Set Sail for Paris – Assemblage Necklace

The Victorian brass ship pin with “PARIS” stamped on the front is the starting inspiration for this necklace. Souvenir jewelry was often purchased on Victorian travels. Touring Europe, including Paris and Italy was popular in Victorian and Edwardian days. Little trinkets were evidence of places you've been! For now I am content with my virtual travels.

The pin has been left on and will offer more variety to the way you can wear and drape this necklace. A very clever quality clasp!

The brass chain enables the necklace to be adjustable from 20” to 24”.

It is set at the shortest length on the dress form. The ship drops an additional 1 3/4 from the necklace.

Three different strands pay homage to the sea; a vintage chain of clear glass beads attached rosary style for sparkle, a strand of freshwater pearls to hint at sea life, a strand of Czech glass beads with rough faceted quartz in the colors of water. Now available in my Etsy shop here.

More Drawers – Repurposed Silverware Chest

I seem to be drawn to these vintage silverware chests at garage sales. I love boxes and drawers! I brought this one up from storage and put in the necklaces I have been making. Some are already listed in my Etsy shop. Some aren’t quite done yet.

A close-up of the burgundy velvet lined drawers and jewelry. Looking at this picture reminds me how varied the styles are that I like to create in.

Printers Cabinet Now Holds Jewelry Making Supplies

I couldn't resist this printers cabinet! I sold some things I kind of liked and bought this cabinet that I really like. My assemblage studio isn't heated so I squeezed this into the kitchen for now. It will be for my jewelry making supplies. Yes, I know I have a drawer problem. I told my friend Jill Shulse while watching Hoarders, one of our favorite pastimes, "I'm one of those organized hoarders. When I'm 80 my house will be lined with rows of cabinets with drawers. There will only be enough room to walk through the aisles. All my drawers will be labeled and if I like you I will let you look in them. LOL"!

It fits perfectly in front of the mural that I painted on the walls years ago. Instead of standing on a door the rooster looks like it is standing on the cabinet.


This is one of my drawers for "Inspiration" pieces.

This drawer is for pearls and shells...

One of the drawers waiting to be filled...

Necklace - The Elegant Moose

I saw a necklace with a silvertone elk head from an odd fellows badge and wanted one. I have searched the internet for months. That is the beauty of found object art, you can't just find the components anywhere. There was just something about it...

I decided to make my own. I drew an elk, then reduced my drawing, but something just wasn't right. I didn't want to copy the elk exactly, but I liked it exactly as it was. The antlers looked wimpy and for some reason I began thinking about moose. Perhaps because I was thinking about original art, art that is inspired but not copied.


Why would a moose be a totem animal for me? I had seen many animals on our vacation to Yellowstone this past year including elk, but not one single moose. Perhaps the moose had something to tell me.

I looked up moose totem on the internet and this is a summary of what I found:
The crown of courage; Full of contradiction; Excellent depth perception; Strength; Intuitive nature; Reward ourselves for a job well done; Moose
I etched all of these traits on the back of the moose head.

I cut the moose from heavy gauge brass. Next, I etched the image of a moose with the name of the designer in bold letters - RAEvN.

I refashioned a vintage glass bead necklace adding a mother of pearl flower. Hanging below the pendant is a piece of jewelry from my Great Aunt Lena's stash. The shell charms remind me of antler. I also added an acorn shaped button backed by a shell button. The clasp is a hook and eye that I fabricated from brass wire.

The necklace is available in my Etsy shop RAEvNs Nest here.

Necklace - La Rose France

I found this sweet brass label while on one of my internet travels to Europe. The label reads "La Rose France, Houbigant Paris". This was originally a brass label from an antique perfume bottle. Houbigant was a perfume manufacturer founded in Paris, France in 1775.

According to the item description, the plate was found in the ground and was made perhaps around 1910 - 1930.


I added a sterling silver rose with sparkly rhinestones including one tiny black one.


The pendant hangs from a delicate double strand vintage rosary type chain and antique glass bead chain with a brass jumpring marked CZECHOSLOV stamped in tiny letters.


This necklace is available at my Etsy shop RAEvN's Nest here.

Necklace & 100th post

This is the first necklace that I made with the help of Jill Shulse. I hadn't posted it earlier as I was going to wait until Christmas to give it to my daughter. Jill thought I couldn't wait and she was right.

Brook's Boston Terriers - Gertie with her three puppies Laverne (GiGi), Olive, and Geraldine. I justified my impatience by giving it to her for mother's day. Thank you Jill for inspiring me and letting me copy some of your ideas ;)

The skeleton key is from my Dad's assortment of keys, as is the one that says "gas" and "master" (two words that go with boston terriers). The watch gear and parts are from my auction stash. I also added a vintage brass dog tag.

I just noticed this is my 100th post - I think I'll celebrate and have a cookie :)