Making some swell jewellery

I'm afraid this isn't going to be a very long post, but I wanted to show you a little someting.

I haven't made much new jewellery recently. Considering I am a jewellery maker, this might sound a bit strange, but I promise I haven't just been sat around in my pjs watching Poirot...OK, I might have done a little bit of that, but not all the time. Actual promise this time.

In truth, I have been working on my new collection of glasses chains (hopefully coming to the shop in the next couple of months), so jewellery has taken a backseat recently. However, last night I felt inspired for the first time in a little while, so I made this necklace:

So what do you think? Your feedback is so important to me. Sometimes, when I'm locked away in my little room, I worry that no one will like the jewellery I'm making. It's good to know I have lovely friends on the internet that will let me know when I'm doing ok, so please - any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Until next time...

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

Swell spectacle

You may not know this (or even care to know this), but I do in fact wear glasses. I'm horribly short sighted, and it's definitely getting worse. For the past year or so, I've been in massive denile about my apalling eyesight, insisting that I only need to wear my glasses at the cinema or when looking at presentations.

I think it's because glasses are annoying to carry around, and most of the time I forget them. This has lead to a new idea for Swell Vintage - glasses chains! Although glasses chains are normally associated with librarians and - let's be honest - the elderly, I don't think they have to be mumsy or cheap looking as they so often are.




This is my prototype! It's made with vintage chain and adorned with freshwater pearls. I'm planning on doing a whole range, using different vintage chains to create one-of-a-kind designs.

So what do you think? Do you think it's a bit too old lady-esque, or is it something you'd considering wearing? I'd love to know what you think, so please let me know - all feedback is welcome, good and bad!

In other news, I was recently interviewed by the wonderful people at DEER BRAINS. If you fancy a read, hop over to their brilliant blog.

That's all for now, folks!

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell spring

Hello everyone!

How are you? Did you have a lovely Easter holiday?

I spent my Bank Holiday Monday beavering away, making some new pieces that I'd love your feedback on:


Apologies for my terrible photography! This necklace is made from a vintage brooch, tweaked and altered with vintage faux pearls, hung on vintage chain with freshwater pearls. It took a looooong time to link all of those pearls individually on sterling silver wire, although it was a labour of love!

This is one of my simpler necklaces, made from a vintage pendant and hung on vintage chain with freshwater pearls.



This necklace is made from a vintage brooch, mounted on a vintage brass locket and linked with vintage chain and freshwater pearls.


So what do you think? These pieces are part of my collection for Fru & Fröken Kellerman, a wonderful boutique in Stockholm, Sweden. I love to hear your thoughts, so please let me know!

Also, I know have one of those Formspring account thingies. If you don't know already, Formspring allows you to ask questions anonymously (or you can be named - it's up to you). You can ask me anything! Just hop on over to the Swell Vintage Formspring profile page.

Anyway, that's enough for one evening. Have a good week, lovely people!

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Just Swell

Hello hello!

How are you, my lovely friends? Did you have a brilliant weekend? I certainly hope so.

This weekend has been a good one for me. I managed to make not one, not two, but THREE new pieces! These will all be available to buy through my fancy new web shop, hopefully going live in the next couple of weeks. Wanna see? Oh, go on then!









I'm really pleased with how these have come out. I must confess, I've been a bit rubbish with making new pieces recently - BUT NO MORE! I'm also going to start work on a *new* collection for an exciting new stockist in Sweden! But more on that later....

So what do you think of my new pieces? All or any feedback is greatly appreciated please!

I hope all is well with you. Thanks for taking the time to read this. You've made my day.

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell bridal

Hello there, my lovely friends!

So I've been massively slack on the blog front - sorry about that. But the good news is that things are going really well at the moment. I will reveal more when all is 100% confirmed, but let's just say that the Swell Vintage word is spreading nicely. I am very excited about it all. Please keep your fingers crossed for me! I have big plans.

In other news, I recently worked on a commission for a friend of mine who wanted something special for his bride to wear on the big day. I really like doing bridal pieces, and you may well see a Swell Vintage eco-bridal range coming soon!

Here are photos of the bracelet I made for him:



This bracelet is made from freshwater pearls and features a vintage faux-bone rose. As with all of my pieces, it's one-of-a-kind. I'm really pleased with how it came out, and so is my friend - everybody wins!

I apologise for the very short post. I promise I'll be back with a vengeance soon!

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell weekends

Hello, lovely people!

I've been SO very busy this week with my real work, and I was actually social this Bank Holiday weekend. Because of this and general laziness, I only managed to make one necklace this weekend! In my defense, it did take me most of the day. I am rubbish.

Anyway, here is my latest piece:




This necklace is made from a vintage shoe clip, hung on vintage chain and adorned with freshwater pearls. What do you think? Is it too extravagant? I quite like the regal feel of it, but then again I'm a bit too into the Tudor style.

I apologise for the short post! Hopefully I'll be more productive once I've moved and am more settled in my new place.

Thank you for reading and commenting! You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell chain

Hello again!

First of all, I just wanted to say a quick thank you for all of your feedback on my pouch prototype. I can't get over how supportive and kind everyone has been, and it really means a lot. I'm going to have a go at another pouch design soon, so expect pictures and tales of more sewing machine disasters soon!

UK Vogue says that necklaces should be huge with lots of chain and adorned with gems, so with that in mind I set out to make my biggest necklace yet. I know that it's no where near the high standards of the designs in Vogue, but I'm quite pleased with the results. It took me ages, so it's quite satisfying when the final result resembles pretty closely what you have in your head:

This necklace is made from lots of vintage chain, adorned with a prism and freshwater pearls. It's good and heavy - definitely one for the braver among us. So what do you think? Should I make more big necklaces like this, or is it unrealistic to think that someone would wear this in the real world? Your feedback would be GREATLY appreciated, please!

I also had a play with another style of necklace. The very lovely Jenny of The Style PA very kindly sent me a load of old broken jewellery, so I used a couple of these parts for this necklace:



I've never been one for symmetry, so I enjoy experimenting with different chain lengths and hanging styles. This necklace is made from vintage chain and is adorned with vintage faux pearl, a purple prism and a little swallow. Do you like this style, or do you think that it would be impractical for someone to wear? Please let me know your thoughts, all constructive feedback is useful and welcomed!

In other news, I really need to start packing for my move! Not long now. I have so much to do, but not much time to do it in - eeekk!

Well, I hope you've had a lovely weekend, and that you enjoy the week ahead! Until next time, my lovely loves...

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell stuff

Happy Bank Holiday Monday, one and all!

Have you had a nice long weekend? Mine has been rather pleasant, as I finally got the time to have a play on my new sewing machine!


This is the beast. It's small, but it's perfect for someone like me who has no real idea what they're doing. I'm really enjoying practicing, and I plan to make some nice little pouches for my jewellery from vintage fabric. I'll be posting some pictures soon!

I also made a couple of new jewellery pieces:

This necklace is made from a vintage brooch, hung with freshwater pearls and vintage chain. I like making fan necklaces. There's something quite regal about them, I think. What do you think? I'd love to know.

She sells sea shells...this necklace is made from a vintage shell, which I've adorned with a freshwater pearl and hung on vintage chain. This is one of my daintier necklaces, but I quite like its simplicity. What do you think? Do you prefer a bolder necklace, or something more simple and delicate?

I've just about finished my new collection for Trinket in Edinburgh, so now all of my focus will be on finishing up and preparing for the Handm@de fair in Winchester on 5th July. If you happen to be local, it would be ever so lovely to see you!

Wow, this post has been quite boring, hasn't it? Sorry about that. I might go and do more sewing now. Thank you for reading and leaving your lovely comments. They never fail to make my day/life.

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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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 times ahead

Hello once again, my loves! Did you have a good Easter time? Did you eat your body weight in chocolate? I certainly hope so.

I've had such a nice and relaxing long weekend, but I probably should have used my time more productively as things are getting increasingly busy. I'm still working on pieces for the Handm@de Fair in Winchester on 5th July, and I'm also starting on my next collection for Trinket in Edinburgh. Not only that, but I'm moving to East London in about 6 weeks - needless to say, there's plenty to do!

However, I did manage to make a couple of things. This necklace, for example:


I really like this vintage perfume bottle. I've cleaned it up, replaced the flimsy chain it was found with with a stronger, more textured vintage one, added freshwater pearls and hung it asymmetrically. I also like that it is still functional - all you need to do is pull the cork (as below) and insert a small piece of fabric soaked with your favourite scent:

A necklace by any other name would smell as sweet!

This bracelet is made from a vintage faux turquoise brooch and is linked on vintage chain. One of the stones was missing around the center turquoise (oh no!), so I removed them all and (shockingly) replaced them with fresh water pearls. Now I think it looks a bit like a weird cake with a bird's egg in the middle.

So what do you think? I always love to hear what you think of my pieces, so any feedback you may have will be welcomed with open arms, and maybe even a cheeky kiss!

Also, I wrote an article on vintage satchels for the Queens of Vintage last week, which you can read here if you fancy it. Not only that, but Handm@de Winchester kindly posted a "Meet the Maker" interview with me on their blog, which you can read right here. There really are so many lovely people in the blogosphere!

Well, now that Easter is over, it's back to normality. I hope you have a really good week! I'm now going to watch Clueless and attempt to catch up on my (ever-expanding) blog reader.

Thanks for reading. It's been emotional.

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell start

Hello again, my dear friends.

How have you been? I hope you've had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

Today for the first time in bloody ages, I have had the chance to make some new pieces. As mentioned in previous posts, I am going to be exhibiting at Handm@de Winchester on 5th July, so am starting to build up my stock. I've used some of my Brighton finds - what do you think?


Emerald city joy! This necklace is made from a vintage brooch, adorned with freshwater pearls and hung on vintage chain with a bit of asymmetry thrown in for good measure.



The weirdest looking ID bracelet of all time? Probably. I found this vintage ID bracelet and adorned with a vintage brooch to make it more feminine. I think it has a rather steampunk feel to it, but I quite like that.


I think perhaps I've been watching too much of The Tudors (I really love that show), but I think this necklace has a real Catherine of Aragon feel to it. It is made from a vintage broach, adorned with a freshwater pearl and hung on vintage chain. Definitely a statement piece!

So what are your thoughts? As always, I welcome any feedback that you may have for me. I won't be adding any new pieces to my etsy shop for a little while, but if you see anything you'd particularly like here, please feel free to email me at frankie@swell-vintage.com.

Thank you, again, for reading. You are my world.

Much love,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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Swell finds

Another Sunday, another blog post...

Hello, my dear friends. How are you, and how was your weekend?

Mine was very lovely, thanks. I visited my good friend Jamie Smart (http://www.fumboo.com) in Brighton. It was perfect weather to be beside by the seaside, and it was brilliant to fill myself with sea air and candy floss in equal measure. I also visited Snoopers Paradise - have you ever heard of it/been? Another good friend of mine, Mark Pavey (http://www.themarkpavey.co.uk) had been talking about it for a good while, so I decided to take a look.

Snoopers Paradise is a huge indoor market, full of vintage, antique and second hand bits and bobs. Basically, I was in heaven, and it was the perfect opportunity for me to stock up on vintage treasures to make some new pieces with.

Here are some of my finds and what I've done with them so far:

I really love this brooch - the black and gold is very striking. I can't wait to try and make something rather special with it.

I've already had a little go with this one. This brooch had a few stones missing, so I replaced them with freshwater pearls. It looks a little random, but I quite like that.

This brooch had horrible chipped faux pearls on it, so I pulled them out and replaced them with freshwater ones. I really like the shape of this one too.

This brooch has stones missing, too. I haven't decided what I want to do with it yet, but I really like the colours and how shiny it is.

This is a vintage ceramic perfume necklace. I haven't quite decided how I'm going to adapt this one yet, but it'll probably feature some pearl. Can you tell I quite like pearl?

Speaking of pearl, I wrote an article on vintage pearls for Queens of Vintage last week. Fancy a read? I'd love your feedback, if you'd be so kind.

Is it sunny where you are at the moment? The UK has been glorious over the last week. Let's hope it continues to last so I can wear my vintage sunnies constantly!

Thank you for reading my blog. It really does means a lot. You spoil me with your amazingness, you really do.

Have a good week! See you soon? Yes, please...

Many thanks,

Frankie
Swell Vintage

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