Necklace Made From An Antique 1909 Calendar Plate

This necklace was once a calendar plate...

...Celebrating the year 1909

In 1909:

 Construction on the Titanic began...

 The first men reached the North Pole...

Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened...

In 1909 these things had not yet been invented:

Band-aids, sunglasses, penicillin, zippers, traffic lights.

The average worker earned between $200 to $400 a year.

What do you think?

A Sneak Peek At What's Coming For The Holidays

Here's a glimpse of a few more of the china patterns that I will be transforming 

into necklaces and pendants. I hope to have these up in my Etsy shop within a few

weeks. I had better get to work!

I love the trees! ...and the blue roses!

What do you think?

On My Workbench

Here are some new pieces I am working on this week. I'm going to turn these into

some beautiful pendants and necklaces and hope to have them listed in my Etsy shop

within a few weeks just in time for the holidays!

What do you think?

My Bead Show Treasures - Check Them Out!

Yesterday I visited the Rings & Things bead show in Trevose (Philadelphia) PA

and came home with a tremendous amount of brand new gemstone goodness! 

As promised, here's a look at some of the goodies I brought home...

(If you haven't read my previous post about the bead show, click here to check it out!)

Let's see, I'll try to remember what these are off the top of my head...left to right:

Fluorite, Citrine, Quartz and Rhodonite, Crab Fire Agate (for size reference,

these are about the size of a penny), Blue Agate, Celestite, Magnesite, Amethyst, 

Rainbow Amazonite, Blue Jasper, and Blue Chalcedony. I have to just say that

the photo doesn't do them justice - they are all so much more beautiful in person!

Big thanks to my sister Lisa for being my bead show buddy for the day! Not
only did she offer to come along with me so I didn't have to drive alone (it was
only about an hour from my home but I was unfamiliar with the area) but she 
also insisted on driving us in her car. She was so patient and waited as I strolled
the bead isles! Afterward we drove to beautiful Doylestown, PA, and I treated 
to lunch in a shady sidewalk cafe. It really was a great day! 

I couldn't resist the skulls...and am going to do something interesting & fun with them!

 Okay, left to right we have; Turquoise Magnesite skulls, bone colored Magnesite skulls, 

Chalcedony briolettes, rough point rock crystal points, African Turquoise, more rough point 

rock crystal points, Kyanite, Rutilated Quartz, small rock crystal points, Labradorite, 

and larger rock crystal points. I seemed to be drawn to the stick shaped stones! 

I've been hungering to get my paws on some natural Quartz Crystal Points, and was thrilled
to find the tiny ones (they're not cheap!) I've also been yearning for some Kyanite and 
Labradorite. I love the smoky blues and grays and the iridescent flash of those two stones.

Left to right starting in the bottom left corner there's a peek of lavender Lepidolite, 
blue Apatite, Rutilated Quartz, Blue Chalcedony briolettes, Amazonite, Citrine,
Pink and Purple Peruvian Opal briolettes, and Porcelain Jasper.

Kinda spooky, but I like!

Left to right: Fluorite, Citrine (and both of those are huge! They were two of the most 
expensive strands that I bought), Blue Chalcedony, Blue Peruvian Opal briolettes,
Pink/Purple Peruvian Opal briolettes, Rainbow Moonstone, and, the bees...I loved the
bees! They are unlike anything that I usually work with because they are not stone, 
but Thermo-Sensitive Polymer (think Mood Rings!) Yep! They change color with
the temperature: from the blue you see in the photo, to a neon green, to a warm 
golden brown, etc. I think they're really unique and can't wait to make something
beautiful with them!  

What do you think?

The Alchemic Collection - New Mixed Metal Jewelry

Here's a peek at some new jewelry I've been working on, it's a mixed-metal
collection I've named The Alchemic Collection, due to the mix of materials
used (sterling silver, copper, and silver solder) and the unique look and feel of 
the pieces. I'm highly influenced by Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Mystical and Organic
styles, and with this collection my goal was to combine some combinations of 
those styles and create something a little different. It kind of keeps with the 
theme of "new vintage" - I combine elements of vintage designs, but 
give them a modern or contemporary twist. Check it out!

The Alchemic Collection

Treble clef pendant

Ivy & blue-green Magnesite

Bohemian Quartz crystal point pendant

Wild heart pendant

Crescent moon pendant

Art Nouveau swirl pendant with pink Rhodonite stone bead

Lilly

Open heart pendant

Tree pendant with Turquoise Howlite

This wing pendant turned out to be my favorite, and I can't part with it!

(all pieces are available in my Etsy shop)

What do you think?

all designs copyright Laura Beth Love 2013

A Peek Inside My New Art Studio At The Banana Factory!

This past Friday May 3rd was "First Friday" in Bethlehem PA, a community 
celebration that is held on the first Friday night of the month, every month -  when 
shops and restaurants open their doors and loads of people fill the streets to take part
 in all types of festivities. The hub of First Friday is in the Banana Factory, which is 
where my new art studio is located (as well as the studios of over 25 of the other 
resident artists of the Banana Factory.) On First Friday inside the Banana Factory all 
of the resident artists are "in the house" and open the doors to their studios and 
welcome the public to come on in and see all the exciting things that are going on, 
view their artwork and current works in progress, as well as purchase art. There are
 also glass blowing demonstrations and all other types of festivities. 

I worked like crazy to get my new studio furnished and in order in time to greet the crowds! Here is a little sneak peek at what I've been up to!

These photos show only one side of my studio - I will show more next time!

I still have lots to do - I plan on installing a pegboard on the wall above the work 
table in the corner to hold many of my tools and goodies. Some things can't be 
rushed though, and I really like to do a good job at whatever I am working on, so it 
will take me a little time until it is just right!

One thing that was a challenge to me was to figure out how to display my jewelry
on my walls. I think I came up with a pretty creative solution to that challenge and I'll
share it with you in my next post! 

Check out the Banana Factory on Facebook!




Click here for the tutorial for how to make the letter word wall
plates that I made for my wall!

What do you think?

New Broken China Jewelry In My Shop This Week!

It's getting close to the holidays and I've been busy busy making lots of new
 broken china jewelry! I think the older I get the faster each holiday is 
upon me, I can't keep up! 

In any case, take a look at some of my new work and let me know what you think.
I hope you like them! 

Wedgwood china Unicorn backstamp, made from the revere side of the plate






I made this heart pendant from antique K initial monogrammed china. This type of china is hard to find!





Royal Doulton Bunnykins collectible china - now a necklace to wear!






Unusual cameo motif antique china. This is a petite heart pendant. Very pretty color blue!






1880's English flow blue china with an unusual clover or shamrock motif.






This Statue of Liberty china is extremely rare. The china company that produced it closed in the 1930's! I've come across this pattern only once over the years!






Antique English transferware, cranberry or mulberry colored. 






Pretty pink rose on white porcelain, antique French china.






1880's English flow blue china.






Antique ornate Czech porcelain china with pink roses






Antique blue calico chintz from England





Victorian pink rose design, antique American china





Antique French porcelain necklace





You can see the rest of my new pieces here in my Etsy shop.


What do you think?

I'm Kind Of A Big Deal...

Art jewelry necklace with text and reproduction of a 

vintage image behind glass. 

You like?

More Fun With Vintage Spoons: Stamped Spoon Bracelets

Just how many things can you do with old spoons? 

I love these ornate orphaned spoons who've long lost their matching mates. Who wants to lay around in some old silverware drawer anyhow? Being turned into an extremely cool bracelet is much more fun!

Check out these stamped silver spoon bracelets I made a while back with antique and vintage silver spoons. I also made some matching stamped spoon pendants (with the handles cut off) that hang from a chain.

Potty Mouth. Everybody knows one! 

Trophy wife!

Dream big...

Enchanted

What would you want yours to say?

What do you think?