Lorelei Eurto's Blog
September 5, 2024
Costume Jewelry ReDesign Part 4
WOAH. Life got away from me there for a bit- I went on vacation and then had a wedding and a visit from in-laws but here I am! I am back to share the last and final part of this 4 part re-Design series!
Here is the 4th necklace purchased at the antique fair a few weeks ago! I was drawn to the happy colors of the beads- that silky brass chain- Oh yea. I used that already in this other piece from part 3 of the series- Check out the post from August 22nd.
Spoiler. I never took the whole thing apart. I know. I cheated on this one a bit. But once I took off the brass chain and this last part was hanging out on my desk for a few days, I picked it back up a few weeks(?) later and it occurred to me that I could create a bracelet pretty easily with the remaining part.
I know. it's CHEATING but I AM THE BOSS OF MY JEWELRY MAKING YA'ALL. and this was what I had time and patience for at the time. But look out how cute it turned out!
I ended up adding a jump ring to the large glass focal bead, and then added 2 brass lobster clasps to the two strands . Took all of 30 seconds to transform into this adorable bracelet!
Do you feel like this was cheating? Do you wish I had taken it all apart and created something new? If so, let me know in the comments and when I have the time and gumption I may just do that. But til then, This bracelet is available for sale HERE.
August 22, 2024
Costume Jewelry ReDesign Part 3
Ooooooo, isn't this nice! 3 days of blogging in a row- getting a new habit under way! Will I stick it out after the 4 part series ends? Only one way to find out! Go ahead and subscribe! You'll get notifications on new posts on Blogger.com
So to catch you up (newbies) Your girl is re-doing some gaudy costume jewelry from Madison Bouckville Antique fair from last week. Today is day 3 and here is the necklace we are working with....
So the idea is, I take it all apart and then put it back together in my own signature style and sometimes I bring in elements from my personal stash to add a bit of whimsy if it needs it.
In today's necklace- I really LOVED the Tagua slices and the wood beads, but that panther- wow- so fun!! right?? Does it surprise you at all, that the 3rd necklace is yet again an ethnic style.
Again I feel like this piece could be rocked as is. In fact I wore it around the house for the better part of the day yesterday. It's comfortable and lightweight but because I have a big of a goal here, I didn't want to leave you hanging. So we disassembled this bad boy and I made a fast decision to make it longer and add some color.
There is no clasp on this necklace. Here's how it looks on the mannequin.
Oh yea and of course that little bit of whimsy - that is what this needed- so I took this SEE THE WORLD charm from Tim Holtz and added that to dangle in front of one of the largest tagua slices. I love this edition- it makes it, in my opinion!
There were a handful of wood rounds leftover and 4 tagua slices- so I created a second necklace with these:
I added in some of my own stashed wood rounds - because I didn't have enough. I also added in some faceted turquoise beads and this sweet little Fairy pendant from Green Girl Studios x Vintaj Brass Co.
The toggle bar is from Vintaj Brass Co. too and I used this as the clasp which inserts into this beaded toggle loop at the back of the necklace.
Are we having fun yet?! I am!! I love having a focus- otherwise I'm usually just flailing so this has been great! One more day of this and then we'll see what happens!
If you want to check these pieces (and see more photos of each) check out
and
on my website!
August 21, 2024
Costume Jewelry Re-Design- Part 2
In case you missed it, I am revamping a few pieces I got recently at the local Antique fair. Read yesterdays post ( Aug 20 2024) for the background info and the first piece I disassembled and reassembled.
Today, this is the next necklace in my super fun series! A chunky ethnic beaded necklace with this cool extender chain and arrowhead charm. I love the chunky beads- the combo of teal, amber, orange and browns - I love the fun metal discs and the bead cones. I would probably wear this one as is.... but that's no fun! Let's see what this pile of beads looks like....
Here it is taken apart. I shot a pic of what the beads look like on my work table.
I tend to work very organically on jewelry- what I mean by that is, there is no plan. I didn't lay out the design ahead of time. I made a split decision to either use beading wire OR waxed cording. In today's session I went with waxed cording- in black. I cut a very long piece of it, strung the lobster clasp from the original necklace and then started adding the turquoise color beads.
And then I just start thinking about the order of things and it really didn't take long to figure out where I wanted to go with these.
When I came to those really large amber nuggets and lucite ovals- I had to PIVOT because... the holes would not accommodate 2 strands of the waxed cotton cord!
So that point it went from one beaded strand to 2! Perfect for an asymmetrical design!
I then had a few beads leftover after this necklace was finished so I pulled in some faceted matte black glass rondelles, and created a bracelet- also asymmetrical- using the big fat metallic bead, an amber bead, the chain and then the arrowhead which I layered with another filigree/floral charm from Vintaj Brass Co. I made a steel wire hook clasp for it.
I hope you enjoyed reading about my process for this little series!And I hope it inspires you go out and get some costume jewelry to re-design!
Check out theNECKLACEandBRACELET on my website.
August 20, 2024
BLOGGING AGAIN! Costume Jewelry Re-Do!
Last week Joe and I attended the annual Antique Week at Madison-Bouckville- we drove down around 10am. It was supposed be a beautiful day........... spoiler alert- it WAS but it was also very HOT.
Parking cost $5 this year- and from the looks of it, Friday was a popular day.
I usually love to look for things like Furniture at this event but now that we've been in our current home from 15 years (!! WOW !!) we do not need one more piece of furniture at this point.
Other things on my shopping list are:
Skeleton Keys. Yep- every year. I bought 4 this year and was astounded at the price I paid- I tried to dicker but I'm no good at that. So $3 per key probably wasn't that bad considering but it would have added up quickly. My budget was pretty tight.
I also got a brass Key plate Probably from a door- has a nice decorative element to it. They'll all be great for jewelry making at some point. I will probably try to savor the use of each one.
Letters: I'm constantly looking for metal letters ( I Think they were from some sort of marquee sign type thing) that I got in the past there ... they were brilliant because they were an aluminum color but solid weight- and had holes at the top and bottom of each letter. I think at the time I just picked up the [&] - a few of them if I remember correctly.
And other Bits and Bobs with jewelry in mind.
Then I came across a woman's tent...FULL TO THE BRIM with tables and tables of gaudy beaded Costume Jewelry. Now- I understand that this probably would have lured any jewelry oficianado. Anyone can repurpose the beads into pieces. But my thought was:
"Wouldn't it be fun to buy a few pieces and re-design each into my own style using as many of the beads and maybe beads from stash- would make a great blog post!!"
So, here we are.
I am calling it a SERIES. And here is the first one. Let's discuss it.
Lots of Earthy elements called to me in this one. Shell, Wood, Glass. Those big slices of wood, and the other slices of Antler? Bone? Hard to tell. I didn't end up using all of the beads- I didn't use the clasp. And I created 2 finished pieces with the beads, plus a few from stash. First, I made some earrings:
I used the wood slices, the funky shaped wood beads, some brass charms and small turquoise rounds from stash.
And then a Necklace- I pulled in one of the Skeleton Keys from my shopping trip, an Owl charm from Green Girl Studios x Vintaj . And I strung the beads- they spoke to me. I added in some brass beads for a little extra weight amongst all the lightweight wood and shell beads. I interspersed the Shell shards around the piece in 3 different places instead of using them in one bunch like the original!
What do you think!? Aren't you excited to see the others I got in the series as I redesign them?? Maybe this is going to be the big BLOG REJUVENATION we've all been waiting form.
Maybe I'm not the only one who has done this? What do you look for when searching for pieces to re-do?
If I like doing this, maybe I can find some good Ebay Lots to revamp too, to keep the series going!
Check these pieces out on my website!
August 20, 2022
Anatomy Themed Happy Mail for Franny
May 11, 2022
Wed May 11
I really love how this one turned out. Using beads from stash along with some beads gifted to me by Lori Anderson recently. She gave me the seeds and the lucite coins, and those pretty bead cones.The ceramic lentils and that floral round are from Golem Studios and the paper tube beads are from Mystic Peasant Beads on Etsy.
Felt good to do another multi strand bracelet. Some of my favorite designs to make.
These are all available here
April 10, 2021
Bead Soup Swap & Create Reveal : Partners Lorelei Eurto and Rochelle Brisson
Let me remind you what my partner Rochelle sent me again....
Everything was sweetly labeled : here are the labels:
I mean, does she know me, or what?? Copper and Aqua colors: YES PLEASE. an Owl Pendant!: Yussss!
Crystals, pearls, glass and ceramic- Spot On. She gets me. She really gets me.
And here is what I did with said beads. TaDaaaaahhhhhh!
This is a necklace. LOL in case you didn't know. I used all the pretty beads, the Lampwork bacons, the pendant bead, and crystal and her included copper toggle clasp. I added in those seed beads to suspend that pretty crystal below Mr. Owl. What a fun piece. And then of Course, I had to make earrings too because hey, Beads were leftover!
I added those copper earwires.
I always love this challenge. It forces you to make something with the beads in front of you, and sometimes makes you work outside your comfort zone. I mean, not me. this WAS my comfort zone. But I'm just saying challenges like this sometimes can't stump you. I always sit down and think- Ok Do your best to use ALL the beads. I still had a small amount of beads left after the earrings/necklace were completed. But oh well. No biggie.
Wanna see what Rochelle made with the beads I sent her: Head over there now.
Wanna see what the other participants made with their beads:
Participants:
Lori Anderson, hostess
April 1, 2021
I'm hosting a Washi Tape Swap!
I'm excited to announce that I am hosting a new swap! I have been doing a lot of pen palling and paper crafting throughout the Pandemic and have discovered a real obsession with Washi tape. Decorative masking tapes can be added to letters, journal entries, envelopes, or anything that needs a little pop of color or pizazz! They are so fun, and if you are into this stuff, you most likely have a ton of it. Because honestly they are so fun to collect!
I thought it would be fun to swap 1 or 2 Full/ New Rolls of Washi tape with a designated partner. I will be randomly pairing partners up this weekend so you have about 3 days to fill out the sign up form.
But first let me go over some ground rules.
If you agree to send 1 or 2 FULL NEW ROLLS of Washi tape to your partner by April 17, 2021, keep reading. If not, buh-bye. Thanks for stopping in.
I will be pairing swap partners up this weekend, so you have until Sunday 4/4/21 to enter the swap. I will be sending an email to the email you provide in the form below. Please be sure to check your email and your SPAM folder so you don't miss your pairing.
I do suggest you contact your partner upon recieving their info so you can rest assured you are both willing and able to participate. If you don't hear from your partner at all, please alert me and I will try to send them a nudge. A new partner may have to be assigned. Please be courteous - if you decide not to participate let me or your partner know ASAP.
You can send any kind of washi, but you are required to send NEW FULL ROLLS, not used rolls. They don't have to be in the original packaging, but I want them to be New.
Please send out your package by Saturday APRIL 17, 2021, no later unless agreed upon by your partner.
If you have any questions, email Lorelei at LJEurto@gmail.com
If you continue on to fill out the sign up form, you are basically agreeing to do what you say you're going to do. A binding contract, if you will. Don't make me hunt you down. this is supposed to be fun, Mmmmkay?
Here's the link to the FORM https://form.jotform.com/210903355800043
Happy Swapping!
February 16, 2021
Bead Soup Swap and Create:: Bead package has arrived!
My partner this time around for the Bead Soup swap and create is Rochelle Brisson! A fellow jewelry designer herself, I figured whatever she sent me was going to be fantastic! I received my package in the mail this week and I could not rip into it fast enough!!I had high hopes of filming a bit of an upwrapping of sorts, but logistically it just couldn't happen.So still photos is what you get... BUT.....JUST LOOK AT THE BEADS!
Everything was clearly labelled with adorable hand written labels.Rochelle sent Freshwater pearls in a pretty copper color,Czech glass A glass heart from Unicorn BeadsTurquoise drop beads- glassSwarovski Crystals2 glass focal beads from SueBeadsA Raku Owl pendant Quartz Crystal dropand a copper toggle clasp
The colors were clearly pulled with the owl bead being inspiration. Just look at those beautiful purple, blues and copper colors! Gorgeous!
I think they look especially pretty in this ceramic dish from White's Pottery.
My mind is swirling with ideas!! Come back to the blog on April 3rd to see what I made with these beauties!!
#beadsoupswapandcreate
January 30, 2021
introducing myself to a new penpal
HELLO!
Dusting off the ol' blog!
Instead of writing a pages long letter to my new penpal for the first time, I decided to get creative. Today I discovered the free classes on www.Scrapbook.com and watched a class given by Heidi Swapp. I was immediately transfixed as she showed how to make this adorable photo flip book using a package of blank greeting cards. I got mine at Hobby Lobby and they were on clearance for $3.24 - a package of The Paper Studio Cards and envelopes (pack of 48 might I add!) it doesn't appear to have a color or style name. It includes lots of natural and wood tones, woven basket, metal and shiplap. I thought it was the perfect natural backdrop for my book pages.
This post is NOT sponsored by Scrapbook.com- I just discovered it on my own and wanted to share. Figured it would be a good way to jump back into blogging.
I worked on this all day today. It was daunting in the beginning but as I was going I got into a good groove and it did help to plan out my pages beforehand. I just jotted down the key points I wanted to share in my book. I discovered an instagram post that was promoting finding a penpal. I left a comment and met Jenny from Utah. So we decided we would both just jump in and write to each other right away this weekend instead of one of going first. I am really excited. I have been pen-palling the better part of the Pandemic with my sister, Amy, and Rae. There can never be too many pen pals. It's always fun to get to know a new friend.
I picked basic info to share- what I was interested in as a kid, what I studied in College, when Imet my husband, when we got married, and a short job history and the steps takento bring me where I am today and then shared some of my recent interests, and favorite things.
This was really a fun exercise. I hope she enjoys it!
I ended up adding another photo to this layout of Django too. I couldn't just include one cat and not the other!
I don't think Jenny reads my blog so I hope this won't ruin her surprise.... but Jenny if you are here... SURPRISE!
LOL!
Lorelei Eurto's Blog
