Final Robin & Roses Broken China Jewelry Piece

I wanted to share this little sweetie I created in the studio last night…

This bracelet features the very last piece of the Robin & Roses china I have. I am always on the hunt for this very special pattern, and my last search took nearly 1 and ½ years to find another piece. This may be the last piece of jewelry I am able to offer in this pattern for some time. Although it’s sad to see them go, it makes me happy to know these special pieces are going to new homes where they will be worn and loved.

The plate I came across on my recent antiquing adventure only had 3 birds on it. I was able to make 2 necklaces and 1 bracelet using this extremely rare and vintage china.

Both necklaces have already sold and I wanted to let everyone know the final piece is now available on my website. It’s loaded with sparkling Swarovski Crystals & Pearls, Sterling Beads, and even Genuine Rose Quartz Gemstones! Please click HERE if you have an interest before she fly’s away.

***UPDATE***SOLD *** Thank you Janet!!! Enjoy the bracelet!

A Beautiful Start

Happy Monday! I wanted to share these beautiful flowers with you that I photographed outside my studio this morning.

Beautiful flowers to start the work week! Flowers will be the “theme” in my studio all week. I am right in the middle of revamping my line of broken china necklaces. I’ve been sorting through “the great wall of china” and selecting the most beautiful vintage floral patterns that will be turned into sparkling jewelry. And unlike the flowers I photographed this morning, the flowers in the jewelry pieces will bloom forever.

I hope your week is off to a beautiful start too.

Where Bloggers Create

Welcome to the Where Bloggers Create Party hosted today by Karen Valentine at My Desert Cottage!

This should be a fun day of visiting and sharing our creative spaces with each other. Although my studio is certainly not my dream studio, it is nonetheless the space where I make my dreams come true.

My little space is small….really small…. It originally was the sleeping porch on our old 1924 bungalow cottage. It still retains the original beadboard walls & ceiling and wood floors too.

When you have a space this small to work in, storage becomes essential. I like to store my supplies in unique containers. In the photo above, I've taken a number of baskets and spray painted them all white, and attached pretty picture frames to the outside. There are pretty graphics of old postcards inside the frames and I've added labels that say what is hidden inside the baskets.

I also label all of my bead storage boxes so I can get my hands on supplies fast when I am working!

All my special vintage jewelry pieces awaiting new life, are stored in my ever-growing collection of vintage jewelry boxes. I love opening these boxes and playing with the jewels tucked inside!

I also like to use old china bowls and crystal candy dishes, to hold items. I have these scattered about the studio.

Here is my glitter area - I use vintage jars and S&P shakers to hold glitter. I love playing over here too!

Just a small area where I store my reference and inspiration books. I have stacks and stacks of books everywhere!! I also recycled those wood kitchen canisters into fun storage with just a coat of creamy white paint, some carved wood shapes and glitter jewels.



I don't know which is higher.... the stacks of books around my studio or the stacks of china!

Here is another project - my antiqued mannequin, who Mr. Cupid started calling Miss Gertrude and the name stuck. She is my first employee and my number one jewelry model.

And this little sweetie above is my muse. She is a darling little cherub child print from around the turn-of-the-century. I found her at an antique store, in her original wood frame and she has watched over my studio ever since.

I made my sign using paint, computer printouts and even wallpaper scraps!


My stacked and beaded cake plates hold an ever changing display of items.

And here is my shipping and receiving department! This one-time closet was emptied and we added shelves to hold all my shipping supplies. Everything is hidden, but I can access whatever I need very quickly.

I used a favorite vine of paper roses as tie-backs for the closet curtains. It adds just a touch of romance in an unexpected way.

This is just a part of where the magic happens! This is my soldering bench. Everything I need to do this job is within an arms reach. I spend hours here so it's important to be comfortable, have proper lighting and elbow room.

Thank you for visiting with me today! No matter where you create, everyone’s creativity starts in their head with ideas and dreams. I look forward to the day when I have my dream studio space to work in, but until that day, I am happy to tuck myself away amid the beads, glitter and other sparkling goodies that inspire me to create.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my studio. Please be sure to visit Karen’s blog, My Desert Cottage, to visit the creative spaces of other blogger’s participating in today’s event. Enjoy!!!

My Jewelry Is For The Birds!

I had fun this week in the studio creating several new pieces of broken china jewelry! I love birds…big birds, little birds, tropical birds, you name it…. if it tweets, it’s sure to bring a smile to my face.

Believe it or not, it’s pretty hard to find china pieces with birds on it… at least, birds that are right for my work. I took some time last weekend to go through my inventory and select a group of birds to make jewelry out of.

And here they are …… a cute little vintage Art Deco Parrot ....

...and I LOVE this one below! This little birdie is really rare and hard to find - it's a pattern from the late 1920's. I made this one extra special by adding an antiqued brass chain with segments of vintage French rosary beads. I love the touch of pink on her wings too!

...and I though this little Kiwi Green Parrot is really cute too... you can almost hear her chirp!

...and now we come to the most precious pieces in my collection - the vintage Robin & Roses. This pattern is extremely rare and hard to find. In all my years of searching for china, I have only come across this pattern twice! I am always extra thankful that the plates are in such terrible condition, usually in the centers. They can't be used for eating and are in too rough of a condition to be used for display. Taking these sweet birds from the plate and giving them new life as jewelry is what makes me a happy girl!!!

I've been "recycling" before recycling was cool. My mantra is now "Who Says You Can't Be Glamorous And Green At The Same Time?" : )

And this last necklace is my favorite!!! It's going to be hard to let this one go and I may just keep it for myself..... I've used the same rare Robin & Roses china, but I cut the pendant in a heart shape and I've used two vintage connectors that are silver roses.



I thought the vintage pieces added a unique, one-of-a-kind touch to the necklace.

If you like this necklace, it's on my website for now.... or at least until I change my mind and keep it for moi ...... I have no clue as to when I will come across this pattern again. It's taken me almost 1 & 1/2 years to get a plate back in stock!

All of these pieces are one-of-a-kind jewels and they are ready to ship. But hurry if you have an interest in one because when they’re gone, they’re really gone. You can click HERE to visit them on my website.

I hope these little birdies will be flying out of the studio soon – winging their way to new homes where they will be treasured and bring a smile to someone new.



*****UPDATE***** Well, my favorite necklace did not last long! It sold within a couple of hours and it's headed to a new home with Kay from the Wrought Iron Gate - Thanks for the order Kay! These little birdies really do move fast!!!

My Marie Antoinette Jewelry Goes To Versailles!

If you’ve followed this blog for even a nano second in time, you already know about my devotion to all things Marie Antoinette. After reading stacks upon stacks of her biographies, I was inspired to create my line of Marie Antoinette Jewelry.

I blogged about this sweet blog friend, Lorrie, at Fabric Paper Thread. We met through my blog and via email, Lorrie had helped me translate my 1795 copy of Marie’s jewelry inventory completed by French officials after the revolution. She did a super job and I sent her a Marie Antoinette Charm Necklace as a little thank you gift for her help with the document.

Lorrie recently returned from her 3rd visit to Versailles and she wore my Marie Antoinette jewelry as she toured the palace and the Petite Trianon!!!! Be still my heart!!! And here she is posing in the Petite Trianon in the Marie charm necklace!

I can’t believe this necklace that was once in pieces on my work bench – has traveled all the way to France and walked in the footsteps of where Marie Antoinette once walked and lived…….. big sigh ……..

It’s been a recurring dream of mine to take the pilgrimage to Paris….Versailles in particular and the Petite Trianon as ground zero for my need to be in the one place that Marie truly loved and felt at home in. The more you learn about Marie, the more you will understand this gravitational pull.

I’ve dreamed of touring the palace and gardens while wearing a complete ensemble of my Marie jewelry. It’s going to be awhile before this dream can come true, but until then, if I could not be the first girl wearing my Marie jewelry while touring Versailles, I am glad that it was Lorrie, a true sweetheart.

I was so thrilled to see the photos of my jewelry there, and to be able to share Lorrie’s photo’s with you here on my blog, that I’ll be sending Lorrie matching pieces of jewelry as another little thank you.


*Photos taken of the Petite Trianon by Lorrie, used with permission*

New Jewels In The Shop And A Secret Sale!

I’ve added a few new jewelry designs to the shop this week! I’ve been slowly amassing a stockpile of sparkling rhinestones, vintage rosaries, beads, and all sorts of medals and tiny things that sparkle and I wanted to start incorporating more of these one-of-a-kind tidbits into my jewels.

I’ve been wanting to create a line of soldered pendants that were non-holiday and would be very, very girly…. something that speaks of romance and roses… my two favorite things.

I ended up creating one-of-a-kind pieces of artwork jewelry using combinations of vintage photos, vintage beads, vintage chains and mixing in small amounts of new Swarovski crystals and sterling beads. I am really pleased with how these new pieces turned out and wish I could capture their beauty and detail better with my camera.

These are NOT digital collages! Each pendant features a tiny original artwork collage of many layers over art papers, and all of the images have been hand-cut, hand-tinted and hand-glittered with a touch of sparkle. The effect is a 3D shadow box which is really pretty to look at. Mr. Cupid even went a little crazy about how nice these looked…. and he never gets excited about any kind of jewelry!

I am calling these new designs my “Romantic Elements Collection” and you can view more detail HERE. And as a special surprise for my blog readers only…… you can get 10% off any order by using the secret code “VIP” in the coupon/voucher box at checkout!

Meet The Artist

Hello everyone! I want to introduce you to a FABULOUS artist and her name is Ingrid Mida. Ingrid is a talented artist and freelance writer living in Toronto and her work can be found in galleries, on her website and she is a blogger too! We initially met through our blogs and bonded over our mutual interest in the beautiful aspects of 18th century history, art & fashion.

I recently received two incredible pieces of art from Ingrid’s French Fashion Plate Series and both pieces are now displayed in my studio where I can enjoy them each day.

I was really drawn to her French Fashion Plate Series because of her use of French Toile, which happens to be one of my all time favorite fabrics. It’s a classic pattern that has been around for centuries and it also happens to have been a fabric pattern that was loved by Marie Antoinette, who decorated with it often. Ingrid has figured out a very creative technique for combining fabric with art and I am thrilled with the art pieces I received.

Here are more detailed images of her lovely work. I really loved this first piece because of the darling little Cupid in the fabric! And the historical dress is so sweet, especially with the beaded accents.... perfect for my jewelry studio!

Art image used with permission

Each piece in her series is embellished by hand with beautiful embroidery or bead work. This next piece captured my heart not only for the historical dress, but also for the sweet little pup who reminds me of Barkley!

Art image used with permission

Ingrid also creates paper dresses and historical fashions in paper, in addition to photography and illustration.

I hope you’ll stop by her blog, Fashion Is My Muse, to say hello and also take a break and to enjoy her creative art and writing talents. She also recently opened an Etsy store where you can purchase pieces of her artwork too!

Let’s Shop! Curious Sofa

I just returned from a quick visit with Mr. Cupid’s family in Kansas City. As always, my gracious in-laws provided wonderful hospitality that included home-cooked meals and treats all day and my sweet and stylish sister-in-law, Glenna, was our guide to wonderful shops and restaurants all over the Kansas City area.

On this trip we discovered a fabulous gem of a shop called Curious Sofa located in the Prairie Village Shops. You knew it would be special before you even stepped through the beautiful front doors.

The first thing I noticed was the antique ceiling tins that covered the ceiling. I love this look and dream of the day I can have a ceiling like this in my studio.

There were beautiful silk flowers in French market pails that made you feel like you had entered a Parisian street painting!

This wonderful shop is filled to the brim with a mixture of old & new items, all displayed with a French flair.

We drooled over such treasures as aged mirrors and picture frames, architectural salvage pieces, beautiful furniture with just the perfect aged patina on painted wood or rusty metals.

There were piles of old books, sparkling crystal, glass & jewelry, French lotions and potions and luxurious bedding by Bella Notte, and yes, there were even a few sofa’s scattered about!

I loved several pieces in this collection of old salvaged doors & window shutters. I thought several of the old doors would make a great base for a coffee table or desk.

I also loved these great vintage style maps! I just had to have the map of Paris Monuments for my studio wall.

I was also really taken by their collection of classic vintage white/cream ironstone and sparkling French glassware.

This was such a beautiful shop! I am glad that I treated myself to a few souvenirs and look forward to the day when I can return.

If you plan a visit to the Kansas City area, or if you are fortunate enough to live within driving distance, I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful and unique shop.

Curious Sofa
Prairie Village Shops
3925 W. 69th Terrace
Prairie Village, Kansas
913-432-8969
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10-6 and Sun 12-5

I hope you enjoyed your visit to the Curious Sofa! This was also a bit of a buying trip for me to find new pieces for my broken china jewelry. We shopped antique stores every afternoon during our visit and I was thrilled with what I found and can’t wait to share everything with you right here on my blog. So please be sure to visit with me over the coming weeks to see some rare and very special pieces of jewelry being listed in the shop.