Portrait Cuffs...

Bonjour belle amis! Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend and enjoying this fine weather we are having.

As of late, I have been mostly inside and really enjoying making my latest obsession...Portrait cuffs. I have always loved cuffs and you know I have a weak spot for vintage portraits, so what better pairing then to put the two together for some fun vintage pieces. And besides the fact that cuffs look really cool, they just always seem to be more comfortable to wear than regular bracelets.

Here are some of my latest cuffs....

 

...and I have managed to finish a couple more portrait necklaces also...

...I just loved the regal personality of this old lion medal with a portrait button center...

...and the Victorian gutta percha mourning bird pendant made this three strand layered portrait necklace something really, really special...

...and I also have been working on some vintage Rosary earrings...

Check out the beautiful detailing on these sweet vintage rosary centers...

...and those garnet briolettes are to die for!!!!

...and I also love these petite hand carved vintage mother of pearl rosary hearts...

...so I made them the centerpieces of these sweet bird earrings.

And shabby, chippy faux pearl rosary strands really make these old earrings come to life...

All of these fun new pieces coming to my Etsy shop this evening!

I also wanted to tell you about a couple of blogs I have found this week that have brought me so much inspiration over the last few days. I was so enamoured by "Castles Crowns and Cottages" blog that I just have to mention it here. There is so much eye candy there, and you can tell Anita pours her heart into her posts. It is such a feast for the ears, eyes and heart, it does not disappoint.

And if you're a lover of all things French, you must visit Ms. Rhonda at "A Little Bit French"  blog. Her blog is so full of Parisian inspired beauty. There is so much to see there and it is really a fun place to stay and get inspired by.  Her love of  France definitely comes to light on all of her projects and posts.

Hope you will visit them and get inspired as I have been, have a great week my friends and see you here in a few days!

The Cross...

Hello Mes Amis, I hope everyone is having a lovely Easter weekend so far. And in honor of this beautiful and spiritual occasion, I am sharing with you on this post my vast collection of crosses. Some are so exquisite and sacred that it has been hard to let go of them over the years. The meaningful and simple elegance of this sacred symbol  has transcended through the decades and still brings many people great joy and comfort when wearing or beholding them. Especially me....

...an old pocket shrine with the sacred emblem gracing the top.

...French mother of pearl rosaries with sterling and hand carved mother of pearl crucifixes...

...a lovingly stitched vintage silk cross reliquary...

...stunning Victorian onyx ..

...and French enamel....

...engraved antique Nun's crosses from the turn of the century...

...vintage silk embroidered scapulars....

...black ebony hanging from hand-knotted Victorian jet...

...a French sacred heart cross..

...a Victorian mother of pearl bog oak mourning brooch...

...an enamel blue rose under acrylic crucifix...

...beautiful guilloche enamel and a celluloid crucifix...

...there's even a cross with  'a view'...

....rhinestone Stanhopes also make up some of my collection....

...and when you look through the centers of them there are images of holy places or the Lord's prayer inside.

...an old carved wooden Nun's rosary....

...the Nun's cross I was baptized in...

This is just a very small part of my collection. I have been collecting these sweet gems for many years and they give me great comfort having them displayed all throughout my art room or when I wear them out on my everyday journey. To think of the joy and comfort they may have brought someone over the years before I have owned them and to think of the real meaning behind this amazing symbol of love and sacrifice makes these antique treasures very, very special to me.

Do you have a special cross or crucifix that you love to wear?

Happy Easter my friends!!!

He is Risen!

Portrait Pieces...

Hello my friends, hope everyone has been enjoying this lovely Spring weather and getting on with some serious creating! I definitely have been at the design bench this week and here is a peek at what has sparked the creative frenzy this go around....

Portrait Pieces....

...I just Love, Love, Love, creating with old images. Whether they are hand-painted, antique engravings or old photos from days gone by, portrait pieces always make for a stunning centerpiece in a jewelry design....

...and coming soon....portrait pieces on cuffs and bangles!!

The piece below is Victorian and from Europe. The portrait under the beveled glass and inside its filigree frame is just amazing. I found the piece buried under a pile of chains in a little old antique store...

A French Prayer card portrait piece with sacred heart chain...

...and the beautiful Victorian watch fob makes this portrait piece really special....

We also gave the boys their "Spring Cleaning"  this past week....

Steve was NOT happy about it...

Milo didn't seem to mind too much....

...I just had to share these with you because they were just so darn cute!!!

More pictures of these "Portrait Pieces" coming to my Etsy shop this evening...

Take Care my friends, and see you back here in a few days!!!