Marie Antoinette Birthday Soiree!

Reminder! Polish your tiaras and fluff your ball gowns because the soiree is going to be amazing! There are participants from all over the world who are excited to share their Marie Antoinette inspired treasures, so please be sure to come back and join the birthday festivities starting on Sunday, November 2nd.

There is still time to signup if you’d like to participate. Click HERE for more information.

Silver Spoons Bracelets Back In Stock!

Please indulge my current frenzy of posting about new jewelry being added to the shop. My blog has become my best communication tool for getting the word out to my dear clients. Rather then flooding email boxes with newsletters and shop announcements (who needs more email???) I prefer to list everything here. With the holiday season fast approaching, my studio work has kicked into high gear, so my blog will be listing more and more new things over the upcoming weeks.

I’ve had soooo many requests and questions about my spoon bracelets. I’ve been working when I can between custom orders, to restock this category and I was able to finish these two pretties this afternoon.

They are a LOT of work to create. Lots of power tools involved and many steps and I spend way too much time on them, but I love them too much to not keep them in my line. They really are beautiful and I just love wearing these spoon bracelets with the broken china charms. To me, it’s like wearing your grandmother’s table around your wrist!

Anyhow, for everyone who has been sending email questions about the spoon bracelets, go shop HERE before these two are gone!!

I’ve Got That Christmas Feeling!

Well, sort of….. one of the fun things about creating seasonal products is that you have to create them way in advance!

Although it’s October, living here in Florida, I’m still wearing shorts and the air conditioner is still running all day. Christmas feels a long way off. Earlier this week I put the finishing touches on a number of new pieces of holiday jewelry.

To help “set the mood” while I work, I like to turn on my twinkle lights that run around the ceiling of my studio. You can see them in this photo below. I've wrapped them around grapevine and added garlands of silk roses.

I’ll also light my favorite Yankee Candle scent “Hollyberry” and I’m even silly enough to listen to my favorite Christmas music.

And before you know it, I’ve got that holiday feeling. Christmas is my favorite time of year. It always has been and each year the sentiments of the season just seem to become even more precious to me.

If you’ve got that holiday feeling too or have started your holiday shopping a little early, here is a link to my newest creations. Just click HERE .

*** As a side note *** I’ve had a few questions about the sign that I’ve shown above. I made my sign using a scrap piece of lumber. It’s pretty big…about 3 feet long and I started by painting it a creamy white color first and then I went over it with an antique glaze. I printed my lettering from my computer and used carbon paper to trace the letters on my sign. Then I only had to fill in the letters with paint. The flowers on the side came from leftover wallpaper borders. I cut the flower designs out from the border and simply stuck them on. The Cupids in the flowers were printed from my computer and them I decoupaged them on top of the sign. It was a really simple and fun project!

Bohemian Button Jewelry!

I love old buttons!! I want to introduce you to a new line of special jewelry that is being added to my website. I am right in the middle of creating a new category that I am calling my “Couture Collection”. This will be jewelry that is “one-of-a-kind” and is not being reproduced. I’ll be using special pieces, vintage pieces and pieces of very limited quantity. Often when I have a stack of china for example, I can create more than one of any item. With anything created for my Couture Collection, the one item listed there will be it!

I am started off with a few special Czech Glass Bohemian Buttons. The luster on these buttons is just incredible. Hard as I tried, I just could not capture the shimmery luster with my camera. But I promise, they are far more luminous and beautiful in person! I found these gorgeous pieces on a recent trip HERE.

I don’t plan to put these into production, but they were far too beautiful not to do something special with. These are actually new buttons that were created from antique molds. They even still have the shanks on the back!

After the Iron Curtain fell, the newly formed Czech Republic opened up all the old factories and started producing beautiful beads and buttons again using all the old molds from the turn of the century.

As the next few weeks go by, I’ll be adding more one of a kind items in my Couture Collection. So please check back to see new items added each week!

Artful Blogging – I’m Published!!!

Please indulge my giddy side while I do the happy dance for a moment! The mailman handed me a treasure today… something I’ve secretly wished for… dared to silently hope for… an opportunity to appear in one of my favorite magazines. Today I received an advance copy of the Winter 2009 edition of Artful Blogging Magazine and guess who is in there? Little ol’ me : ) Whoooo Hooooo!

A few months ago I participate in a blog party event “Show Me Your Form” that Tiffany of Shabby Scraps hosted. I submitted a picture and story of Miss Gertrude, the official model for Cupids Charm jewelry. I was delighted to hear from an editor at Artful Blogging requesting a copy of Miss Gertrude’s photo for publication. Drum roll please…and here she is in all her glory!! She was one of my craft projects that I blogged about HERE.

And the cherry on top was when I was also asked to submit a copy of my banner because I had been selected to appear in Artful Bloggings “Banners We Love” section. Usually there are less than 10 banners that appear in this feature and to know that out of all the blog banners out there in the world of blogging, that mine was included in this group, well it just brought a tear to my eye.

I created my banner graphic myself, using elements from those noted in my credits. So it was a particular joy that this piece of artwork was selected since I had a hand in its creation. It was also a treat to appear in this feature along with 2 other of my favorite blogs…Heather Bullard of Present Past Collection and Kari Ramstrom of Artsy Mama. I consider these two beautiful blogs to be the crème de la crème out there in blog land and I am thrilled to have my banner included in a group with theirs. Double Whooo Hoooo!!

I don’t believe the Winter edition is on newsstands yet, but it’s coming soon! It’s a beautiful issue full of inspiration and amazing creativity and I highly recommend that you add this wonderful magazine to your reading list. Click HERE for more information on Artful Blogging.

THANK YOU for allowing me to share my excitement with you today and also for letting me toot toot on my horn for a bit!

New Jewelry In The Shop!

Just wanted to share with everyone a peek at some of my new holiday soldered Charm Necklaces - for Thanksgiving!!

Not just for Thanksgiving, these soldered Vintage Postcard Charm Necklaces can be worn all through the harvest season! You can find them all HERE. They do tend to go fast, so if you see one you like, snag it while you can. These are all made and ready to ship!

Holiday Waitress – With all the baking and cooking during the holiday season, it’s easy to start feeling like a chef or a waitress! If you ever feel like this, you’ll be darling in the kitchen with your Victorian Waitress holiday pendant!

Victorian Harvest – Sweet Victorian children gather their pumpkins for autumn harvest celebrations.

Turkey Dressing - This one makes me smile… Turkey Dressing… not dressing with “breadcrumbs” but dressing with a stylish hat made with feathers and a bow! I think she may be trying to dress “incognito” so she won’t be recognized during holiday celebrations!! : )

Holiday Friendship – PETA would be proud of this sweet Victorian lady who saves a new best friend from the holiday dinner table!

The back of the pendants are fun too!!! I used original paper snippets from my collection of handwritten recipes from the 1930’s. I came across a stash of recipes tucked in a tin can, during one of my flea market adventures. Most were in pretty bad shape, but these must have been special to someone at some point in time, so I’ve recycled them into jewelry. With all the cooking that goes on during the holiday season, I thought it was appropriate to use these in my Thanksgiving collection!

I hope you enjoyed this peek at my newest creations and that you are looking forward to your own holiday celebrations!

A Marie Antoinette Birthday Soiree!

You’re invited!!! On Sunday, November 2nd, I am hosting a birthday celebration for Marie Antoinette. This beautiful Queen of France still fascinates us today with her legendary style and taste. If Marie Antoinette inspires you too, please make plans to join the fun!

To participate, all you need to do is take photos of any Marie Antoinette inspired creation that you would like to share with everyone. It could be anything you’ve created (or purchased) that celebrates Marie Antoinette. Please leave a comment on this post to let me know you’d like to participate. On Sunday, November 2nd, I will list everyone’s links. Those participating will just need to have their item(s) posted on their blog by early Sunday AM. If you would like to participate but you don’t have a blog, you can still join the party by emailing your photos to me and I will add them to the party post. Be sure to include a brief description of your item(s).

Please feel free to copy the party button I made!! Then just blog about the party and add it to your blog sidebar to help get the word out! Let’s honor Marie Antoinette with a fabulous party!!

Whether Marie Antoinette’s dresses, fabrics, colors, hairstyles, glittering jewels or interior design inspires you, please share your MA interpretations with us! Let’s get creative and have fun! There are so many Marie Antoinette admirers out there and this will be a great way to celebrate her birthday and share our enthusiasm for all things Marie Antoinette!

Congratulations to the Winners!!!

Through the magic of RandomNumber.org - 2 winning numbers have been selected! Whooo Hooo!

Congratulations to the first winning number (#17) – Glenda/Midsouth!!! She wins the Cupid Home Ornament.

Congratulations to the second winning number (#40) - Joy from Librarylady64.blogspot “Books and Life. She wins the Halloween/Thanksgiving Vintage Postcard Necklace.

Thank you to everyone who participated in my giveaway! Your kind words, encouragement and visits to my little corner of the blog world, mean so much to me. From the bottom of my grateful heart, Thank YOU!

Time for a Giveaway!!!

I organized a corner in my studio this morning and came across a couple of my creations that I decided to giveaway as a gesture of my appreciation for all my wonderful blog readers!

I am giving away 2 different items so there will be 2 winners!

First up, this sweet little soldered vintage French Postcard Ornament that I made. A precious Cupid holds a glittered pink heart to share with you! The back of the ornament features a snip from a vintage 1920’s French love poem book. A sparkling vintage chandelier crystal adorns the bottom.

There’s a vintage beaded chain soldered to the top, so you can hang this little sweetie anywhere! I have them on doorknobs, cabinet pulls and chandeliers. They make beautiful tree ornaments too!

The 2nd giveaway is for one of my Vintage Postcard Necklaces! Halloween is fast approaching and this necklace features a darling black cat in a hat! Perched on a glittered pumpkin, this sassy kitty will be a fun necklace to wear for October.

The necklace flips over to a vintage Thanksgiving postcard image, so you’ll have jewelry to wear for the month of November too!

Everyday I receive the sweetest emails from beautiful women all around the world. It’s such a pleasure to share these connections with so many women who inspire, awe, share their talents and generosity with so many of us here in blogland. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making my day sparkle just a little bit brighter!

If you would like the chance to win either one of these jewels, please leave a comment on this post. Every comment has two chances to win!! I will draw 2 winning names at midnight, EST on Wednesday, October 8th.

Have A Romantic October!

October Facts:

Birthstone: Opal and Pink Tourmaline
Flower: Calendula – Cosmos
Colors: White and Yellow
Libra: September 24 to October 23
Scorpio: October 24 to November 22



The Beauty of October:
Notice the beauty around you as you go about your day

Photo mosaic from Flickr

Romantic Ways To Celebrate October!

1. Take a walk through the colors of nature with someone you love. Hold hands!

2. Surprise someone you love with a homemade apple or pumpkin pie.

3. Simmer a pot of apple cider on your stove. Add fresh sliced oranges and cinnamon sticks.

4. Eat by candlelight under the harvest moon.

5. Flank your front door with pots of colorful mums for a welcoming greeting to family and friends.

6. Scoop out apples, miniature pumpkins or colorful gourds to hold tapers or votive candles for a pretty centerpiece.

7. Fill bowls with apples or oranges spiked with cinnamon sticks or cloves for a gentle harvest fragrance.

8. Serve breakfast in bed – pumpkin pancakes with maple butter and walnuts!