Featured Artist: Mandy Kallal of Jewelry4Reenactors

 

Our latest featured artist is Mandy Kallal of Jewelry4Reenactors!

Mandy's designs are unique because they draw on her years of experience as a Civil War reenactor and have been specially crafted to be period correct.
 

Mandy loves the Victorian era and many of her designs are inspired by pieces from that time. Her extensive research can been seen in each one of her handcrafted pieces and by her attention to detail.  

Mandy uses materials like coral and mother of pearl, as featured in this brooch and earring set, as they were very popular materials during the Victorian era. 

These bracelets are designed around Victorian mourning jewelry. Often incorporating jet black glass or onyx, these pieces would be worn for years after a loved one's death. This design features an old daguerreotype which was a fairly new technology at the time. 
 

Mandy's beautiful designs have delicately detailed filigrees which would surely look lovely to wear whether you are going to a Civil War ball or a modern day event. 
 

We hope you'll enjoy a visit over to Mandy's website (and also check out her Etsy shop too), to be inspired by her designs and their unique histories. Any one of her special pieces would make a great gift for someone who was interested in history, or just beautiful jewelry!

Featured Artist: Gesine of GesineArt - The Purple Bumblebee on Artfire

 

Our latest featured artist is the multi-talented Gesine of GesineArt-The Purple Bumblebee!

 

Gesine's designs caught my eye because of their interesting use of layers of filigrees, rhinestones, cabochons and beads.

A lot of Gesine's jewelry is inspired by Victorian motifs and old European royalty. Gesine says she creates "Unique pieces reminiscent of the Renaissance and Victorian times, with a playful twist of fairytales, fables, heraldry and nature themes".

This demi-parure is inspired by a necklace worn by Queen Anne of Austria.

This necklace is inspired by Victorian poet Lord Tennyson's poem "The Lady of Shalott". Just look at the layers!

 

"Four gray walls, and four gray towers,

Overlook a space of flowers,

And the silent isle imbowers

The Lady of Shalott."

 

Not only is Gesine a talented jewelry maker, she also creates gorgeous hand painted ornaments.

This ornament has beautiful bleeding hearts, a favorite flower of ours that is currently blooming here in the Pacific Northwest.

 

We hope you'll enjoy a visit over to Gesine's Artfire Store, to be inspired by Gesine's designs and their unique stories. Gesine only makes 2 of each of her designs, so perhaps you may find a unique holiday gift or a treasure for yourself!

 

 

 

 

New on Pinterest: Vintage Palette, Lilac and Mint

Two wonderful very vintage colors come together in this Pinterest board, Lilac and Mint. So refreshing, it's a perfect palette for Spring.

Here are a few of our favorite images from "Lilac and Mint".

Source: boyswithbanjos.com via Bumbershoot Designs & Supplies on Pinterest

Source: folksy.com via Bumbershoot Designs & Supplies on Pinterest

Source: thecools.com via Bumbershoot Designs & Supplies on Pinterest

Look What I Found. Inez Dawson's Edwardian Scrapbook

Isn't she a beauty?

This is a scrapbook crammed full to bursting with memorabilia collected by Inez Dawson, later Inez Barnes. I don't know if this photo is of Inez or someone she knew.

The book appears to be an abandoned nursing notebook, reused for this purpose.  It begins with nursing notes dated 1901, but quickly these notes end and then the materials are pasted into the book in lots, with the dates skipping around a bit, from 1898 through 1906, as if Inez decided one day to finally collect together in one place all those mementos she had stashed away over the years. 

There are several treasures within this scrapbook, and I have barely dipped into it.  There is so much to discover, it's like an archaeological dig. 

 I'll share some of my finds here, and we will also make digital versions of some of the ephemera available to our newsletter subscribers.

Inez's scrapbook and a cup of tea - perfect to curl up with on a rainy Seattle day.