Thursday, March 31, 2011

De La France, Avec L'amour...




Sharing some pictures of the latest batch of my French goodies...



Some of the pieces in these photos will be featured in  my upcoming designs out soon...


Love, love, love anything  Jeanne D'Arc!!!





Exquisite old French reliquaries! LOVE....



Beautiful old souvenir books...


See anything that inspires you????



Remember the cute little hat from the Cirque Du Soleil??? Well, here it is... as precious as ever, on my 
niece and...


 the family dog... Too Cute!!!

Passez une bonne journee!!!!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

A Passion for Jewelry...

As promised I am giving a peek into my jewelry box on today's post. This is just a small fraction of what I actually have, as I could not show everything in one post. But in the weeks and months to come a will show you a little at a time. I used to love digging in my mother and grandmother's jewelry boxes (didn't you????) and that is the whole purpose of this post.  It's a good old fashioned jewelry box treasure hunt!!!




The bracelet below is unlike any bracelet I have ever seen. Carved celluloid lions with tiny marcasite eyes jump through patterned rings. It is vintage Trifari and the detailing is absolutely incredible! This isn't like any Trifari you can get now a days.



Below is a beautiful Austrian crystal and bronzed filigree necklace. I found this piece in one of my favorite little antique shops in Fort Walton Beach (the town where I am from) and got a super deal on it. It is fabulous when worn and catches the light!


Beautiful old Victorian earrings (since converted to ear wires) with black enameling. Really old Victorian good quality earrings are so hard to find in this day and age, and when you do find them they cost and arm and two legs. These antique earrings are of great quality and are really stunning on.


The sterling antique cherub brooch below is so peculiar in the fact that it looks as if it is hundreds of years old. I have never seen a piece of jewelry with the silversmith's hallmark on the front. Notice the mark on the top left hand side of the brooch just behind the dragon's neck? This piece is going to make a fine necklace one day!!!


One of my favorite necklaces is this beautiful art deco sterling and bezel set crystal necklace. Circa 1920's-1930's. The first time I wore this, I felt like a queen! (LOL) Isn't it wonderful that jewelry can make you feel that way???


One thing I absolutely love about art deco jewelry is the detail the artisans put into each piece. Check out the back of this necklace and the chasing in the bezels. Pretty amazing, isn't it???


A sweet little (and I mean little) blue glass and bronze filigree Victorian ring.


A pair of my favorite earrings... Asian, circa 1920's, bronze lanterns with bunches of little dangly tassels. They were screw backs when I found them so I converted them over to ear wires. They are so much FUN to wear and they go with everything... 


Below an old Victorian paste cuff bracelet, that is just dreamy...


This is a bracelet that I made several years ago using an old art deco marcasite buckle as the centerpiece. The colors of the buckle are quintessential art deco so I used black glass faceted crystal to accent it....
Stay tuned, I will show you more next time!

Some new pieces going to Etsy this evening....









I love this necklace because you can wear it this way...



or this way...



and it has a surprise inside....

Au Revoir for now! And thank you for digging through my jewelry box with me!!!!