Etsy Favourites of the Week: Give to Me Your Lace

Hello all!

To my eye there are few things more lovely than lace.  I've always been inspired by it in my own work, which is why I love filigree so much.  There's just something about lace that I find exquisitely romantic without being over-the-top--if it's done right, of course.  For all my love of lace, I'd always wished it were somehow incorporable into jewelry in some way.

Lace Pendant Necklace - Rosalie Style in Black, $30

For those of you who follow my Facebook page, this necklace from Topiary Designs probably looks familiar--it was one of my Etsy Favourites last week.  Often my Facebook favourites posts inspire my blog weekly favourites post, and this necklace was the inspiration for this blog--I simply wanted to feature it.  But there is not a single thing in this shop that doesn't strike my fancy. 

Lace Necklace - Harp Style in Ivory, $26

It was the necklaces that caught my attention initially, but after a thorough browsing, I've decided that my favourites are the earrings. She chooses the most perfect bits of lace, giving you a wide variety of colours from which to choose.  Not only can you choose the lace colour but also the metal--the ear wires are brass by default, but she offers sterling and gold filled as well.  (I can't help thinking that these would make incredible bridal jewelry.  How perfectly they would match a wedding dress!)

Darling Buds Earrings (You Pick the Color), $10

She does quite a bit of lovely work with filigree and stones as well, but it's the lace pieces that make this shop truly unique, and one of my new favourites on Etsy. (Incidentally, you can find her Facebook page here.)





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Frida Textile Bracelet, $236

Ivy Long, a.k.a. EderaJewelry, describes her work as "opulent," and I can't think of a more apt description.  Using old world lacemaking techniques and combining them with more modern touches like gemstones and precious metal, the effect is reminiscent of all the things I love about vintage jewelry and a testament to the value of handmade--truly, they just don't make them like this anymore.
 

Delos Textile Earrings, $174

Utilizing real precious metal threads (i.e, not metallic fibers or wire, but 14K gold and silver alloy threads) and silk, she crochets each shape individually, then adorns them with everything from vintage rhinestones and gemstone beads, which she stitches into them.  Oh yeah, and it's worth mentioning that in every piece, the back is just as intricately detailed as the front:

Isabeau Dramatic Lace Earrings, $226

It's worth reading the necessarily lengthy descriptions of her pieces just to get an idea of just how much work goes into them.  Her shop is lovely to look at, and her photos capture you immediately, the intensity of colour and ornate detail in her work immediately evident.  But you have to look much more closely to fully appreciate the beauty here--you'll be missing out on something truly amazing if you don't.  You can also find her on Facebook here.




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Paisley Lace Pendant, $44

I came across this listing for this pendant from Inbar Shahak during one of my frequent browsing sessions for filigree, and it caught my attention immediately.  My first impression was that it must be a piece of actual cotton lace, due to the fine detail.  But the colour was so deeply golden that I realized it had to be metal.  Then I assumed it was made with precious metal clay, and that the lace had been stamped into the clay or pressed from a mold; again, the detail of the lace was just so distinct and perfect.  Finally, after visiting her shop and falling in love with several pieces, I got around to reading one of the listings' descriptions.

Lacy Square Bracelet, $78

That's how I discovered that these are not pieces of lace, nor are they made by mold or impression into clay.  They are hand drawn designs, inspired by Victorian lace, Indian batik, and crochet patterns, which are then etched into metal.  By hand. 

Marquise Metal Crochet Bracelet, $69

Did I mention that this is all by hand?

I can't even comprehend the amount of time and labour that goes into each of these pieces.  If you look closely enough you might be able to imagine it yourself.   As if that weren't enough, she actually has another shop, where she features bridal jewelry, and she has even more listed there.  Even if you aren't in the market for wedding pieces, there is a lot there that is very wearable for other occasions.

When I envision incorporating lace into jewelry, this is the image in my head.  You can find her on Facebook here--she's got new photographs coming next week, and I for one will be watching her page.

Until next time,
J

Etsy Favourites of the Week: Vintage Button Jewelry

Vintage Mother-of-Pearl Filigree Button with Silver Scroll Chain, $35

As odd as it may sound, my love affair with jewelry making began with, of all things, buttons.  At an art show where I was exhibiting, I met a woman who was showing her collection of vintage buttons.  I was immediately taken with them--the amount of detail that went into these tiny little pieces of glass and metal still never fails to amaze me.  There was a time when buttons did a lot more than just keep our blouses closed.  They were often practical adornments (perfume buttons, for example, which were layered with fabrics to absorb perfume).  They acted as heirlooms, as storytellers, and of course as fashionable adornments, much the way we wear jewelry nowadays.

My first jewelry making adventures began with button necklaces; my initial thought upon seeing a vintage button was that it would make a great pendant (the jewelry aspect was almost an afterthought).  I learned some of the basics of jewelry making, beading, wire wrapping and other techniques for the sole purpose of incorporating those little beauties into pieces of jewelry.

I sold many of the button necklaces and bracelets on eBay at a time when only collectors were interested in them.  The types of buttons that were considered collectible were Victorian picture buttons, and glass buttons were routinely overlooked as common and non-collectible.  I remember my first purchase on eBay, a gorgeous lot of ten different black glass buttons with gold trim.  I placed my bid thinking that over the ensuing week I would have to duke it out with some other button lover.  I was stunned to win the auction with a winning bid of $0.99 with no other bidders.  Glass buttons were quite literally a dime a dozen back then.

That was over a decade ago.  Czech glass buttons are now sold for anywhere from $3 to $12, depending on size, complexity and age.  Button jewelry has become common enough that you can often find button jewelry mass marketed, in department stores and fashion boutiques.

Black & Gold Glass Button Bracelet, SOLD

As a result of the "Walmartization" of button jewelry, as with every fashion trend, much of it has become cliche.  Not all of it is handmade these days; many of the buttons are not true vintage buttons but reproductions or outright fakes, often made of plastic or plasticized metal as opposed to the brass, glass and cut steels that enchanted me all those years ago.  Luckily there are still those who seem to find the vintage button as fascinating as I do, and button jewelry is still being made by people who appreciate the sense of history and beauty contained within these little treasures.

Art Nouveau Flame, Antique Edwardian Floral Buttons on Sterling, $28

One of my favourite shops on Etsy is Allie's Adornments, whose style of button jewelry is similar to mine.  She keeps her pieces simple and stylish, and the buttons she chooses are some of the most beautiful of the Victorian era.

Victorian Enamel Flower Button Sterling Locket Necklace on Silver Chain, $44

Visiting her shop will give you a fantastic tour of the best in Victorian buttons.  Every one of them possesses the exquisite detail of the buttons from this era.  She mounts them on silver bases or lockets, and sometimes adds beads or other components.  More often than not she allows the buttons to stand on their own, allowing the detail in the buttons to shine through.

Victorian Antique Blue & Gold Floral Button Silver Bracelet, $42

These buttons are so fantastic, many of them tinted brass (which allows for the blue and golden colours in the bracelet above) with three-dimensional detail.  I've seen many button pieces which feature similar fabulous buttons but weighed down with what I like to refer to as Too Much Stuff.  It's always upsetting to me to see the most exquisite beads or buttons grouped together in clusters, such as charm bracelets, to the point that the detail and the beauty simply get lost in the too-muchness of the piece.  That is one of the things that attracts me to this jewelry, and all jewelry--the most spectacular elements of the piece, in this case the buttons, get the spotlight they so richly deserve.

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Sweet Nostalgia Necklace: Vintage Button on Oxidized Sterling Silver with Pink Amethyst, Spinel & Ruby, $51

One of the positive aspects of the popularisation of button jewelry is when people find new and inventive ways to feature them.  One of my Facebook favourites this week was this necklace (above) from twochickstoo.  In addition to the clever utilization of the holes in the button (something I always avoided in buttons, always preferring to use buttons with back shanks), this lovely necklace embodies one of my favourite aspects of vintage jewelry.  I always love to see the combination of some of the more contemporary trends like gemstones (in this case, pink amethyst, spinel and ruby, which are some of the favourites of jewelry artists right now) and sterling silver bezels with vintage buttons.  Once again, the combination here of two or three elements--the white button, the small cluster of stones, the sterling bezel--create a kind of complexity in simplicity; again, less is more.

Lillian Earrings - Sterling Silver & Vintage Button with Blue Topaz, SOLD

Most of the items for sale currently in this shop are pieces with contemporary gemstones set in sterling (the shop is  worth a visit for them alone).  If you get a moment, peruse the items in the "sold" section, where she has a few more button items.  I hope to see a lot more buttons from her because I really like what she does with them.

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Antique Cut Steel Button Earrings with Cobalt Beads, $29

Wired Vintage is another shop that does lovely things with vintage buttons.  She too often mounts them on silver filigrees and brass components to create pendants and earrings, again allowing the buttons to make their own statements, using the detail in the components to compliment them rather than overwhelm or detract from them.

Everything's Coming Up Roses Antique Cut Steel Button Bracelet, $29

I especially like the way she uses them in bracelets--different than the multi-button bracelet style, featuring a single button as a centrepiece, including one of the most beautiful etched black glass buttons I've ever seen:

Antique Silver Etched Black Glass Button Bracelet with Teal Swarovski, $34

One of the things I learned when selling my button jewelry on eBay was that collectors prefer the buttons intact (i.e., the shanks still on them rather than cut or shaved off).  I never had much luck being able to mount the buttons without removing the shanks, but she makes a point of leaving the shank on so as to preserve the collectible value of the buttons.  I'd actually be interested in finding out how she works around them when mounting them in settings and bezels, because that is a point that is quite important to button collectors, and I'd like to find out how to do it in my own pieces.

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Lily Drop Vintage Glass Button Locket, $24

Envisage probably illustrates the less-is-more aesthetic better than any other.  She uses very few components in her pieces, but she matches them so well that the pieces take on a complexity borne of perfection in detail.

Sunflower Day Locket, $30

Her photos don't do the pieces justice, unfortunately, a problem I've certainly grappled with and am still trying to perfect.  I just love the way she matches the one or two elements within the piece.  She manages to feature the buttons prominently without detracting from the detail, even as she embellishes them with beads and brass components.  Most of them are mounted on lockets, lending them an extra sense of history.

I've moved away from the vintage recently, opting instead to try my hand at some of the more contemporary designs with gemstones and modern precious metal components.  But my first love will always be vintage style, especially buttons.  I've made a few moulds of some of my favourite buttons in my collection (I prefer the glass and smaller metals to the picture buttons), and when I crack open that package of PMC, I suspect that those moulds will see some use rather quickly.

I still have the very first button I ever purchased, from that woman at the art show.  It sits among my collection, a black glass button with a floral detail in silver paint.  As much as I love it, and as beautiful as it would be in a necklace, I can't see ever selling it; it holds a special place in my heart, and in my collection.  Proving, I suppose, that some collectibles truly are priceless.

Until next time,
Jenny

Etsy Favourites of the Week

Hello again, folks!

It's now already the second week in April, and I can't seem to remember what happened to March.  I got a bit caught up in other things and managed to miss last week's Favourites post, but it should be a regular Sunday night thing from this point on. So I now present you with this week's picks for the Etsy Favourites of the Week for this, the first real week in April.


If you spend a lot of time browsing through Etsy's categories day after day for almost a year, you'll probably notice the phenomenon that most artists are aware of: there is nothing new under the sun. You'll probably see a lot of the same thing; the same flower components in the same style of lariat, the same brass components attached to a chain, the same pink roses in a watercolour painting. After a while, it becomes obvious that it's not going to be often that you're surprised.

This week, while looking through the pen and ink drawings on Etsy, I came across something that surprised me.

The Raven (Part 2) by Edgar Allan Poe - Watercolour & Ink illustration, £26 ($43.65)

ClockTowerArtwork is unique. The delightfully whimsical, often childlike abstract ink and watercolour paintings would have been enough to capture my attention, but it's the surfaces she chooses on which to paint that seals the deal.

Leo the Yellow Cat - Watercolour & Ink on Vintage Poetry Book Page, £26 ($43.65)

She matches the painting to the poem, or in many cases, the subject to the subject: a rosebush painted on a page from a vintage book of Thomas Moore's poem Tis the Last Rose of Summer, or a watercolour ink drawing of a colourful piano on a vintage music sheet. The paintings are simple and straightforward enough to allow for reading of the poem or the music, and the black ink of the vintage pages serves to heighten the interest in the paintings. She manages to create a symbiotic relationship between the two that serves to benefit the viewer most of all.



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Generally in the "Favourites" blog, I try to feature artists, either painters, potters, glass or jewelry artists, and keep the focus on their work. But the beads at Skaramouche are, in and of themselves, little works of art.

Chunky Murano Klimt Mosaico Bead, $12

Not only will you find the most amazing Venetian beads on Planet Earth at this shop, but she also offers her own handmade lampwork beads for sale, as well as her own jewelry designs.

Huge Opaque White Murano Millefiori Pendant, $45

She uses many of the beads you'll find at Skaramouche in her own work at the other two of her three Etsy shops, where she showcases these marvellous beads in her own handcrafted jewelry as well as bridal jewelry. The best thing about this jewelry, in my opinion, is that she does just that, showcasing the beads themselves rather than eclipsing them with lots of extra beads or components (a mistake I see so many jewelry artists make), keeping the designs lovely but simple so as not to detract from the exquisite detail in the beads she chooses.

Murano Claret Wedding Cake Earrings, $38

Now that the jewelry market is so completely saturated with gemstones, it's wonderful to be reminded of the beauty of glass. It is by far my favourite material to work with, and I in fact prefer it to gemstones; gems are lovely, but the versatility you get with glass, combined with the luminescence and depth of colour, is unmatched in my opinion. Shopping at this site is like looking at a candy counter, and it's very difficult to choose which of the mouthwatering confections you'd most like to use in your own creations.



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I've said it before, and I'll say it again, and probably not for the last time: I love filigree. I think I were forced to choose one component or one style to use in my jewelry, I would have to choose filigree. Of course, add a beautiful glass or gemstone cabochon to that and you've pretty much found my Achilles' heel; I'm a sucker for the combination, and there's nothing that thrills me more than seeing the two combined into an exquisite piece of jewelry.

14K Gold Opal and Diamonds Bangle Bracelet, $15,500

Hoo boy.

The art of filigree (which is actually the name of these artists' web site) is one that I always thought best left to the true craftsmen. And if there is such a thing, then Alex Maryakin and Tim Wright are It. Going by the moniker master68uk on Etsy--an apt description--these two gentlemen are master goldsmiths, both with more than 25 years of experience, and it shows in their work. It's not difficult to see how labor and time intensive their work is.

Sterling Silver Amethyst and Mother of Pearl Chalice, $4,500

As impressive as both of these pieces are, there isn't a single item in their shop that doesn't equally impress. These two are true masters who have no trouble living up to the lofty heights that their name suggests.


Well, that's it for this week...going to work on being more on the ball with this blog.  It's a bit more time and energy intensive than I originally thought it would be, but when I look at all the gorgeous work that fills the world, it inspires me to write the next one.

Until then,
Jenn

ETSY Favourites of the Week

For those of you who follow my Facebook page, you know that every day I post an Etsy Favourite of the Day--one item from Etsy's jewelry section that I particularly like or find interesting or unique.  Well, I've decided that there are too many talented artists on Etsy to limit my favourites to just a single day or to jewelry.  So here on the blog I'm going to do an Etsy Favourites of the Week, and feature some of my favourites from other categories as well.  Considering my own interests, the focus will probably be on jewelry, glass and pottery, but once in a while I come across something outside of my usual Etsy haunts that I really like.  Which means you never know what you'll find here.

So now, I present to you, in no particular order, my favourites of the week.

Mixed Media Stained Glass Mosaic Art Mirror, $145

LowBridgeArtworks has long been a favourite shop of mine.  The mirror you see above was just listed last night, apparently, and when it showed up in my "newly listed from favourite shops" it caught my attention immediately.  I love the symmetry, the tiniest attention to detail, the colours.  Among the mosaic work in her shop are mirrors, plaques, wall hangings, and some jewelry.  I especially love the mixed media tree plaques, in which she uses round bits of upcycled tin (a staple in a lot of her work).

Mixed Media Mosaic Art Plaque Polka Dot Tree, $57

In addition to stained glass and upcyled tin, she also incorporates ceramic tiles, mirror glass, and jewelry components--as she says in her profile, "whatever else makes a perfect addition."  This is my kind of recycling.  I suspect she's got a stash of broken plates and busted mirrors--things that that other less creative types have thrown away--and turned them into something amazing.  (The things some people throw away, honestly.)  While I'd hate to see the state her attic must be in (if it's anything like mine, anyway), I can't get enough of her artwork.

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Art Deco Czech Pink Star Sapphire Silver Necklace Vintage 1920s Jewelry, $145

I've been a fan of boylerpf's shop from way back in my eBay days.  Every now and again when I needed inspiration for my own work, or just wanted to marvel in the intricacy of the workmanship of olden days, I'd look at her auctions.  I was never disappointed.  Some of the best of the best of vintage jewelry can be found in this shop, and I turn an envious green every time I visit.

Art Deco Sterling Carnelian Marcasite Necklace Vintage 1920s Jewelry, $145

I think what I like most about her shop is that she focuses on the things I like best about vintage jewelry--not necessarily the big designers like Haskell (though she has a fair share of vintage designers as well), with a particular focus on Czechoslovakian, Bohemian, and Art Deco era pieces, art glass and filigree.  Her taste is exquisite; the pieces she has are never over-the-top gaudy, but always feature those elements in vintage jewelry that captivated me in the first place.  To me, these pieces are the perfect example of functional art--true art pieces with which you can do something besides just hang on the wall.   I love the attention to detail, the rustic feel to the components--nothing here has been stamped out of a factory.  They just don't make them like this anymore, though some of us aspire to try.

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Having worked with ceramic clay for over a decade now (to think I'm old enough to have been doing anything for over a decade is frightening enough), I was beyond thrilled when precious metal clay hit the market.  The idea of being able to create my own components, pendants, beads and clasps out of real silver or gold using clay was ideal for me, since the learning curve would be much less steep than other techniques like wax casting or silversmithing.  A 20-gram package of fine silver clay, however, doesn't go very far, and I have yet to decide on what to do with the little bugger, despite my sketchbook full of ideas.

Then the other night, I came across this:

Tiffany Style Fine Silver Oval Pendant with Gemstones, $45(!)

I was immediately inspired to create an Etsy treasury which I aptly named Splendour in Silver, in which this piece was prominently featured.  In response, I received a lovely message from its creator, Lynnette (of MuseDesignsByLynnette), in which she confessed something: because of the sluggish sales on Etsy of late, she'd been thinking of hanging up the clay work.  Thankfully, being featured in the treasury had restored her creative energy; sales are one thing, she told me, "but being recognized by a fellow artist is even better!"  I have to confess, I was humbled by that statement--I only aspire to create something like this.

Bohemian Princess Fine Silver Pendant Necklace with Gemstone Beading, $50(!!)

You may have noticed, if you tore your eyes away for one moment from the exquisite detail in these pendants, that I've added one or two exclamation points after the prices on these.  That's because she has priced her items ridiculously low.  If you're looking for an Etsy bargain, this is it, kids.  The price of sterling silver has more than doubled in this past year, after doubling once before a year earlier; the cost of the precious metal clay alone is around $30 for a very small amount (I would suspect that she probably used an entire pack of clay on a single pendant).  These pieces, in fact all of the items in her shop, are created with precious metal clay and/or sterling silver components and genuine stones, not to mention the amount of work and love that are so obviously a part of them.  They are true Etsy steals, and I suggest you snap them up before it's too late.  Because once she gets discovered, there will be no turning back.  (Lynnette has very kindly offered to mentor me once I work up the courage to tear that package of clay open, an offer which I fully intend to accept!)

Most of the time we never become aware of the ramifications of our actions in life.  Every once in a while, though, we're reminded that our actions have consequences, so we should make sure those actions are kind, encouraging, sympathetic, or uplifting.  I had no idea, as I sat at my computer way past my bedtime creating that treasury, that it would have such an impact on another person.  But now that I know, I am so glad that I did.  Because the world without Lynnette's work would be so much less beautiful.


Until next week,
Jenny