Swell bits

Another Sunday has come and gone - where does the time go, eh?

Hello, lovely people! How has your weekend been? Have you got anything exciting planned for the week ahead?

I did manage to get out and enjoy the sunshine, and even to frolic with friends around London town. However, I did also manage to make a few new bits. What do you think of these?



Looking at these photos again, I can't help but think, "Frankie, turn off The Tudors!" However, I quite like this necklace. It's made from a vintage compact, hung on vintage chains and adorned with a line of freshwater pearls. The compact is still intact and comes with the original puff! It has that amazing powder smell too...if only this blog had a "scratch'n'sniff" facility.



People seemed to really like the cuff I posted last week, so I thought I'd have a go at making another (Cuff II - Antique Boogaloo). This cuff is made from an antique drawer pull, linked on vintage chain and adorned with a vintage faux pearl. The drawer pulls came as a pair, so I can even make another if you all like this one! Lovely.


I've been wanting to do something with this vintage brooch for a while now, and today it finally felt right to use it for a bracelet. I like it because it reminds me of grapes. I mean, everyone loves grapes...don't they?

So, as usual, I would love your feedback on these, please! I find it really helpful, and all of your support means a lot to me.

Speaking of lovely support, the wonderful Clandestine Chick (aka Sheena) of Observations and Musings was kind enough to feature some of my jewellery on her blog. It's a really great post, although I can't help but feel like a total fraud - the other jewellery she has included is so much nicer than mine! Click here to have a read.

Also, I just want to take this opportunity to mention another person who is far more talented than me. The lovely and brilliant Sian of Siansburys specialises in sock monkeys (among many other things), and I recently asked her to make me a Poirot one (if it's not The Tudors, it's Poirot - I need to get out more). Don't get me wrong - I knew that Sian was talented, and I knew she made amazing monkeys, but I was TOTALLY blown away when Poirot arrived. Sian's attention to detail, both on the monkey itself and the packaging he arrived in, was just perfect, and he is so well made. I am now in love, and can't wait for him to take pride of place in my new flat. Here he is with just some of my Poirot-related merchandise:



Isn't the likeness uncanny?! To see more of Sian's wondrous creations, visit her website at www.siansburys.net.

Well, I think I've rambled on for long enough - it's off to bed I go! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and I hope the monkey made up for the poor quality of my writing.

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell doings

I can't believe how quickly the weekends seem to fly by. Sunday already?! Surely not...

...and how was your weekend, my lovely friend? What did you get up to? I've been surprisingly productive, and managed to get a fair bit done.

For example, I finally got round to sewing pin backs onto the corsages I made ages ago:


I'm really pleased with how these have come out, but what do you think? If people like them, I'll definitely look into making more with a variety of vintage fabrics and brooches. I've just ordered myself a little sewing machine, so I can't wait to have a play and expand Swell Vintage into more than just jewellery.

I also made a few new pieces. As always, your feedback will be welcomed and appreciated:



My dear Mother commented, "That's very Anne Boleyn!" when she saw it - perhaps I'm watching too much of "The Tudors" these days? Anyway, this necklace is made from a vintage locket, adorned with a vintage pendant I found in a charity shop and is hung on vintage chain and faux pearl. I've put some of my cheeky floral inside the locket, but that can be removed and replaced with personal photos, or even Henry VIII portraits!


This cuff is made from an antique drawer pull that I have molded to fit around the wrist. It's linked with vintage chain, and adorned with a single vintage faux pearl. It's definitely a striking piece, but it's also comfortable to wear. Not to mention durable!


This necklace is made from vintage chains and vintage faux pearl. I'm really in love with the vintage weave chain that makes up the shorter part of the necklace (is it weird to be in love with chain?!), and I like playing with different textures within pieces. It's one of my more simple pieces, but I quite like it. What do you think?

I think that's enough for now, so I shall stop prattling on. I hope you've had a lovely weekend, and that the week ahead is even better!

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell roundups

Hello one and all!

This is only going to be a quickie (waaaaaay), but I'm just so excited to have contributed to the Independent Fashion Bloggers' Links à la Mode weekly roundup for the first time!


...and I'm extra excited because they've included a photo of my shell antique drawer pull necklace! HOORAY!

Even if you aren't a member of the IFB, I highly recommend you check out the listed blogs - there are some brilliant reads. Oh go on, have a look! http://independentfashionbloggers.org.

I can't even tell you how happy I am that it's Friday tomorrow. Yes lie-in.

New jewellery coming soon to http://swellvintage.etsy.com! Perhaps even this very weekend...

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell selling - UPDATED!

...well, hopefully anyway!

Yes, today I've FINALLY put my jewellery for sale on etsy! To browse the Swell Vintage etsy shop, visit .

It's definitely been a long time coming, so fingers crossed the lovely people of etsy like what I do! I also put two of my newest pieces on there today, and I'd love to know what you think:



This necklace is very unusual! Made from a vintage broach, I've added a touch of vintage faux pearl and hung it on vintage brass chain.




This necklace is rather lovely - I just wish I could capture it better in photographs! It's made from an antique drawer pull, hung on vintage brass chain and is adorned with vintage faux pearl.

So, what do you think, my lovely lovelies? I'd love to hear from you, as always!

Also, a very sweet lady named ZoeDuthie has blogged about me! Go and have a little look at her blog - her project sounds fascinating! http://zoeduthiejewelleryproject.blogspot.com

Not only that, but my dear friend Amy of the Wonderland Boutique has written about me in her blog too! You can read that here. I highly recommend that you check out her etsy shop, http://wonderlandboutique.etsy.com, where she sells gorgeous vintage-inspired clutches, totes and purses! Amy has been so so kind and supportive since I joined etsy. It's also nice to meet someone who loves vintage as much as me!

Is it freezing cold where you are? It certainly is in the UK!

Hope all is well with you, and that you're having a lovely weekend!

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell resolve

Happy New Year, one and all! I hope you had a magical evening. I started the new year as I mean to go on - making jewellery!

2009, eh? I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited about it. I have some plans coming up that could potentially lead to great things, so fingers crossed! I also have a few resolutions that I do hope to stick to:

• Get all of my jewellery items up on my Swell Vintage etsy shop, and hopefully achieve reasonable sales!
  
• Visit Edinburgh again and pop in to see my jewellery in Trinket. I love that city more than I can say...
  
• Get the Swell Vintage website up and running (hopefully by end of January/early February)
  
• Invest in a sewing machine
  
• Start saving(!!!)
  
  

I think that'll do for now...

So as mentioned above, I made some new jewellery last night. Following the lovely feedback I had on my menagerie, I hunted out more vintage animals:




La petite grenouille! This bracelet is made from a small vintage broach, linked on vintage faux pearl and brass chain. I don't want to toot my own horn (oh ok - toot toot!), but I really like this one. I'm tempted not to put it up for sale, even!





This necklace is made from a vintage broach, hung on vintage silver plated and faux pearl chain. It's bold, but quite charming (well, I think so anyway!).




This one is not for the faint hearted! This necklace is made from a very large vintage broach, hung on vintage brass chain. I've measured it so that it'll hang within the cleavage - sexy stuff! Could you handle it?

So I didn't just make animal themed jewellery last night. Here are some more!



This necklace is made from an antique drawer pull, hung on vintage faux pearl and brass chain. It's very light to wear, and is most unusual!



Fit for a pearly queen! This necklace is made from a vintage broach which has been adorned with a vintage faux pearl and hung on vintage brass and faux pearl chain. It is very shiny and suitable for your inner magpie!

This necklace is made from a vintage pocket watch (which no longer works, unfortunately), hung on vintage brass and faux pearl chain. It really is a beauty.

Well, I think that's enough for one day! What do you think? I'm going to be putting all of these on sale tomorrow, so feedback would be greatly appreciated!

I wish you all a wonderful and prosperous 2009!

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell bits

FINALLY I've had some time to blog! It's all been a bit crazy recently, but I had the day off today and was able to catch up on my jewellery stuff.

I think I've finally mastered the art of photographing my jewellery. Following a few suggestions from the lovely JuliaEmily, I've realised that daytime photography is the key. Here are a few of my latest pieces:

I love making this style of necklace, and I think this unusual vintage broach really works well with the vintage chain and faux pearl. It does remind me a little of a spider, but not enough to be scary (I hope)!

This necklace is made from part of an antique drawer pull. I've added a vintage faux pearl to lighten it up against the vintage brass chain. It's nice and heavy!

This necklace is made from a vintage do-dad, hung on vintage chain with faux pearls. It's a bit unusual, and but I quite like it!

I've turned this vintage green filigree broach into a sizable bracelet! Linked with vintage brass chain and a vintage clasp, I think it's quite striking.

This vintage brass chain is fixed with a faux pearl clasp. It's nice to keep it simple sometimes!

Also, I'm really excited to now have business cards! Hooray! That ever so talented friend of mine, Mr Mark Pavey, did an amazing job designing them and recommending a printer. I couldn't be happier with the results. Hopefully in the New Year he will be designing me a proper website too!

Front

Back

I'd really like to hear what you think of my photos (as well as what they're of), so if you have any suggestions/ideas/thoughts/stories, please leave me a comment.

Please come back soon! I promise to blog more.

Much love,

Frankie

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