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!

 

 

 

 

Bumbershoot Designs Supplies September 2013 Special for Newsletter Subscribers

Vintage Swarovski Rhinestone Earring Kit, free with purchase!
 

September's birthstone is the sapphire. Our treat for September is a new earring kit featuring lovely vintage Swarovski crystal rhinestones in one of our favorite colors, Montana sapphire, with findings from our line of US-made antiqued brass. During September, we will send to our newsletter subscribers all necessary components to make the earrings shown in the photo above, with any purchase at Bumbershoot Supplies or Bumbershoot Designs.  See your September 1 and September 15 newsletters for details and the coupon code.

Also, don't forget your 1-time free shipping offer that you received when you signed up for our newsletter.

And YES, you can combine specials. So you can have the earring kit and the free shipping code you received upon signing up for the newsletter in the same order!

Not yet a newsletter subscriber? You can read past issues and you can sign up right here and get your free shipping and earring kit at your next purchase!

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

Bumbershoot Supplies Now on Pinterest!

from simplysmilephoto.tumblr.com

Bumbershoot Supplies is now on Pinterest, and we are loving it!

Come and visit us at our Pinterest Page.

from laughingsquid.com

There you will find our growing collection of boards and pins featuring vintage color palletes, vintage Seattle, craft and diy ideas, beautiful images of rain and umbrellas (!) and just plain vintage inspiration. 

from trinketsinbloom.com

If you are not a member and would like to join Pinterest, please send us your email, and we will be delighted to send you an invitation. 

from lauramakesthings.blogspot.com

Happy pinning!

from ma-chr.com

What’s in a Name? History of the Word “Rhinestones”

Have you  ever wondered how the word “rhinestones” came to be used to describe the gorgeous glass and crystal baubles used in jewelry designs, buttons, and for so many other purposes?

We sell so many beautiful vintage rhinestone treasures at Bumbershoot Supplies, so I did a bit of research to learn about their name, and here is what I discovered:

“In the early decades of the twentieth century, a few tourist shops along the banks of the Rhine river [in Austria] sold jewelry with stones called “Rheinkiesel”. These were water clear stones which were cut like diamonds, and had red, green and blue blotches inside. They were made from glass molded and cut in Bohemia, and the red, green, and blue patches had been ingeniously fused into the clear glass during the molding process.

“Rheinkiesel, literally translated, means “Rhine pebbles”. Whether the tourists believed that the “stones” had been fished out of the river, or simply bought them for their attractive appearance as souvenirs to take home from their trip cannot be known. At some point a businessman, probably an American importer, gave the small imitation diamonds from Austria the name “Rhinestones”, and to this day the public recognizes them under that name.” (From: Rhinestones! A Collector’s Handbook and Price Guide by Nancy Schiffer)

New Vintage Style Antiqued Brass at Bumbershoot Supplies: Connectors and Bead Caps and Drops, Oh My!

I’m delighted to announce we are expanding the antiqued brass findings we offer at Bumbershoot Supplies. Watch us over the next few months as we grow this line of components, and see the new items already in stock here at Bumbershoot Supplies.

I am excited about these antiqued brass findings for so many reasons, and especially because they are made in the USA. Why do I care about that? 

Well, there are 3 main reasons:

These brass pieces are made and plated by family-owned companies that have been around forever. They know their business. They use the same original tooling to make these findings as they have used for decades. The precision and attention to detail, it’s all there.  There is an authenticity to these findings that simply cannot be matched.  There’s a reason these businesses have been the center of the costume jewelry industry for so long.

Second, the quality of the yellow brass starting material is unsurpassed. Consistently using a high quality yellow brass yields a consistently beautiful antiqued brass product. Also important to me is that these findings are substantial. These are not the light weight brass findings that are now commonly available, these are thicker, weightier and quite durable over time. Side by side, the US-made wins, hands down. Whatever you choose to do with them, these findings will impart a luxurious look and feel to your designs.

Finally, we are confident that these findings are indeed nickel and lead free and are manufactured to the highest standards in that regard.  We have them specially coated with a non toxic jewelry grade lacquer, to impart shine and to protect the antiqued brass finish, so you can expect your designs to last.

I’m so happy with these new components, I’m practically jumping up and down! I am loving using them in my designs and I know you will too!

Announcing Bumbershoot Designs Online: New Website

We’re very excited to announce our new website, Bumbershoot Designs, dedicated to offering our  jewelry designs made with uniquely gorgeous vintage components.

We love offering our designs at Bumbershoot Designs on Etsy and our success there has encouraged us to open our own website in addition to our Etsy shop.

Now you will find us in 4 places: Bumbershoot Designs on Etsy, Bumbershoot Designs online, Bumbershoot Supplies on Etsy and Bumbershoot Supplies online.  All of our websites are fully linked to each other so we hope you will be able to navigate our locations with ease. Prices and shipping fees are consistent in all shops and we are always happy to combine shipping fees and purchases from all of our shops, just contact us if that is helpful to you.

We are very grateful to all our customers from both Bumbershoot Designs and Bumbershoot Supplies who have made this step possible. Thank you!

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!