Snowing in Solihull England

Well with 25 days to go until Christmas, it is still very cold and snowing in most of the UK.
After the second heavy snow fall last night. Most has now cleared but the cold weather has now turned the melting snow to ice. So take care when out.

diamante star brooch

Here are some pieces of snow inspired jewellery to reflect the weather and time of year.

Frosted Christmas brooch by Hollywood

Penguin brooch

Penguin brooch in enamel

Pale blue diamante brooch

1960s spiky space vintage clip earrings 

Green 1960s star brooch

1960svintage star brooch

1960s green diamante star brooch

Penguins, snowflakes (of all sorts from traditional white to green with a touch of aurora borealis). White jewellery and ice blue jewellery. Just a small number of brooches to wear on a warm coat...............with boots or wellies, scarf, gloves, hat and of course thermals!!

Cat on scales and jewellery with a dog design

This is Monty - who must have been watching me jump on and off these weighing scales!! Now every time he goes into the bathroom he sits on them. Wonder if he is trying to loose weight like me!!

Pewter cat sat on chair brooch by JJ

Just a few brooches with dogs designs on as well.

Well with 36 days to Christmas, we have now started to show the last posting days on our websites. So have a good weekend

Congratulations - A royal wedding

Well at long last the announcement of the Royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Already the souvenir mugs and plates have been produced by the Stoke on Trent potteries, and the popularity of sapphire engagement rings has increased.
Lets just hope that the wedding day weather is not like today - cold wet and raining!!

More gorgeous jewellery has been added over the last few days to Jewels and Finery and of course more to come....

Craft Show NEC November 2010

I love going to the different shows at the National Exhibition Centre, just by Birmingham's airport.

Clear rhinestone 6 mm

So last week, my daughter and I took our selves off to the Craft fair which also had Christmas craft gifts and Art supplies included. It was an ideal opportunity to visit many craft stalls and see lots of different things that can be made.

 Panda sew on patch to list shortly

My daughter likes paper crafts and art, so she was in her element buying things to use for Christmas cards and for her scrap booking. Although there were less knitting, beading and sewing stalls. I still found plenty to see and buy!!.

 Vintage buckles

Came back with lots of ideas that I want to try out but now need to find some time.....

At long last Google shopping has stopped blocking Jewels and finery Craft and our items are now appearing in the directory (some even on first page)
Have a good week.......   

Jewellery Glossary - G

Well November has arrived and with only 51 days to Christmas now!! Usually I am running around at the last minute and panicking, but this year I am slightly more organized and have already started my shopping.
We have also had a busy week with photographing lots of jewellery as well as buttons and buckles for our craft site.

 Vintage tiger brooch

Now onto the jewellery glossary and for the letter G we have the following:

Garnet - A variety of gemstone that is available in a variety of colours of red, green, violet and yellow.  The dark red coloured stone was very popular in Victorian times.Garnets are thought to bring a warm fiery energy that helps fight cold and sluggish feelings.


Guilloche enamel - transparent or translucent enamel that is applied to metal that is engraved in detail

German silver - an alloy that does not contain silver also known as Tibetan silver.

 Vintage bow brooch signed Lisner

Gold - precious metal. Pure gold is 24 Karat (99.9%) but it is soft. To harden more copper or other base metal is added. 18 K was used in antique (rose gold) and Russian jewellery. Gold can also be used as a gold plating or wash, as well as gold filled/rolled gold.

  Antique gold fob with carnelian & bloodstone

Green Jasper - a type of quartz with a long history of being used in making amulets and ornaments. Magically believed to protect from snake bites and poisons.

Here are some of our latest photographs of vintage jewellery and vintage buckles to be added to our websites soon.

 

Halloween 2010 & figural jewellery collection

This year I started collecting Halloween and witch figural vintage jewellery. I already had a simple witch on a broomstick brooch, when I saw a new brooch by Kirks Folly and had to buy it.
Now I have 4 brooches in total, some new and some older but not yet vintage. Here is my collection.

 Kirks Folly Wicked Season of the Witch brooch

A little second hand witches cat brooch

Second hand enamel witch on broomstick brooch

 Cat on pumpkin - new brooch

I have had various comments from just admiration at the brooches to "Are you a witch" said with all seriousness.
To my daughter who found it strange that I would want to buy a brooch to wear for a few weeks each year. 

There are many Halloween themed jewellery available - from vintage to second hand. The most renowned maker for availability here in the UK is JJ or "The Jonette Jewelry Company" that have produced whimsical designs from 1935 up until recently. So sorry but you will only find black and Gothic vintage jewellery for sale only on our website

The last one of a cat has reminded me to show the latest photograph of Marla. Who in my last blog had her teeth removed. She is still left with the 4 front ones and very back teeth. Which she had polished and cleaned.

She was asleep when I went to take this but woke and is eying me suspiciously!!

So have a happy Halloween

From the Weaver Family and from Ufton - who did not want to get dressed up and have his photograph taken. That was until I balanced a biscuit on the table!!  

Vist to the vets with cat & cat jewellery

We have always had animals. At the moment we have 2 cats and a dog. Not to mention the pond full of assorted fish.
On Monday night, we noticed that one of the cats was having difficulty eating. So yesterday off to the vets we went and as thought, the rest of her teeth need removing, all but a couple at the back and the 4 front ones.
She is the only one of all our cats that has had this trouble and I believe its because she was a bit too young to be taken from her mother.

Marla - Taken a few years ago now

Cats have been the subject of ornaments and jewellery since ancient times. The Egyptians adored and worshiped them. Though they do try your patience, when they bring a live mouse in and promptly loose it under the settee!

Here are a few vintage brooches on our website - just for fun

 Egyptian looking black love cats - pre owned brooch

This is a vintage souvenir brooch from the 1960s/1970s. Glitter metallic under a layer of clear enamel on a brass/gold coloured setting. Made in all shapes, colours and sizes, and are easy to collect.

The Jonette Jewelry company made many cat brooches. This one has a articulated tail and moves. many made in a pewter metal and in all shapes and sizes.Again another type of cat brooches (signed JJ) that are fun and easy to collect.

A modern second hand cat brooch.

One that I do not have photographed that are similar to JJ is the company Mali - they have made many chunky cat brooches in the cartoon style.

Will have to take more recent photographs of our cats to show - but off to the vets soon with a sulking cat because I won't let her go out!!