Under the Sea, On the Beach, At the Shore

I live in the Northeast which has been inundated by massive amounts of rain in the past few weeks.  The threat of flooding brought to mind all the little creatures that live on or near the water.  Of course jewelry designers often take the inspiration from nature, so though I'd share a few of these with you.  In the meantime, I'm going to Google ark designs!  Otherwise I'm afraid I'm going to be visiting with the fishes soon.

Of course there are lots of fish down there.

And playful dolpins and sea turtles.

Don't forget about the starfish and sea horses.

The Atomic Age in Jewelry

It's not a surprise to learn that jewelry fashions often reflect what's going on in society.  We are all familiar with Goth jewelry, fantasy jewelry, love beads and ethnic jewelry that reflects certain tastes.  But I think one of the most interesting and unusual jewelry styles came about in the late 1940's and 1950's reflecting our interest in space.

The atomic bomb has been developed - and unfortunately used.  Atomic testing was common in the deserts of the Southwest and news of them filled the broadcasts.  And the United States and the USSR had joined in the space race to see who would be the first to put a satellite in orbit.

Jewelry reflected this interest in space and the atomic bomb. Small brooches and scatter pins were popular items at that time.  Many of them were decorated with rhinestones and depicted a sort of mini-explosion as seen from the top. These brooches often had several tiers, giving them a slightly mushroom look.

Variations of stars, comets and other space bodies were  also often used used as design elements reflecting our interest in the space race.  Sometimes all the elements would even be combined.

Even the hula hoop reflect the interest in space.  There we all were, orbiting the hoop around our bodies, entering contests to see who could do it the longest.  One of my most vivid memories is  standing in the back yard, gyrating and staring at the sky wondering if I could actually see Sputnik.

To Polish Silver Jewelry or Not To Polish Silver Jewelry

I was recently a part of a spirited discussion about whether or not one should polish silver jewelry. There's actually a lot of pros and cons on this topic and I think everyone has a strong opinion on what is the right thing to do.  It's also a matter of aesthics - do you like your jewelry polished, or do you like a vintage patina.

Highly polished silver is most likely to catch the eye.  It definitely provides more bling for the buck.  Most modern pieces of silver are also coated with a finish that keeps the silver looking newly polished for years.  A very light cloth polish is more than enough to keep the jewelry looking good for a long time. Museums use soft, untreated cotton gloves to routinely polish their silver and that would work fine on modern jewelry as well.  If you use silver polish and jewelry cleaners you are likely to take off the special finish and destroy your piece.

Older pieces of jewelry were not treated with a tarnish retardant.  As a result, you can get silver that has turned totally black.  When I got the rooster brooch, that was the case.  This particular piece has a lot of fine detail , so I chose to polish it so that the fine details of the rooster can be seen.  That way a buyer can either leave it that way or choose to polish it even more.

Keep in mind that if you polish silver with fine details, you are also rubbing those details away each time.  To prevent this, your best bet is to prevent the tarnish in the first place by using proper storage. Do not store the pieces in plastic bags or plastic wrap.  It's not good for the silver because it doesn't breath and moisture may build up.  Heat may cause the plastics to adhere to silver.  Instead, invest in special silver cloths or bags that are treated for silver to prevent tarnish.  I have my silver necklaces stored this way and I probably only need to polish them lightly once every 10 years. 

Of course, not all silver jewelry is silver color.  Sometimes a gold wash has been used over the sterling.  In these instances, you need to be even more careful of polishing, even with treated jewelry cloths.  Its very easy to rub the gold wash right off the piece.  I've seen many Coro retro pieces where the wash was either gone, or gone at all the high points because of rubbing.

As you can probably tell, I'm a fan of not over polishing.  I think these earrings look best because the delicate design has been accentuated around the edge and in the center by tarnish.  Furthermore, any type of polish or even a jewelry cloth might adversely affect the crushed turquoise in the design.  Add to that the fact that these earrings are signed pieces from Mexico, I know I want to be really careful so that I don't destroy the value.

Of course, sometimes the need to polish is called for.  These amethyst earrings just look dirty with the uneven tarnish.  The grooved design doesn't help either.  These need to be cleaned up quite a bit with a very gentle silver polish to look their best.  Then, if they are appropriately stored, they should look lovely for years to come.

Regardless of how you like your silver to look, there are two important things to remember.  First, think carefully about the products you use and what damage they might do to your pieces.  And secondly, tarnish prevention is always better than polishing.  If you keep these points in mind, your silver jewelry should always look lovely.

Roses for Mother's Day

Mother's Day is not as far off as you might think.  This year, rather than a dozen roses, how about flowers that will last a bit longer?  This year how about getting a rose brooch that will last for years and remind her of your love.  And in this tight economy a lovely brooch can be far cheaper than a floral bouquet.

Here are a few ideas for the perfect brooch.  For instance, here's a pretty bouquet in delicate pastels.

 

 Or a single delicate pink rose on this lovely filigree background.

 

 Something for the person who likes more dramatic color. 

This delicate gold color brooch would go nicely on any outfit.  

And this single rose bud in both silver and gold colors would look great on everything too.

Roses never go out of fashion.  There's a rose out there in any color you can think of (I even have black roses!) in many different styles to suit any taste.  You can't go wrong giving flowers for Mother's Day!

Is It Safe to Buy Jewelry On Line?

I think a lot of people ask these days if it is safe to buy jewelry on line.  There appear to be a lot of bargains out there, but are the sellers really legitimate and is the jewelry as advertised.  Well, yes I think to some degree you are taking a chance buying on line.  But if you use some common sense, you can minimize your risk to almost zero.

The first thing to decide is your comfort level.  Are you only going to be comfortable buying on line from known or large companies, or are you willing to check out sites such as eBay.  If you are only comfortable with larger companies, I think you will find most of them have their own sites which are safe and secure.  A lot of well-known designers also have their own sites where you can purchase their jewelry.  Just check these sites for their return policies and make sure they have a secure system for taking a credit card.  It's very unlikely you would run into any difficulties with these sites.

If you want to branch out and look at sites such as Etsey and eBay there are many ways to determine how honest sellers are and how safe the transaction should be.  The best way to learn about seller's reputations is to check feedback and read the forums.  eBay gives a Top Rated Seller badges to those sellers who meet a certain criteria for standing behind their products and giving excellent customer service.  You can even use Top Rated Seller as one of your search criteria.  However, even though a seller has  a Top Rated Seller's badge, be sure to also take a look at their feedback.  Some large sellers can obtain Top Rated Seller status with a lot of negatives simply because they have such a high volume.  You may want to know the reason for these negatives.

Sites like Etsey, eBay and Bonanzle also have forums where vendors chat with each other.  This is an excellent place to learn about someone you may be thinking about making a purchase from.  Are they respectful of others?  Do they seem to know what they are talking about?  Do crafters give you some information about how their jewelry is created and the work that goes into it?  There are a lot of clues available in these forums.  Often you can find out what the vendors are saying on other sites as well by Googling their seller's id.  You may discover blogs the vendors are writing as well as where else they are selling.  Once you've learned a little about a vendor, you are more likely to have a pleasant transaction.

Of course, on any site, common sense has to play a factor.  Do you honestly think you are going to get a diamond ring for .99?  Does the item title match the description?  The title may say 18K gold, but the description might read 18K gold plated or gold filled.  Be very sure that misleading titles don't fool you.  Also, is the item being imported?  If the item is coming from another country and it turns out to be fake, do you want to go to the trouble of returning it?  Does the vendor even have a return policy?  Don't let greed or the desire for a bargain gainsay common sense.  Think before you buy!

Take a close look at the jewelry  photos.  Most good sellers will provide as many good close up pictures as possible.  Unfortunately, some store fronts don't allow more than one close up photo, so pictures should not be your only criteria.  A vendor may be 100% legitimate, but they are stuck with the limitations of their host.  You should always feel free to e-mail them and ask for more pictures via e-mail.  Any legitimate seller should be more than happy to provide these.

Lastly, you should be able to e-mail any legitimate vendor on the internet and receive an answer in a reasonable period of time.  They should be more than willing to answer any questions you have and clarify payment and shipping.  Just keep in mind that the seller may be in a different time zone and may only work regular business hours.  But, if you don't hear from them in a reasonable time regarding a purchase, how long would it take them to get back to you if there's a problem?

I believe buying jewelry on the internet can be 100% safe.  Just take your time, and learn which vendors are trustworthy.  Don't make any huge purchases until you've bought a few smaller items and feel comfortable with a seller.  If you exercise common sense and do a little background research, there is very little risk.

Shoe Buckles and Shoe Clips

Shoe buckles and shoe clips are really interesting fashion accessories.  Although in the strictest sense of the word they are not jewelry, they often end up in the jewelry category.  The other interesting thing about is that as early as the 17th century they were originally worn by men. But since that time fashion has changed and now they are worn by women.  And why not?  They are the perfect way to jazz up a pair of shoes!  Or a single vintage example can be turned into a one of a kind bracelet or pendant.

Buckles were in use on shoes until the early twentieth century.  The buckles were actually sewn onto a strip of leather which was then sewn to the shoe.  I'm sure you remember the large buckles on the  shoes of our Pilgrim fathers or George Washington.

By the Art Deco period, the clip mechanism had been invented.  This meant that the clips could easily be changed from shoe to shoe.  In fact, as you can see in this example, the clip mechanism has actually been placed right over the original shoe buckle.  The invention of the clip meant that the these new buckles could easily be changed from shoe to shoe.

Shoe clips, in a variety of materials were very popular during the flapper era, when women had begun wearing shorter skirts and dancing was very much in vogue.  They could be found made of glass, metal, ceramic and rhinestones.  The best shoe clips at that time were made in France.

In the 1960's, skirts became shorter again and shoe clips once again became quite popular.  With the resurgence of new, "wild" dances, shoe clips became a quick fashion upgrade.  Rows of shiny rhinestones enhanced plain pumps for dancing the night away.

Today you can still buy beautiful shoe clips at your local shoe store or you can find old and new examples on line if you want them for your shoes.  Or, if you are the crafty type, you can turn a single vintage shoe clip into a lovely piece of jewelry.

Scrapbooks, Jewelry and Embellishments

Sort of a change of pace here.  I am an avid cropper, or scrapbooker.  And of course, I sell vintage jewelry.  Sometimes I buy large lots of jewelry at auctions or estate sales and get quite a mixture of items.  It's not unusual for me to get buttons, sewing notions, belt buckles, button hooks or other small miscellaneous items.  I love it!  Because these are items that I can often incorporate into my scrapbooks.

For example, I've used an old belt buckle from the 1930's and some old buttons on a page with a picture of a log cabin.  I've simply threaded the ribbon through the belt buckle to form border and added three small buttons for interest.

eBay is a great source for interesting and unusual items.  Here's a few that I currently have available.  Can't you just see this one on the right with a cream color ribbon or some lace on a vintage page from the 30's?

 The little tiny blue buckle below might work well on a baby page for a little boy with a narrow blue ribbon threaded through.   Or how about this brown buckle with a rope pattern next to it for that picture  of a child on a rocking horse or in the cowboy outfit.

In addition to using buttons and buckles, small earrings can also be used for embellishments.  These are nice because the come in a variety of sizes and shapes.  They can add a bit of sparkle too!  And it's an excellent way to use those single earrings. 

Old screw back earrings are the best for this purpose because they can be cut with your button shanker.  Just be sure not to leave any sharp edges!

Almost anything that is relatively flat and thin can be used to make scrapbook pages.  Don't limit yourself to what you can find in the store.  Take a look around and be open minded, especially when you are working on those precious vintage books.  You are very likely to find exactly the right vintage item to make that vintage page perfect.  And best of all, you don't have to spend a fortune to do it.