Cameos and Stash Organization

Pearls & Lace

Good morning, dear readers!

I decided that I had better get today's post done as we are supposed to have some scary, severe weather this afternoon & evening.  That also means I will have intermittent internet access.

 

I have been getting things gathered up and ready for serious tatting work in the Atelier.  The plan is to have all new original pieces available in May.  Here are some of the cameos I've acquired at auctions and estate sales:

 

 

It was hard to get good images due to the glare this morning, but you can get a general idea of what the "before" cameos look like.  The earrings are screw back, but I plan to cut off the backs, file down the rough and use them as pendants.

 

 

These two ladies need a good cleaning, but I expect they will dress-up quite nicely.

 

The intaglios and vintage brooches have been sorted, catches & mountings checked, and are neatly organized on my jeweler's bench in the Atelier.

 

Now, I am awaiting the cultured pearl order that was placed a couple of weeks ago.  Oh, yeah- I also need to order more Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk.  Lots to do to add to the Romance of the Piney Woods & Olde West Collections!  I'm off to inventory the Valdani threads.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

 

 

 



Gorgeous Day in the Woods

Celtic Faire

Good morning, dear readers!

It is an absolutely gorgeous day in the Piney Woods!  The temperature is slightly cool and the sun is shining.  Rosie and I have been in the woods behind the house playing and tatting.  The FREE pattern is almost ready.  I'll post it tomorrow, so be sure to check out the blog then!

 

I happened up on a nice little goody during our last antiquing/junquing expedition-

 

 

It is a lovely Whiting & Davis intaglio bracelet.  This piece will be a OOAK original in my upcoming Olde West Collection.  The thing that makes W&D pieces so desirable is that the intaglios are made from rock crystal not glass.  I snapped this beauty up quickly!

 

Rosie Fey is growing daily and seems to be thriving in our home.  She loves going for rides in the Jeep and looks forward to helping me take Jocie to school and also picking her up.  Here she is yesterday as we were waiting for Jocie's AlgebraII class to let out:

 

 

My face was throoughly licked after I snapped this image!

 

Well, I am going to have a bit of lunch then get back preparing the FREE pattern for tomorrow's post.  Have a wonderful day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!

 

 

 



Button Stash & New Acquisitions

Good morning, dear readers!

 

It's Election Day here in the USA- if you have not voted already, please do so.  We will be heading out to vote as soon as the polls open this morning.

 

I spent a good portion of yesterday digging through the closet in the Atelier.  This was a very good thing to do because I found several items I'd "hidden" from myself.  The long lost jar of MOP (mother-of-pearl) antique buttons was found behind a large box of fingering weight wool.  It had somehow slid behind and I was so pleased to find it!  I went through the jar, sorted and cleaned the buttons and placed them in an organizer on my jewler's bench.  Here are just a few of the buttons:

 

 

Can't you just see all of the lovely pendants and brooches that these will make?!?  What do you think- shall I do a special piece for a giveaway event?  Pendant or brooch?  Leave your comments on this post and I'll announce in tomorrow's post what event I'll do.

 

Oh- I forgot to post images of my new acquisitions!  A dear friend of mine (Tommee) is a big fan of vintage jewelry.  She is moving into creating her own OOAK jewelry and is thinning out her vintage costume jewelry stock.  I was lucky enough to acquire a Whiting & Davis intaglio brooch and pendant:

 

 

The thing that makes Whiting & Davis so special is the superior mountings they used and the fact that they used rock crystal, not glass, for the intaglios.

 

 

I also have a gold-toned brooch like this that I'm working on.

 

 

So many anchoring possibilities are on both the brooch and pendant!  What colors should I use on these?  I have some wonderful dyed pearls and Swarovskis that would be great accents.  Any suggestions???

 

Well, Lily is spinning and Jim is grumbling.  Time for a run after I give the old bear his coffee.  May you have a fantastic day full of creativity & don't forget to tell me what you'd like the next giveaway event to be in the comments!!!  Until Wednesday~

Happy Tatting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Intaglios

Good morning, dear readers!

I have hit a bit of a design snag with the AT brooch and am re-evaluating what I need to do to finish it off to my satisfaction.  Stay tuned later in the week for the finished piece as I am determined to complete it.

 

After ripping out a couple hours worth of tatting on the AT brooch, I decided to dig into my box of vintage goodies.  I had begun work on an intaglio brooch earlier and picked it back up.  It is being enhanced by a layer of tatting with Swarovski bicones and will be further accented with more expanded tatting.

 

 

Anyone have a name suggestion for this one?

 

Another intaglio beauty I discovered in my stash is this pendant:

 

 

She has a bezel of light topaz rhinestones and a wonderful filigree frame that is begging for loads of tatting.  Of course, I will have to add pearls to her.  Maybe some Swarovskis, too.  How about a name suggestion for her as well?

 

Hopefully, today will be a more productive, creative tatting day.  I don't know where my head was yesterday, but my work was just off.  Here's hoping today is better.  Well, I'm headed to the Atelier with hot cocoa in hand and a sweet bulldog at my side.  Have a great day & until Wednesday~

Happy Tatting!

 

 

 

 



New Ladies

Good afternoon, dear readers!  I had a wonderful package in the mailbox this morning.  It contained my winnings from the latest estate auction.  Here are my lovely new ladies:

The cameos are both set in 12K gold filled mountings.  The upper right one is accented with 10K rose and green gold flower and leaf motifs.  The earrings are set in sterling silver and are glass intaglio cameos.  They will be used as pendant accents.  I can hardly wait to put together a new Valdani Luxury Pearl Silk order! If I weren't anxiously awaiting a cultured pearl order, I'd call them up today.  BUT- I want to get the pearls in so I can decide exactly what I need threadwise.

Well, dear readers, what shall I call these ladies?  Please post your suggestions.  I will announce the names of these ladies and the others from the previous post after they are added to my Atelier website shoppe.

OH!  This is my 200th blog post!!!  I just realized it.  Be on the lookout later in the week for a giveaway event.  I'm cooking up something special!

Guess I had better get busy on the other Parrish inspired work-in-progress.  Have a great day & until tomorrow~

Happy Tatting!