A Few New Things!

I've been expanding my vintage jewelry line, most recently adding vintage, resin cameos. I am really loving the selection I am finding and will continue to add more pieces. My only complaint with these is there seems to be a limited range of colors available. I do really like the classic carnelian/coral background with an ivory image, but it's hard to find a lot that moves out of that color group. I have a couple in blue and gray currently listed..VERY pretty and more to come in a few more colors, but unfortunately, these aren't available in a wide range of color choices.

A while back I decided to try some of the Asian made crystal beads. I have always been a Swarovski crystal fan, but it is hard these days to make anything with a significant number of crystals and still keep the price range reasonable. Most people are pretty careful with their spending right now and I like creating pieces that are quality, yet affordable. I won't compromise my quality, but I can make adjustments. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice this crystal is. It does lack the precision and super high quality standards of Swarovski, but it is still a very decent product. I did find a few beads on the strands I bought at a local bead show that were what I would consider unusable, but all in all, I was very happy with the beads. It should be noted that ALL crystal contains lead. This is the universal difference between glass and crystal. Swarovski crystal is... crystal and contains lead, just like any other crystal bead, or that crystal vase you have.. The metal content is what gives the clarity and weight to crystal you will not get with traditional glass.

I am continuing to play with vintage glass jewels.. always looking for new and interesting colors and finishes. I love the more unique jewels, but they are quite difficult to photograph well. I am working on getting in some awesome colors to transition to fall. Some I have coming are just YUMMY!!!!

If you haven't seen the filigree rings with vintage reproduction flower cabochons on them, give them a look! These are truly fantastic! The price is almost too good to be true...I made myself one and wear it all the time. It is fun, comfortable and very feminine! I love the filigree ring base I was able to get.. these are very nice.. they are not thin, cheap, flimsy stampings.. nor are they really stiff and difficult to size...They are like Goldilocks and the three Bears..."just right"...

I have a great selection of my Vintage Jewel Daisy Pendant Necklaces in my shop now.  Just about every combination of jewels I can get in this size, in both a silver plated brass settings and and antiqued brass setting. I am now setting all the jewels in these myself, I like the creativity that allows me. There is a limited amount of jewels in the size I need for these pendants, so I won't be able to make them in any color, but I have found a lot of choices. I am hand making most of the pendant hangers you see on the necklaces as well.

I have been severely neglecting my bead shop lately.. I intend to try and get some torching done this week and next to hopefully have a few new things to add. Please stop by my Principessa Jewels shop to see all of my latest jewelry offerings and Principessa Glass shop for artisan made lampwork beads!


I've added pages to my blog! Some are still a work in progress, but click on them and check them out! Hopefully you'll find some of the info listed interesting! Thanks for stopping by!

Flower Power!

In life.....We seem to have the best of intentions, but some how get side tracked by other things.....Many other things! A number of years ago, I can't even say how many anymore, I started buying vintage Czech glass. Mostly flowers, some leaves and other beads, but my focus was on vintage... I LOVE VINTAGE! Then one day I stumbled across vintage Lucite flowers and was smitten again. I bought quite a number of both, but aside from making a couple bracelets from the vintage Czech glass, I have had them all sitting in a big plastic tub for years. I wanted to make really cute flower earrings with a vintage flair out of them, but never got around to it.............Until now!

I've seen a number of other people making similar type earrings, so I am not pretending to have invented this version, but rather I aspire to do my best to improve upon it in using the best materials, and adding my own personal flair where I can. I use sterling silver wire and head pins, along with some silver plated brass bead caps and ear wires for the silver versions. For the antique brass versions, I use only pure brass head pins that have been oxidized, high quality antiqued brass wire and ear wires, along with bead caps and findings. I try to buy supplies that are made in America! This is important to me. With so much being made overseas, and not always being able to know what the metal content is, I'd rather pay a few cents more and get a well made products that supports THIS country!

I generally buy only vintage Czech glass and vintage Lucite. I do occasionally make an exception and buy vintage reproduction pieces if they are unique, such as hand dyed flowers etc. I use beautiful Swarovksi crystals, which are hands down the best crystal beads on the market. You won't find more sparkle or durability in any other crystals. I also use Swarovski pearls, which are fantastic! My creations are always wire wrapped together whenever possible. I rarely ever use jump rings, especially on earrings, and I don't very often use a simple loop. I like knowing that what I make will stay together! 

I think I am still trying to find my "niche", but I feel I am getting closer to where I want to be all the time. I love making pieces with a vintage flair, combining old with new. If you haven't had a chance to visit my new Etsy shop Principessa jewels, please pop over and take a peek! My bead shop, Principessa Glass, is still on Etsy selling lampwork glass beads, handmade by me! Thanks for stopping by!

Sparkling Jewels!!!

One of my latest obsessions is vintage jewels. These pretty little sparkles have been around a long time, but like depression glass, have stood the test of time. Lots of it has sat in boxes, forgotten for decades only now being unearthed and given a new life. The array of colors and finishes is astounding! I feel like a kid in a candy store... so many pretty sparkly things!

The jewels themselves are vintage, the settings are all new, which allows for some diversity in the type of metals used and finishes.  I of course am loving the antiqued brass, but I have been finding more pieces and settings in an oxidized silver, which you will be seeing soon.

I have been using a lot of these pieces in earrings, but I have also made bracelets and used them in some of my necklaces. No doubt I will be incorporating more of them into everything as time goes on! I love the look, and feel that they have and I love that little bit of history they bring to each piece I use them in.

I have been using a lot more antiqued brass lately and have plans to start incorporating some other metals soon. As of today, sterling silver is now $28.00 a troy ounce. In the year 2000, silver was $5.25 an ounce, at the beginning of this calendar year, it was just over $18.00 an ounce, it has gone up $10.00 in the past 11 months. That makes the costs of all the components I am fond of using a whole lot more expensive to me! These are cost increases way beyond what one can absorb. I have always been annoyed by the way your local gas station will raise the price of gas based upon what the price per barrel of oil that was just announced toady. It's not the price they paid for the gas you are buying now, but somehow, you get to pay more sooner. I have put off raising my pricing on items containing sterling, mainly because I have always carried a large stock of items, so I don't buy often, but I am to the end of many things and am forced to restock at record prices. So if you don't like the price of sterling silver jewelry.... maybe I could interest you in some lovely antiqued brass!

I have decided to limit my previews on Facebook to beads only. It appears that the majority of the interest lies there. In the interest of making life more efficient and cutting out things that aren't worth the effort, I will just post a link to the listing I have put on Etsy for my jewelry. You can check out my Etsy jewelry shop, Juniper Gems to see what new listings I have and my Principessa Glass shop for all of my Lampwork beads. Thanks for stopping by!