My Everything Corner

This collection has only been recently started. Last year, I came across a necklace on Ebay, and I just had to have it. It turned out to be, for the price, of exceptional quality and detail. I was hooked, and suddenly found myself researching vintage and older costume jewelry. I found out that there are a lot of people with the same fascination, as there was plenty of material out there to read, and I am still reading. I've purchased entire lots, just for one single piece. The others, though beautiful in their own right, ended up in my Etsy shop. Although, I have to admit, there have been a few that ended up back in my drawer, and there have been a couple that I regret selling. I only hope I come across them again. The brooch in the photo is by Trifari, and that seems to be my favourite brand. I am definitely not a 'brand' person. But time and time again, I am drawn to the designs that Trifari put out. This molded glass brooch is one of several pieces I have now...

I recently reached the 50 sales mark in my Etsy shop, and that has been (mostly) due to the vintage jewelry. It's funny though, no sooner did I type that, I received an email, saying that I received payment for one of my handmade necklaces. But it remains true, that the majority of interest has been in the vintage jewelry. There are so many beautiful, reusable pieces out there. I have even noticed that the quality of these older pieces is often superior to a similar item you would currently purchase in a department store for about the same price, and often less. Some people are collectors and have bought pieces to add to their own special vintage collection. Others have purchased a particular piece because it looked just like something their Grandmother had. And some people have bought pieces because they want to do their small part for the Earth and reuse as much as they can. Now, I have never been interested in history, but it has been a lot of fun to have all these won...

This adorable necklace was created as a result of several lucky finds. The first, of course, is that beautiful butterfly brooch. It is a 'Crown Trifari' piece , circa 1960, and a collector's item. Again, I decided to give it new life as a pendant. The necklace was created from beads that my Husband and his siblings played with 30 years ago. When my Mother-in-law heard that I was creating jewelry, and that I was looking to recycle older pieces, she went to the back of her closet and came back with an old, tin treasure chest. Over the next hour or so, we went through it and the family reminisced over the pieces they remembered. In the mix was a broken necklace with these delicious, green beads. The white milk glass beads are from another broken piece. Everything came together with lovely brass links, and the first person I showed it to, a dear friend of mine, bought it, and without hesitation. If it wasn't someone I held in such high esteem, I would not have s...

This beautiful leaf brooch came to me after a very lucky bid on Ebay. It was listed simply as 'Silver Leaf Brooch'. Once received, I closely inspected my new treasure, and what a treasure it turned out to be! It is signed Corocraft, and as with all items with that signature, it is beautifully made. The photos of this item do it no justice, it really must be held to be appreciated. I do not wear brooches very often, and if I do, they are small ones. I find that the clothes I wear are made out of materials that simply won't hold up to a brooch of this weight. So, I decided the brooch would become a pendant, and because it was in such beautiful condition, I could not alter it. Instead, I came up with a small, wire mechanism that just slips over the pin of the brooch...and Voila!...pendant. The necklace to showcase this piece had to be special. I had these beautiful vintage crystals that were on a very corroded chain, and when removed and relinked onto non-tarnish sil...