morgan at (714) 770-9255 or Gallery Luna Loca at (714) 489-3299.

Hurricane Season

Take to the wind with mosaic hurricane lamps that work for outdoor occasions.

The lamps, handmade in the United States, seemingly come to life when the flicker of candlelight shines through the tiny glass squares.

The lamps come in three sizes--8 inches tall, $70; 11 inches tall, $100; and 14 inches tall, $120--and can be bought individually or in a set of three ($280) through the Ross-Simons catalog.

Call (800) 348-4414.