Tiaras for Mum

Don't know why a farm girl from Iowa would love tiaras  (hate pageants, BTW) but I do.Maybe it was watching "A Queen for a Day" on TV in the 50s (when I was a VERY SMALL CHILD!!!)

Sparkles. Jewels. So much cooler than barrettes.

So now I can just make them. and I have been doing just that.

Some of these are wearable....but I know that most people who may love tiaras and crowns most likely won't wear them much....so some are really designed for your Queen Mum (Mom) to hold her crown jewels (Grandkids photos).

Like this...(aren't my sister's grandkids and my nephews cute???)

I really like the copper and turquoise combination.

But tiaras to wear are cool, too, like this one from stained glass.

Yup, it's a bit heavy. So, ask any monarch if wearing a crown isn't hard work!
This one is lighter....

Then there's this - made from an old silver-plated basket. It was all dented and bent, partly detached from the very crumpled bowl. Found it in the back of my friend Dewey's truck (he's a metal recycler...good friend to have!) Now it's a circlet crown, of sorts. Maybe Laura will like it.

Such fun. Happy Spring.

Statement Jewelry - 2nd verse

This lapis collar has been bumping around in my head for two years, ever since I bought strands of luscious, large round, oval and rectagular lapis (or something that LOOKS like lapis) beads at the local gem show.

Building the collar was an organic thing, gradually adding pieces and trying to keep the shape working (and hanging) properly. Also included are some sparkling faceted Chinese crystals, a lovely vintage filigree floral pin

and an costume jewelry earring that was my mother-in-law's.

 Bits of chain, jump rings, gold-toned beads and a spool of vintage 70s brass wire were all that was needed. I used the wire to make a wrapped hook for the back and did put a few beads onto a 2" dangle to weight the back and keep it centered. I'm wearing this, at least this week on our trip to Chicago - but will make another. This one was a learning experience and I've got ideas for changing my connection techniques....

Statement Jewelry

Ha! It worked! Starting a new medium (foiled & soldered glass pendants on fiber garlands) got me creative again. And guess what? My jewelry is bigger - literally. Not a tiny seed bead in sight.

Statement jewelry is in (for a couple years now....) and some of the outstanding designers I love are making totally amazing things.  I guess this one makes a statement too - as in "I love wearing jewelry!!"

Inspired by my garlands and seeing fibers used in various ways in jewelry recently (just about everywhere...) I went back to my wonderful stash of cream colored silk from making my daughter's wedding dress in 2003 and found yards of leftovers, which were used to make yards of bias strip to wrap cotton upholstery cord.

I added a strand of pearl beads from deconstructed multi-strand castoff, a strand of strung faux pearls and several vintage rhinestone jewelry pieces. One of them was an earring from my mother and the large blue centerpiece is a pin found recently in a resale shop. The rest were dug from my cherished bins of vintage jewelry.....

A few little sew-on individual rhinestones were added randomly to emphasize the blues below.

The "clasp" is a vintage silk-corded button toggle which slides easily through the looped cord at the back. This piece used as many sewing skills as it did jewelry-making techniques.
My husband thinks its "gaudy" but I'd totally wear this - and will, if it doesn't sell at Eclectics Gallery. However pricing is my bugaboo. I'm thinking this should be priced at $185.....it did take a long time to construct and it contains all those great vintage pieces....we'll see.

Honeydew with Pearls

One more garland complete - Honeydew.  Reclaimed creamy satin drapery cord, cream embroidered satin ribbon, green organza ribbon and a remnant of beaded trim.

Glass triangles are accented with dangles of glass, crystal and pearls.

The scary part is the only supply newly purchased is the glass and solder. All the beads and ribbons and pearls and fibers are from my stash...

More Groovy Garlands

Actually, these are more romantic than groovy....

What can you do with stained glass scraps, a few beads, leftover wired satin ribbon and scraps from a failed sewing project? Ta da!! This yummy combination of olive greens and caramel browns. And yes, you must remove (tediously) the wire from the satin ribbons or it won't hang right!

This would look great hanging in a gloomy office cubical! Measures 42" from hanging points.

Do they permit that sort of thing??? Then there's this dramatic silver silk and burgundy swag with the coolest mirror glass . . .

I finally found a place to use some faceted garnets along with some burgundy beads actually taken from real, vintage Mardi Gras beads, from back when they really threw out glass beads instead of the pressed plastic they use now.

This one is 37", not counting the end fringe.