A Flower to Brighten Your Day

Throughout the week, my friend goes to his neighborhood flower shop and saves the plants that are being thrown out.  They are still alive and some are still blooming.  I am surprised at all of the beautiful roses, lilies, orchids, and other flowers that are in the dumpster.  He gives them to friends and even strangers to brighten their days.  All of the larger plants and trees he keeps on his patio and nurtures them back to life.  I admire him for doing something everyday to contribute to a more beautiful, healthy environment.  

Saving the Planet

Before you throw something away, think about where it is going to end up.  When it comes to garbage, we tend to treat it as out of sight, out of mind.  We set out our trash, someone comes and gets it, and it magically disappears!  Unfortunately, it doesn't really go away.  It becomes part of the wast stream and travels to its final resting place.   

Four basic options for waste are: 1) composting, 2) recycling, 3) incineration, 4) landfill. Composting is a critical step in reducing the volume of garbage needlessly sent to landfills for disposal.  Here is a guide to composting.  I am amazed by all of the things that can be recycled.  This is a good website to learn how commonly used goods and more obscure materials can be recycled.  Please help save the planet!

Unlocking Old Memories

I recently uncovered this vintage treasure at an estate sale. It is a Victorian locket from the 1900's. Inside is the original photo of a little girl that a woman once wore to remember a loved one.  What a beautiful keepsake.  The face of the locket has a unique basket weave and jeweled design.  I made a new chain for it with gold filled chain and wire wrapped vintage crystal beads throughout.  Check out the 1900's Jeweled Basket Weave Locket Necklace available for sale at my etsy store.

Handmade Jewelry Display

I needed a way to display my necklaces and bracelets on for trunk shows and didn't want to buy some expensive display or a cheap one that would reflect upon my jewelry design. So, I created this jewelry display with a scrap of wood, tree branch, and spray paint.  Most of these materials I found around my house and backyard.  The tree branch fits into a hole drilled in the wood base and comes apart for easy portability.  Best of all, it cost less than $10 to make.      

Vintage Rehab Trunk Show

This past Thursday I hosted my 1st trunk show featuring one-of-a-kind vintage locket necklaces.  It was held at Shiki, a local Austin boutique where I consign some of my jewelry. 

My Vintage Rehab collection was displayed together for the first time.  I (a very modest designer) was in awe and so proud of all of my work.  The most rewarding part was telling people about the history of the antique lockets and other vintage finds.  

Everyone complimented my designs and best of all I sold a few pieces.  Being that the majority of my sales are online, I don't often get to meet my customers and see them try on their necklace.  This was a great experience and great marketing tool to continue on doing.  

Keepsake Child's Locket Necklaces

My sister just gave birth to a baby girl named Emma Rose.  I am a proud aunt and can't wait to watch her grow up.  To remember this special moment, I created a locket necklace for her with a picture of her baby that she can wear close to her heart.  Also, I was inspired to create a new line of one-of-a-kind, vintage child's locket necklaces. What a perfect keepsake baby gift for a mother and child that will be passed on for generations!  

One of my favorite ones is the Vintage Child's Flower Heart Locket Necklace.  This vintage heart locket is embossed with a floral motif and now hangs on new chain accented with gold beads.  Please check out my new designs at www.vintagerehab.etsy.com!

Post-it Collage

My cousin studied for months for his BIG psychology exam. Post-its with facts covered on his test were tacts on every surface of his apartment to help him prepare. All of the colors, handwriting, and what they said inspired me to create a piece of art to hang in his office. First, I made a cardboard structure that folded like a fan.  Then, I glued each color post-it in vertical rows. This 3-D collage is designed so looking from the right side are rows of the darker colors and from the left are the light ones. I hope it reminds him of the great accomplishment in passing his test.  

1900's Scenic Locket Necklace

This an antique Victorian locket is etched with a scenic design and intricate metal work that attaches to the bale.  The necklaces is a new 14k gold filled chain accented with 12k gold plated vintage Swarovski crystals.  

Victorian is designation given to the period from approximately 1837, when Victoria became Queen of England, until 1901, when she died. This long period is divided into early (approx. 1840-1860), mid (approx. 1860-1880) and late (approx. 1880-1900), since it covers a wide span of time and a number of distinctive trends.  This period was preceded by the Georgian period, and succeeded by the Edwardian period after Victoria died in 1901, and her son Edward became king. 

Vintage Mother of Pearl Dove Pendant Necklace

I created this necklace with found vintage components.  The pendant is a mother of pearl dove that hands on a vintage brass bar link double strand chain with a rare, pink flower clasp.  The dove symbolizes the soul and the Holy Spirit.  It signifies peace, gentleness and purity.  In armory, the dove signifies loving constancy and peace.

1900's Jeweled Basket Weave Locket Necklace

1900's antique, Victorian Edwardian gold filled locket with a unique basket weave and jeweled design. The necklace is a new 14k gold filled chain with vintage clear crystal beads that accent the stones on the locket, and my signature cloisonne bead at the clasp.  

Edwardian refers to the period during the reign of Edward VII of England, but the style has it's beginnings during the final years of Victoria's reign, and continued until shortly before World War I when the more geometric influences later to be called Art Deco began to make headway.  In jewelry, this period was characterized by delicate filigree in white gold and platinum with diamonds and pearls predominating, and colored stones used less frequently, producing a light, monochromatic look.  Inside is an old photo of a special little girl that someone wore close to their heart.

1895 Art Nouveau Bird Locket Necklace

1895 Art Nouveau, gold filled locket is etched with a green stone in the center of a flower and a bird. Birds signify things of the intellect, understanding thoughts, ideas, reasonings, principles, consequently truths or falsity. The necklace is a new 14k gold filled chain, accented with vintage Swarovski green crystals, and my signature cloisonne bead at the clasp.

A New Rehab

This is an antique 1800's gold filled ornate Art Nouveau locket with crystal gems around an opal stone. I recently found this locket at an estate sale and rehabed it. Now, it hangs on a 14k gold filled chain accented with mother of pearl beads. Keep checking my etsy store for new items. 

  

Custom Jewelry Design

This is a custom order I just finished rehabing.  The buddha pendant and tigers eye stone once hung on a cheap chain with an unsecured clasp.  I made a new double chain necklace with a vintage gold filed chain and wire wrapped garnet beads to accent the pendant.  My customer loves it and wants me to fix up more of her jewelry.

Do you have a family heirloom, sentimental charm, or some other jewels laying around that you want to wear again or give to someone special.  I will custom design a piece for you.  Please contact me if you are interested and check out my Etsy store to see my other handmade, one-of-a-kind jewelry designs at vintagerehab.etsy.com!

Mother's Day SALE: 15% off Vintage Locket Necklaces

Mother's Day is just around the corner.  A locket is not merely a piece of jewelry, but and heirloom, a keepsake, and a constant reminder of your loved ones.  Last year, my siblings and I gave my mom a locket necklace for Mother's Day, and put photos of us inside.  It is very sentimental to her and will likely be passed onto generations to come.  

Since then, I started collecting vintage lockets and reworking them into one-of-a-kind necklaces.  I hope you find the perfect Mother's Day gift. All heart lockets are 15% off until May 11th.  Please check out my shop: vintagerehab.etsy.com!

Happy Earth Day - Recycled Gift Wrapping

I admit that I have a few strange habits one being collecting random things that I might later use somehow.  My stash came in handy when I was wrapping a present. I made a box out of cardboard, covered it with a wallpaper sample, and tied a lonely ribbon around it.

A New Treasure for Rehab

This is a 1895-1935 Art Nouveau gold filled locket that I just bought from an antique dealer.  It is in perfect condition and has a unique shape unlike any of the lockets I have found.   Here is what it looks like before I rehab it.  I am going to add a beautiful gold filled chain, that looks antique and pairs well with the old locket, and clear vintage crystal beads to accent the center stone. Keep checking my store for new items vintagerehab.etsy.com!

Lockets Like They Used to Make 'Em. Literally.

"As much as I don't love most keepsake jewelry, I absolutely adore vintage lockets. And if I miss anything about my younger, baby-less days it's the time I used to have to comb flea markets and tag sales for ye olde time-y jewelry on the weekends.

Hooray for Stacey Samuels who now does it for me.  Her company, Vintage Rehab, tracks down the most beautiful lockets, then fixes them up, adds fantastic chains and clasps, and turns them from someone's castoff into your own very fortunate find.  Check out her shop and you'll find goodies from a deco-era double heart necklace, to a 60's tortoise shell piece to really exquisite cloisonne flower lockets.

They are not cheap - prices range from about $130 to three times that.  An of course they're all one-of-a-kind.  So if you've got one in mind for a special mama this mother's day, grab it now.  It's not likely to end up in a flea market again any time soon." - Liz (coolmompicks.com)

1940's Raised Heart Locket Necklace

This vintage heart locket is vermeils, sterling silver, plated with 12k gold, circa 1940's.  It has a unique engraved floral design around a raised silver heart.  The necklace is a new 14k gold filled chain accented with sterling silver, square beads.

The heart has long been used as a symbol to refer to the spiritual, emotional, moral, and in the past also intellectual core of human being.  As the heart was once widely believed to be the seat of the human mind, the word heart continues to be used poetically to refer to the soul, and stylized depictions of hearts are extremely prevalent symbols of representing love.

1900's Slider Locket Necklace

This antique locket from the 1900's uniquely slides open and holds two photos.  The necklace is created with limited stock, vintage gold filled chain, and accented with 12k gold plated Swarovski crystals that are both no longer manufactured.  The locket necklace is handmade with love.  

Please check out my etsy store to see my other 0ne-of-a-kind designs at vintagerehab.etsy.com!

1950's Coro Four Picture Locket Necklace

This is a Coro gold tone locket that springs open with three hinges, unfolding four photo frames.  Coro marketed this locket in the 1950's as the "Family Album Locket." The following slogan was used: "Just picture the pleasure of wearing such a treasure."  The necklace is made with vintage chain, that is no longer manufactured, woven with tan leather, and accented with a light blue crystal antique tie pin that functions as the clasp.