Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween...

Happy Halloween everyone from my 
beautiful boy!



He did such a great job posing for me!

BOO!

Karen

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

My Creativity is on a Roll....

 I am on a creative roll right now.  With the holidays coming up quickly
I have been trying like mad to get all my design ideas realized
and then hope that it will translate into sales.
Here are some of the most recent items now in the shoppe.


A vintage french steel cut shoe buckle is now a gorgeous 
bracelet.  I adorned it with an old 
rhinestone brooch, glass pearls, chain and lots of
ooh-la-la!



The antiqued brass hammered cuff is adorned with an 
old, sparkling vintage rhinestone brooch.  I love this piece!



The center piece of this necklace is an old cameo locket that I 
made even more charming by adding a vintage postcard image of the
the Eiffel Tower.  The necklace has old rhinestone bracelet links,
black onyx and gorgeous faceted citrine gemstones.



These stunning earrings are vintage victorian filigrees
that I have accented with citrine and pink tourmaline briolettes.
I love the colors.


Beloved Notre Dame is the center piece of this one of a kind necklace.
I used a vintage postcard image and place it in an old brooch setting.
I hung it from a sterling silver winged cherub bust.  The necklace is an 
assortment of freshwater pearls, aquamarine gemstones, amethyst and
rhinestone beads.  This is such a fun and versatile piece.



I love old shoe buckles!  This is another french cut steel vintage buckle
that I made sparkle with an old jewelry finding placed right in the center.
I added glass pearls, two old genuine shell cameos in their original settings and
sparkling tourmaline gemstones.  This is a gorgeous bracelet.


And I am now offering gift certificates in the shoppe for anyone
 on your list.  And don't forget to put this down on your holiday list.
They are good an anything in my etsy shoppe.

Thanks for coming by and spending some time here.
Have a wonderful rest of your week and keep checking back
for more designs and new listings.

xo

Karen


Sunday, October 28, 2012

Hauntingly Scaaaaary Pumpkins....

Tonight is trick-or-treating in our area, always the Sunday before Halloween. When I grew up
we trick-or-treated on Halloween no matter when it fell during the week.
That was SO much fun.
My husband is the master pumpkin carver here and her really gets
into it every year.  Thought I'd let you see his scary creations for this 
Halloween.


He searches for all his new designs and then goes to get the best
shaped and the best sitting pumpkins.


He doesn't cut the top off.  He cuts the back out and goes in that way to clean it
out.  It is so much easier too for candle or light placing.



He doesn't cut all the way through (well, except one).  He carves away at the 
outside, following the pattern he drew, not breaking through but carving away 
enough that the candle light will illuminate the pattern from the inside.


And here is the end result!  A perfectly spooooooky pumpkin!  





So can you make them all out?


And this is my son.  He is a quad drum player in the hight school marching band.
Friday night was a home playoff game and the band kids all wore
Halloween costumes for the performance.  It was a lot of
fun seeing all the great costume choices.

I wish you all a very spooky and happy Halloween!

BOO!

xo

Karen

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Monday, October 15, 2012

Some Creative Updates...

Just a few new designs to start your week off.

A delightful vintage shoe buckle made into
a modern new bracelet.


An old brass pendant that I inserted an image of 
Mary and Child into, surrounded it with vintage 
rhinestones and hung it from a vintage scatter pin,
old rosary chain and other vintage findings to make this
one of a kind necklace.


Shimmering faceted labradorite gemstones surround
vintage rhinestone findings in this fabulous pair 
of earrings.


Just a little creative update for you this evening.
You can see these and other pieces in the shoppe.

Thanks for coming by and spending a little time here!

xo

Karen

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

From Flea To Fabulous...

This is such a busy time of year for anyone who creates for their
handmade business.  With the holidays fast approaching everyday is a 
crunch to get as much done as one can.  Part of that is what I call
"hunting and gathering".   When your business involves using vintage finds
you have to go out and hunt down those key items.  I recently attended the 
last of the season flea market in Elkhorn, WI.  It was a gorgeous day and lots 
of great finds to be had.







Here are a few of the results of all the fabulous finds.
This necklace was inspired by the beautiful art deco sterling silver
center piece of a woman with blowing hair.  Below it I have  hung a vintage 
cameo from an old rhinestone encircled bead.  The necklace is a beautiful
old mother of pearl rosary that I accented with faceted deep blue iolite 
gemstones.




I do love cuff style bracelets.  This one is an old french cut steel shoe buckle
that I accented with a vintage rhinestone former brooch.  I attached silver tone
vintage chain and a decorative jewelry hook.  Love it!  It has so much style.







This beautiful, feminine necklace began with the little aqua blue pendant that was
a vintage pin that I removed the backing from.  In it I place a vintage prayer
card image of Mary.  It hangs from a vintage brass finding with a little
rhinestone center.  The necklace is a lovely faux pearl vintage rosary strand 
highlighted with two faceted aquamarine gemstones.





And these sparklers are just incredible.  They are two circa 1956
dangles that are just dripping with sparkling old rhinestones.  They hang from
faceted graduated gray colored quartz beads.  These would look fabulous with
just about anything!



These pieces along with lots more are now in the shoppe.  
Lots more to come soon.
Do check back!

Thanks for coming by.  Have a great week!

xo

Karen


all images via google and me.