Hey Readers! I hope you’re having a fantastic week. Summer is flying by, and I’m trying to soak it in before it’s gone. I love to thrift shop year round, but in summer it takes on a different form. Yard sales! Where the picking is plentiful if you can bear the heat. Here are some things I scored while thrift shopping a few months back. I will add the two vintage handbags to my growing collection. I carry them often and it’s fun to change them out for different occasions. I also sell them off occasionally. I never pass up a chance to pick up a great frame. The finials, drawer handles and escutcheons will find their way into a jewelry design at some point.
What are some of your recent thrift finds? Do you ever carry or wear vintage?
Happy Summer Monday! Thanks for stopping by for another Girls Want Pearls! I can’t believe this is #50 in my series about pearls and that there are only 2 more left after today! I’m excited about today’s project so let’s get to it! What could be prettier than a Paisley Lace and Pearl Lampshade?
Isn’t it fun? I love it on my funny little crooked vintage lamp. I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite pearl project to date. Of course it’s not the first time I’ve thought this. When I made the pearl spider and web back in September it was my favorite.
Then in February when we were all so over winter, these ombre vases were my favorite.
And in March I made a pearl nest which took over the #1 spot in my heart for pearl projects.
The lampshade requires a bit more time than some of the simpler projects but it’s definitely do-able in a day, and definitely worth it.
Ready to make your own Paisley Lace and Pearl Lampshade? Here’s what you’ll need: And a printout of this or your own paisley pattern: Print the paisley design in a few different sizes (feel free to leave me a comment if you need help with this step). Cut out the “paisleys.” Stick them on the lampshade with a glue stick or other glue. Using a sharp knife, score around the pattern. Remove the pattern and cut the design into the lampshade. It’s okay if the edges are not smooth ~ the lace will fill in and cover the edges. Cutting tip: It seems to work best if you get the knife in about halfway and keep it there will slowly gliding it around the scored area. Use the cutouts or the paper pattern to cut your lace. Cut the lace, adding an approx. 1/8 inch border all the way around. Glue the lace to the inside of the shade, making sure to leave some slack in the lace, with the edges of the lace pushed as close to the edge of the cutout as possible so it won’t be visible when the lamp is turned on. Next, move to the outside of the shade and push the excess lace in against the cutout edge, covering the jagged edges. Glue pearls on in a few areas, outlining the paisley or dotting the lace with curly cues, mini paisley shapes or circles. Let’s light the darkness around us! As always, leave any questions in the comments. Do you have a favorite pearl project from my series? I’d love to hear!
Next week’s pearl post hint: Eye See You
Love pearls and don’t want to miss any pearly posts?
You can get a reminder, just fill in your info below and I’ll email you when a post goes live and send you a monthly newsletter.
Hey Fashionable Friends! Just popping in with a quick post today to share what’s been happening in my jewelry design studio. I’m busy making and stocking up lots of jewelry to take to a big show in November, more about that in a later post!
I’ve been concentrating on necklaces and earrings, and will soon move my attention to bracelets. Oh how I love to wear bracelets! Well, I love wearing necklaces too, and almost always wear earrings, but there’s something about bracelets that make me feel super feminine and stylish. So as soon as I get some new ones made, you can bet I’ll show them to you right here! In the meantime, here are some necklaces, with a question to ponder…
Do you prefer to wear necklaces that are simple…
Or do you prefer to make a statement with something more ornate…
Of course, different kinds of outfits are suited to different looks, but in general, do you lean towards understated or elaborate in your jewelry choices? Or somewhere in between?
If you’ve been to my blog before, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I love to thrift shop. What other activity combines girlfriend time, adventure i.e. thrill of the hunt, and shopping without breaking the bank?
Some of my favorite things are items that I have found while thrifting, or as some call it, junkin’. My closet is peppered with vintage and modern pieces of clothing that I’ve picked up at places like estate sales, goodwill and other local thrift shops, vintage markets and yard sales. I have furnished (almost) my entire home, all 3900 square feet of it, with thrifted items. I’d love to show you some of my favorites but that’s a whole other post.
Here’s a pile of treasures I scored recently while hitting a thrift shop, a flea market and a yard sale. I got the bookend because I have a collection of old books and a thing for bookends. I plan to paint it, not sure what color yet. The pottery pig just spoke to me (weeeee) and for a buck I couldn’t pass him up. I have a metal boot just like this already that I use to hold my business cards. I’m sure I can find another use for this one or maybe I’ll sell or swap it.
The architectural piece will be used somehow, somewhere, and of course I plan to use all the jewels and brass findings in future jewelry design projects. I was absolutely smitten with the “R” piece.
I think I got a pretty good haul and I probably spent under $15 for the whole shebang. Do you love to thrift shop? What are some of your recent finds?
So I’ve sent out the invites to come to my Drop It or Swap It link up and I’m ready to swap! I’ve had some great swaps with Donna of Distressed Donna Down Home and Tina of What We Keep. But where is everybody? Come on girls, I really want to see what you’ve got! I’m not offering anything new this week since I have some fun things (I think) that haven’t been spoken for at past swaps. So here’s a recap of some of my things, all of which are available at this week’s Drop It or Swap It link up starting tonight at 7PM central. I have been purging my jewelry and am working up to putting a new, organized system of storage and display in my closet area. So here are 2 necklaces and 2 bracelets that should belong to someone else. The multi-strand multi-color beads are plastic. The bracelets are stone chips and are the stretch type.
If you would like to make a photo display like this one and would love to have all the supplies delivered right to your door, you need to come back and check out the swap! I’m swapping everything you need to make your very own sea shell photo display! Items from each of these categories, with hand picked selections from the tiles, buttons/jewels, and small shells categories.
And last but not least, this cute vintage beaded handbag. The white color makes it a good summertime choice. It’s a little bit of a fixer though. The clasp closes but it’s not a really tight hold. I think it might have to do with the hinges on the sides of the bag, not sure though. I think you could just add some velcro inside to ensure it stays closed.
Drop It or Swap It runs Wednesday through Monday (linky opens Tuesday night for early birds). I’ve got some new info to share with you at the party so I hope you’ll come back and link up! Click the image below to see more about how it all works.
I hope you’re having an inspired week! The other day I had an aha moment. I have been taking this online course from Jeanne Oliver… …which I must say is absolutely amazing, and I’ve been doing a lot of rethinking concerning my blog and business. Up till now, I’ve been somewhat shy about showing my jewelry designs on the blog. I just want to be careful not to be sort of sell, sell, sell. You know? But I realized, thanks to Jeanne, and Jennifer Rizzo, and Marian (Miss Mustard Seed), that there’s a significant part of who I am wrapped up in my designs, and by not sharing them with my readers, I’m keeping a big part of ME hidden from YOU. With that in mind, I would like to launch the first of many posts with the theme, In The Studio.
Today I want to show you three different necklaces in my collection, and ask you a question. With this kind of neckline and top, which necklace would you wear most? Why?
The statement necklace, the shorter pendant, or the longer pendant? Which is most like your style? I would love to hear from you! To see any of the jewelry designs in the shop, just click the images above.
