design inspiration « Vintage Glass Jewels

Aqua and Jonquil Earrings Design Idea

Sometimes you don’t want matchy-matchy – for example, take a look at these adorable drop earrings 🙂

earrings design idea featuring opaque round glass cabochons paired with faceted jonquil navette glass gems

The round glass cabochons shown here are aqua and totally opaque. The jonquil faceted navette jewels are a sparkling contrast to the solid aqua color. The shapes are opposites too – smooth round stones, paired with sharply faceted navettes. It really works! Choose your colors, adapt the idea for your own creativity.

Also it doesn’t hurt that the jewels are on sale 😉 Check them out in my Clearance section. You’ll find some more goodies at terrific sale prices!

As always, the idea is to take a suggested idea and make it your own. And save money while you make terrific jewelry. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

Earring design idea for Fall

Do it yourself jewelry – yes you can do it! One of the best things about making your own jewelry for yourself, for gifts, and for customers is that you can create customized, personalized jewelry, for your giftee or your customer. Start with rich fall colors like these.

earring design idea featuring fuschia pink and blue zircon glass gems from weekendjewelry1 on etsy

And adapt this idea with your own favorite colors – or your customer’s. I just wanted to point out how powerful color is! These are statement earrings – a big hit for Fall.

Color is your friend – and your collaborator. Take this idea, run with it, and make it your own!

DIY necklace design idea – rhinestones and gems!

I just wanted to show you a DIY necklace design idea that combines ‘fine'(ish) jewelry components – with “just rhinestones”. The necklace chain here combines Bali sterling silver, freshwater pearls, and gemstone amethyst rondelles. The pendant is a faceted rhinestone (glass) teardrop in a silver plated setting.

DIY necklace design idea featuring a rhinestone teardrop with freshwater pearls and gemstone amethyst with sterling silver

Both the rhinestone teardrop – and the fancy necklace – look great. They complement each other beautifully. I just want to remind myself (and you too) that nothing is off the table! Use what you have. Combine metals – brass and sterling. Combine components – glass or rhinestones, and genuine stones and pearls.

If it looks good, if you like the combo, you can make it work. It’s YOUR design, it’s your necklace and your creation. It’s all good!

DIY chandlier earrings design idea

And as always, it’s the details that make the difference. Tiny, pretty aqua rhinestones are set in patina brass or golden (raw) brass prong settings. The brass filigrees are a restock in my shop – my customers have been loving them and I totally agree – the flower filigree is so pretty!

DIY earring design idea featuring aqua rhinestone gems and brass filigree flowers

Link the filigree flower connectors and gems with sturdy little jump rings, add earwires, and your fantastic chandelier earrings are ready to wear. And of course you can customize them with your own details – colors, gem shapes, and extra details you’ll think of and I didn’t. Still – the basic idea totally works – and they’re doable and affordable and you will love wearing them! Or gifting them.

And the earrings are gorgeous!

Clearance sale! Leaf spray links or charms

Yes, you read that right. These cute leaf spray links with two loops are on clearance sale! They’re antiqued-bronze finish over base metal – not precious, just pretty! And now they’re on super clearance sale in my shop 🙂

bronze finish leaf spray nature links or charms

The second pic is just one suggestion of how these leaf links could be used – you can see it’s an easy DIY earring design idea. I know you’ll come up with your own special design – and now you can do it when the links are on sale!

Just while supplies last – you might not to wait too long. Besides, the clearance sale section is always fun to check out!

January birthstone color is Garnet

And if you have a birthday girl in January, you might want to know that you can get lovely, affordable, rhinestone garnet jewels for fabulous earrings – just for example, like these:

garnet rhinestone pear jewels combined with rhinestone connectors for a great DIY earring design idea

Of course there are lots of different styles – and color combinations – you could invent (and I know you’re thinking of some of them already!) This design idea is just a starting place 🙂

Garnet rhinestones for January birthday gifts – a great DIY earring design idea to spark your creative juices – this is a great way to start the year!

A beautiful quilt – and DIY inspiration!

I saw a beautiful – and inspirational! – quilt this morning at All People Quilting, part of the Better Homes and Gardens family:

Victoria Findlay Wolfe quilt at American Patchwork Quilting

Of course, just seeing this quilt is inspiring – the intricate, lovely design, and those cheerful happy colors! And then we get to the “DIY inspiration” I mentioned.

First, you could buy one from the designer, which would mean you’d have a beautiful piece of useable art and an heirloom for your kids. But if you want to Do It Yourself (or have to because, well, funds are limited) – think about it. You could use a quilt design as a template for recycled fabric scraps, discarded t-shirts, or old neckties, and use the design as a quilt – or as wall art.

Take the idea further – you wouldn’t have to use fabric. How about cut out magazine images? construction paper, or too-creased-to-use-again wrapping paper.

You see what I mean? Endless options – and using recycled materials, almost cost-free.

There are a LOT of inspiring quilts out there. Until you can buy one of these masterpieces, well, make your own!

Michelle Obama, Jason Wu, and Vintage Design

Of course I watched (some of) the inaugural fuss yesterday – I have issues with every politician, but I still think the Obamas are better than the alternative last November – and I am very fond of Michelle Obama.

And like a lot of women, I love to see what she chooses to wear!

It’s not (just) shallow of us to watch her wardrobe. Her style choices influence retail fashion and that means business and sales and commerce – and we need commerce! But it’s also fun to watch. I loved her Jason Wu gown:

Michelle Obama and Date

But what I specially like is that she doesn’t always wear Designer Couture. Sometimes she wears Gap or, in this instance, Target:

Love it! That she’s wearing Target, I mean – I also think it’s a cool dress.

Now if we could just get her to show off / promote / wear some American vintage…. that would be beyond fabulous!

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Aqua and Jonquil Earrings Design Idea

Earring design idea for Fall

DIY necklace design idea – rhinestones and gems!

DIY chandlier earrings design idea

Clearance sale! Leaf spray links or charms

January birthstone color is Garnet

A beautiful quilt – and DIY inspiration!

Michelle Obama, Jason Wu, and Vintage Design

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