They Say Three's the Charm, but Maybe It Can Be Two ...

Necklace #225.  Vintage Japanese kimono silk with little metal fish charms added (and small metal ball buttons), on Japanese chirimen polyester bias tape.

Necklace #226.  Buttons covered in vintage Japanese kimono cotton, little fabric ball buttons from Paris, and plastic fruit charms, on satin bias tape.

The Salon des Artistes is coming right up this Sunday!  If you're in town, please come by!

For the current album of necklace photos, please click https://goo.gl/photos/uJFB3VUDePMFPEbk9

Almost Time for the annual Salon des Artistes ...

and a few more necklaces have been added to the stash.

Necklace #219.  Sweet vintage ceramic button in the center with some Bakelite (or fine celluloid?) buttons and fabric-covered buttons with an apple print - on satin bias tape.

Necklace #220, a classic vintage rhinestone design on satin bias tape.

Necklace #221, a lovely Czech glass and rhinestone buckle from my Aunt Emma's collection, with vintage plastic and rhinestone button in its center.  Vintage glass buttons, likely also Czech, complete the necklace, on satin bias tape.

Necklace #224

.  A vintage carved mother of pearl button in the center, with sparkly vintage plastic and rhinestone buttons and vintage glass buttons, on Japanese chirimen polyester bias tape.

Necklace #222.  Rattan buttons and buttons covered in silk handkerchief fabric, on satin bias tape.

Necklace #223.  Beach pebble buttons made by Nancy Arnold of the Button Bird, with little flags of vintage Japanese kimono silk decked with bone and horn buttons.  Satin bias tape base.


For the rogue's gallery of recent necklaces do click on https://goo.gl/photos/uJFB3VUDePMFPEbk9

Vintage plastics, polka dots, and again one more vintage buckle necklace.

A few birthday-gift buttons combined with the stash here, in delicious reds - metal and celluloid and maybe indeed Bakelite:

Necklace #216.  Metal and vintage plastic, on cotton polka dot bias tape.

I guess scotties and sailors wound up on the same necklace because of their vintage appeal and associations with events of the Roosevelt (FDR) era:

Necklace #217.  Celluloid scotties and Bakelite sailors on the polka dot cotton bias tape.

It took awhile to plan for this antique buckle from the collection of my late Aunt Emma.  Somehow it has survived use as a buckle (I think it must be Victorian) with only the loss of a few little jet bits.  This left a nice space for a sparkly glass button.  I reinforced with recommended glue all the contact points for the little jet elements.  It seems the right centerpiece for a handful of vintage glass buttons.

Necklace #218.  Antique jet and brass buckle with vintage glass buttons, on Japanese chirimen polyester bias tape.

Mostly Bakelite and Polka Dots (and one more buckle necklace)

My aunt's collection included little mother of pearl buckles in several shapes, just crying out to be combined with little mother of pearl buttons of various shapes:

Necklace #211, mother of pearl buckles and buttons on Japanese chirimen polyester bias tape.  

But then, time to play with the black-on-white polka dot bias tape and the bakelite and celluoid button stash:

Necklace #212.  Bakelite buttons on cotton bias tape.

Necklace #213, Sheet Bakelite scotties with Bakelite balls.  

Necklace #214.  Bakelite rod buttons (and two little tablet-shapes) on cotton bias tape.

Necklace #215.  Back and white various buttons - Bakelite, celluloid and likely other vintage plastics - on cotton bias tape.

Maybe time to switch to white polka dots on black for the next few....

Most current photo album is at  https://goo.gl/photos/uJFB3VUDePMFPEbk9

Back to Work. Celebrating a Buckle Bonanza

My favorite aunt died on Valentine's Day this year, and my cousin generously shared some of Aunt Emma's trove of buttons but also sent two cigar-box-sized treasure chests of astounding vintage buckles.  Time to get to work (just scratching the surface)!

Necklace #208.  Rhinestone buttons with a central rhinestone buckle piece (augmented with a button).

Necklace #209.  All buckles!  The sticks on the three large ones are interesting in themselves.

Necklace #210.  Cut-steel shoe buckle in center, with vintage glass and metal buttons.  

The all-rhinestone pieces have already left me - a wonderful art-trade with a mixed media artist.

The album of more recent and yet-available necklaces is at https://goo.gl/photos/uJFB3VUDePMFPEbk9,  The ever-exanding archive of neclaces - almost from the beginning - is at https://goo.gl/photos/GpN6kRMTVzpzjiQAA

The Annual Salon des Artistes is coming right up

This year we are doing something a little different and joining forces with more artists at the Bazaar Lizard, in a landmark house, The Lizard House, in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque in Albuquerque's North Valley.  The house has a sculptural relief of a very large lizard on its front wall.  We're excited about getting to go inside!  So, it's December 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at 8671 Rio Grande Boulevard NE, official invitation by artist Bea Lombard below:

Some inside-the-gate parking available; more along Rio Grande Blvd.  Please bring cash or checks for shopping, and come and see us and the Lizard House!

Moving slightly away from the Bakelite stash

Celluloid is as luscious as Bakelite.  It's hard not to rub these buttons like talismans.

Necklace #196.  Vintage celluloid and metal buttons on Japanese chirimen polyester bias tape. Little Bakelite ball buttons at the ends.

Extruded celluloid is pretty weird stuff and maybe not for everyone, but I think it has a wacky charm.

 Necklace #201.  Vintage extruded celluloid buttons on satin bias tape.

But leaving plastics behind, these intricate mother of pearl buttons are likely Victorian.

Necklace #198.  Antique mother of pearl buttons on Japanese cotton bias tape.

Stone is nice, too.

Necklace #197.  Stone buttons on Japanese chirimen polyester bias tape.

But on to something softer, buttons covered with vintage Japanese kimono fabric.

Necklace #200.  Buttons covered in vintage Japanese bias tape, with Bakelite accent buttons, on satin bias tape.  

Check out the most recent necklace collection at https://goo.gl/photos/uJFB3VUDePMFPEbk9