Seaside

1930s spinning anchor fob

  

1940s aluminum ID bracelet || 1940s bakelite portrait pendant

1930s Art Deco bird brooch

 

1940s sterling and abalone ring || 1940s painted glass beads

Early last week I got all set up to shoot a batch of jewelry but when I went to take the first photograph, my camera made a sad, I'm broken noise. Not a good thing. Luckily, I found a shop nearby that does on-site repairs so I dropped off my camera with them and hoped for the best. When I went to pick it up a couple days later, the fellow told me that the culprit was sand! "Have you been to the beach?" he asked. "No," I replied, "I've never taken this camera to the beach!" And it is true! The sand was apparently a gift from the previous owners (I bought the camera used), just waiting for the right moment to sabotage me. 

I find it pretty funny to think of my camera going to the beach without me in it's previous life. That thought inspired today's seaside-themed shop update!

One is the loneliest number

 

When I find singleton earrings, I almost always buy them. Why I do this, I do not know. I guess I feel like one pretty thing is still really nice, even if two would be better. Here are three supremely lovely, lonely earrings in my collection right now.

I'll see you here bright and early tomorrow for a sea-themed shop update!

◢◤Memorial Weekend Sale◥◣

Please use the code MEMORIAL15 in the shop for 15% off your order through Memorial Day! Here are a few of my favorite items right now. Bon weekend!

"An elegant hoe-down"

 

   

Today's outfit post features my dear friend Katrina, who recently got gussied up to attend an auction in the Bay Area. Now, I've known Kat since college and she is easily the most elegant woman that I know - she could have worn a flannel jumpsuit to the soirée and still turned heads. Nonetheless, we decided to fix her up with some vintage rhinestone jewelry to go with the "elegant hoe-down" theme of the event. I think the result was quite lovely. Oh, and did I mention that Kat has the most beautiful hair in the world? She is the official hair model of Jean Jean Vintage.

jeans || Paige Premium Demin
shirt || JCrew
boots || borrowed from moi
necklace || 1930s pot metal and rhinestone necklace, thrifted
bracelet || 1930s Trifari Art Deco bracelet, available here
buckle || 1920s Edwardian style rhinestone sash buckle, in the shop today
ring || I really have no idea. I bought it an an estate sale about two years ago. Thoughts?

A long way but . . .

   

   

I know that autumn is a long way off, but this collection from Stella McCartney makes me wish it was September right now. Silk and wool, silk and wool and those wonderful mossy greens! I gobble it up. I've never worn anything by her (and I probably never will!) but I think I could. The clothes aren't too fussy, is what I mean. A little gold jewelry is all these ensembles need!

Mercury dime ring

Of the 60+ pieces of jewelry I purchased while I was in Iowa, this is the only one I am keeping for myself. I found it buried in a cigar box on a shelf behind the counter (yes, I asked if I could go behind the counter and dig around) at an antique shop. When I added it to my pile, the owner said "Oh you want that? That's an old dime ring!"

I had never heard of such a thing! It turns out that the ring is made from the Mercury dime, which was in circulation from 1916-1945. Also called the "winged Liberty head" dime, this particular coin is considered to be one of the most beautiful coins minted in the U.S. I would have to agree. I love that the band of the ring is made from the reeded coin edge, and also that the head of Liberty is cut in profile.

Coin image courtesy of mercurydime.net

Pretty in pink

1930s filigree and hand-cut glass pendant

1930s filigree and frosted glass pendant || 1940s rhinestone and molded glass earrings

1950s glass heart necklace

1930s celluloid and carved glass necklace || 1950s brass and enamel earrings

1960s pavé set rhinestone floral spray brooch

Happy Monday! Today's shop update is unapologetically pink, thanks to a buying trip earlier in the month that yielded a startling amount of rosy-hued jewelry. Compared to other colors of glass and rhinestones (blue, black, green, etc.) I actually don't see very much pink out there in the vintage jewelry world . . . perhaps it is a rare color? All the more reason to enjoy these pretty pieces, which are headed to the shop today.

So many butterflies

One of the things I did during my time at home was visit Reiman Gardens, the large public garden owned and maintained by Iowa State University. It was a windy day and there isn't very much flowering yet so we didn't spend much time outside. Instead, we visited the butterfly building where there are several hundred butterflies flying about. It was amazing! I got to see a Blue Morpho, which is the butterfly that most antique and vintage butterfly wing jewelry is made of. I couldn't get a picture of him with his wings open, though! Oh and here is a family pic from that afternoon - little brother, mom and me.

Cravings

Fabric and Handle

John & Mary

Scout & Catalogue

Ikabags

Forestbound

Hoakon Helga

Made by Hank

I am craving bags lately, the same way a person might crave a late night snack. Leather, canvas, ruffles, stripes, totes, clutches . . . they are all posing grave danger to my pocketbook. Here are a few bags that are calling my name right now. Which one is your favorite? You can click on the links to visit the shop in person, if you need a closer look!