Wizard Soiree Necklace

 

Wizard Soirée! A new necklace I created using muted distressed gold findings, chains, beads, rhinestones and pin. I photographed this piece on my favorite dichroic stained glass boxes and books!

All the findings are from Bead Landing and the beads are from Halcraft USA, all available at Michaels Craft Stores.

Long ago there was a Magician named Oliver who believed in magic, he believed that he was a direct ancestor to Cornelius Morvette.  Cornelius was a wizard from Brush Hollow, a city which some how just disappeared, just as OZ did.

Oliver recently discovered a trunk period under heaps of copper scraps while fixing his flying air machine. He dusted the top of the trunk and opened it with the gleaming key still inside the trunks key lock.

They a puff of golden light sprinkled some glittering powder and the contents were made clear. An old large ornate book, some smaller books, journals, potion supplies, bottles, jeweled amulets and a map. What was all this stuff? he wondered. Could it be, could it really be true, was he the great great grandson of Cornelius Morvette. Afterall they shared the last name and finding this trunk just proves it.
Now Oliver must go on a journey to find the truth about his ancestry and see if he is really the great grandson of Cornelius Morvette. Also what happened to Brush Hollow? How could a town just disappear?

Are the disappearances of Brush Hollow and Oz a coincidence?or completely separate? Oliver packed the trunk and map on his air ship and set sail with his friends Miranda Sicklesby, Doey Muddstone and his pet Owl Puffs.

 Where will their first stop be? I'm thinking Jaggerville or Tuckerton. Who knows, as soon as I find out, I will let you know. In the meantime enjoy one of the necklaces from Cornelius's trunk.

 I hope you enjoyed the necklace and its story.
xoxo
Lisa

Wearing your creations

As an artist, I love to create my own jewelry, accessories and clothes, looking through fashion mags and blogs for inspiration, once I get on a creative kick, there is no stopping me, especially with several ideas in mind that are waiting to come to life, when this occurs I run straight to my studio and start scavenging through boxes and boxes of supplies, if I'm no satisfied I head out thrifting or to the craft store, I can even hit three different in a day, living near Hobby Lobby, Michaels, AcMoore and JoAnne's is the greatest thing, lol, going loaded with coupons even better.

Last week I headed out to Hobby Lobby and picked up some of their brand jewels that were 50% off, headed over to Michaels and picked up some components from the Amy Labbe Art-i-cake line and finally back home to pick through my vintage stash. After a few tries, I came up with this necklace:

                                                       

This necklace was made with 2 strands of jewelry pearl chains from Art-i-cake, and a large pendant from art-i-cake, both available at Michaels Craft Store. The 4 center rhinestones are from the Hobby Lobby line of jewelry, at Hobby Lobby, I added some extra pearling, art nouveau clasp and findings from my vintage stash, the result this necklace, in the pictures below, I wore it with a navy tank top, navy and white seer sucker sailor cardigan, pearl bracelet and skinny jeans.

In the following pictures I wore the necklace w/a yellow tank top, skinny black jacket, skinny jeans, and my handmade black bow tie leather cuff. A trip to the craft store can help create the fashion accessories for your next outfit, for the experienced artisan, a trip to the thrift store or a rummage sale can bring about incredible accessories, mix, match, try something new and different, you'll be surprised at the results.

Auroratique's Steampunk Jewelry!

My Mom Joan has always enjoyed designing jewelry. About 3 years ago after a girls day out at my friend Terri's house, a group of us were hosted to a day of jewelry making and fun, with renewed interest, my Mother started re-creating her jewelry again in what I call hyper speed, prior to, she'd create a piece every so often, now its 3 to 5 times a day.

Her collection has grown to over 1,000 pieces, many she has sold at Art Events/Shows, Trunk Shows, Private Sales, at Piddlestixs and online. Our store: Piddlestixs located in Historic Lafayette, NJ has proven to be her star base, over the past 6 months, we have seen a variety of industry professionals walk through our doors from the city (NYC) and have purchased her wares. She has been published and has taught workshops over the past year, which has lead her on a new theme, Steampunk which she mixes with Victorian and Gothic tones.

Since last January, my Mother has been building her Steampunk line of wares from necklaces o earrings, bracelets and now rings, cuffs and hair bands. The obsession with keys, time pieces and vintage apothecary has fueled her passion. Each steampunk piece can sometime take days to complete due to the complexity or design, the parts and the fusing of the metals.
Currently she is working on incorporating some more bling, mythology and folklore themes into her new pieces. All the components which make up her jewelry are a mix of antique, vintage, modern or handmade.

Here is a sampling of my Mother's Steampunk Line. You can find her under: Auroratique on Etsy and throughout the web. If you are in town come visit her and her works at Piddlestixs!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/auroratique


Click here to view more of her works

I hope you have enjoyed a preview of her works, as much as I enjoy seeing them when she finishes, even getting some special ones of my own from her!
Magic and Joy,
Lisa!

Jewelry Boudoire!
When asked the question: "What is your fave art medium or technique?" I can't truly answer that with one specific thing, everything inspires me and I love working in every medium, it all comes down to my mood, if I'm in a sewing phase I'll sew everything from aprons to tea cozies to dolls or quilts. If I'm in a illustrative phase, I'll draw, if its mixed medium illustration, I'll draw and paint on everything for that time. My dollies, get made all the time as do class projects and instant inspired pieces which I have to get down on paper and create.

For the past few days I have been in a jewelry phase, it started after I started finishing up the studio organization, that I began to find places for all my jewelry findings. I came across old stuff and new stuff that I recently bought and decided to make some jewelry.My earlier jewelry consisted of alot of seed beading and beading weaving, I could never find a beading loom large enough and cheap enough, so I picked one up at Toys R US about 12 years ago for $15.00 and it works perfectly for small beading weaving works, they are still available in toy stores and crafts stores in the children's craft set section. From these I have made bracelets, belts, beaded purses and amulet bags and its so easy.Seaside Soiree BraceletFor the past 2 years I have been focused on salvage style jewelry, but it wasn't until my first meeting with Terri Ventura (Dimestore Daze) http://www.dimestoredaze.com/default4.asp That I began to dive deeper into salvaged jewelry. Terri and I met at Tinsel Trading and have been friends ever since, her jewelry is gorgeous and so inspiring, now to top it off Terri also sells the most amazing supplies, such as my fave: Marie Antoinette Brass Charms, in many finishes, they are essential to Marie style projects: http://www.dimestoreemporium.etsy.com/ Recently Terri surprised me with a huge package of charms and wares, I nearly fainted when I opened it, she is just incredible. Some other inspirational jewelry atists/books are: Charming Exchange by Ruth Rae and Kelly Snelling http://ruthrae.blogspot.com/ Semiprecious Salvage by Stephanie Lee http://www.stephanielee.typepad.com/ and Rejuvenated Jewels by Amy Hanna http://amyhanna.typepad.com/ These books by these fab artists are filled with wonderful inspiration and project to begin or enhance your salvaged jewelry journey.The pieces that you see are my newest creations, the bracelet is called: Seaside Soiree, the necklace is called: Midsummer Nights Dream and the beaded one is called: Lady Chantilly's Tea! All are made from vintage and new findings, the beaded one is a refurbished necklace I made from one I already had, just switched around the beads and handmade beaded balls, which are extremely easy to make.For the Midsummer Nights Dream Necklace I used a vintage bracelet, Vintage gilded back crystals which are similar to mercury glass, blue moon jewelry pieces and findings, a vintage Austrian rhinestone button, and vintage art nouveau style brass pendant, I've decided to keep this piece for myself, and wore it for the first time yesterday.The Bracelet: Seaside Soiree is made from vintage and new findings, blue moon findings and funky clasp. I have made three of these bracelet styles and will be offering two of them in my etsy store today: http://moonfaires.etsy.com/ Lady Chantilly's Tea Necklace is also staying in my jewelry collection, I love how it looks with a white linen shirt or button down, so vintage tea chic.
To Make the seed bead balls:
Materials:
-Seed beads
-Wooden ball bead or jewelry ball or small styrophome ball w/whole in center
-Fabric tac or no sew glue
-Quilting thread (color of choice)
-Beading needle

Directions:
1. Thread needle with 2 feet of thread, tie knot at end, insert needle through ball hole, twice, loop needle through the 2 strands of thread, and knot.
2. Now slip seed beads onto needle to the thread. The amount of beads on the thread should cover the two hole areas, end to end.
3. Once beads are threaded onto thread strand, insert needle into ball hole, come out the other end, repeat, until the whole ball bead is covered with beaded strands, at the last strand, tie a knot, twice, dab with fabric tac glue or no sew glue, and that's it, you have a beaded ball.

-Refer to the last picture for example of the ball bead.

I hope you have enjoyed this post and get inspired to make some salvaged jewelry of your own.