Featured Artist: Maud Traon

It's not very often that we have a customer invite us to view her work on exhibition in Paris. However, that is exactly what happened with our newest featured artist, Maud Traon. 

Maud creates pieces of wearable art, abundant with color and texture. 

 

Her jewelry combines many different materials into fantastical creations.  Look closely and you will see our vintage rhinestones in some of these fabulous pieces. 

Maud's work is currently being shown at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, just across the street from the Louvre.

 

Maud's designs are being exhibited as part of a larger jewelry event called Circuits Bijoux, featuring the work of many contemporary artists housed all around Paris. Completing the tour would be an unusual and exciting way to experience Paris. 

 

If you're in Paris between now and March 2, 2014, go and check out Maud's amazing creations! And if you can't go to Paris, head on over to Maud's website.

 

Sequins Through the Ages

We have some really great sequins at Bumbershoot Supplies, like these vintage French metal sequins shown above, see also the last photo. I’ve been looking into the history of sequins, and recently found an interesting blog post on the topic.

Threaded, a historical fashion blog by the Smithsonian, provides an overview of the history of sequins from King Tut’s tomb (where gold discs were found sewn onto garments) to Leonardo da Vinci’s sequin punching machine, to the gelatin sequins of the 1930s (you can see some above and below, found at BumbershootSupplies) to today’s vast array of contemporary sequins.

I was fascinated to learn that gelatin sequins were introduced as a less expensive alternative to metal sequins, but were abandoned because they were not robust. They collapse into a rubbery blob in water (yes, I have tested this), and a dancing partner's hand on your back could melt them.

Check out the Threaded sequin post here for more tidbits of sequin history. For contemporary sequin inspiration (and a bit of glitter too), I invite you to visit our Pinterest board, All That Glitters.  So many sequins, so little time…

 

Featured Artist: Andrea Cocco Rodriguez of Cocco Jewelry on Etsy

For April, we are delighted to feature the designs of Andrea Cocco Rodriguez  of Cocco Jewelry on Etsy.

When someone shows repeated interest in a particular Bumbershoot supply, I just have to know what they are doing with it, so that is how I found myself at CoccoJewelry.

I love seeing all the ways Andrea is using our vintage copper flowers in her designs.

They look great with the teal patina she has applied for a verdigris effect.

They also look beautiful in their natural state.

Andrea’s designs have a strong industrial chic flair, and the flower motifs and rich colors add an overlay of softness to her metal pieces.

In Andrea’s words, “…I have developed a love for natural jewelry. From stones to metal to fabric and leather I enjoy creating and wearing something different and unique. I love earthy and rustic added with just the right amount of girly…”

I’ve focused on Andrea’s designs using the copper flowers, but Andrea also has several other beautiful designs, including this popular oak leaf ring…

As well as this cuff bracelet.

 I hope you will enjoy a visit to Cocco Jewelry for some industrial chic inspiration!

New at Bumbershoot Supplies. Vintage Enamel Flowers are Back

Happy Friday!

New at Bumbershoot Supplies this week, we have been able to obtain a few more lots of vintage enameled metal flowers, just in time for your spring designs.  New in stock are the lilac ones above, and back in stock are the following....

We don't have many of these, so if you want 'em, come and get 'em!
Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

Wishing you a wonderful, wonderful weekend!

New at Bumbershoot Supplies. Vintage Glass Pearl Bead Drops and French Metal Sequins



It is very late.

There are many new items at Bumbershoot Supplies this week, but this post will be short.

I'm behind because I played hooky for a few hours today
to make some necklaces and earrings.
You know, sometimes you've just got to get away from everything and create.

So for today, I'm going to share 3 splendid items that are newly listed at Bumbershoot Supplies.

These champagne bead drops, beautifully aged teardrops....

These absolutely incredibly rainbow golden ivory drops, out of the original packaging from Japan...

And oh happy day, restocked vintage French metal sequins, shown above also. Haven't had these in stock since April of 2010!

Going to knock off for the day now, wishing you all a great weekend!



New at Bumbershoot Supplies. Welcome to Somerset Studio and Belle Armoire Jewelry Readers!

This week, we welcome new customers via Somerset Studio and Belle Armoire Jewelry magazines to Bumbershoot Supplies.  We are thrilled with your response, thank you!  It's been a busy week packing and shipping orders but I've still found a moment or two to restock 9 of our items and add 10 new items since our newsletter on Sept 1.  

I'm continuing to expand the trims and millinery section of Bumbershoot Supplies, this week adding vintage fabric lily of the valley stems in 4 lovely colors.  When the weather gets grey and you need a reminder that spring always comes, these may be for you...

We have one new vintage glass pearl bead drop this week, the lovely twisted leaves shown in the photo above, making a total of 12 different vintage glass pearl bead drops offered at Bumbershoot Supplies. These are vintage Japanese, and we also have some new vintage glass flower cabochons from 1940's to 1950's Japan, 2 paisleys and one 18mm round...

These are just a few of our new items. I invite you over to Bumbershoot Supplies for a bit of window shopping to see the rest.  Keep watching over the next few weeks as we continue to expand our offerings with more vintage metal items, some beautiful rhinestones, a collection of french jet mourning beads, additional vintage glass pearls, plus more of those lovely vintage Japanese hand painted flower cabochons....

Until next time, wishing you a great weekend!

New at Bumbershoot Supplies. Metal Flowers, Flower Buttons, Pearls

I've listed several new items this week at Bumbershoot Supplies, here are some highlights.  New this week, these yellow enamel flowers with a tiny "stem" (above) are a new addition to our selection of vintage metal enamel flowers. You can see how I've used this type of flower in a jewelry design, my vintage envelope locket, here.  The flowers are so small and some can easily be hammered flat, so they are very useful for many mixed media applications.  I've also used them as embellishments for tags, see my blog post here. All of our vintage enamel flowers are found in the vintage findings, charms section of Bumbershoot Supplies. 

Just added this afternoon are 2 new vintage hand painted flower buttons from Japan.  These are the kind of supplies that make you sigh when you open the box.  Unbelievably gorgeous, these vintage buttons were made in Japan in the 1950's from plastic cabochons that were hand painted, and then a metal shank was sunk in the back.  We already carry petite rose buttons (above) and new today are these flower baskets.....

...and these pastel daisies. 

You will find both in the vintage buttons section of Bumbershoot Supplies.

Finally, back in stock in vintage beads are these popular and incredible, aged glass pearls from Japan. 

These are a really unusual shape, rather like a flower bud, and each one is unique because they were all made by hand.  These are already perfectly and naturally aged by time for those of you that like to work with an aged vintage look in your designs.

We have boxes of items still to open and list in Bumbershoot Supplies and I'm proceeding apace, so keep your eyes on Bumbershoot Supplies :) In the meantime, wishing you a great weekend!
Go make art!

New at Bumbershoot Supplies. New Glass, New Plastic, New Metals, Oh My!

Several new items have made their way onto the shelves of Bumbershoot Supplies this week. All vintage, of course :) Here's just a few:

New and restocked vintage cabochons and vintage beads, see the vintage beads and vintage glass cabochons sections of Bumbershoot Supplies, including 1940's beaded pink and white millinery flowers or leaves from Italy (see above), Japanese millefiore and mirrored West German cabochons...

...and these 1940's vintage Czech wintergreen or spearmint beads, to complement the candy cane beads we already stock...

New in plastics are below, see the vintage beads section for the golden donuts and love knots.

These new scrumptious leaves are in the vintage plastic cabochons section.....

New metals, all found in vintage findings, charms, except the brass corrugated beads, which are in with the vintage beads...

If there is something you are wondering about, just contact me, I'm happy to help you find it and answer any questions.