All That Glitters

 

Can you believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner?  This year is flying by, and there have been lots of changes in my life, but one thing remains constant:  my love of vintage jewelry!  Lol!

 

 

This week I've been inspired by the rich golden hues of autumn and have incorporated lots of gold and warm silvers into the mix.  This gorgeous mourning cameo heart pendant is actually a clay reproduction of an original Victorian gutta percha piece, created by my good friend Danette Darbonne of French Queen's Ransom.  She has this and other fabulous supplies in her shoppe, so please check it out!  Danette was gracious enough to allow me to create a necklace using one of her first castings...

 

 

I am always taken in by pendants featuring historical women, such as Joan of Arc and the Virgin Mary!

 

 

Gold, anyone?  ;)

 

 

Please stay tuned next time for a very sparkly new collection I'm dreaming up, perfect for the holidays, and news of another project I'm working on.  (Fingers crossed that it goes as planned!)  :)  Have a beautiful week, mes amis!  :)

 

On the Dark Side

 

Happy Autumn, mes amis!  With October just around the corner, this week I wanted to feature some slightly darker, more macabre themes in the way of antique mourning jewelry.

 

I've been playing with Victorian photo brooches and cameo lockets, as well vintage black rosaries and deeper stone colours.  I love the sapphire-coloured rhinestones below.

 

This antique pendant is made of gutta percha, often used for mourning jewelry in the late 1800s / early 1900s.

 

Here, an old cameo locket is filled with an original photograph and lock of braided hair!

 

This old swivel brooch features images of well-coiffed women on both sides - possibly sisters.

 

These cameo earrings get dressed up with Art Deco rhinestone drops.

 

Another century-old photo brooch takes center stage in this whimsical bracelet.

 

And for something a little more delicate, these sterling silver orchid earrings are perfect for that transition from summer into fall.

 

Thank you for stopping by and indulging my 'dark side'!  I will be back soon with some pre-Christmas holiday designs!  :)

Darkness and Light

I don't know if it's just me, but my Blogger composition screen has completely changed and I can't figure it out at all! I was lucky to get these photos uploaded, but can't seem to type in between them! If anyone knows the secret, I'd appreciate some help! In the meantime, here's what I've been up to in the jewelry studio this week. A combination of darkness and light as we transition into a new season. Sorry for the sloppy formatting. I hope you will enjoy the pictures. :/