Vintage Jewelry Embellished Perfume Bottle Necklace

Well, I had had this perfume bottle on my craft table for quite awhile now.  It was completely intact except for the embellishment that was on the very front.  It dawned on me to PUT an embellishment on the front that would complement the bottle (plus some extra pearls and rhinestones).  After seeing my mother's Stampington magazine, I then decided to make it into a necklace. 

 

The bail and chain can be taken off without any problem if someone just wanted the pretty little bottle for their boudoir table.  I personally prefer it as just the bottle, but it's nice that this piece is versatile enough to be used as a necklace as well. 

Vintage Jewelry Embellished Button Card Ornaments

I really love vintage button cards and enjoy looking at them on Pinterest.  Some are just exquisite.  I remember an estate sale that I went to that had many...wish I had purchased more of them.  Anyway, while these button cards aren't over the top exquisite, they ARE pretty.  Of course, you know I like to embellish things with vintage jewelry...so these were a natural combination. 

I bought some pretty paper and worked these up.  I tried to make them look pretty on the front and back. 

They are in my Etsy shop and can be hung around the home as home décor all year round. 

Hope you like them too. 

Time to Blog

To be honest with you...I'm finding it difficult to find time to blog!  I'm sure many others are having the same problem.  There is my Etsy shop to constantly work on including networking there, Pinterest to peek at, emails to catch up with...then of course, housework, kids, homeschooling, and creating for my shop.  Ugh!  It seems like I set there at the end of a day all the time and wonder just where exactly time went. 

I have been putting on the screws as far as creating goes.  I have been working on some new ideas...some things are done and others are still in the works.  Mom and I had a "craft day" last Saturday while Hubby worked.  It was fun, and we got a lot done.  We are actually going to be in a craft show this year.  She has been in them for years...and years.  This will be my first, so I'm glad we will be in this one together.  I'm going to put some of my bigger and hard to ship things to see if they go.  It is the Saturday before Thanksgiving, so at least I have a little bit of time to work some more things up. 

One thing I've started doing is embellishing beautiful keys.  The key first of all has to have design and be pretty.  They have been fun to do.  Of course, you know me and embellishing--can't help myself.  A few have sold (the one above is one of my favorites but hasn't sold yet). 

Also, Mom found at a thrift shop out West a box full of these tiny pink plastic figures--figures from cereal promos in the 1950's.  There are some that I won't use, but the pretty ladies/dancers inspired me to make little shadowbox ornaments.  I tried to make little embellished--true to size, the hard part--scenes.  I made them in colors of ornaments that can be used year round as home décor.  Of course they have lots of glitter.  They are pretty small since they are made out of small cardboard jewelry boxes. 

I had some other little vintage bits that I made into shadowboxes/dioramas...this little winter scene dog is probably my favorite. 
I'll blog about the other "new things" I'm working on, but those probably won't be done until the end of the week or so. 

Catching Up

It HAS been awhile since I blogged last.  Life has gotten busy.  There is only so much time in a day to get things done.  My little blog has suffered.  I can't possibly go back to when I blogged last and catch up on everything.  But I shall try....

In a nutshell:  We finished school at the end of May.  The kids did well this past year, and I'm very pleased with their work.  They are taking a break from violin for the summer but are still working on their piano lessons.  Our daughter is taking swimming lessons to get a little more confident in the water than she is.  We are still doing those lessons, and I certainly see improvement in just this short time.  They are also taking art lessons this summer. 

We went camping for two nights already.  It was fun to get away, and we hope to do some more in a few weeks.  No big vacation is planned this year--just short camping trips around the state.  We really would like to get up to Door County this summer.  I see the newest issue of Victoria magazine has a nice article on Door County.  They are well deserving of the publicity.  It really is pretty and relaxing up there in the "thumb" of Wisconsin.

There have been plenty of parties we've been going to:  graduation, birthday, etc.  My mother-in-law's 70th is on July 4th, and we are helping with a big celebration for her. 

I've been working on many projects.  Unfortunately sales have been a little low, but that is to be expected this time of year when there is so much going on and people are putting their money toward vacations and family get-togethers.  I've been working on some felt projects (I really do enjoy making felt things) and, of course, my vintage jewelry embellishment projects. 

 

Mom and I are thinking of trying a craft show this fall.  She has been in many; I haven't been in any.  We're waiting approval.  I'm not very good at "production", but if we are approved to be in it, I will need to work on that until November. 

Well, I'll try to be more faithful at writing in the days ahead.  Happy summer day to you.

Ready for Flowers

Added a few things to my shop today--a vintage jewelry embellished ornament and a perfume bottle.  They both are full of flowers and birds.  Enjoy!

Vintage Jewelry Embellished Spoons (and a Fork!)

I admit to being inspired by a pin on Pinterest...and have gone with the idea.  I've embellished some very pretty spoons (both demitasse and regular) and even a fork with vintage jewelry bits.  They really look pretty just sitting there, but I've included thin satin ribbon on each so that they may be used as an ornament of some kind to hang somewhere in your house.  The ribbons aren't on these yet in this picture, but when I listed them in my Etsy shop I showed what they would look like with the ribbon on.  What do you think?  I really like them and have listed them all in my SHOP (including a pink one that isn't shown here).  I call them spoonfuls of sparkle!

Thank you, Lee!

I received my altered Altoid tin full of buttons--all with a fall theme--as part of the 2012 Fall in Love with Buttons Swap hosted by Laurie at Button Floozies. 

Lee was my partner, and she sent a beautifully embellished tin full of pretty fall themed buttons. 

I just love the porcelain one on the top and the large shell one inside not to mention the many others she included.  I'm delighted that she was able to find so many with a fall theme. 

Needless to say, I'm delighted!  Thank you, Lee!

Fall Button Swap

Here are pictures of what I made and gave to my partner, Lee, in the Button Floozies fall button swap.  I am assuming Lee has received her package by now, so I decided it was time to post.  We were supposed to decorate a standard-sized Altoid tin and include at least 40 buttons--all with a fall theme of some sort.

It was fun finding the buttons...and it certainly helped discovering a huge bin of buttons at a flea market last month to paw through.  I bought the pretty paper and owl sticker (couldn't resist the sparkle!) at Hobby Lobby and otherwise used bits and pieces of things that I had around the house.

I ended up putting over 50 buttons in the tin and tied the tin together just to make sure it didn't open in transit.  Hope Lee liked it.  Thank you, Laurie, for hostessing this.  It was a great deal of fun.

Something New

These are the result of seeing an idea in an old magazine then carrying that idea forward, putting my own ideas with it, and making something new.  I had discussed wanting to find little vintage tartlet/chocolate/butter tins with my mom, and she found some at a flea market in Florida.  So, I played and experimented, and these "tin pins" are the result.  I had originally wanted to embellish the outside bottoms of these...but, alas, that would be too hard to fix a pin to.  I had some vintage jewelry pieces--some of them very old pieces--that are beautiful but too delicate to really utilize on my other projects.  So these assemblage pins are the result.  What do you think?

This one uses a sugared flower piece. I love the glass leaf spray and the heart shape of the tin.

This one has a Bavarian theme with an aurora borealis rhinestone piece with a spray of pine cones and tassels...then I added a cuckoo clock.

There are three others that I've listed in my Etsy shop if you would like to see. 

Vintage Petite Jar Spring Swap--From Me

In the Something Special Vintage Petite Jar Spring Swap here is what I sent to my partner, Karen, of Karen's Monday Musings.  I took the glass jar and decoupaged music paper on it then some vintage bird papers. 

I had some tiles so spelled out "Bird" and "Song" on the sides as well.  On the bottom I put a label from an old crochet yarn ball. 

I made a "nest" on the top with coordinating silk flowers, buds,  and colored yarn to the vintage bird papers and included a little bird sitting in the nest.  She wasn't quite "pink" enough, so I added a little blush to her belly to pink her up.

I tied lace and color coodinating yarn to around the jar and, of course, had to add a little pin for bling.

Inside I just put in as many vintage bits that could fit and hope that the glass things didn't break in transit. 

This was fun to create and assemble.  I hope you like it!

Vintage Petite Jar Spring Swap Pictures from Partner

I joined the Something Special Vintage Petite Jar Spring Swap.  We were to take a small glass canning jar, embellish it, and fill it with fun bits.  My partner was Karen of Karen's Monday Musings.  She was a fabulous swap partner.  How nice it is to have someone who communicates well and who you know will follow through!  This swap was sort of a challenge for me.  I had to think outside of my comfort zone and work with paper and glue...which is what I usually don't do.  Here is what Karen sent to me:

Well, the jar Karen embellished is adorable. 

I love the little birdhouse and the "M" scrabble piece on the back.  

Inside were all sorts of adorable vintage and inspiration pieces for future creative projects. 

I love the rooster, little birds, vintage papers, little book, that pretty hand-painted button...well, everything!

Everything was wrapped so sweetly.  Thank you so much, Karen, and thank you Michele for hostessing this.

Yes, Another Swap

I've decided to join one other swap this spring...couldn't resist this one either.  It is hosted by Michele (notice the other one "l" Michele here) at Something Special.  We are to decorate a vintage canning jar then fill it with goodies--mostly vintage.  Head on over to her blog for all the details.

By Special Request

You go through life and meet people who you wish you really had never met.  Then you meet people who, when you look back, you are just so glad that you got to know them.   One such person was a delightful lady who purchased a perfume bottle from me last spring.  She was so kind.  Then she wrote back saying that she had some of her mother's jewelry that she would never wear...and could I put some of the pieces on perfume bottles for her and some of her relatives?  I admit to being nervous breaking apart these precious memories of her mother, but then again, she and I were working together trying to repurpose these pieces into a new way for her and her family members to remember her mother.  Much time (and prayer!) went into these bottles.  I included this lady in every decision with plenty of pictures and emails back and forth.  The bottles were finished and last week arrived at their destination.  I shall miss our emailing back and forth but am truly glad for the chance I had to get to know her.  Such fun it all was!  It is a great honor to help carry on these precious memories in the lives of this lady and her family.  I don't know if you will ever read this, but thank you so much, Mary.  You are a kind and generous person, and I'm sure your family members will appreciate your creativity and thoughtfulness.  I'm so glad to have gotten to know you. 

New Perfume Bottle

I love green and pink together.  When I found this bottle, I knew it had to be embellished with some special pieces of jewelry to enhance both the jewelry and the bottle.  This was fun to create.  I listed it this morning in my Etsy shop.  Hope you like it!

Vintage Jewelry Embellished Ornaments

I had such a fun time making these ornaments!  I can picture them being hung in a home all year round--on a knob, a shelf peg, on the corner of a boudoir mirror, anywhere really where a spot of color and sparkle is needed.  They are mirrored ornaments covered with vintage jewelry pieces.  They have been listed in my Etsy shop.  I'm working on a pink heart-shaped one which should be done later in the week (it is becoming my favorite one so far!).  Perhaps I'll post it on here for you to see.  Hope you like them! ; ) 

New Vintage Jewelry Embellished Perfume Bottles

I've added a few new embellished perfume bottles to my shop.  These two came out well, and I really do like them.  One has a black on gray cameo complete with a very old glass beaded spray at the top.

The other has two guilloche pink rose pieces with plenty of rhinestones.  I love guilloche rose jewelry as well as pink and green together, so this one is one of my favorites. They may be found in my Etsy shop at http://www.glassbeadtreasures.etsy.com/

Vintage Jewelry Embellished ID/Badge Clips/Reels

I'm always trying to think up new ideas for my vintage jewelry stash pieces.  The idea of embellishing some ID/badge reels/clips came to mind, so I bought some from a fellow Etsy seller and began embellishing.  I have to make sure that the pieces I embellish with are durable because of where and how they may be used, but I figure there must be some professionals--nurses, teachers, etc.--out there who like a spot of bling as well.  These clips had some views, but no bites yet.  Guess we'll have to wait and see how they go over.

500th Post Giveaway

Well, it's my 500th post.  Hard to believe.  Here I thought when I first began blogging that I wouldn't have anything to say and that no one would be interested enough to read whatever it was that I said!  Many, many thanks to my followers and those of you who come by to see what I've been up to and for all of you who take the time to leave a comment.  I so appreciate it!  So....

....as a "thank you", I've decided to give everyone who enters below a chance to win this sweet little perfume bottle embellished with an ever-so-light-pink blossom vintage jewelry piece.   

International friends are welcome to participate.  I will randomly choose a winner sometime in the evening on July 2, so comments must be made before 6:00 p.m. CST July 2.  1) You must leave one comment below telling me what type of item you like best from my shop (i.e.vintage jewelry, perfume bottle, thumbtacks, beaded brooch, vintage image things, etc.)  Please visit my Etsy shop--Glassbeadtreasures--to help you decide. If someone does not tell me what type of item they like best, unfortunately that person will be disqualified. 2) If you would like a second entry chance, you may blog (feel free to use one of the two pictures above) about it then come back and leave a comment with the link to your blog post.  That's it! Thank you again to everyone!

For a Jeweled Garden Party

It took me a little while to think this through and complete, but it is finally done.  I had always wanted to embellish something like a purse.  It was hard to find the right purse first of all.  This one came the closest to what I had in mind.  It is faux black leather and has a great surface.  Then, it was fun planning out what it would look like.  The things that sealed it for me what it should look like are the pieces of a necklace that I thought looked like clouds.  Then, I decided to have a garden full of glittering flowers below.  There is a bright yellow sun in the sky, a rhinestone butterfly, and some birds above a next full of blue eggs.  I've listed it in my Etsy shop if you'd like to see other pictures of it.

Mother's Day Vintage Brooch Swap from Jan

Linda at A Swap for All Seasons hosted a wonderful swap, the Mother's Day Vintage Brooch Swap. We were to swap a vintage brooch wrapped in a beautiful package. My partner was Jan of Jan's Arty Journey. Jan certainly renewed my faith in swappers! Not only did she hold up her end of the swap but did so amazingly and beautifully. She is kind and wonderful in every way...and very talented. She wrapped everything in pretty paper tied with lovely ribbon and included a pretty card.
The brooch she chose is absolutely perfect. It is exactly as I would choose and like--you know how I like flowers and rhinestones. I shall wear it an enjoy it.She put the brooch in this amazingly beautiful book box that she embellished with all sorts of pretties--inside and out! I love the Parisian theme.
Many thanks to Jan for this wonderful brooch and box and to Linda for hosting such a fabulous swap.