For your wrists

I'm stocking several new bracelets today, 1920s-1950s. I'm slow, so it will probably take the rest of the afternoon. But they are coming - and they are great! You will be able to find them in the bracelet drawer of the shop.

Halley's Comet jewelry

Looking for something to start collecting? How about Halley's Comet jewelry? Yes, please.

I had no idea this kind of collectible, commemorative jewelry existed until I spotted a curious, tiny pin at my local antique shop. The design seemed unusual to me, with such a large stone set way at the end of a delicate frame. I had never seen anything like it before, not even in my books.

I didn't buy it but I couldn't stop thinking about it. About a week later, while searching for something else online, I came across an Art of Mourning post about comet jewelry. "That's it! That's got to be it!" I thought to myself. As it turns out, Halley's Comet jewelry was quite trendy around the 1835 and 1910 sightings (the 1986 sighting didn't produce anything noteworthy). Victorian and Edwardian jewelers were inspired by the comet and produced a style of pin set with a single stone trailed by a metal "tail."

I immediately went back to buy it. Can you blame me?

Here are two more gorgeous examples from the Morning Glory Victorian information page.

To see all kinds of cool antique comet ephemera, check out this page. To see more Halley's Comet jewelry, visit here.

New lockets

There are six new lockets in the shop today, including this beauty.

And the winner is . . .

Thanks to everyone who suggested songs for the owl locket to play yesterday. It was super fun to listen to all of them!

As I thought about which one to choose I realized that the job should really go to my new office mate and Cuteness Maker in Chief, Severen Paul Anderson.

So, I set him up to draw a winner and he listened carefully (ha!) as we reviewed the instructions for the drawing.

He picked the theme song to Rosemary's Baby, which was a Facebook entry. Have you heard it? It is absolutely haunting. Mia Farrow does the vocals. Shiver.

On a lighter note, do you remember the singing Halloween houses from last year? I think they are worth a second (or third, or fourth) look.

☾ Spooky owl locket ☽

So, I thought that I had found the coolest locket ever when I found this. But then I saw this owl locket and I felt like my eyes were melting, in the best possible sense of "eyes melting."

Let's review the checklist of awesome things about this piece, shall we?

✓ It's Victorian.
✓ It's a locket.
✓ It's black and gold.
✓ There's a f*#king owl on it!!
✓ It's bog oak.
✓ The beak and feet are done in silver enamel.
✓ So actually, it is black, gold and silver. Even better.
✓ The owl is chilling out on a spooky, twisted gold branch.
✓ The owl is simultaneously cute and totally diabolical.
✓ It's OLD! Like, 1870s old.

The only thing that could make this locket better is if it played a song when you opened it. So let me ask you: What song do you think it would play? The person with the best answer (judged according to no rules whatsoever) will win a little Jean Jean goodie.

Happy October!

Images courtesy of James Alfredson

9 months old

Well, Severen has officially been outside my belly for as long as he was inside. We celebrate his 9 month birthday this weekend! This is a photo from this morning (thanks, Dad!) The last month has been full of changes. He is crawling and walking by holding on to our fingers. He is more vocal. He likes to "talk" on his stroller rides and he laughs easily. He eats lots of foods but especially likes broccoli and mango. He loves to open the laundry shoot door and inspect the latch. He loves to eat fuzzies off the floor.

Every month I think, "This is it. This is the best time for us. This is the peak." And then the next stage comes along and I think it all over again.

He is very attached to me at the moment which I don't mind at all. I recognize that this is a very, very short stage and that sooner than I care to admit, he will be off and running and not needing his mama in the same way. So I am enjoying the extra love and cuddles. And I'm getting used to having him sit in the hallway while I go to the bathroom.

I am feeling less overwhelmed now. Let's say, two out of seven days (it used to be all seven!) Whatever maternal synapses and neruo-pathways (and coping mechanisms) I've been forging these last several months are finally sparking along at maximum capacity. There are days when I feel invincible. There are also days that I sob at my desk and wish my family lived closer to help us out. I don't expect this to change. I think being a little manic is part of being a parent.

My overwhelming emotion these days is pride. I am so proud to be Severen's mom. I'm so excited that he is on our family team! I want a bumper sticker that says, "My little boy is awesome." I want a t-shirt with his little face on it. Most importantly, I totally get why some moms wear giant, shiny buttons of their kids' sports team photo.  I used to think that was so dorky but now, oh yes I'm gonna be wearing one of those. Probably with a jeans jacket and some mom jeans. Awwww yeah.

Next week on the blog . . . 
Halley's comet jewelry
Severen's new favorite toy
A biggish shop update

Look what I found

I don't do much antiquing these days but I went to one of my favorite places last weekend and hit the jackpot. Gorgeous things, all of an era and style that I find increasingly difficult to get my little paws on. The best part? One of the employees walked around with me the whole time so I never had to wait for someone to run and get a key to unlock a case. It saved me so much time and it was such great service.

Handbags for fall

All new in the shop today!

Queen Barbies

I'm not sure how it happened, but a few days ago I found myself lost in the world of collectible Barbie dolls. The detail on these dolls is pretty amazing, especially the Queen Elizabeth I and Marie Antoinnette dolls. Just look how closely they resemble their royal portraits! I love the pearls on the Queen Elizabeth I doll.

via Wow Dolls

For February babies

I added two pretty amethyst pieces to the shop today, both from the 1910s-1920s. It is a real joy to work with such beautiful things. You can find them here.

Next week on the blog . . .
Fashion Barbies (I promise!)
Dozens of handbags coming to the shop
Severen turns 9 months old, that handsome little devil

Bon weekend! I hope it includes hot cider and tall leather boots ♥

My grandma's ring

Last week I took my Grandma Velma's high school class ring to Arendsen Jewelers to have it sized. My grandma (the tall lady with glasses in the photo) was born in 1926 and grew up on a farm in Iowa. She was the first person in her family to leave for college when she went to the University of Nebraska in the mid-40s. Her college roommate introduced her to her older brother, Paul - also an Iowan, also the first to leave the family farm for college - and they hit it off. Lucky for me, they both had the courage to leave home and get an education - otherwise I wouldn't be here!

The jeweler at Arendsen's is a gentle-mannered fellow named Mark. He took over for his father and has been in the business for almost 50 years. The shop is on the 16th floor of a building in Downtown Lansing. That day, he had the window open and he was working at his desk when I came in. When I told him about the ring, he asked if I would like to wait while he sized it right away. Of course I said yes. Step by step, I watched as he cut, hammered, melted, filed and polished it to the perfect size. Twice, because the first time the fit wasn't quite right. When I put it on at the end, I surprised myself by almost crying. I've never had a family ring passed on to me and it feels really special. Especially a school ring, since my grandma loved school (she was a teacher) and was so brave to strike out on her own and go to college, especially when her family didn't appreciate or understand her choice.

As I prepared to pay, Mark came around the counter and said "Please put your card away. This one is free." I argued but he wouldn't have it. I was floored by this kind gesture, and my service experience start to finish. It just adds another happy memory to this ring, which I haven't taken off since the moment I put it on.

1930s update

There are six new 1920s-1930s pieces in the shop this morning. How cool is that squiggly bar pin? Each photo is linked. Happy Monday!

A pretty bride with vintage earrings - what more could you ask for?

The ultimate, ultimate joy for me as the owner of Jean Jean Vintage is when I get to send a piece of jewelry off to a wedding. Most recently I got to send this pair of frosted glass earrings off to a bride-to-be named Lauren (@ellednyc on Twitter). The note that she sent with her order was, "I'll be wearing these beauties for my elopement next month." As if that wasn't enough to make my day, I later learned that she was set to marry the beautiful Shani in The City of Lights! Joy overload.

When I saw their photos from Paris, first on Dear Golden's blog and then in a few follow up shots kindly sent by Lauren, I was so moved. To think that my little Jean Jean earrings - rescued from a dusty shoebox in Iowa - were a small part of their big day makes me so grateful. Grateful for vintage. Grateful for girls who wear vintage. Grateful for celebrations of love. Thank you, Lauren and Shani!

Photo credit: Lauren Cooper 

Sea serpent ring

I don't consider myself to be a great lover of sea serpents but *damn* - this ring! Late 1800s, gold, sapphire - check, check aaaaannnd check. No biggie. Just the greatest ring the world has ever seen.

On the "creatures of the deep sea" theme, check out this unusual (and very reasonably priced) mermaid locket from Erie Basin.

via Tadema Gallery

Egyptian revival

I've never offered an Egyptian Revival piece in the shop, not because I didn't want to but because I couldn't acquire any. This stuff is *super* collectible and I think you can see why. Egyptomania + Art Deco design makes for some truly beautiful jewelry.

You can check out these three pieces in the shop (images linked). Tomorrow, I'll share some photos of a few of my favorite Egyptian Revival jewelry from around the web. Prepare to get your undies in a bunch, as my mom would say.

P.S. Check out this gorgeous Egyptian Revival soap ad.

Braid jewelry

I heard about this awesome braid motif jewelry from Alison of Teen Angster. It's mighty nice.

I apologize for the quiet blog this week, folks. I will make it up to you next week the best way I know how - with a post entirely devoted to fashion Barbies. Get excited!

via In God We Trust

Favorite antique find (not jewelry!)

When I was in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, my friend and I went to an antique shop one afternoon. I found some jewelry for the shop as well as some 1940s pumps, a gorgeous dress and these awesome cocktail napkins. They are numbered to help keep cups from getting mixed up! They are so well made and the colors are perfection. I double-decker like them. I think you could use them for tea or coffee, too.

Have you been out antiquing/thrifting lately? What is your favorite, recent find?