* The Earring Factory at Quinta de Luz

I'm still in an earring frenzy  Can't seem to stop.  Moved from Day of the Dead to my jars of antique buttons.  Always wanted to try making something out of buttons.  I don't have many buttons left, however, I did manage to find some sets which could be used for earrings.

Two hole hand made bone buttons.  They were still manufacturing some of these up until the 1920's when the industrial revolution and its plastic finally wiped them out once and for all.  I love them.  I adore the colour and the texture.  I paired them with an old metal shank button (different in each ear) and glammed them up with Swarovski's. 

These are my absolute faves.  Don't think I'll be able to part with these.  Two gorgeous small Victorian metal buttons, some Swarovski's and pearls, topped of with an antique rhinestone button on each.  I'm in love!

For the woman and her kitty, some Victorian metal buttons, pewter in colour with faded copper trim.  Lovely patina. 

I'm in the process of putting a necklace together.  It's not working.  It's missing something.  Perhaps a larger piece of 'something' to balance it ... more in the centre of the lower chain.  I'm letting 'it be' while I discover just the right thing.

Having never made jewelry before, it does have it's challenges.   There is a knack to getting a piece to hang beautifully, with pieces turning in the right direction.  I'm just figuring this all out.  An interesting process, especially when I want to make a 'lop sided' piece with more than one chain (not all the way around, of course), which can easily throw it off balance.  I had the old necklace, which was a silver look metal chain with six round roses on it.  I added the rose charms ... harvested some  vintage rhinestones for the centre from another old piece, found part of a mother of pearl rosary, a lovely little simple brass cross, and the religious medal set under heavy crystal in pot metal with rhinestones.  I adore all the pieces.  Though I'm not attached to any religion, I find the old medals and other parafernalia associated with the church absolutely fascinating.  To use a piece in making jewelry represents history, sacredness, and being taken care of by the Universe.  I find them fascinating, as they would have been a treasured part of a persons life, and treated with great respect.  That's bound to produce good energy in the piece.

And so I'm in learning mode.  Trial and error.  Learn as I go.  I'll just keep trying, til I get it the way I want it.  Here's where I'm at .... for the moment.

 

I hope you had a lovely Easter with family and/or friends.  I spent a quiet one on purpose.  I feel on the verge of burn out from the events of this past year ... like everything has caught up with me.  Getting this house finished is turning out to be a huge challenge on many fronts, which I won't go into here, and being on top of my game every day in order to try and get things completed, is actually wearing me out.  ... and wearing me down.  I have simply had to stop, have some quiet time and a rest.  Back at it tomorrow.  I'll keep you posted.

If any of you have experience in assembling this sort of vintage, repurposed jewelry, I would love to hear from you.  In the meantime, take care of yourself, take care of each other ... and drop by often.  

Only from the heart Can you touch the sky. ~ Rumi