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An example of how adding a brass charm can make a simple, pretty necklace just a little bit more interesting 😉  The emerald teardrop necklace is quite pretty all by itself. The little golden acorn charm just adds, oh boy it’s hard to resist this – it adds, well, charm. A little quirkiness. A little fun. Fun is good 🙂 End of commercial 😉 Woo hoo! I just got these sweet acorn charms in golden brass and needless to say, they are great for DIY earrings (okay, also dangles for bracelets and necklaces, absolutely!)  I featured these same style charms in silver (see my post here) – and people have been loving them! Small, cute, well-made charms are such a hit this spring. And these are made in the USA – quality all the way. They’re quite sturdy but as you can see in the pic, they’re hollow back – which makes for super comfortable earrings. I don’t know about you, but I’ve pretty much had it with heavy earrings. I’m all for the comfort. And great style. Affordable is nice too, if you know what I mean 😉 Who doesn’t like saving money! Which is one of the great things about DIY. You don’t have to have 10 years experience. You don’t need to invest big bucks. You can do this! Yes, I mentioned right in the title that these gorgeous shoes are Size 10. Why? Because it’s like clothing. Thelarger sizes – no, the not-tiny sizes – are just harder to find. People grab them up quickly.  I mean seriously, are these shoes not grabbable! And if you wear a size 10, isn’t it harder to find good, well preserved, fabulous vintage shoes? Yes. And look at the details here – these are great shoes. I found these beauties at a darling vintage shop on Etsy called Preservation Road. Michele, the owner/curator, has some fabulous finds – and a good eye. Even more important, her pics are clear and informative, showing you the info you need to buy online. This skill is all too rare! Go there. You’ll thank me. And if these beauteous shoes are gone when you visit, you could maybe let her know you’re on the hunt 😉 This was just a little exercise – I had requests for these two different styles of oval duos (the bottom jewels in this pic). And I had some “white opal” glass octagons nearby.  The lighting here was the same for both pics, and except for tiny variations it’s hard to avoid while processing, these ought to look very much the same except for the different colors on the larger ovals. And yet the eye sees a bit more difference. Maybe it’s the tiny aqua rhinestones – but the jewel combo “earring” on the left just seems brighter, even with the navy blue. And the amethyst combo on the right appears smokier, more antique. I’ll be curious to see what other people think 🙂 (Yes, these are all available in my Etsy shop – separately anyway. If you don’t see them, just holler!) It’s amazing how fresh this color looks for spring. Why haven’t we seen more navy blue, excuse me, montana sapphire, lately? I’ve had several people ask if I had some of these beads – probably because I really encourage my customers to ask me when they’re hunting for some rhinestones or glass jewels and just can’t find them. Sometimes I can’t either – but lots of times I can 🙂  See what I mean? Fresh and clean looking. The color doesn’t shout but it’s really good. And of course, it goes with almost everything. Like I’ve said before: good looking, quality materials, easy to use, affordable. This is a win 🙂 Wouldn’t this be a perfect gift for your mom? It’s vintage, it’s got great style, and it would actually do something, as in providing storage.  Or it could be, you know, a gift for your living room, where you could use it to keep the kids’ toys, or the dog’s stuff – or yours – in some kind of accessible order. While looking good. It doesn’t actually have to be a “beach house” basket, it just looks to me like it could be casually sitting on the porch at Martha’s Vineyard, or even better, on Little Deer Key. I found this treasure at Amid The Ruins, a quite wonderful vintage boutique at Etsy. TW, the shop owner/curator, has some fabulous finds there – and beautifully clear, informative pics, providing the visual information you need when you’re going to buy something online. Go there. You’ll thank me. PS And hey, a gift for Mom. Easy. Done 🙂 Yes, I like to play with beads and jewels – they’re my medium, if you like. And I think it’s good to try things that we aren’t “supposed to do”. After I saw that yummy, fuschia pink silk dress (see my post here), I couldn’t resist playing with some fuschia pink jewels.  I deliberately grabbed beads and jewels that I wouldn’t usually pair with the fuschia pink jewels. In the example on the left, that big jump ring is aluminum – not a material you expect to see with a classic rhinestone teardrop. And the upper stone is navy blue. In the middle design, those round(ish) beads are glass E beads – I probably wouldn’t choose those color combinations and those very..hmm…casual beads. But hey, why not try it? The design on the right has a sapphire blue oval paired with the fuschia pear. And the settings aren’t even the same color. Well, we definitely wouldn’t do that. But – why not? Okay, if it was me, I’d try to use three different settings, not two, so it looks deliberate. But that’s me. You ought to do – whatever feels right to you. Both gold and silver settings in the same earrings? Why not? Okay, first, this is a gorgeous dress, which is the most important thing. And I almost hate to say it’s “plus size”. A great dress is a great dress! But if you’re a vintage shopper, you know as well as I do that anything larger than size 4 disappears as fast as it appears on the shelves. People are always on the lookout!  Wouldn’t you feel like a million bucks in this dress? It’s officially a Size 14 – but look at that shape and style. Anybody from a 10 to a 16 could wear it, I bet. Belt it, wear it with flats for a fun daytime dress, and of course with bare sandals or stilettos for a knock-em-dead party dress. And it’s silk. Now to me, silk is not this untouchable too-good-to-be-true fabric. To me it’s wearable, usually totally washable (the only danger being a bit of shrinkage, so try it if the dress is a little loose anyway) – comfortable year round, because the fabric breathes – and, well, it FEELS good. I found this treasure at Six Cats Fun Vintage boutique on Etsy. Juliet, the shop owner/curator, has some fabulous finds there – and great prices – and colors you are going to love for Spring. Check it out. Seriously, you’re going to thank me! And then, there are times when you want a golden earring – no jewel tones, just metal, and not expensive – but looking rich. Hey, I sell glass jewels, and I love the sparkle – but sometimes I want a little quieter luxe. Like these:  Are those not a graceful, feminine shape? They’re a bit over 1″ long, large enough to have presence but still lightweight and comfy (yes I’m big on comfort). They’re perfect when you want something special – but you don’t want to shout 🙂 Affordable, comfortable, gorgeous: this is a win 🙂 Yes, I’m a closet geek – seamstress. Hey, when you love vintage, and are always looking for great value for your money, and you find a stash of vintage patterns? It’s kind of wonderful.  You can see what I mean. I’ve used Simplicity patterns, they generally have good clear instructions, and this dress would not be fussy to make. (Okay, not *super* fussy.) And yet! Think how you could rock this garment. Day, night, dressed down and simple for work, and when it’s time to party? Yowza! I found this yummy pattern at Fripperie, a vintage pattern and sewing supplies boutique at Etsy. Suzanne, the owner, has some fabulous finds there – she organizes her patterns by decade. You will love the hunt! Go see. You’ll find wonderful vintage patterns. You’ll create special and unique garments. You’ll thank me 🙂 |
Jewelry and Accessories
Vintage, Recycled, Upcycled!
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