A Tiny Messenger...

Remember my "Tiny Messenger" I was talking about last post???

Well here she is in all her vintage cuteness...

It's little Miss May... a sweet little European toddler with her sterling and mother of pearl Victorian toy...

That's her little poem below from an original 1911 floral magazine... 

...and she's a sweet little keeper of your jewelry...

You can read more about little Miss May and her one of a kind vintage assembled jewelry box tonight at Etsy...

...along with these...

...all that glitters coming to Etsy tonight...

...I just love how these little birds lift off in flight from their beautiful bronze cross...

One more reminder about my necklace giveaway... Leave a comment anywhere on my blog to be put in the drawing! I will be choosing a winner this Friday. Good luck to you all and thank you for stopping by to see what I have been up to! Have a beautiful week!!!!

Precious Relics...

Bonjour Mes Amis! I wanted to take a moment today to show you my latest design featuring a very special reliquary piece from Europe. Up until a few years ago I was not familiar with these heavenly and precious pieces that contain sacred relics from beloved saints from all over the world. The one above is from Saint Marguerite Marie Alacoque from France. This particular relic contains a piece of cloth either worn by her or touched to her body. It is such a beautiful little shrine to her glory as one of the most popular female saints of all time. Here is her story...

  Saint Marguerite was beatified in 1864 and canonized on May 13, 1920 by then Pope Benedict XV. She was healed of a crippling disorder during a vision of the blessed Virgin Mary, during which she gave her life to God. After receiving a vision of Christ she joined the Order of the Visitation in 1671. In 1675 she received a visitation from Jesus in which He gave 12 promises to her and those who practice devotion to His Sacred Heart, this became a widespread devotion and continues today among devout Catholics and Christians. Her life and legacy has become an inspiration to many

people worldwide.

Below is a picture of the inside of the reliquary with it's original wax seal. The wax seal ensures the relic stays secure inside it's special container and was created by the monastery in which it was made.

 Here's the necklace's beautiful backside with the rings that make it adjustable and wearable at

3 different lengths...

The back is so pretty that you can actually wear it as the front for a simple look. But with that heavenly French relic on the front, who would want to? You can see more of this really special necklace at Etsy, if it doesn't make a detour to my jewelry box first! (LOL)

Some new earrings in my Etsy shop...

These glass pears look like they are lit from within. They have a beautiful glow when the light hits them...

Coming in a couple of days....

"A Tiny Messenger"

Au Revoir for now!!!

My Grandpa Is My Hero...

Today, as I was driving home after restocking one of my jewelry cases, I heard the most touching story on NPR radio. I absolutely love NPR radio, because I try to stay enlightened on all of our wordly issues and plus it makes me feel smart when I listen to it. (heehee). But anyway, while I was listening today, I heard a British man telling the story of his father, World War II, and what Memorial Day had meant to him. He had said that during the war his father, a British soldier, had been captured in Europe by the enemy and had become a prisoner of war for several years. That is, until American troops had set foot in Europe and freed him from captivity. He said his father had always felt liberated by our American soldiers and that Memorial Day had always been a very special day for him too. I was so moved upon hearing this, became a little teary-eyed and immediately thought of my grandpa. That's him in the picture above, he was not a fighter-pilot, kamikaze war hero or anything extreme like that, but he did serve our great country for years and he is the hero of my family. Last year about this time, I made this in his honor...

...I called this necklace, "My Grandpa Is My Hero", and to this day it still holds a special place in my heart, right next to the man it was inspired by, my Grandpa!

So this Memorial Day I salute him, all of our fallen heros and the ones still serving today...

...THANK YOU, for keeping us free!!!

Happy Memorial Day!

The Captain Of My Heart...

Meet the star of my latest necklace entitled 'The Captain Of My Heart"...isn't he the coolest? His name is

Captain Christophe and he is an explorer, lover, and a world-class sailor. You can read more about him and the symbolism of the necklace at Etsy tonight. Ahoy, mes amis, there he will be!!!!

I am just in love, love, love with jewelry that tells a story.I feel the 'The Captain of My Heart' necklace does just that in it's three luscious layers of vintage charm. Alot like the piece I made last summer entitled 'Coming to America' and pictured below. 

With the piece below I tried to tell a story of a European family immigrating to America with the sweet little charms and vintage souvenir picture book dangling from the exquisiteVictorian mesh chain. Look for more of these story-telling pieces to come in the days and months ahead....

Yesterday was such a great, productive day for me! I finally buttoned up my taxes (yes I know, I am runnung way behind) and personally hand delivered them into my accountants hands. What a great feeling, because doing taxes or anything tax related can just drain the creativity out of everyday life. As a reward for finishing, (because we all know how we deserve it after enduring that kind of stress) I took a quick peek into one of my favorite little antique stores in the next town over. I would provide a link to her store here if the little 90 something year old lady that owned it had a website, but she does not. And with all the years of her buying and selling some of the finest vintage jewels around, I doubt she has the time or even needs one. Ha! But looky, looky what I found in her shop! The Holy Grail in a jewelry maker's world...That would be the little gem below...

...I could hear angels singing when I first laid eyes upon it....

It's a Victorian, hand-carved, ivory perfume bottle, and isn't it quite fabulous??? I think a screamed when I found it!!! I can't remember, because I was lost in a cloud of jewelry euphoria. hee hee!

I also found the gorgeous, turn of the century shell and silver filagree cameo below....

...and these two wonderful pieces!! Yes that is mother of pearl (my fave) on both pieces....

So despite the taxes, yesterday didn't turn out so bad after all!!!

One last thing my friends....

...don't forget about my blog giveaway of this sweet and elegant vintage mother of pearl necklace that I will be bestowing upon one of you in mid-June. All you have to do is leave a comment anywhere on my blog about anything you want, and I will then put you in the old-fashioned  hat-drawing coming up in two weeks. Merci mes amis... have a beautiful holiday weekend and be safe!

Francois...

Meet Francois! He is the star of my latest vintage assembled jewelry box...

I'm really loving these little treasure chests filled with old goodies and special mementos from the past. And they are functional too! They make excellent gifts for the hard to buy for jewelry lovers. Don't ya think???

...that sweet old souvenir Eiffel Tower makes an excellent ring holder...

and you can bet Francois will take great care of your jewels. He is so debonair!!!

 You can read more about the Francois assemblage at Etsy, he will be there tonight.

Some new jeweled creations, to be found at Etsy also...

"An Elegant Specimen"

"Divine Love"

"Love Locks"

Bonne journee, mes amis!!!!