Market de Mayo

Hola!  I hope everyone had a fun and safe Cinco de Mayo!  As for me, I was at the flea market bright and early this morning, or not so bright as the case was.  Our bay area weather brought lots of chilly wind and by 11:00 it started raining, so that's when I gave up and ran to the car.  I had planned to take photos at the market for all of you, but it was too grey and the wind kept blowing my hair into the camera lens (and my lipgloss), so I will try again next time.  I did manage to find lots of treasure in a few short hours, and wanted to at least show you my loot.  Now don't worry; I will be listing many of these pieces in The Paris Carousel over next few days, so please stop by!

 

 

 

 

 

(Check out my new boyfriend...)

  

 

Handsome devil!  ;)

 

 

I also managed to whip up a few new necklaces in time for last-minute Mother's Day shopping...

 

 

 

 

Thank you for stopping by, mis amigos!  :)

 

 

The Gatsby Collection

Is everyone else as excited as I am to see the new Gatsby film, which comes out next week?  I read the book just a few years ago (I know, but better late than never!), and can't wait to see the characters and costumes come to life (and in 3D no less!)!  As a tribute, I came up with a little 'Gatsby' collection from the jewelry studio...

 

Authentic Art Deco pieces from the 1920s mingle with gemstones and a touch of whimsy...

 

The earrings on the left feature vintage steel cut beaded bow-shaped shoe buckles!

 

 

 

This 'daisy' necklace below mixes lots of rhinestone dazzle with a bit of innocence in the Virgin Mary medal.

 

 

And just for fun, I created a piece that gives a nod to Jay Gatsby's infamous car...

 

 

 

As sometimes happens when I first list items on Etsy and then blog about them, the following two 'zelda' pieces already got snatched up by one of my sweet regular customers.  I hope she will love this old paste dress clip, accented with Art Deco blue glass and filigree links.

 

... And of course these matching earrings...  ;)

 

 

 

Since it's technically still Friday (though late in the day), I'll leave you with this spoof on the original 'Great Gatsby' book cover.  Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!  x o

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Pair of Crosses

I have been collecting some interesting crosses over the past year and decided to use a few in my new necklace designs this week.

 

I also worked on some other pairs... earrings that is!  ;)

 

 

This bronze Jerusalem cross really shows off against the simple chain treatment in front, and is balanced by a surprise of chunky gemstones in back.

 

 

 

   

 

Here some vintage Eiffel Tower charms pair nicely with bronze Edwardian castings for a simple earring from my t r e n d collection.



 

 

Sorry, folks... these fleur de lis goodies got snatched right up!  ;)

 

 

 

I love the sparkle of this large rhinestone cross pendant, served up with mixed metals and more gemstones.

 

 

Bronze hoops carry vintage heart charms and rose quartz brios in this fun-loving design.

 

 

Thank you for stopping by!  Have a great week!  :)

 

 

 

 



Tutorial 201 - Oxidizing Sterling Silver

As promised, I wanted to periodically offer some tutorials for those of you who enjoy making your own jewelry but may still have questions about certain techniques.  Today I wanted to show you my process for oxidizing sterling silver.  In this case, I've used ear wires as our example.  The above photo shows them all shiny and new.  (Bo-ring!)  ;)

This is the Liver of Sulfur I prefer using, a bottled gel.  It is also available in lump form (like little rocks), but I find that difficult to dissolve and has a much shorter shelf life.  Liver of Sulfur is described by Wikipedia as a mixture of potassium sulfide and other chemicals, and can give off a hazardous fume, so it's best to work with it in a well-ventilated area.

Working near the kitchen sink, I pour a tiny drop into a small non-pourous bowl that I don't plan to eat from again!  You will also need a plastic spoon for this process, and some paper towels.

Fill the bowl with hot water, just enough to cover the items you will be oxidizing.  The solution will turn bright yellow.

Next, I put it in the microwave for one minute.  You need to get the solution really hot in order for it to be effective!  It will darken a little after you heat it up.

 

Working very quickly so the solution doesn't cool too much, I load my spoon with the ear wires, and dunk them in, careful not to drop any into the bowl.  Sterling silver will oxidize in just a few seconds, so I didn't even have time to snap a picture.

 

When the silver has turned the colour you like, remove it from the solution and quickly run it under cold water to stop the oxidizing process.  Note that the metal will be very hot, so take care when touching it with your bare hands or you may want to wear rubber gloves.

 

 

Place the items on a paper towel and pat dry.  Voila!  Aren't these wires much more interesting now that they look aged?  ;)

 

And while you're here, allow me to show you some new designs I just listed on Etsy.  These will make perfect Mother's Day gifts for yourself or someone you love.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for stopping by!  And please feel free to let me know of any future tutorials you may like to see!   x o