Grandmother's Keepsake

Recently, a friend of mine from High School, Sarah, contacted me to make some custom jewelry for her and her Grandmother using some of her Grandma's button collection. I was sent a large bubble envelope chock full of Buttony goodness. This has to be one of the best button collections I have seen in a long time, and this isn't even the half of it!
Unfortunately I have been sitting on this motherlode of buttons for far too long and kept putting this project off. Custom work, I love it and hate it. Give me a deadline, and I will wait until the last possible moment to create the finished project. I'm wishing I was better at prioritizing my time on stuff like this but that's the way the cookie crumbles.
So finally, I wanted to share with you  what the end pieces looked like. I am quite pleased with the turn out!

 The first piece is a bracelet using buttons as charms. This one is for Sarah. The mother  of pearl buttons are quite unique with two top drilled holes instead of middle holes. I added some beautiful blue glass buttons and some green shank buttons. The pewter bird and nest charms from Green Girl Studios, are a little added bonus for Sarah since she's a total bird fanatic, like me.

 This is the necklace I created for her Grandmother. It features a handmade Lilies of the Valley pendant from Amanda Davie, that has a sweet little mirror on the back side. I wire wrapped buttons in green, blue, rust, and orange, and added some vintaj cable chain up around the back.

 I added a brass magnetic clasp so that her Grandmother wouldn't have to fuss with getting it on and off, and also added one of the Jet black glass shank buttons as decoration.

This is Sarah's necklace. Another Amanda Davie pendant but this time with a Bird. It also has a mirror on the flip side. I wire wrapped buttons in paler colors like pink, teal, blue and rust, with large and small Vintaj Brass jumprings attaching them. Instead of chain, I beaded the back of the necklace with mottle pink/purple peanut shaped beads.
I really hope she likes how they turned out. I really did enjoy making these keepsakes for them, even though I waited til the last minute.


I also wanted to show you these lovelies I just received in the mail yesterday from Desert Design Inc. Gorgeous huh? They are amazing. I first saw one of Barbara's flowers in the Project Gallery at Vintaj.com. I couldn't be happier with these, they will be perfect for Summer designs.

Comments

  1. What great buttons! Great way to give them new life. Those flowers are amazing, saw them on ABS I think and was blown away. Can't wait to see what you do with them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You did a fantastic job, all three designs are gorgeous:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. No doubt they will all love their jewellery its very lovely! I am
    a great lover of button jewellery
    and its just about my fave right now.
    Really nice stuff there!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Those are some very cool designs from a great button collection, what an honour to be given the chance to work with such vintage items.

    Those flowers are spectacular, I look forward to seeing what you turn them into.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wonderful! I think they will love them! What a perfect way to showcase such a unique and very special collection :)

    Marie

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a great tribute to grandma! And such beautiful buttons too. I am with you on the time thing...I am the consummate procrastinator. Give me a deadline and I will grow to it. That is where I am at right about now. I actually love making custom work more than not. I have a hard time making things that I think people might like, but when I spend the time to know the person and hear their story the pieces always have more soul behind them. I love the way you incorporated touches that will be special to them, like the magnetic clasp for grandma and the bird for your friend. Well done! Enjoy the day! Erin

    ReplyDelete
  7. Such beautiful pieces - I know they will treasure these wonderful keepsakes.

    :-) Molly

    ReplyDelete
  8. What lovely pieces! They will love them. Aha! You got one of the flowers I admired on Barb's website. I got 2 in plums...now to make something with them.
    Bead Happy!
    Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  9. SO.FREAKIN.EXCITED!!!!
    I love all of them, my grandma is going to adore hers, you did an amazing job (as usual!) When you told me last night that you were going to blog about them today, it was like Christmas morning for me today, I couldn't wait to jump out of bed and check online! (I even checked at 3am my time just in case...I was already up with the baby so instead of back to bed I had to just see!)
    thank you so much!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lovely job! I'm sure both of them will be most pleased. One of these days you'll have to drop by the studio and pick through my button collection. I've got boxes and boxes of buttons that I know in my lifetime I'll never be able to use all of.

    Anyway, nicely done as always!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great necklaces/bracelets. They sure don't make buttons like they used to.

    ReplyDelete
  12. these are amazing!!!! great job!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I always love what you do with buttons. It's amazing to me the way you can take such a humble little item and make it sooo wowza!

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a meaningful and treasured gift! I recently used some of my later Aunt's beads and made a necklace for her daughter (my cousin). It gave the vintage hollow Murano glass beads new life and makes my cousin feel close to her mother when she wears the necklace. It feels good to use your skills and talent in such a meaningful way. Way to go!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oooooh, I love those flowers. Are they polymer? Bee-autiful. I like your snazzy new banner too.

    ReplyDelete
  16. thank you everyone for your nice comments!!
    Hey Jade, yes, they are polymer!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Those pieces are SO beautiful, Lorelei! I know they are going to love them! Good job!
    Hope

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I'm sorry to have to turn on the word verification here, but I got fed up with spammers comments!

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.
Buddha