Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Progress Report 2: Ethereal Bangles Online Class with Kristen Robinson

I am still working on the Ethereal Bangles online class offered by Kristen Robinson. I've completed 4/5 bracelets, and I'm still working on the 5th.
I'll show 2 of the completed designs in this post.

I did not purchase a kit - I worked with my own supplies, and I have not yet got around to making any resin charms, so my bracelets are not exactly like what Kristen taught. I do have all the components for the resin, and one of the things I like about this online learning experience is that I can break the steps down just as small as I need to in order to move forward.  Next step is to identify a spot with a 60 watt lamp for the resin to cure undisturbed for 24 hours.

In the meantime, I used my vintage components to complete the bracelets.


The first one is sterling silver wire, hammered, antiqued, and embellished with silk ribbon and a selection of vintage components from my personal stash and from Bumbershoot Supplies. I haven't worn this one yet, but I can say it looks beautiful on my daughter Emma.


The design for this second bracelet involves a half bangle of antiqued sterling silver, finished with vintage rosary chain and charms.  I had to modify this design.  It turns out that I have really large hands and narrow wrists.  As a teenager, I worked in the local dairy in our town, scooping up ice cream cones in the dairy bar. I can scoop 9 double dip cones in one hand. So I need a large bangle to get over my hand, but then because my wrists are fairly narrow, the bangle sits too low on my hand to be comfortable and for daily function.  So for this design, I incorporated a clasp so I could have the bangle be small enough to sit where I wanted on my wrist, but easily go on and off.  Normally I would antique the clasp and jump rings also, but I decided to try out this design modification first, and so this bracelet is really a prototype. I think I will shorten the length of the silver wire also. This modification works really well for me and I love wearing this bracelet! It feels so light, truly "ethereal".

Monday, November 29, 2010

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Vintage Design Inspiration Board #9 with Creativity Quote


It is better to create than to be learned,
creating is the true essence of life.
~Barthold Georg Niebuhr


Inspiration Board #9 features:

vintage autumn velvet millinery flowers (Japan)
vintage glass pearl drops(Japan)
vintage glass pearl leaves (Japan)
vintage coral celluloid leaves (Japan)
vintage coral rectangle glass cabochon (Japan)
vintage coral initial cabochon (Japan)
vintage labels from button packages (Austria)
vintage paper labels from beads (Japan)
vintage pumpkin satin rayon ribbon (USA)
vintage burgundy silk floral ribbon (Japan)
vintage glass cameos with rhinestones
vintage metal buttons
antique silk embroidery floss
vintage pearl hair pin
vintage linen tea towel
mounted on 6x6 inch gallery wrapped canvas base



Friday, November 26, 2010

New at Bumbershoot Supplies, Holiday Shipping Schedule, USPS Holiday 2010 Shipping Deadlines


We are down to the short strokes with our website, www.bumbershootsupplies.com, turning it into a location for selling our vintage supplies.  This is occupying much of our time, but since last Friday, we have loaded additional glass cabochons, many more of our vintage style antiqued brass settings, some lovely mother of pearl roses, more rhinestones, and a glass bead and glass pearl or two into Bumbershoot Supplies on Etsy. There's just a few photos shown here.


Also, let me reiterate our holiday shipping schedule for both Bumbershoot Supplies and Designs.  We'd love to have you visit either or both shops at any time during the holiday season. And yes, we do combine shipping between both shops.

We always ship the same day if payment is received by 10am Pacific time, otherwise we ship the next business day, Monday through Saturday and we will follow this same schedule through the holiday season.
Specifics:

Friday Nov 26 and Sat Nov 27: Yes, we are shipping
Dec 1-23: Shipping as usual.
Dec 24, 25, 26: No shipping
Dec 27-31: Shipping as usual
Jan 1, 2011: No shipping

From the USPS web site, here are the USPS deadlines for receipt by Dec 24:
US Domestic First Class Mail cut off date: Dec 20
US Domestic Priority Mail cut off date: Dec 21
Canada First Class International Mail cut off date: Dec 10
Europe First Class International Mail cut off date: Dec 10
Asia/Pacific Rim First Class International Mail cut off date: Dec 10
Australia/New Zealand First Class Mail International cut off date: Dec 10

Until next time, wishing you a good weekend!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving.


To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble,
but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.
~Johannes A. Gaertner

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Look What I Found. Crystal Glass Flowers, Vintage Beads on Wire


One of my favorite types of vintage glass beads are the glass flowers that come with embedded wires. Sometimes the wires are already looped and sometimes, like these, the wires are long. I was told these particular spiky spider mum-like flowers were made in Italy. Their crystalline character seemed appropriate today for Seattle, as we are in our 3rd day of shutdown due to ice and snow...

Monday, November 22, 2010

Monday in Seattle. Picture and Quote for the Week, First Snowfall


first snow, Nov 22, 2010, our garden at Greenlake, Seattle

Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go;
it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.”
~Alice M. Swaim

Friday, November 19, 2010

New at Bumbershoot Supplies and Holiday Shipping Schedule

HOLIDAY SHIPPING SCHEDULE:
Bumbershoot Supplies and Bumbershoot Designs are open every day through the holiday season, and shipping almost every day.
Thurs Nov 25, 2010No shipping, US Thanksgiving Holiday
Fri Nov 26 and Sat Nov 27, 2010Yes, we are shipping
Dec 1-23, 2010Shipping every day, Monday through Saturday, including Dec 23, 2010
Dec 24, 25, 26, 2010No shipping
Mon, Dec 27, 2010Regular shipping schedule resumes.
Our standard shipping policy will apply during the holiday season:  If payment is received by 10am Pacific time, items ship the same day.  Otherwise it is the next business day.  We email a shipping confirmation with tracking number (US destinations) or scanned customs form number (international destinations) for every purchase on the day your package ships.  If you want a faster shipping option than first class mail, please contact Sharon for a quote.

Since Nov 1, we have added 28 new items and restocked 14 at Bumbershoot Supplies.  Here are some of our new items...
We have just received the third shipment of settings for our vintage cabochons and rhinestones and they are now in stock in the settings, bezels, chain section of Bumbershoot Supplies.  We continue to expand our growing collection of vintage rhinestones to fit our settings…
Vintage Glass Rhinestone Jewel. Rose Moonstone Octagon 10x8mm West Germany rhs0079 (8))
Vintage Glass Rhinestone Jewel. Crystal Octagon 12x10mm Czech rhs0078 (6)
Vintage Glass Rhinestone Jewel. Montana Sapphire Octagon 10x8mm West Germany rhs0093 (8)
We’ve added some truly spectacular and uncommon vintage glass pearls, all from Japan. Did you know that the Niki Company, from which the Miriam Haskell Company purchased many glass pearls in the 1950’s and 1960’s, strung their handmade beads on wire, dipped them 7 times, and then polished them by tumbling them, on the wires, in sawdust? I learned this in Cathy Gordon’s book, Miriam Haskell Jewelry. And guess what? The 2 vintage Japanese teardrop pearls shown below came to me strung on the original wires…
Vintage Glass Beads. Ivory Pearl Teardrops Baroque Large 26x16mm vgp0109 (2)
Vintage Glass Bead. Grey Pearl Drop, Teardrop Embedded Wire Headpin, 15mm vgp0114 (3)
Vintage Glass Beads. Ivory Pearl Teardrops Baroque 18x10mm vgp0110 (6)
Here’s just a few other vintage treasures that I couldn’t resist and I hope you will enjoy too…
Vintage Glass Bead Chain. Black Beaded Connectors, Brass, 4mm chn0057 (2 feet)
Vintage Glass Cabochon, Fuchsia Star Swarovski 12x10mm swa0074 (6)
Vintage Glass Bead Pendant. Jade Green Charm Brass Setting 16x11mm vgb0240 (4)
As we approach the Christmas holidays, there are some holiday themed items at Bumbershoot Supplies that you may be interested in.  You can locate all of the items below, and more, by searching Bumbershoot Supplies with the key word “Christmas”, or just click on this link….
Vintage Reindeer Charm, Silver Metal, Christmas Finding, 22x16mm chm0026 (8)
Vintage Glass Beads, Red Green White Stripes, Christmas Candy Cane vgb0090 (25)
Vintage Stamping. Gold Plated Snowflakes Finding Charm 8mm vfd0136 (10)
Vintage Glass Cabochon, Christmas Holiday, Candle Star, 25x18mm gcb0051.5 (1)
Vintage Gold Pointsetta, Millinery Flower, 1950s Japan vml0006 (1)
Vintage Japanese Hand Painted Plastic Flower Wreath Bouquet, 35mm pcb0045pc2 (2)
Vintage Trim. Gold Lucite Beaded Garland, Faceted Plastic, 6mm vpb0036 (12 feet)
Vintage Glass Cabochon. Emerald Flower, Frame, Pendant Green Wreath, 19mm gcb0236 (4)
Silver Bells. Vintage Metal Silver Plated Charms, 15mm vfd0035 (6)
And finally, these are some of the vintage buttons we are delighted to be able to restock.  Why mention the restocked items?  Vintage items are limited by definition since they aren’t being made any more.  Therefore, we are always excited to be able to restock our items, especially items as special as these buttons…
Vintage Flower Buttons. Glass Mirrored Foiled, Shanks, West Germany 1940s but0100 (6)
Vintage Rhinestone Buttons, Pink Flowers With Tinsel Glitter, Shank, Austria 1950s, but0079 (6)
Antique Vintage Glass Buttons, Ivory Pearl, 1930's Japan, 10mm but0057 (6)
I invite you to come on over to Bumbershoot Supplies and have a look at all these new vintage treasures
Until next time, wishing you a great weekend!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Look What I Found. Vintage Beaded Trim, Vintage Beads, Wired Glass Flowers and Leaves


I have been sharing some items from my personal collection that I think are just spectacular examples of vintage design and workmanship.  This is the last of my wired trims.  It is white glass leaves with lovely delicate periwinkle flower beads, individually wired together.


It dates to occupied Germany (1945-1949). A bit dusty, but really beautiful. To see other wired trims and unique finds, click on "Look What I Found" in the right sidebar. One of these days, I'm going to see if I can reproduce these trims.  I think it would be a fabulous design exercise as well as a wonderful way to feel connected to the era and the artisans who made these wonderful vintage supplies and materials.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Vintage Design Inspiration Board #8 with Creativity Quote


 Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.
~Picasso


Inspiration Board #8 features:

vintage cobalt velvet millinery flowers (Germany)
vintage cobalt glass beads with filigree bead caps (Japan)
vintage rhinestone flower buttons (Austria)
vintage sapphire glass flower cabochons (Czech)
vintage thread spools (France)
vintage cobalt ribbon (France)
vintage taupe satin ribbon (USA)
vintage brass Haskell filigree flowers
vintage rayon embroidery floss skein (USA)
vintage tiny enamel metal flowers
antique silk embroidery floss
antique postcard dated Dec 25, 1902
bee charms, contemporary from vintage templates (USA)
recycled muslin fabric
mounted on 6x9 inch gallery wrapped canvas base
 

Special thanks to Finiribbon on Etsy for the generous gift of the antique silk embroidery floss that appears in all of these vintage design inspiration boards.
 

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday in Seattle. Picture and Quote for the Week, Leo's Dahlia

Leo's dahlia, our garden at Greenlake, Seattle

Should I pluck it,
My hands
Would defile the flower;
I offer it, as it stands,
To the Buddhas of the Three Worlds.
- Empress Komyo, Japan

Friday, November 12, 2010

New at Bumbershoot Designs. Rings, Necklaces, Earrings With Vintage Beads, Vintage Rhinestones, Vintage Cabochons


It has been a long time since I have published a post on what is new at Bumbershoot Designs. This is because we are building a retail web site at www.bumbershootsupplies.com. This task is not for the faint of heart. I have just come out of weeks spent doing inventory for Bumbershoot Supplies. Yes, weeks, where every spare moment is spent counting beads, cabochons, stampings... So new designs have sat in my studio, some unfinished, some unphotographed, some just glimmers in my mind.  But inventory is now complete and a few new items have made their way onto the virtual shelves of Bumbershoot Designs. All featuring beautiful vintage beads, vintage cabochons, vintage rhinestones, of course. 


More to come, as web site construction allows :) 


Until then, wishing you a wonderful weekend!