Am I the only one surfing around looking for jewelry goodies to give and receive this time of year? Of course, some of what I'm seeing is way out of budget for me, but it is fun to look just the same.

Here are a few cool web sites you might find interesting in your shopping ventures this season:

• Alex Bittar: This site is fun and interactive (with slide shows of his different collections), at least for the first few minutes and then the music started to drive me crazy. I was a little disappointed that you can't shop directly on line. Instead, he points you to stores that carry his jewelry. But, that said - his jewelry is fabulous! I especially like the " Semi Precious" collection, which seems to Drip with overflowing amounts of gemstone beads.


• Verbena: This site carries some jewelry by Alex Bittar along with tons of other jewelry artists. They show page after page of jewelry, so expect to spend some time over there. One of my picks is jewelry by Wendy Mink. Pictured is a pair of her earrings: turquoise and ruby with gold vermeil.


• Akiyo Matsuoka: For those looking for a little classic elegance, then Akiyo Matsuoka is very tempting. Like Bittar, you can't shop on line here, just dream, as you watch her elegant pearl jewelry drift over the screen. There is a list of store locations.