132. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage charms and bracelets: Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk

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Here’s a fun “vintage” bracelet I made to honor my city. (click to enlarge)         (I like to wear this vintage Dodgers baseball charm through the safety chain.) Here’s the tour Starting at the clasp, top:   1. An enamel charm of New York State 2. A traffic light: mechanical: the lights spin to change colors 3. An enamel shield of Niagara Falls 4. Enamel charm is of Staten Island. (There are 5 boroughs that compose the “city” 5. The Empire State Building 6. An enamel charm of Coney Island—the parachute 7. An enamel charm of the … Continue reading →

108. CreARTive Sunday: What I do (original post, 2007)

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When I was working I found it difficult to devote much time to myself and my joys; I was too drained to come home after a day of work, do what I had to do for my family and around the house to spend much time “creating.” At this time my concentration has been on writing, which is something I finally gave myself the right and the time to return to, and I am loving it. But I seem to go in cycles because I need to focus. I loved to knit and to sew. I use the past tense … Continue reading →

139. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage Charm Bracelets: Girls Just Wanna Have Charms…

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…and the money to buy them!               What girls want (from left to right): 1930’s phone with rotating dial · clover design compact (opens, has enamel “powder” and “rouge” lipstick attached · Italian Etruscan style charm of slipper, turquoise stones · enamel red hat in hatbox, detail below · tiny purse with chain · detailed purse, ruby on one side, emerald o the other, opens · “Mad Money box” holds folded 1 dollar bill · chest of drawers: bottom opens revealing a turtle: women are “slow dressers” · tiny Italian Etruscan style purse, blue … Continue reading →

119. CreARTive Sunday: My Art: Vintage Charm Bracelets: Heart Series(cont’d)

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The links make it! Taking advantage of non-charm bracelets.   (click to enlarge)   The “Hearts on the Gate” bracelet (2 views) is a 1970’s Gate Link bracelet. I took advantage of a very unique piece; each link is composed of 4 bars creating a gate effect. the clasp is a padlock. From the rungs of the gate I staggered the vintage hearts from the Deco period and up, adding a touch of color for interest—the cobalt heart and the surprise of a little bluebird and a miniature floral enamel heart. Some of the hearts are engraved on the back: … Continue reading →

114. CreARTive Sunday: My Art: Vintage Charm Bracelets: Heart Series

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Am I Blue? The heart series. click photos to enlarge. Today I am beginning my display with 2 bracelets from my flower series. Part of the joy of collecting charms is finding interesting bracelets. Eventually it all comes together, and the right group of charms is “married” to the right bracelet. I may mix different age periods: 1940’s with Victorian, for example to get the right effect.   The “Am I blue?” bracelet is a mix of enameled and non-enameled and stone inlay hearts in shades of blue. The bracelet itself is probably from the 1970’s, but the woven mesh … Continue reading →

125. CreARTive Sunday: My Art: Vintage Charm Bracelets:Albertina Chains

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Antique niello pink gold Albertina chain (enamel inlay makes a stripe effect) makes a great necklace for an antique Italian pendant. You may click to enlarge. Pieces can be found in photo albums   The portrait framed in silver, is painted on ivory.     Here’s another idea for an unusual bracelet. Many years ago Albert chains were used by men for their pocket watches. They would suspend the watch from a fob and it often had charms hanging from it as well. Examples of some interesting English fob charms I have collected:    A man’s working gold and silver … Continue reading →

146. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage Charm Bracelets: Food, Glorious Food

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This is a mix of vintage charms with some new enamels thrown in for color. The details are amazing, it’s hard to believe you are looking at miniature works of art. There are several “mechanical” charms; these open and/or move.   this photo may be enlarged by clicking on it.         Carbs? Who’s Counting The Food “Menu” Starting at upper left: (new charms were made within the last 20 years, vintage were made before the 1970’s) small ice cream cone with red, white, green and blue crystals, (fairly new); enamel orange (new) vintage beer stein, lid opens; … Continue reading →

541. The final kitchen. Amen. From NYC to Wales. Happy Thanksgiving!

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If you have been following my kitchen renovation saga, it has finally ended; the kitchen is complete. The faulty stove has been replaced with a finer stove that works, and it can be lightly wiped down without the finish coming off!! There was an issue with the freezer door finish as well, something not expected or tolerated for such a unit and Miele was extremely responsive, sent someone right away, the part arrived almost immediately and the technician returned and installed it. Great service. I also treated myself to a new set of dishes to replace the present ones that … Continue reading →

151. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage charms and bracelets: Cats Meow?

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Victorian cat head bracelet             lady bug goldfish in aquarium turtle (head, feet, and tail move in and out) frog enamel hummingbird fish with pearl bubble (tail moves) owl scholar ( eyes and wings move, holds a book) tiny bird with binoculars and trail guide cardinal   Cats and more… walking cat sitting cat mechanical diving cat and trash can cartoonish cat mother cat and kitten mechanical kitten with moving head trash can opens, kitten inside mechanical bride catdress moves, holds bouquet kitten in a basket solid silver victorian puffy cat kitten with red enamel … Continue reading →

547. The Nine Lives Times: Little Arnold Schwartz Katz update

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Dear Little Arnold followers, I wanted to get back to you with an update. In my last post about Arnold I included a letter I had sent the head vet. You can refer to it here. The letter was sent on a Saturday and received the Monday before last and the vet called me and left a message on my machine. He appeared to have been as perturbed as I, sounded professional and obviously upset, and promised to investigate. I hadn’t heard from him since and decided to call. He returned the call in the late afternoon and we discussed … Continue reading →

546. The Nine Lives Times: on the death of a cat and the art of miscommunication

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I. I am updating previous blog where I announced that the beloved little cat stray cat who adopted me, passed away while at the vet sometime between Monday and Tuesday of last week. A short recap: This little guy who we shall lovingly call Little Arnold Schwartz Katz fell ill within the last month; chances are he was attacked by the two orange boys, Sorbet and Sorbetto.(who came to his feeding station and ate his food.) Arnold got an eye infection, his routine changed, he was functioning but not at full speed. But he continued to eat, albeit not as … Continue reading →

161. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage Charms and Charm Bracelets: ‘Twas a Marriage Made in Heaven…

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This is another one of my fun bracelets; it has some very unique charms. It tells a modern day love story; let’s hope the story has a happy ending. [these photos may be enlarged by clicking]         The marriage manual: 1. It all starts here with the apple. It opens to reveal the famous “original” couple they “swing: out on a hinge to face the world. Swingers, eh? 2. A Stanhope charm. I will do a blog about Stanhopes at another time. Suffice it to say there is a microscopic image in a little lens. Look closely, … Continue reading →

545. The Nine Lives Times…A sad goodbye

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I received a call from the vet’s office this morning. “I have very sad news,” the receptionist said.”Little Arnold didn’t make it through the night. He was found curled up in his cage this morning. The technicians gently blew on him and he didn’t respond. I am so sorry.” I had awakened with a bad allergy and could hardly breathe. All night I had been thinking about buying a special crate for Little Arnold and putting it in a warm spot in the den so I could nurse him back to health. I envisioned him in my house and hoped … Continue reading →

174. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage Charms and Charm Bracelets: What’s Your Sign?

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Order in Chaos…and bubbles (you can click on each picture to see the bracelets greatly enlarged, you will have to scroll across and down)   I saw this bracelet on ebay and I was intrigued; it was full, heavy, and chock full of zodiac charms; I bought it and added to it. More is more; after all, it’s the universe and although it is chaotic, there is a beauty and an order to it. I don’t know how many charms I added to this; a dash of colorful enamel, a zodiac bubble—more on that later, the large zodiac disk you … Continue reading →

544. The Nine Lives Times: Little Arnold Update: And He’s In!

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Hello, all, and a big, I mean BIG sigh of relief. This kitty issue has been keeping me up for days and now I feel I’ve done something. I was honestly going to give up on Arnold going into the trap. He was sitting at the bottom of my deck stairs in a little spot of sun. I suppose hunger had gotten the best of him. I had written the last blog and was going to knock down the trap and just pick up some antibiotics when there he was! Going in! Slowly and carefully and then POP! the release … Continue reading →

182. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage Charms and Charm Bracelets: Bubble, Globes, Intaglios

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Featuring “Flower of the Month”charms. Last week I introduced you to reverse intaglios. The design is pressed into the medium, the 3d design is painted and then enclosed in a glass or plastic “bubble.” Some bubbles are flat and backed with silver. Others are 2-sided.         click on the photos to enlarge It’s easy to get hooked on a theme bracelet, see one and covet another. I found the perfect chain for this series of reverse intaglio bubbles, carrying on the flower theme. This is an unfinished bracelet; I was unable to find the remaining months. There … Continue reading →

187. CreARTive Sunday: 3/16/08: Antique Love Token Bracelets

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Most love token bracelets were made during the period from 1876 through 1900. They are hand engraved and made from a coin that was in circulation. Seated Liberty dimes were plentiful and frequently used. it was easy to engrave as it had a high content of silver. Remember, in “those days” a dime was a lot of money. These were used as tokens of affection and souvenirs of commemorations of events. Click photos to enlarge. The hollow silver bangle above still has a secure lock. I hung a Seated Liberty dime from the safety chain; 1886 one side, and fancy … Continue reading →

195. CreARTive Sunday: 3/30/08: France, Germany: Antique Souvenir Travel Charms

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  Souvenirs were big in Victorian times; some for love, other for events, travel. This souvenir bracelet of Paris displaysornate links with a center plaque of: L’Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Paris Coat of Arms, Sacre Coeur, Opera, and the Eiffel Tower dangles from a chain. It is Art Deco or earlier. [click to enlarge] Souvenir “books” Lyons dimensions closed: 1 ¾”x ¾”                                   Miniature post cards include: Le Pont Morand, La Prefecture, Place Bellcour, L’Hotel d’Ville, Palais de Justice, Eglise de Fourvière, Ancien … Continue reading →

543. A Nine Lives Times Update: The Unstoppable, Un-trapable, Un-outsmartable Little Arnold!!

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I have been poised at my open back sliding door for an hour and a half with Team Arnold Rescue, my cold tea, my computer, and my camera. I have to say, this ain’t easy. The trap is set and ready to do its job. Then I saw Arnold! He took two small dollops of the outer lure bait, left the plate of food in inner part of the trap untouched and backed out. He must have remembered the trap from when he was neutered last summer. He circled and circled trying to get the food and walked off into … Continue reading →

199. CreARTive Sunday: Italy: Vintage & Antique Travel Bracelets (my work)

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After collecting charms for just a bit my consciousness was awakened to travel charms. I made most of my purchases through ebay where one can find sellers from all over the world. I joined a group of charm collectors on ebay who collect vintage charms. The group is run by the most knowledgable and brilliant woman, Joan Munkasci. (Joan is the daughter of the late Martin Munkasci, the world famous fashion photographer.) We would post our creations and “ooh and ahhh” over each other’s collections; Joan’s collections awakened me to travel charms. I have purchased a number of charms from … Continue reading →