Single earring project #3

 We are now in week three of April, which means it's time for the third tutorial on how to make jewelry from vintage single earrings.  Week one's necklace was a design using only one single earring. This week's project is a necklace made from three single earrings.  See photo below!!  Digging through my cabinet of vintage earrings, I spied three sparkly single rhinestone earrings that all had this fantastic peridot color!  I laid them out on my table and instantly envisioned how magnificent they would look together in a necklace design.  I'm calling this design, my "Pretty in Peridot" necklace.

 

(Below) Single earring project #3, "Pretty in Peridot" necklace

 

 

The collage of seven photos you see below show you the materials I used to make this necklace.  This project is a TWO DAY project.  Day one, you will want to work with the components that require epoxy, and then let those dry overnight.  Day two, you can finish the necklace.   A detailed list of the materials and tools I used is at the bottom of today's post.

 

 

As I mentioned in last week's project, working with epoxy is messy and can ruin your work surface, so be sure to lay down some paper or cardboard on your work surface that you don't mind throwing away. Also, work in a well ventilated area and wear disposable gloves if you don't like getting glue on your fingers. Have some paper towels handy....you will be glad you did.

 

The first thing I did was prep 2 of my earrings.  The earrings on the left and on the right in the photo below needed their mechanisms completely removed.  The center earring's mechanism was not removed entirely, and I will show you why a bit later. 

 

 

 

(Below)  I used my metal cutters to remove the mechanisms from the backs of two of my earrings. 

 

 

(Below) Once the mechanism were off, I took my jeweler's file and smoothed the rough bits of metal that remained on the backs of the earrings.

 

 

(Below) I used a section of linked chain that has these nice round, flat pads for gluing on objects.  Below you can see what the front and back of the chain looks like.  If you have a hard time finding chain like this, try running a search on Etsy for "glue pad chain" or "glueable bracelet blank".

 

Here's a link to some for sale on Etsy (sold in lots of 5 bracelets) -

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/121923674/link-bracelet-blanks-5-gold-plated-round?ref=shop_home_active
 

 

 

(Below) I separated the chain to get two pieces that would perform the function I needed.  Each piece has one round flat pad with a jump ring on each side.

 

 

(Below) I grabbed my two-part, 5 minute epoxy.  I put some epoxy into a disposable paper tray and mixed it together with a popsicle stick.   When thoroughly mixed, I used my popsicle stick to apply some of the epoxy to the backs of my earrings.

 

 

(Below) I then set my linked components on to the backs of the earrings and let them dry overnight.

 

 

(Below)  The next morning I continued working.  I took my center earring and removed only part of its mechanism.  The two loops in this mechanism are going to come in handy, so I did not remove them.  I did, however, flatten them out with my pliers.

 

 

(Below) I cut two small sections of cable chain that contained only 3 links each (about 5/16" total length).  I put both chain sections on to a small jump ring.  I then attached the same small jump ring to one side of my center earring (see how those loops on the center earring's mechanism come in handy?)  With another small jump ring, I attached the other ends of the chain sections to my other earring (small jump ring attaches to the large jump ring on the back of the earring).   

 

 

(Below) I did the same thing on the other side to join my third earring.

 

 

(Below) My focal section is completed, and looks like this.

 

(Below) These crystal beads and rhinestone bead caps came off of a pair of broken vintage earrings.  For this project I will need two beads and four bead caps.

 

 

(Below) I strung one bead and two bead caps on to some gold filled wire, like this.

 

 

(Below) On one end of the wire, I made the beginning part of a wrapped loop with my round nose pliers.  If you do not know how to make a wrapped loop, you can easily find instructions using Google or YouTube. 

 

 

(Below) I slipped my two 1-5/8" sections of chain on to my loop.  I then finished making my wrapped loop.

 

 

(Below) This is what my completed wrapped loop looks like.

 

(Below) On the other end of the wire, I also made the beginning of a wrapped loop.  I then slipped two of my 3" sections of chain on to the loop. I finished wrapping the loop.  On the other side of my necklace I did the same thing, until I had this -

 

 

(Below) Then I connected my 1-5/8" sections of chain to each side of my focal piece using jump rings.

 

 

 

(Below) Now, all that's left to do is add the clasp and the extender chain.  I attached a lobster clasp to one end of the necklace using a jump ring.  I attached some extender chain to the other side of the necklace using another jump ring.  I used one more jump ring to attach a vintage Swarovski rhinestone component to the end of the extender chain.

 

 

(Below) This is what the completed necklace looks like.

 

Here is a detailed list of the materials and tools I used to make this necklace.

 

Materials:

• vintage single clip-on rhinestone earrings that complement each other (3)
• 2.5mm wide cable chain (I used 4 sections that are 5/16" long, 4 sections that are 1-5/8" long, and 4 sections that are 3" long)
• "bracelet" chain containing 10mm round flat pads made for gluing on objects (a section long enough to get 2 glue pads and 4 jump rings)
• vintage 12mm faceted crystal peridot color beads with aurora borealis finish (2)
• vintage 9mm Swarovski rhinestone olivine color bead caps (4)
• 5mm jump rings (9)
• 24 gauge gold filled wire (2 sections, each 3" long)
• 12mm lobster clasp
• 2-3/4" section of 5mm wide curb chain to use as an extender
• vintage 11mm Swarovski rhinestone 1-loop drop component
• 5 minute, 2 part epoxy
• disposable paper tray
• popsicle stick
• brown paper to cover my work surface
• paper towels

Tools:

• chain nose pliers
• round nose pliers
• metal cutters
• jeweler's file
 

 

Today's treasures

Things found while shopping today.  Vintage chain, filigree, cameos, glass beads, connectors, buttons, stampings, rhinestone bead balls, misc. pieces of old jewelry, tin types, and antique portrait photography.

 

Single earring project #2

This is week two in my month long series of making jewelry using vintage single earrings.  As promised, here is your second tutorial on how to incorporate vintage single earrings in your jewelry designs.  And this week's project is VERY EASY to do!!!  Perfect for beginnners!  I will admit, there are some potential frustrations that you can run into when doing this project.  But fortunately for you, I have done all the trial and error over the years and worked out all the kinks.  So all you have to do is carefully follow my tips to avoid running in to any problems.

 

Last week, I showed you how to make a necklace.  There will be more necklaces to come, but I thought I would change it up and do a bracelet this week.  Some people like to make these kinds of bracelets using vintage earrings that are all different colors and they usually turn out really cute.  If you don't have a large collection of vintage earrings, it may be difficult at first to get enough earrings that are all the same color, so feel free to use an assortment of colors.  I decided today that I was going to color coordinate and use only earrings that have black & clear colors. 

 

 

(Below) April's project #2, bracelet made from vintage single earrings

 

 

Here's your IMPORTANT TIP # 1 for avoiding headaches with this project - try to use only earrings that have very flat backs that will glue easily to another flat surface.  I use the strongest glue I can find, a two-part epoxy, but you still run the risk of loosing one or more of your earrings if you try to use earrings with curved or un-even backs.  Make sure there is a large enough flat surface on the back of your earring, and you will be in good shape.

 

And now, IMPORTANT TIP # 2!  Some people have a hard time finding the bracelet blanks like I use in this project.  My bracelet findings are made of six flat oval pads, linked together.  The bracelet findings I use are vintage and I was lucky to find a large quantity of them many years ago.  You can still find them for sale on Etsy.  The current going price per bracelet finding is about $3.50.  Below are a couple of links to sellers on Etsy who have the same kind of bracelet finding that I use.  They sell them in lots of 10.

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/122849347/silver-bracelet-blanks-steampunk-vintage?ref=usr_faveitems

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/82181141/link-bracelet-blanks-gold-plated-large?ref=usr_faveitems

 

And lastly, IMPORTANT TIP #3! Make sure you work in a well ventilated area (I open my window in my studio) and cover your work surface with something you don't mind throwing away. You can use a cheap piece of cardboard, some newspaper, or like I used, a brown paper grocery bag that I cut open. When working with epoxy, you are very likely to destroy whatever surface you work on, so cover it with something disposable.   Have plenty of paper towels handy, because this gets messy.  Also you might want to work with rubber gloves on if you don't like getting glue all over your fingers.  

 

The photo below shows you the materials and tools you will need.  The glue I use is 5 minute two-part epoxy that you can find at the hardware store or sometimes at Michael's arts and crafts stores.  There is a more detailed list of all the materials and tools at the end of today's post. 

 

 

 

 

(Below)  First step is to remove the mechanisms from the backs of your earrings.  As you can see I worked with both clip-on earrings and screw-back earrings.

 

 

(Below) Using a good pair of metal cutters, start clipping off the mechanisms from your earrings.  Do this very slowly and carefully.  You may want to wear safety goggles during this step in case any pieces of metal fly upward.  If there are any jagged surfaces after you cut off your metal, use a jeweler's file to smooth it down.

 

 

 

(Below) Your goal is to get the backs of your earrings as flat as possible.  These two worked out really well.  Continue working on the rest of your earrings.  You will need a total of 6 single earrings.

 

 

(Below) The next step requires you to work quickly!  5 minute epoxy starts to harden very quickly, so work as fast as you can.  Once you start to mix your epoxy, a chemical reaction takes place that causes it to harden.  Because you don't want to let too much go to waste (if it hardens before you get to use it all), mix just small batches of the epoxy.  I had to mix two separate batches of epoxy to finish my bracelet.  Find something disposable to mix your epoxy in.  I buy in bulk these paper food service trays (like what your food truck french fries are served in) at Smart & Final for mixing things like epoxy and paint.   But you could also use a regular paper plate/bowl.  You will also need something disposable, like a popsicle stick, for mixing and applying your epoxy.  Follow the directions on the package of your epoxy and mix equal parts together with your popsicle stick.   Once your epoxy is mixed well, use your popsicle stick to put a good blob of epoxy on to one of the flat ovals of your bracelet finding and then put on your first earring. 

 

 

(Below)  Work on gluing one earring on at a time, making sure you have it centered properly on to the oval blank.  If the epoxy in your tray starts to harden after you finish just a couple of earrings, don't worry.  Mix a new batch and keep working until all 6 are glued.  Even though I've used a "5 minute" epoxy, I always let my projects dry overnight before I attempt to wear them.

 

And that's it!! Easy, right? Because these bracelet findings come with clasps already attached, there's nothing left to do.   

 

To make a similar bracelet, here is a detailed list of the materials and tools you will need.

 

Materials:

• vintage single earrings with a nice flat surface on the back, well-suited for gluing (quantity of 6)
• metal bracelet blank with 6 flat pads linked together (available on Etsy.com)
• 5 minute, two-part epoxy (available at hardware stores or Michael's arts & craft stores)
• disposable paper tray, plate, or bowl
• popsicle stick
• newspaper, paper bag, or cardboard to cover your work surface
• paper towels
• disposable rubber gloves (optional)

 

Tools:

• metal cutters
• jeweler's file
• safety glasses (optional)

Proper care, cleaning, and storage of vintage rhinestone jewelry

 

Today's post is a summary of everything I've learned over the past couple decades about the proper care & cleaning of vintage rhinestone jewelry.  If you have ever purchased vintage rhinestone jewelry at a flea market that was in desperate need of cleaning, I have some useful tips for you.  This information also applies to modern rhinestone jewelry and the way it should be cared for. 

 

In the photo above, are five pieces of vintage costume jewelry that incorporate foil back rhinestones.

All five of these pieces have rhinestones that were manufactured with a special foil coating on the back side.  It is important to know if your pieces of jewelry have rhinestones with or without foil on the backs. 

 

Compare the photo above with the photo below.  The photo above shows the front side of some foil back rhinestone jewelry.  The photo below shows the back side of the jewelry.  Notice that with only the top two pieces of jewelry (the crown and the gray rhinestone chain) are you able to see the foil on the backs of the rhinestones when you turn the pieces over.  The bottom three pieces do not have open backs that allow you to easily determine if the rhinestones have a foil coating or not.  If you are unsure about what kind of rhinestones are in your jewelry, I would suggest that you play it safe and assume that they have a foil coating.  From what I have seen in costume jewelry, the majority of all rhinestones that you come across will have foil on the backs (either gold or silver color foil). 

 

 (Below: back side of jewelry whose stones have a foil coating. 
Click on the image to enlarge)

Why is it important to know if your rhinestone jewelry has foil back stones or not?  Because foil back rhinestone jewelry needs extra special care.  There are certain things you need to do with foiled rhinestone pieces in order to keep them in good shape for years to come.  I will provide you with everything you need to know about their proper care, but first take a look at the photo below.  These are some loose vintage foil back rhinestones.  Notice that some have gold foil, and some have silver.

Now look at the vintage rhinestones in the next photo.  These stones do not have foil on the back.  It's easy to see the difference when the stones are not already set into the jewelry, right?

I have already showed you examples of vintage rhinestone jewelry that has foil on the backs of its stones.  Now look at the two photos below for some examples of vintage costume jewelry whose stones do not have foil coatings.  Foil-less rhinestones will typically be prong-set or bezel set (not glued into a setting).  To see more detail, you can click on the images below to enlarge them.

(Below: front side of jewelry whose stones are not foil coated)

 

(Below: back side of jewelry whose stones are not foil coated)

 And the next two photos show you some vintage pieces that have both foil backed rhinestones, and rhinestones with no foil coating.  Notice that when you view the back side of the butterfly, you see only the backs of the light blue, oval shaped see-through stones (no foil).  But those tiny clear stones that you can see on the front side of the butterfly do have foil backs.  Click on the images to enlarge.

(Below: front side of jewelry that has both foil coated and non-foil coated rhinestones)

 

(Below: back side of jewelry that has both foil coated and non-foil coated rhinestones)

So remember my advice, and if you aren't able to easily see the backs of all the stones in your piece of jewelry, it is better to assume that there is a foil coating on your rhinestones.  As I mentioned, foil back rhinestone jewelry needs extra special care!  Here are my tips for storage & cleaning of your rhinestone jewelry:

• Avoid heat!  I see many vintage jewelry vendors that sell their rhinestone jewelry at outdoor flea markets where the hot sun is cooking their pieces of jewelry all day long.  This is very bad for rhinestone jewelry whose stones are glued-in.  The hot sun can melt the glue that is holding your stones in place, and then you risk having the stones fall out.  Never let your rhinestone jewelry get hot.  Don't leave it in your car, and if you sell vintage rhinestone jewelry at outdoor venues, try to keep all your jewelry shaded to prevent the stones from falling out.  (NOTE:  the exception is with prong-set or bezel-set rhinestones.  These stones should never fall out unless the prong or bezel breaks)
• Avoid moisture!  Have you ever seen a piece of vintage jewelry whose rhinestones have darkened?  For example, a piece of jewelry whose rhinestones used to be sparkling white, but are now a dull gray?  The darkening of foiled rhinestones happens when the foil backing starts to deteriorate.  The number one thing that will cause the foil to deteriorate is moisture!  If your rhinestone jewelry has foil-back stones, NEVER immerse it in any kind of liquid!  The moisture will cause the foil to start to separate from the backs of the rhinestones.  The stones will then loose their clarity, color, and sparkle.  Also, storing your rhinestone jewelry in ziploc baggies can trap moisture and speed up the deterioration of the foil.  Let your pieces breathe in a cool, shaded environment.
• Avoid chemicals!  Be careful not to spray your rhinestone jewelry with perfume, hair spray, etc...  Not only will it make your jewelry look "dirty", the chemicals might deteriorate the foil backing on the stones.
• Give your jewelry space!  Do not store your rhinestone jewelry piled on top of one another.  It is very easy to chip your pretty stones. 
• Take care when cleaning your rhinestone jewelry!  As mentioned above, never immerse jewelry with foil back rhinestones in liquid.  Here's the best way to clean those pieces of jewelry. Start with a lint-free cloth and simply wipe the surface of the stones.  This will help to get rid of dust and light dirt.  If your stones are still dirty, you can lightly spray your cloth with water or an ammonia-free glass cleaner and then gently wipe the surface of your stones.  Remember to spray your cloth only......never spray the piece of jewelry directly!  If you accidentally get your rhinestone jewelry wet, dry it upside down.  You do not want moisture to remain on the backs of foiled rhinestones.  Lay the piece of jewelry upside down to try to get as much of the moisture out as possible.  Let it air dry.  Never use heat to dry your jewelry.  Also, never use a hard brush or anything abrasive to clean your stones. Some stones have a special top coating (such as aurora borealis) that looks awful when scratched.

If you are interested in repairing rhinestone jewelry that has lost one or more of its rhinestones, I will show you the correct way to do this in a future post.  Stay tuned!

The Groves Antique Market in Irvine

 

 

The first Sunday of every month I look forward to treasure hunting at The Groves Antique Market in the city of Irvine, California.  It is located at the Great Park, which is easy to spot from afar due to the giant orange hot air balloon floating above the grounds (see photo below).

 

 

 

There are several things that are unique to this particular antique show that always keeps me coming back.

1. Quality, upscale antique vendors, and beautiful, well-kept grounds.
2. Dogs are permitted here (rare because most flea markets in So-Cal do not allow dogs) and you see them everywhere!  Being a huge animal lover, I really look forward to meeting so many well-behaved, social, and beautiful dogs.
3. Right next to the antique market is an excellent farmers market where I can buy organic produce, eggs from free-range organic chickens, beef from grass-fed local cows (not treated with hormones), and get lunch from one of the many gourmet food trucks.

It was an overcast day today, which I usually prefer to being in the direct hot sun.  It was more crowded than I have seen it in a long time!  Photos below of all the hustle and bustle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did very well today on my hunt for vintage jewelry making components.  There is a lot of very expensive, quality vintage costume jewelry here, but you can also get lucky quite often and find some great bargains if you know where to look.   Below are photos of some of my steals (things I found that were definitely underpriced) and some of my splurges (more expensive pieces that I usually try to limit myself to just a few of).  For me to pay really good money for a piece of old costume jewelry, I must:

1. really feel the piece tugging at my heart strings
2. have a good vision of how I will use the piece in one of my jewelry designs
3. be convinced that it is something I will most likely not come across again in my searches
 

  (Below) Some steals!  Vintage 1950's earrings.  These seem to be going up in price lately, but I got lucky and found one vendor selling them much cheaper than everyone else.

 

 

(Below) Reasonably priced.  Rare vintage faceted, flat-back, foil back, rhinestone components.  I love that they have holes drilled at the top and bottom.  This makes it easy for me to incorporate them in my designs. 

 

 

(Below) A steal!! I bought a ziploc baggy filled with vintage glass leaves & flower petals.  These particular components were used in the design of mid-century "jade glass trees".  I'm not going to make trees with them, but will use them in my jewelry designs. 

 

 

(Below) Vintage clasps.  I got them at a great price because most are missing rhinestones or pearls.  I have lots of loose vintage rhinestones and pearls at home that I can use to repair them.

 

 

(Below) Vintage mother of pearl buttons.  I love the one embellished with a metal horse!  I love buying old buttons because they are almost always cheaper to buy than other vintage jewelry making components.  All of the buttons I bought today I got at a great price.

 

 

(Below) All of these buttons are from the Victorian era.  I love all the wonderful patina!

 

 

(Below) These buttons are not as old, but they still have a look that I love.

 

 

(Below) These are vintage faceted glass buttons.

 

 

(Below) The large striped buttons are celluloid over metal from the 1930's.  The large black button is old carved plastic.

 

 

(Below)  These are my favorite finds of the day, including a few of my splurges.  A couple of old cameos, a guilloche enamel pin, a French cut steel buckle, two reverse-painted glass brooches, and a sparkly rhinestone star-themed necklace.

 

 

(Below) Some good deals here.  A vintage glass beaded flapper necklace from the 1920's.  Plus some loose vintage glass beads, including some gorgeous aqua blue "wedding cake" style beads.

 

 

 (Below) A couple of French treasures.  A 1933 almanac, written all in French, with wonderful art work!  Also an old pair of French opera glasses made with mother-of-pearl.