Something Old, Something New - A Tale of Two Necklaces (Part 3)

(continued from part 2)

When Abby contacted me to upcycle a piece for her wedding, I felt incredibly honored and excited. Before meeting up she sent me a link to her engagement pictures from TAB Photographic. After viewing her kitschy 50's style photo shoot,I felt even more excited to be working with someone who had an eye for vintage and a great sense of humor. 

hands down - a great couple

She presented to me three meaningful pieces: A heart-shaped charm with her baby picture connected to a bracelet, an angel charm inscribed with her birthday on a flat link necklace, and a blue beaded birth bracelet with her mother's last name spelled out on lettered beads. The items could cover both the "something old" and "something blue" on her wedding day.

Abby's original pieces of jewelry.

One of the first things I asked to see was a picture of her wedding dress to get a feel for the neckline. Her dress had a V-shape in the front, lots of pretty ruching, and would be gathered up on one side. Abby planned on adding feathered detailing on her dress and wearing a feather fascinator in her hair. We talked a bit about her wedding colors and how her other accessories would factor into the final design of her necklace. I loved hearing about her DIY details such as hand drawn save the dates, specially designed favors, and local food truck catering. I knew it was going to be a very memorable wedding for her guests.

beautifully hand drawn "save the date" cards

When Abby tried on her dress at the bridal shop, they accessorized it with a simple necklace. It had a small pendant and a drop detail down the back. Abby said she liked the simplicity of the front and the detailing in the back. The necklace I designed also needed to be simple yet have some interesting accents to reflect Abby's unique style.

necklace from bridal shop

There were two possible focal points for her necklace: the heart charm or the angel charm. Wearing both might take away from the  beauty of her dress so Abby decided to use just the heart charm. Though the angel charm wouldn't be used in the necklace, we both agreed that it could be easily incorporated into another part of her wedding (garter, bouquet, memory quilt, etc.). 

chain from angel pendant and Abby's adorable baby pic in a heart charm

Abby liked the idea of creating a rosary chain out of her mother's birth bracelet. I took the beads off the string and wired them to make links. I also connected the letters of her mother's last name in the same rosary style.

snip 'n' twist

linky dinks

Once all the elements were in place, we met up to piece everything together over drinks and snacks at Starbucks. It was great to catch up with Abby after not seeing her for a while. She showed me the feathers she purchased for her headpiece and dress. Though they were the colors she wanted, she was hoping they would be bigger. Anybody out there know where to find a good selection of feathers?

desperately seeking bigger feathers

I brought many boxes of supplies for Abby to poke through for inspiration. While tag saling a few weeks prior to our meet up, I had found a flat linked chain similar to the one that hung the angel pendant. The only difference was that mine had a "c" clasp in the back while hers had no clasp at all. This came in handy later on. 

my partner in design

We got down to business and tried different layouts. Abby decided she wanted to scatter a few blue rosary links in between the flat links of her chain. We tried different configurations and lengths until it was just right. We brainstormed ways to incorporate the letters of her mom's birth bracelet in the necklace and had an "aha" moment. We split the letters in half and added a clasp in between so the name could go around the back of her neck. And can you believe that her mom's last name sits perfectly above a tattoo of her first name? How serendipitous is that?

the glowing bride-to-be

includes elements from the 3 original pieces

just a touch of blue

much love to Linda

I tried several lobster clasps in the back but everything I had with me was too shiny and new looking. We were about to poke through the clasps on all my vintage chains when we remembered my spare chain that was just like hers. We took the clasp off the back and it matched the metal on her chain perfectly! The finishing touches were two blue beads near the clasp and it was done!

something old AND blue

From the moment Abby contacted me about upcycling her jewelry to the instant her piece was finished, I enjoyed every part of the journey.  I got to piece together heirlooms from Abby's past that would eventually walk down the aisle with her. I give a heartfelt thanks to Abby for trusting me with her treasures, sharing her memories (and many laughs), and being open to so many ideas. New necklace...new friend...who knew?

Interested in having your jewelry upcycled into a new piece? Contact me!

On the Road - Twist

I was kid-in-a-candy-shop excited to be in the Twist show on May 6th and 7th this year. The show is known far and wide for finely curated wares and a friendly community. Thom and I had a calm drive up to Northampton, stopped for lunch in town, checked into our hotel, and headed off to the Northampton Center for the Arts. The building was spacious and had lots of sunlight streaming in through the big windows. The picturesque ceiling had a stained glass design, decorative molding, and a rotating disco ball. The whole space had a great vibe.

Twist at the Northampton Center for the Arts

lookin' up

When met a ton of nice people while setting up. When we arrived at our table, I noticed an amazing lavender and mint scent. It was a refreshing welcome from Steve and Karen of Little Birch Farm. They hand craft a nice array of soaps, lip balms, bath salts, and other lovely body care products. Their letter pressed birch bark packaging had an incredible feel and it was great to hear about how Steve and Karen collaborate together on their products. I was lucky enough to go home with a bar of their Marian's Mint soap and it gave me a nice pick me up after a long weekend.

Little Birch Farm

Ahhhh....

To our right, was local ceramic artist Abby Berkson. I instantly fell in love with her hand painted details, inspired by children's book illustrations. I especially enjoyed her crowned elephants and cats with scarves. The cat reminded me a little of my favorite children's chapter book, "Jenny and the Cat Club." She offered lovely plates, mugs, sugar/creamer sets, and small bowls that were the perfect compact size for salsas and sauces. I was most impressed by the craftsmanship of her lidded pouring pots with straining spouts. She was a friendly neighbor and I enjoyed hearing all about her work in the studio.

Abby Berkson Ceramics

elephants and birds and cats...oh my!

I also got a warm welcome from realistic painter Julie Beck. The first thing that caught my eye at her table was a painting of a quarter on a vibrant orange background. Made me wanna go to the nearest arcade and play some pinball. I also loved her buttons, which she offered as paintings and on magnets. It was great chatting with someone who has been a participant of Twist for several years. She introduced me to some of her friends from Rhode Island including Kristin Crane who made clever journals, cards, and bookmarks out of old maps and other interesting ephemera. Her journals would make a perfect gift for anyone about to embark on a special journey.

Julie Beck

quarter envy

Kristin Cane

Chrissy Ann Ceramics was my neighbor right behind me. Her custom blended glazes gave each piece of pottery a warm and unique finish. Chrissy made a whole variety of plates, bowls, and decorative pieces that could be personalized for weddings and other special occasions. She also sold stacks of four small scalloped edged dipping bowls, glazed in a way that made me think of delicious cookies. I enjoyed hearing about her studio space and hanging out with her for two days.

Chrissy Ann Ceramics

See that floral shaped bundle of tiny plates with a bow? Delish!

Heather Jean Toupin is a busy bee. Not only does she make a cool array of stationery and wearables for heatherjeany, but she also runs White Electric coffee shop in Providence, RI. We both spied something we loved from each others tables and treated ourselves. I have always been a fan of the old fashioned button candy. She created note cards that looked just like the candy, down to the bleeding of colors between rows of dots. I am considering framing one...that's how much I love it! Heather took home one of my thimbilism necklaces that had two elements that suited her to a T. It had a lightning bolt (for her coffee shop) and "SINGER" printed on thimble (she loves to sew). I hope to swing by her coffee shop next time I'm in the Providence area. 

heatherjeanny

Just dotty for this note card set!

thimbilism necklace - ZAP!

At Twist, I got to premiere some new OOAK necklaces, including ones made out of bicycle head badges and an Esther Williams inspired piece. Some of my REcap bracelets, Fun 'n' Games rings, and thimbilism necklaces went to happy homes by the end of the show. Besides the soap and stationery, I also grabbed an upcycled skateboard bracelet from COOB Originals.I have gotten tons of compliments while wearing it already and folks are always surprised to find out it was made from a re-loved skateboard.

some new OOAK pieces

Fun 'n' Games rings

COOB Originals - bangle bracelet - LOVE!

Everyone at Twist, from the artisans to the customers, were so friendly and supportive. I ended the day on Saturday with new friends, lots of new connections, and a heavenly free chair massage from Mary Hunt O'Conner. What's not to love? I can't wait for the next Twist and highly suggest swinging by next time if you're in the area!

Come visit me on my birthday next week:
Saturday, May 21st – Shop the Archway – DUMBO – Brooklyn, NY

Hands on Haiku - Hands Off

Today I ventured out to do some Saturday chores. Inevitably, I got pulled off my path thanks to many tag sales along the way. My favorite find was a Dollywood thimble, which I plan on turning into a thimbilism necklace. 

hooray for Dollywood

My excitement for the find was suddenly tinged with regret. In a split second this is what went through my mind: Dollywood made me think of Dolly Parton. Dolly Parton made me think of watching 80's television specials with cameo appearances from the big stars of the day. That made me think of Tom Selleck, which reminded me of THE PLATE THAT GOT AWAY. 

less than 6 degrees of Dolly/Tom

I don't remember where Thom (husband...not Selleck) and I found it but we saw an unforgettable "collectible" Tom Selleck plate at a tag sale one summer. We are neither fans of collectible plates nor Tom Selleck, but something about this combination was magical. It could have been the mustache or the tuxedo or both. Who knows. The sad thing is we didn't buy it and I regret it to this day. Sure, I can buy it on Ebay but it's just not the same.  

*gasp*

To fill my void, my hands on haiku pays tribute to something I do not have my hands on, but will someday have. Mark. My. Words.

Tom Selleck Plate (aka "The One That Got Away")

Oh Tom Selleck plate

Mustached and collectible

Hire me a P.I.!


Everyone has the "one that got away." What's yours?

 

Sneak Peek - New Jewelry for Twist Show

Join me on Friday, May 6th and Saturday, May 7th in Northampton, Mass for Twist. It's going to be an uh-may-zing show! Here's a sneak peek at the new necklaces I'll be premiering there.

Esther-onomy

Victory Lap & A Dazzling Display of Sportsmanship

vintage bicycle head badge necklaces

Spring Carnival

 If you're in the Northampton area, swing by!

Something Old, Something New - A Tale of Two Necklaces (Part 2)

(continued from Part 1)

Once at home with my box o' jewelry from Allie and Abby, I spread everything out on my table and started to play. The first necklace I got to work on was Allie's.

All of Allie's original pieces from our initial meet up.

Allie gave me a great variety of materials to work with. She wanted me to construct a multiple strand necklace using as many pieces of her jewelry as possible. I asked her which pieces were the "must haves" since there was a lot to choose from. She chose her bird brooch, a silver flower brooch, and a white enameled chain. The chain was interspersed with gold barrel links, that she hilariously described as very "Mrs. Roper." She wanted me to remove those gold links and reconnect the chain into one continual piece. Allie also liked the white daisies on her gold mesh bracelet and wanted to see if they could be removed and incorporated into the final necklace. Her pieces held so much potential and charm.

Sorry Mrs. Roper...

Having the bird brooch and silver brooch as the two main pieces to flank each side was a great start. Loops were fastened to each brooch for chains and Thom (my oh-so-creative and helpful husband) un-soldered the daisies from the mesh bracelet for me. I fastened them to the silver floral brooch for added interest. I added some of my own silver toned chains to drape across the front.

A mix of Allie's jewelry and mine. Gold daisy bracelet, white chain, floral silver brooch, and bird brooch were used in the final piece.

Several gold "Mrs. Roper" barrel connectors were removed from the white chain. The two silver chains neighboring the white one were also used.



Bird brooch with some chains attached.



Silver flower brooch with daisies attached.

During the whole process, I emailed Allie with updated pics for feedback and to make sure I was going in the right direction. At one point, we decided the necklace needed a little more color, so I ordered a vintage red enameled chain online. Allie also mentioned liking rosary chains around the neck, so I took her blue beaded necklace, removed the beads from the string, and wired them together in a rosary chain. 

First draft of the necklace before the red enamel chain and blue rosary chains were added. Dig the blue twist tie closure? 

After a few more revisions, we set a time to meet up for a final fitting and to add the clasp. We chose the IKEA cafeteria in New Haven. Allie was a real trooper coming in that day, with a relentless cold. It was great seeing her after all our emails and I was anxious for her to see the nearly completed piece. Soon after sitting down, Allie noticed that we were both wearing very similar scalloped Bakelite bracelets from the 40's (hers was off white...mine was green). We couldn't help but be amazed by the coincidence!


Wonder Twin powers activate! Form of...a Bakelite bangle!

 I forgot to bring one important thing on my trip...a mirror. We improvised by using my camera. Allie would hold up the necklace, I would snap a picture, and she would look at the pic (and repeat). Sure, sure I know what you're all thinking: "You're in IKEA! Go grab a mirror!" Of course we didn't think of it at the time but I have to say that our creative solution provided us with a few laughs.


One of our mirror shots in the cafeteria.

 With Allie's input, we tweaked a few things. The red enamel chain was draped the front of the necklace and the rosary was attached to wrap around one side of the necklace. Since the handmade rosary chain was so delicate, it was anchored to a silver toned strand for support. It was so nice to have an extra set of hands across the table to help me manipulate this complex piece and only took a few attempts to get the chain lengths correct. Once happy with the final composition, I added the clasp and it was finally done. Allie looked amazing draped in her new necklace! We took advantage of the cool backdrops at IKEA and snapped some shots of her in different living rooms.


Allie looking gorgeous in her Scandinavian surroundings.



Completed piece with red chain and blue rosary chain up the right side.

Being my first personalized upcycling project, I had no idea what to expect when I began. From start to finish, I enjoyed working with meaningful heirlooms and getting to know the amazing women behind them. Allie's final necklace linked pieces of her past with the person she is today. As we parted ways, I felt proud to have played a role in creating a new family treasure and having connected to a new friend.

(read here for part 3)

Love, Love, Love: Bicycle Head Badges

If you asked my grandfather or dad what they loved to do most on the weekends when I was growing up, they would have unanimously replied: bike riding. Both of them belonged to local touring groups. My grandfather ran a bike club when he taught high school ages ago, and many of his students grew up to be bicycle enthusiasts and professional riders. If my grandfather and dad weren't riding, they were fixing bikes.

My grandfather's basement was a meeting place for his local rider friends to custom make wheels or oil up a chain. Rows of wheels and frames hung from the ceiling and deflated bike tubes were found in every corner of the room. Everything seemed to be dingy and sticky. Spare parts littered the floor, spilled on top of an old ping pong table, and the mix of cigarette smoke and grease gave it an old factory smell.

I have fond memories of zipping through Connecticut country roads with my grandfather and dad. I can recall taking an especially long ride with them atop the banana seat on my one-speed Huffy Pinwheel decorated with E.T. stickers. The best part was stopping for a celebratory Yoo Hoo and chicken fried potato before heading home.


My grandfather and dad had great dreams of me becoming a professional bike rider. For my 16th birthday, they proudly presented me with a custom-made touring bike. After the initial disappointment of it NOT being a car, I learned to appreciate the workmanship and love put into my gift and ended up using it for years to come. Though I didn't grow up to love bikes as much as the patriarchs in my family, I was certainly around the gears and grease enough to feel that cycling was really part of my life. It's no wonder that a bicycle part found its way into my work.

Last summer, I was thrifting with my friend Grace at Goodwill and we were both peering through the jewelry case for treasures. While scanning the shelves, I totally overlooked a great find. Grace called me over to point out an interesting looking metal badge. I was about 3 inches long, was stamped out of brass, and had the name "Dunelt" on it. Once removed from the case, Grace pointed out the possibility in the piece. It's funny because I didn't even realize what it was used for until I went home and did a search online. It was an old head badge, used to display the brand of the bike on the front of its frame.

Tour de Chance Necklace

I carefully flattened out the curve of the badge. The three screw holes provided perfect spots to add the necklace chain and a dangling tassel. I found complimentary vintage chains and a tassel from deconstructed necklaces and a few accent beads from a broken bracelet. The piece came together quite intuitively and I ended up naming it, "Tour de Chance." After a few weeks up on Etsy, the necklace road off to a loving home. 

Since then, I have been on the lookout for more head badges. I am in the process of upcycling a unique collection of them into one-of-a-kind necklaces. They range in age (1930's-current) and country of origin (Japan, Sweden, France, Germany, US). My favorite is a Marathon head badge from Sweden with an embossed running man, gorgeous green paint, and elaborate cut outs. There's another one coming in the mail soon that has "Perfekt deLuxe" written on it. Love! The badges are as light as air and create a great focal point for a necklace. 

near perfekt

When I'm done, I'll certainly sit back and enjoy a Yoo-Hoo in honor of grandpa and dad. To see the completed pieces, pedal on over to these upcoming shows:

Friday and Saturday, May 6th & 7th – Twist – Northampton, MA

Saturday, May 21st – Shop the Archway – DUMBO – Brooklyn, NY

Sunday, June 26th - Smith Street Sunday Fun Day - Brooklyn, NY

Saturday, July 9, August 6, August 13 - Greenway Open Markets - Boston, MA