Timeless Trinkets

Antique Pewter Button Necklace- Hearts in Bloom

2011-12-29T12:02:00.000-05:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/89362942/antique-pewter-button-necklace-hearts-in?ref=v1_other_1

I really like this new setting. It is ornate without being too fussy. I hope to make many more of these. I bought a box of buttons from a former button jewelry maker. She had removed all the shanks :( but they work well in this setting.

Vintage German Glass Button Necklace- Opal Baroque

2011-12-19T11:10:00.000-05:00

I've been so busy with Christmas orders that I haven't been able to update my blog. Here is a beautiful button necklace that I listed today. I was so happy to find these buttons- there are several colors, some with gold trim but I have to wait for my brass setting to be custom made before I can list the ones with gold. The vintage glass buttons are becoming harder to find as the demand for them have increased. Competiton in the
button jewelry business has increased over the last 4 years that I have been on Etsy, still I strive to find unique buttons that you won't find anywhere else.

Blue Monday On Etsy!

2011-10-31T10:20:00.001-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85035461/vintage-glass-button-earrings?ref=v1_other_1

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85034635/royal-blue-faceted-glass-necklace-in?ref=v1_other_2

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85034949/vintage-glass-button-necklace-royal-blue?ref=v1_other_2

Through the Looking Glass Necklaces

2011-10-20T05:47:00.001-04:00

Add caption

During the past few weeks, I have added some lovely new designs to my shop. These I call the Looking Glass Necklaces. Each one is unique and one of a kind! To view more please click on the link http://www.etsy.com/listing/84221654/through-the-looking-glass-steampunk

Marquise, Antique(1800's) Button Necklace

2011-09-12T08:13:00.000-04:00

I love this new setting, the lovely leaf border on the edge frames the buttons so nicely! http://www.etsy.com/listing/81617542/marquise-antique1800s-button-necklace

Crescent Moon Thistle- Antique Button Necklace

2011-09-07T14:26:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/81296636/crescent-moon-thistle-antique-1800s

I've had this style around for a couple of years, but it still remains one of my favorites. I've not had much time to design lately but did get around to finishing this one up this morning-all it needed was a chain and clasp. When I first started selling on Etsy I made sure that all my clasp had appeal and in the last few years have gotten away from embellishing my closures. This lovely necklace features a garnet bead and extender at it's closure-adds some versatility to the necklace plus a bit of elegance to the back!

Tribute to Amelia Earhart

2011-08-31T20:42:00.000-04:00

I love this necklace!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80720550/amelia-steampunk-looking-glass-necklace

Last week I had a few days to create jewelry and I made so many designs that I haven't had the time to post them all. This week, I've had a situation with one of our toilets here at the house. Sigh, I guess I'm not a plumber.

New Series of Lockets

2011-08-17T20:36:00.000-04:00

Add captiohttp://www.etsy.com/listing/79963234/memphis-antique-mother-of-pearl-andn

New Styles!

2011-08-12T21:03:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79659280/watermelon-vintage-glass-button-earrings

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79659630/pink-sugar-vintage-bead-earrings-with?ref=v1_other_1

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78476468/peacock-victorian-antique-button

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79625180/gray-estate-style-necklace-with

Lighter Than Air, Steampunk Hot Air Balloon Necklace, One of a Kind

2011-08-09T16:10:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79428178/lighter-than-air-steampunk-hot-air

I'm so excited! While sitting at my work area last night I came up with the prettiest design for a necklace-they look like hot air balloons. I also finished a piece that I have been working on for some time called Three Wishes. Enjoy!

New! Mixed Media Art Lockets

2011-08-06T11:45:00.000-04:00

These lockets are super special! I was able to find these beautiful watch faces-they were the only ones she had. I then affixed them to a vintage locket and added the antique buttons! Such a wonderful combination-Unique and One of a Kind!

Add caption

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79141718/princesssteampunk-necklace-with

Steampunk Necklace with Antique(c.1800's) Steel Cut Button and 17 Jeweled Watch Movement, One of a Kind, Beautiful and Unique

2011-08-01T16:01:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78906148/steampunk-necklace-with-antiquec1800s

A new Steampunk design! More to come next week!

Strawberry Fields, Antique Button with Scent Locket Necklace

2011-07-30T08:44:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78737712/strawberry-fields-antique-button-with

This has to be one of my favorite buttons. I love strawberries!

New Design! Scent Lockets

2011-07-27T15:20:00.000-04:00

Afternoon Tea

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78290158/afternoon-tea-antique-ivoroid-button


Traveler's Joy

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78314549/travelers-joy-antique-button-with-scent

Rosemary, Vintage Glass Button Earrings

2011-07-20T15:47:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78171959/rosemary-vintage-glass-button-earrings

Olivia, Antique(1800's) Button Butterfly Necklace

2011-07-19T21:34:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/78114304/olivia-antique1800s-button-butterfly

I love butterflies! Can you tell? A new design using a box of antique buttons I bought last month. These buttons were sold with the backs already removed. I normally do not remove the shanks unless they are badly rusted. I can't wait to use this box of buttons because I am not limited in my designs by trying to preserve the shanks.

Steel Magnolia, Antique Button(c.1800's) Earrings

2011-07-15T21:09:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77878345/steel-magnolia-antique-buttonc1800s

The colors on this pair of earrings match so well. I love the glass vintage beads below. They have a nice weight to them but they aren't too heavy. I wish I could find more of them, they are very good quality.

Kalidescope, Vintage German Glass Button Bracelet with Repurposed Vintage Watch Band

2011-07-13T16:33:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77733107/kalidescope-vintage-german-glass-button

I love to make these bracelets! What a great way to use an old button plus recycle an old watch band! I hope to have more designs posted this month. We've been without internet since last Thursday and I'm happy to have it up and going today.

Daylily, Antique (1800's) Button Necklace

2011-06-22T20:42:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76489550/daylily-antique-1800s-button-necklace

I've found this button in a sage and blue tint, but this is the first I have found in burgundy. It is so pretty!

Peacock Noir, Antique Glass Button Earrings

2011-06-21T21:18:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76425359/peacock-noir-antique-glass-button

My modem went out yesterday morning. Ugh, it was so frustrating to not have internet access. Thankfully I was able to get on a bit this morning at my husband's office. I then got in touch with tech support and ended up driving 135miles round trip to the nearest Century Link store to pick up a new modem. Wow, I really don't know what I did before the internet:)

Selma, Antique(1800's) Picture Button Necklace

2011-06-18T19:06:00.001-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76240888/selma-antique1800s-picture-button

Today was busy. Our annual Chataugua festival started today with the parade going down Main Street, the chili cook off and lots of entertainment. I finished this design on Thursday and had intended to post it yesterday but I ran out of time. I love this button, the color is fantastic!

New Design-Sea Holly, Antique Steel Cut Button(c.1800's) Earrings

2011-06-16T20:32:00.002-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76133256/sea-holly-antique-steel-cut-buttonc1800s

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76135298/gryphon-antique-buttonc1800s-earrings?ref=v1_other_1

I was delighted to be able to make a few new designs this week. The steel cut buttons I have had for over a year now and just didn't want to part with them. They have a concave back and didn't fit into any of my settings but still I hung on to them. Just this week I was sitting at my desk staring at the huge mess that needs to be cleaned and organized when I saw this setting and thought of how it might work with these buttons. Sometimes clutter helps the creative rut:)

I'm of mostly Welsh heritage and the gryphon buttons are just super cool. Need I say more?

Rachel in Spring Green, Vintage Glass Button Necklace

2011-06-15T18:37:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76065728/rachel-in-spring-green-vintage-german

I found this button from a seller in Germany. I have a few other colors and will be making necklaces with them as time permits. I love the colors in this button-so bright and cheerful!

Stella, Antique 1800's Glass Button Necklace

2011-06-14T19:00:00.000-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76003376/stella-antique-1800s-glass-button

This is a new design I worked on this week. I tried several different charms and beads below the button and decided I like the cameo best.

Honeysuckle, Vintage Glass Button Earrings

2011-06-10T13:52:00.000-04:00

These buttons have the most beautiful amber glow. They remind me of honey and honey reminds me of honeysuckles. I love the smell of honeysuckles on a hot summer evening! http://www.etsy.com/listing/75744663/honeysuckle-vintage-glass-button

New Designs Posted Today!

2011-06-09T12:32:00.004-04:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75679473/esmeralda-antique-steel-cut-jewel-button

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75679135/plum-purple-blossom-vintage-german-glass?ref=v1_other_2

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75678879/dragonfly-vintage-key-necklace-free?ref=v1_other_2

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75678717/powder-blue-chiffon-vintage-german-glass?ref=v1_other_2

Pink Hibiscus, Antique Button(c.1800's) Earrings with Freshwater Pearls -Brass

2011-05-31T20:32:00.003-04:00

It's been a long time since I have posted anything. I love these buttons!

A beautiful pair of antique buttons. They feature a lovely spray of flowers. The button has been tinted a deep pink color. I have brushed cleaned these but you still may find a bit of dust. You cannot wash these as they will rust from the moisture. Victorians would remove these buttons prior to washing their clothes. These buttons are from the late 1800's and are very hard to find in matching sets.

I have set the button in a brass plated filigree and the shank on the button has not been disturbed so that it will retain is value as a collectible. To the bottom of this I have added Czech glass beads and freshwater pearls with filigree. The earring and filigree measure 3/4" across. The total earring measures almost 2" from top to bottom.

To view more click on the link below.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TimelessTrinkets

I often think about the history of my creations and only if they could talk the stories you could hear. I hope you enjoy my eclectic creations and find something that pleases you.

©2007-2011 Timeless Trinkets

Candle In The Wind

2010-11-19T08:48:00.004-05:00

This vintage celluloid button features a sprinkling of rhinestones. It reminds me of a leaf or a candle flame. Due to it's age a couple of the rhinestones have darkened(refer to photos) but it is nevertheless a beautiful button. I have set it in a brass filigree and attached to an 25" brass plated chain. The button with filigree measures almost 1" and dangles 1.5" from necklace via vintage faux pearl and stone.

Happy Button Day!

2010-11-16T22:04:00.003-05:00

I made a treasury just to honor Button Day

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4ce3154bdc688eeffa3b4092/button-up?index=0

Clearing out my steampunk jewelry.

2010-10-19T10:20:00.002-04:00

I really want to scale down the scope of my shop. I feel like I'm torn in too many directions. While I enjoy making the steampunk jewelry my real passions lies with the antique buttons. *********FREE SHIPPING SALE ON STEAMPUNK JEWELRY- I will be closing out my steampunk jewelry this fall and will offer FREE SHIPPING on items listed under the steampunk section. Many of these items are one of a kind! This sale is only for the items listed under the steampunk section in my shop.*********

Limeade Vintage Button Earrings

2010-05-04T18:55:00.004-04:00

I love these earrings. Lime green is one of my favorite colors. To find more of my designs please click on the following link http://www.etsy.com/shop/TimelessTrinkets

Book of Days, Steampunk Locket

2010-04-29T04:39:00.003-04:00

This week I worked on making several steampunk lockets. This one has the days of the week dial you find in many old wristwatches. I still cant figure out why the days are written twice. To view more please visit my shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/timelesstrinkets .

Dandelion, Antique Button(c.1800's) Earrings with Freshwater Pearls

2010-04-20T22:10:00.002-04:00

A simply magnificent pair of tinted and etched pewter antique buttons. These buttons are from the late 1800's and are very hard to find in matching sets.

I have set the button in a silver plated filigree and the shank on the button has not been disturbed so that it will retain is value as a collectible. To the bottom of this I have added freshwater pearls with a Czech glass flower and silver filigree. The earring and filigree measure 3/4" across. The total earring measures 2" from top to bottom.

Poppies, Vintage Re-purposed Porcelain Necklace

2010-04-19T20:34:00.002-04:00

I posted a new design today. This necklace is so pretty. It use to be a clip earring, big a bulky for the ear I'd say. Cheers!

Shakespeare's Garden Vintage Glass Cameo by TimelessTrinkets

2010-04-17T21:08:00.001-04:00

Shakespeare's Garden Vintage Glass Cameo by TimelessTrinkets: "This beautiful"

Dream Weaver Shadows of Time Necklace by TimelessTrinkets on Etsy

2010-01-14T14:40:00.001-05:00

Dream Weaver Shadows of Time Necklace by TimelessTrinkets on Etsy: "This necklace features as it's focal a cog from an antique watch. To the front I have added a maiden dreaming in the crescent of a moon and a vintage rhinestone in the middle. Pendant measures a little over 3/4' and the chain measures 18'. Can be lengthened up to 24' at no extra charge.

Thank you for looking!
Added on Jan 14, 2010"

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T11:35:00.001-05:00

Today I posted my very first listing of the year. I have also been able to do some school with the youngest two of my five. I thank God for his blessings throughout the past year and I pray that I will be able to honor him by obeying his commandments during the coming year. I know I am bound to fail in my walk but his grace is sufficient and I will not get down and out but will persevere.
Grape Soda Vintage Glass Button Necklace by TimelessTrinkets:

Poets' Corner - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Selected Works

2009-12-17T18:03:00.001-05:00

Poets' Corner - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Selected Works: "Snow-Flakes
OUT of the bosom of the Air
Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,
Over the woodlands brown and bare,
Over the harvest-fields forsaken,
Silent, and soft, and slow
Descends the snow.
Even as our cloudy fancies take
Suddenly shape in some divine expression,
Even as the troubled heart doth make
In the white countenance confession
The troubled sky reveals
The grief it feels.
This is the poem of the air,
Slowly in silent syllables recorded;
This is the secret of despair,
Long in its cloudy bosom hoarded,
Now whispered and revealed
To wood and field.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow"---Ah it's going to be snowing tomorow, time for hot chocolate, a good fire and some good poetry. Maybe even a walk to the post office in the snow.

Reflections Owl Spoon Necklace by TimelessTrinkets on Etsy

2009-11-20T09:04:00.001-05:00

Reflections Owl Spoon Necklace by TimelessTrinkets on Etsy: "Description
This necklace is rather intriguing. It is a vintage souvenir spoon that has had it's handle removed. The spoon has then been refashioned into a charm for a necklace. To the spoon I have added an owl charm with glaze.

Rather simple, a little quirky, and certainly a conversation piece.

Spoon measures 3/4' x 1.5' and brass plated steel chain measures 18'.

Little Red Wagon

2009-11-19T12:21:00.006-05:00

Motivation to go to the gym. Sunday I pulled my children and one of their friends around the parking lot in their little red wagon. I'm a thin person so naturally one does not think of exercising. However, I was so winded that I felt really out of shape. I'm going to try to start going 2-3 days per week and make my way up to going 5 mornings a week to work on the cardio machines. I really would like to be able to pull that little red wagon next spring with ease.

Cognac Vintage Chandelier Crystal Necklace by TimelessTrinkets

2009-11-19T12:19:00.001-05:00

Cognac Vintage Chandelier Crystal Necklace by TimelessTrinkets: "These beautiful teardrop crystals are so exquisite. I love the deep amber color with tiny air bubbles floating suspended within. I was able to acquire only a few of these beauties and each deign I make will be different.

All around the chain are golden Czech glass beads. The necklace measures 18' and has a backdrop of 4' allowing the necklace to be adjusted up to 22'. The pendant with crystal measures 4.5' long and 2' wide.

I really enjoy using old vintage pieces. It gives me a great sense of pleasure to know that I am recycling and giving new life to something that has been discarded."

Night Bird, Vintage Glass Button Necklace

2009-11-14T15:02:00.000-05:00

Pure vintage goodness. The focal of this necklace is a vintage button. The design of the button reminds me of a feather. To the sides I have added vintage chain with steel colored glass beads.The necklace measures 18" and the focal is a little over 1" across.A One of A Kind!

Nightingale, Repurposed Necklace with Freshwater Pearls

2009-11-14T14:58:00.004-05:00

This necklace is the combination of several different pieces of jewelry. The focal is a new metal cameo made with vintage molds. Above is a piece that I rescued from a broken bracelet, the rhinestone leaves came from a broken necklace, and the hand wrapped pearls are new.The necklace measures 17" long with a back extender allowing the necklace to be adjusted up to 19". The pendant dangles 2.5" from necklace and the cameo measures a little over 1" by 3/4".
I often think about the history of my creations and only if they could talk the stories you could hear.

Sea of Green Vintage German Glass Button Necklace

2009-11-12T18:52:00.004-05:00

I got these beautiful buttons last week from an Etsy seller located in Germany. They are so pretty and have a 3-D appereance to them. I have several colors but only one of each design. To see more of my designs please click on the link http://www.etsy.com/shop/TimelessTrinkets

New Design on Etsy

2009-11-12T18:41:00.003-05:00

Today I posted a necklace that I have been working on for several days. I really love pearls but the patience it takes to wire wrap them I don't have for one sitting. I work a little while then put it down and work some more later. I'm very happy with how this turned out. It's elegant yet could be casual as well. To see more of my work please click on the link below http://www.etsy.com/shop/TimelessTrinkets

Gone,long,Gone

2009-11-02T08:19:00.003-05:00

Wow, have I not posted in a while. I have been busy. Started a facebook account and school. However, while rearranging my playlist I thought, I need to blog. Thanksgiving will be upon us soooo I put the Cranberries at the top of my playlist. Hope you like the new music...it's some from when I was a bit younger. Still makes me feel young when I can dance around the kitchen while washing dishes. I'm sure that would be good tape for youtube, just hope no one ever catches me.
Still trying to avoid the H1N1 virus. My brother in law came down a week ago with it and nearly died within two days. He's hopefully getting out of the hospital this week.
Hope to post a few new styles this week. To be honest it is easier to post them on facebook since Etsy has a connection to facebook.
Best,
Marcella

Antique Buttons

2009-09-05T20:34:00.009-04:00

Some new styles I posted today. I just love antique buttons:) The necklace above features a pendant that can be detached from the chain and worn as a brooch.

These earrings are mother of pearl twinkle buttons from the late 1800's with freshwater pearls.

The button above is a carved mother of pearl button from the late 1800's. Below are freshwater pearls. My favorite!

To see more please visit my shop, Timeless Trinkets on Etsy.

Cally-Vintage Button Earrings

2009-08-19T21:40:00.004-04:00

With everything going on around here I have not managed to make very much jewelry lately. Here is a pair that I listed today. They are one of my favorites. I named them Cally.
Cally-from the Greek name Calantha meaning "Beautiful blossom."Such lovely little buttons! I'm not sure of the plastic, it is a very rigid plastic. To the bottom of this earring I have added a vintage bead in an opalescent pearl. The earring and filigree measure 3/4" across. The total earring measures 1 3/4" from top to bottom.These are gorgeous parts of history. The secrets they know and stories to tell. I feel a wonderful connection with the past when I hold one of these beauties.©Timeless Trinkets 2009

Buttons and Cameos

2009-08-12T15:26:00.006-04:00

I have been so busy lately that I have not had time to make any new jewelry. Yesterday I did manage to get two new earring styles posted in my Etsy shop. These sweet earrings feature very tiny cameos and a vintage faux pearl above.
This pressed glass button features a geometric design as it's focal. It is self shanked and I have set it in a brass filigree. The button is a wee one measuring 1/4" across I wonder what such a small button could have been used for.

Fun On Our Front Porch

2009-08-07T20:49:00.005-04:00

This is me and my son Simon. He looks like his Daddy but he does have my eyes. He loves the front porch and to sit on the rocker that was my grandmothers. I love this rocker. It will seat two adults or three children and rocks as well. It is oak and needs another good coat of sealer before winter. When I was little I use to sit in this rocker and help my grandmother fix the bounty of goodness from her garden(beans and corn).

Me and my beautiful daughter:)

Just Me!-Caroline took this one.

A necklace that I made today!

Trains and Time

2009-08-06T20:12:00.007-04:00

This key came from the Estate of a close friend's uncle who lived in Cincinnati. I suspect he may have worked for the railroad there. The back of the key is marked C C. I'm not sure what it means. I have mounted an antique glass button with some sort of metal inlay. This button is very unusual I haven't seen any like it before. The key is very nice and a heavy one at that. To the chain I have added various baubles to give the design some depth and interest.

This beautiful necklace features the insides of an antique ladies watch. I have added part of a 19" vintage rosary chain with glass beads The watch is silver tone, and below dangles a silver owl.

These can be found in my Etsy store, Timeless Trinkets.

Liosliath, Antique Floral Picture Button Necklace

2009-08-05T22:10:00.009-04:00

A great name that fits the piece. Liosliath- Scotch Gaelic: "Dweller at the gray fortress". An old castle clothed in vines, flowers and memories.This necklace features an antique button from the late 1800's. I have mounted the button on a very nice brass filigree with complementary flowers. The pendant measures 1 1/8" across and the antique brass chain measures 18". The shank of the button has been left in place.Liosliath- Scoth Gaelic: "Dweller at the gray fortress". An old castle clothed in vines, flowers and memories.This necklace features an antique button from the late 1800's. I have mounted the button on a very nice brass filigree with complementary flowers. The pendant measures 1 1/8" across and the antique brass chain measures 18". The shank of the button has been left in place. This box garden is but a shadow of time. I like to use every possible piece of watch parts that I come across, this necklace being no exception. Inside the shell of a vintage ladies wristwatch you will find a sage colored lily.Below dangle faceted Czech glass beads in shade of metallic they remind me of the rich soil beneath and the life of the garden. Above you will find a dragonfly visiting the garden. This is one of my favorite styles of necklace to make.

Ivy, My favorite theme on buttons.

2009-08-03T19:20:00.005-04:00

Picture buttons where at the height of fashion during the 1870's. They continued to be a main fashion statement until around 1915. Picture buttons portrayed images of the culture; birds,flowers,commemorative events,plays,operas,and in general the culture. They are a history lesson in a button. This necklace features a vintage picture button from the late 1800's. I have mounted the button on a very nice antique brass filigree with complementary flowers. The button features a flower as it's focal. The pendant measures 1 1/8" across and the antique brass chain measures 18".

This necklace features a vintage watch face mounted on a antique brass setting. The pendant measures 3/4" across and the chain is 18" long.

I really enjoy making jewelry with vintage components. The buttons and watch faces are my favorites.

The History Behind The Button

2009-08-01T11:44:00.003-04:00

The Song of Roland (French: La Chanson de Roland) is the oldest surviving major work of French literature. It exists in various different manuscript versions, which testify to its enormous and enduring popularity in the 12th to 14th centuries-Wiki In this poem the angel Gabriel comes to Charlemagne in a dream.

The main focal for this necklace is a picture button based upon this literary work.Picture buttons where at the height of fashion during the 1870's. They continued to be a main fashion statement until around 1915. Picture buttons portrayed images of the culture; birds,flowers,commemorative events,plays,operas,and in general the culture.This necklace features a vintage picture button from the late 1800's. I have mounted the button on a very nice brass filigree with complementary flowers. The button is brass in color with a picture of Charlemagne and the Warning Angel. Along the chain I have added Czech glass beads nestled in filigree caps.

Some Jewelry I Renewed Yesterday

2009-07-31T08:26:00.005-04:00

Since I was gone yesterday I didn't have any time to list new jewelry items so I renewed a couple of my favorites. This brass necklace features two love birds and a skeleton key.

This box garden is but a shadow of time. I like to use every possible piece of watch parts that I come across, this necklace being no exception. Inside the shell of a vintage ladies wristwatch you will find a blue flower, it shows up just a bit bighter than what it is, I couldn't get the camera to take the picture true to color. It's a lighter blue.

Below dangle faceted Czech glass beads in shade of metallic they remind me of the rich soil beneath and the life of the garden. Above you will find a sparrow visiting the garden.

Pastiche- As the Oxford English Dictionary puts it, a pastiche in this sense is "a medley of various ingredients; a hotchpotch, farrago, jumble."

This bracelet is comprised of a medley of vintage items. One is a brass tag from where I don't know, I tried researching the abbreviations without much success. The next item is an antique steel cut button. Cut steel is polished steel faceted studs riveted to a steel backing and where featured in fashion jewelry, ornaments, buttons and chatelaines. Popular from the Georgian through the Victorian eras, cut steel jewelry in the warm glow of candlelight must have been something to behold. Each stud could have up to 15 facets, and in general the finer and older the piece the more facets the studs will have. Made in both England and Europe, this style of jewelry fell out of favor by the turn of the 19th century. This little button does have some rust, one of the many problems with finding these buttons still intact is that they do rust. I have brushed cleaned the button with a little bit of steel wool to rub some of the rust off, I left a little bit for patina(I like it to look old). I have also added a freshwater pearl to the brass tag. To the multi strand brass bracelet I have hand wrapped gray freshwater pearls.

New Jewelry Styles- More Vintage Buttons

2009-07-29T20:59:00.007-04:00

I thought I would post some of my jewelry styles that I have been working on lately.

This necklace features a Satsuma button from Japan. It has the more rare blue glaze and I believe is one of the older buttons due to the fact that the shank is not glazed and very low close to the button. The front features chrysanthemums outlined with gold. It does have some mild wear to the gold finish on the edges, not bad considering that it was made in the early 1900's. If you would like to know more about the button's history there is a great aritcle by Dr. Stefan O. Schiff at Button Bytes Light http://www.tias.com/articles/buttons/archives/98_09_21/articles.html

A beautiful antique waist coat jeweled button is the focal for this necklace. I have set this button in a brass filigree and added beautiful emerald colored Czech glass beads 3/4 of the way around the necklace, chain is in the back at closure

This necklace was made with an antique glass button and Swarovski crystal, the finest in the world. The center button has 13 individual pieces of black glass that are cemented to a pierced metal framework. These type of glass buttons are as collectible as the steel cut buttons.

This necklace was made using an assortment of diminutive vintage glass buttons. Diminutive buttons measure 3/8" or less. That's tiny.

Green Beans!!!

2009-07-22T16:47:00.007-04:00

Well, I've had fun this week. I went to my Dad and Moms to help harvest their green beans. I can't tell you how long the row was it seemed to go on forever. I picked all morning, I picked all afternoon, and I snapped until the wee hours of the night. My shoulders hurt today but my fingers are not sore. What a wonderful blessing to have 108 quarts of green beans. I'm going to get 52 quarts of these green beans. I can't take credit for picking all the beans my 3 children did help and one tried to help-his attention span was a little lacking. Lillian the youngest really enjoyed shelling the peas(we picked a small amount of those as well). I'm not much for the canning process and my Mom doesn't like picking the beans so we were a perfect pair to rival Jack Sprat could eat no fat and his wife could eat no lean so together they licked the platter clean. I suppose the next thing we will be picking is the corn and then the October beans, but that hopefully will be awhile.

This past month has really had it's ups and downs. A down-My husband's Aunt and Mother died within a week of each other. An up-They were both Christians and are far better off now than when they lived here in this sinful world. An up-I had a need in an area that was meet with perfect timing. God is so good to us! He knows what we need just when we need it. So many times I jump the gun and just start panicking instead of trusting in him to supply all my needs. I need a more quiet and calm spirit.

Well I would stay and post longer however I need to fix supper(dinner).

God Bless!

Ah Summertime and the living is easy

2009-06-11T21:57:00.007-04:00

Whoever wrote that line must not have lived on a farm.

Well, it's a good thing I'm tired and bored. Too tired to make or post jewelry and bored so I decided to check my blog. I've actually been thinking about posting an entry and now I have to because I got tagged. I'll be expressing my thoughts about Summer. I'm going to talk about memories that I have of Summer as a child. I just realized that as an adult I have not given my children many consistent memories of summer. I now live in town and the schedule you have is so different to that of being on a farm.

June, what does the month of June evoke in my memories-strawberries, mmmm. Growing up on a farm with my grandparents who always planted a huge field of strawberries and sold them in June. Warm, thunderstorms-yikes, my mother's birthday, my parents anniversary and my son's birthday, not to mention Father's day. June is a busy month. We also have an arts festival every year in our town. We try to make it to several of the exhibits each year.

July, Fireworks-who cannot mention July without thinking about fireworks? Next in my memory would be blackberries, raspberries, ice cream, lightning bugs and heat. We always made homemade ice cream in July. I have an ice cream maker and have yet to start this tradition with my children. I need to get busy, they are growing up fast. July has to be on of the hottest months in the year. Heat so hot that you feel tired before noon and don't want to move for the rest of the day until evening and then you just want to slowly crawl in bed. When I was a child July was the month to go to the lake and splash in the creek. The heat never seemed to bother me.

August, Huckleberries, grapes, thunderstorms, and back to school. When I was a little girl we always went to the mountains to pick what my grandparents called huckleberries. They are smaller and tarter than blueberries and grow wild up on the mountains here in the Appalachians. The bushes are much larger than blueberries. We would leave at about 5:00 in the morning and pick until 12:00. I don't ever remember picking past that because of the heat. In the afternoon we would wash them and get them ready for canning. Not so long ago when my oldest child was a toddler I use to pick the grapes off of the vine in our back yard and make homemade grape juice. The vine has had some sort of rot on it for about 5 to 6 years and the yield is very poor. I haven't canned grape juice in a long time. One of my fondest memories is of her running around the back yard saying I want bates for grapes. Thunderstorms- I dread the summer storms. I'm abnormally afraid of storms due to being struck by lighting as a child. I was washing dishes and the lighting struck a tree whose roots where wrapped around the plumbing to our sink. It ran into the house and blew the sink into pieces, knock me out and across the kitchen. I don't remember anything about it except seeing a very bright light and the tree outside our kitchen window. Back to school-Even though we home school the schedule does lighten a bit over the summer. As an only child that went to the public school-August was my lifeline socially. It was the month that I finally got to see my friends and get back to learning and reading books. Growing up on a farm was very fun but my grandparents and mother did not read very much and the library was something for town folk. Reading anything but the Bible was not encouraged. We had so much work to do for our daily existence that reading seemed a waste of time unless it had to do with something very practical like a how to guide. T.V. was never watched. School was a welcomed relief from all the hard work on the farm.

September-pears and the cooler nights make me very excited about the Fall that is to come. Spiders and webs in the morning dew. Cooler days that are a welcome and the longing for snow to get here. Excited that anther season is about to approach and glad that the hard work of summer is slowing down. My favorite thing about September is that the pears are getting ripe and that I can make pear pie.

Well that's my summertime fun for now. I really do like summer even the heat. I am so blessed to live in a place that has all the four seasons.

Most memorable day so far was just this week. We went to some friends house and rode the golf cart and four wheeler around their property. Petted and chased their miniature goats and horses. Waded in the pond on their property and tried to catch fish with these little nets.-Got my first sunburn of the summer. To sound like my children-It was a totally awesome day!!!!!

Favorite food of summer-there are so many to mention. Cold stuff! Fresh tomatoes, ice cream, fruit. Watermelon has to be my favorite.

Happy Birthday Sweet Princess

2009-05-13T08:30:00.016-04:00

I have been so busy, sorry about the delay in posting. I thought I would post today because it is my daughter's birthday. Her name is Lillian and she is 3. Her name means Lily and this morning we noticed that it is the first day the poppies have opened. What a delightful birthday gift. Yesterday we worked in the flower beds and side yard. We have an American bulldog and the side yard is the only place we can have any flowers because it is fenced off from the dog. I have included many pictures of our side yard. It is my morning haven in the summer. I go out in the morning to drink my coffee, read my bible, and listen to the birds sing. I'm so thankful to have this space.

Dogwood tree in our side yard! Wiegela shrub in our side yard.

A view from our den window in the morning sun

Chives in our side yard-I need to top them!

My reading space, the chair was moved last night because we roasted marshmellows in the fire pit. I would like to grill some hotdogs to night but I think it is going to rain. The fire is nice on a chilly night. I hope to plant some morning glory flowers in the bird cage, they have always done well in it.

This year we are trying to grow a container garden. The radishes and lettuce are already coming up. I also planted kohlrabi, tomatoes, and peppers, I'm looking forward to seeing them sprout and hopefully grow.

The first poppy to bloom! We got these from a dear uncle who passed away six years ago. Every year they bloom I am reminded of him. I love to get flowers from loved ones and then plant them in my garden. I call it my memory garden.

Our BIG dog and the little fence that keeps her out. She could easily knock it down, but she doesn't know that:)

Well this is the end of my post. I have to go and make a birthday cake!

Rumpelstiltskin, 1-Button 4-Styles

2009-04-04T04:07:00.008-04:00

I was fortunate to be able to find several of these wonderful antique glass buttons. They are metal shanked and molded to look like woven fabric with a touch of gold. It looks like they where woven by Rumpelstiltskin. I enjoyed challenging myself to find as many styles possible to make these button into.

Well it's quite early and I woke up thinking I might stay up. However, I think I shall to back to bed.

I've also added some new songs to my play list. WARNING-Appalachian Spring is 24min. long.
Aaron Copeland is one of my favorite modern composers.

Read more about him on Wiki-don't you just love this site.
Aaron Copland (November 14, 1900 – December 2, 1990) was an American composer of concert and film music, as well as an accomplished pianist. Instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, he was widely known as "the dean of American composers." Copland's music achieved a balance between modern music and American folk styles. The open, slowly changing harmonies of many of his works are said to evoke the vast American landscape.

Part One-Clean Office

2009-03-23T10:55:00.007-04:00

Over the next 6 months, yes I did say 6 months. I am doing a clean, stash and trash of my house. If you haven't used it within 3 years-get rid of it!!! Over the past week and a half I have cleaned my office and design area where I make my jewelry, pay bills and store craft items for my children.

The top picture is where I design, the middle picture is where I hang designs that I'm working on or finished, and the lower picture is my new computer and scales where I weigh packages. I also have a picture of my family between the computer and scales.

On a different topic, please remember my mother in law in prayer. She is very sick and continues to be in a nursing home declining in health. She has dementia and is on dialysis for her kidneys. Really, she has so many health issues that I cannot list them all. Last week she was in the hospital and she has voiced many times that she is scared of dying. She has said that she is a Christian. She has struggled with major depression all her life and this has been so defeating to her walk with Christ. Now at the end she is afraid. I pray that God will give her the strength to face death with victory instead of fear. Thank you!

Cute As A Button

2009-03-09T21:55:00.006-04:00

This is kind of my Simple Womans Daybook without the format.

Well I'm sitting here pondering the deeper meanings of life with my daughter. We are here to glorify God and how can we do this in our daily life. I'm wearing jeans, knit shirt, and penny loafers with no socks(totally prep) . Meanwhile, my son needs a pull up for bedtime and has just finished washing his hands with the water on full pressure-just sent him to wipe up the puddles in the floor. In the kitchen I hear the delightful NOISE of one of my son's singing-more like humming, now counting, soon to be boom, pow, crash. Lillian my least on the other hand is crabby about the time change. No one seems to be able to get her in a good mood. Her brother just brought in the rag that he used to clean up the water with and threw it at her feet. Now my oldest daughter is arguing with her 5 year old brother about meatballs-I think the problem has solved itself. Three people are all talking at the same time in the kitchen(did I hear a shut up-boy someone is in trouble) while one is crying-HELP! HELP! My House IS NOT QUIET-unless someone is watching a movie or asleep. Hubby is wise- He's asleep:)

On another note, I had a very good weekend in my Etsy shop. I sold many items plus made a wholesale contact in Holland. I'm so thankful to have this extra income. Especially now that my husband has opened his own business, it has really been a blessing to be able to make a little extra money to help out with our expenses. I'm so thankful that he has been more than willing to help out in the kitchen since I have been more than tired with the extra job. Tonight we were both in the kitchen cooking together, it was a lot of fun. He made barbecued pork ribs and I made meatballs. He made cooked mixed veggies and I made a salad. May sound like an odd menu but we were trying to use up leftover meat in the frig before it went bad. We had chicken legs to go bad today and boy did they stink(whew).

Last but not least I wanted to post some necklaces I made last week for the shop. They are very simple but add a splash of color to your neckline. Sometimes I really like a very simple and elegant design. The beauty of a piece can get lost if it is too busy.

Well, thanks for stopping by to read my post. I hope you have a blessed week!

Computer Monster

2009-02-23T03:01:00.006-05:00

Well, it's late. I woke up about an hour ago with my left arm numb and hurting. It hurts so bad that I can't sleep. I carried my daughter a lot at church yesterday and now I'm paying the price. Oh, I feel a Motrin coming on and hopefully some more sleep.

At our church on Friday we watched the movie Fireproof. I had not seen this movie before but had heard a lot of good reviews. I thought is was very nice, it is a good example of what can happen in a bad marriage when you turn your heart to God and learn to worship and please him by how you treat others in your life. The main character's focus changed from being self centered to being God centered.

Believe it or not this movie really convicted me in the area of my hobby turned somewhat job. Making jewelry. I like to make jewelry and have found that it can easily consume my time. I am constantly reminded of Luke 12:34 that where your treasures are your heart will be as well. I think in someways it has become a parasite in my life and has consumed time that could have better been spent with my family. I am praying that God will help me to be better at organizing my time and to focus more on my family than my hobby.

I am also trying to schedule time on the computer for our whole family because it seems to consume a lot of it. It is such a useful tool and can be used for so much good, yet on the other hand it can be a black hole. 5 minutes turns into an hour. There are days that I wish I could just throw it out the window, it causes so many arguments in our home. Especially the games the boy's like to play. Please pray for our family as we endeavor to get the computer monster under control.

On to another note.

I wanted to post this for Valentine's Day, but as you can see I'm late. I'm not much on celebrating man made holidays except for the fact that my kid's really like any excuse there is to make sweets. However, if Valentine's Day is one that you just can't go without celebrating(I do like the chocolate) this piece of a very long poem(reads more like a book, what was he thinking?) is a very nice one to insert in your card.

HIAWATHA'S WOOING, an exert form Hiawatha's Song by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"As unto the bow the cord is,
So unto the man is woman;
Though she bends him, she obeys him,
Though she draws him, yet she follows,
Useless each without the other!"

Earring Frenzy

2009-02-13T02:09:00.000-05:00

Well it's late, I'm up(as well as my daughter) and can't sleep. We're drinking Tension Tamer Tea hoping that sleep will come soon. Meanwhile I thought I would post about some earrings I made this week. With the exception of one pair, the ones with the fans, they are all made with buttons that are over 1oo years old. The fan buttons came in a box with other antique buttons that I purchased and upon closer examination I realized they where just too good to be true and where impostors. Still a beautiful pair of buttons I made a pair of earrings with them. I paired them with my favorite gem, pearls.

Not much else going on around here. We managed to keep the house semi clean, the waundry in my laundry is coming back.
God Bless.

Afternooon In February

2009-02-02T11:20:00.000-05:00

Well it's February, almost half way through winter. Today it is sunny with a chance of snow showers this afternoon. I have almost taken control of my laundry. If I get a chance I will take a picture and post later on this week.
The necklace to the right is one I made using a tinted antique button from the late 1800's. It is a snowflake and reminds me of the month of February because it is wintery and purple.
I thought I would post a poem about February by Longfellow, my favorite poet. I know it's a little dismal, but it paints February very accurately-the dead of winter. I'm not sure if there is a hidden meaning behind this poem, to me it seems pretty straightforward.

Afternoon in February

The day is ending,
The night is descending;
The marsh is frozen,
The river dead.

Through clouds like ashes
The red sun flashes
On village windows
That glimmer red.

The snow recommences;
The buried fences
Mark no longer
The road o'er the plain;

While through the meadows,
Like fearful shadows,
Slowly passes
A funeral train.

The bell is pealing,
And every feeling
Within me responds
To the dismal knell;

Shadows are trailing,
My heart is bewailing
And tolling within
Like a funeral bell.

There's A Waundry in My Laundry

2009-01-27T11:08:00.000-05:00

Did you ever have the feeling there's a WAUNDRY IN YOUR LAUNDRY or a SLOUSE IN YOUR BLOUSE...or DIRT IN YOUR SHIRT???
By the time the Waundry gets done with our laundry there's dirt in it all and we are left with the quandary is it clean or dirty?
Sometimes I feel quite aware that there's a hock in my sock and a zwear in my underwear.
Some of them are friendly like the zeans in my jeans or the cose in my hose. But that nweater in my sweater and the stress in my dress I could do without.
I do care about it and hope you don't believe me. Because that's the kind of laundry I have and hope to one day conquer it.

Any tips? Our washing machine and dryer are upstairs and we homeschool downstairs most of the day. The one pile actually has my son hidden in the clothes. I put the clothes in a basket when they come out, then the baskets get full and the laundry goes in the floor in front of the dryer. We then make a feeble attempt to put some of it away and have to scatter it all over the hallway to sort it out. However, at this point we start to loose the battle and the laundry stays scattered or gets scooted over to one side of the hallway only to be spread out again when someone needs something that is not in their drawer. It doen't help that I find laundry to be the most boring of all housekeeping chores. My daughter does all of her laundry herself and the pile you see folded was done by my son-thank you. Doesn't he look tired? The amazing part is there are 7 of us, 2 socks per day-1 pair of pants,1-shirt, and 1 pair of underwear, not to mention a toddler who sometimes is changed up to 3 times a day for messing out her pants or spilling something on her shirt. This equals up to 245 items of laundry per week-no wonder it has taken on a life of it's own. btw, this pile is relativly small it has been twice this size.

Hope you enjoyed the post it is based upon the Dr. Seuss book, There's a Wocket in my Pocket.

God bless!

99 Luftballons

2009-01-22T07:07:00.000-05:00

So what's with the new song??? It's a relic from my youth. This song was recorded in 1983. So, I guess it's an oldie but a goodie :) Who would have know the wall would come down in only six years? Seems like only yesterday. I thought I would post the history behind the song. This is from Wikipedia.

The translation of the title is sometimes given as "Ninety-Nine Air Balloons". However "Ninety-Nine Balloons" is correct ^[1]^[2]. A Luftballon is a colourful toy balloon, rather than a balloon for transport or research. The name is derived from Luft, German for air, but the meaning of Luft does not qualify the type of balloon. The title "99 RED Balloons" scans correctly with the syllables falling in the right places within the rhythm of the first lines of lyrics, with "red" replacing "Luft".

"99 Luftballons" is a Cold War-era protest song by the German singer Nena. Originally sung in German, it was later re-recorded in English as "99 Red Balloons".

While at a Rolling Stones concert in Berlin, Nena's guitarist Carlo Karges noticed that balloons were being released. As he watched them move toward the horizon, he noticed them shifting and changing shapes, where they looked nothing like a mass of balloons but some strange spacecraft. (The word in the German lyrics "UFO") He thought about what might happen if they floated over the Berlin Wall to the Soviet sector.^[3]

Both the English and German versions of the song tell a story of ninety-nine balloons floating into the air, triggering an apocalyptic overreaction by military forces. The music was composed by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, the keyboardist of Nena's band, while Karges wrote the original German lyrics. - Wiki

Below are the translations I found on a music sight. Notice that the German and English subject verb order is essentially the same. German is such a cool language to learn.

German	Direct German Translation	English as Sung
Hast Du etwas Zeit fuer mich?	Do you have some time for me	You and I in a little toy shop
Dann singe ich ein Lied fuer Dich	Then I'll sing a song for you	buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got
Von Neunundneunzig Luftballons	About 99 balloons	Set them free at the break of dawn
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont	On their way to the horizon	'Til one by one, they were gone
Denkst Du vielleicht grad' an mich?	Are you perhaps thinking of me?	Back at base, bugs in the software
Dann singe ich ein Lied fuer Dich	Then I'll sing a song for you	Flash the message, "Something's out there"
Von Neunundneunzig Luftballons	About balloons	Floating in the summer sky
Und dass sowas von sowas kommt	And that something (like the war) comes from such a thing (the balloons)	99 red balloons go by.

Neunundneunzig Luftballons	99 balloons	99 red balloons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont	On their way to the horizon	floating in the summer sky
Hielt man fuer UFOs aus dem All	They thought they were UFOs from space	Panic bells, it's red alert
Darum schickte ein General	So a general sent	There's something here from somewhere red
'ne Fliegerstaffel hinterher	A flying squad out there	The war machine springs to life
Alarm zu geben, wenn's so waer	To raise the alarm if it was true	Opens up one eager eye
Dabei war'n da am Horizont	Yet there on the horizon were	Focusing it on the sky
Nur Neunundneunzig Luftballons	Only 99 balloons	Where 99 red balloons go by.

Neunundneunzig Duesenflieger	99 jet planes	99 Knights of the air
Jeder war ein grosser Krieger	Each one was a great warrior	ride super-high-tech jet fighters
Hielten sich fuer Captain Kirk	Thought that they were Captain Kirk	Everyone's a Superhero
Es gab ein grosses Feuerwerk	There were great fireworks	Everyone's a Captain Kirk
Die Nachbarn haben nichts gerafft	The neighbors didn't understand anything	With orders to identify
Und fuehlten sich gleich angemacht	And felt equally provoked	To clarify and classify
Dabei schoss man am Horizont	Yet there they shot on the horizon	Scramble in the summer sky
Auf Neunundneunzig Luftballons	At 99 balloons	As 99 red balloons go by.

Neunundneunzig Kriegsminister	99 war ministers	99 Decision Street
Streichholz und Benzinkanister	Matches and petrol cans	99 ministers meet
Hielten sich fuer schlaue Leute	Thought that they were clever people	To worry, worry, super-scurry
Witterten schon fette Beute	Already caught wind of great spoils [of war]	Call the troops out in a hurry
Riefen: Krieg und wollten Macht	Shouted: War, and wanted power	This is what we've waited for
Mann, wer haette das gedacht	Man, who would have thought	This is it boys, this is war
Dass es einmal soweit kommt	That one day it would come to this	The president is on the line
Wegen Neunundneunzig Luftballons	Because of 99 balloons	As 99 red balloons go by.

Neunundneunzig Jahre Krieg	99 years of war	99 dreams I have had
Liessen keinen Platz fuer Sieger	Don't leave a place for victors	In every one a red balloon
Kriegsminister gibt's nicht mehr	There are no ministers of war any more	It's all over and I'm standin' pretty
Und auch keine Duesenflieger	And No jet planes either	In this dust that was a city
Heute zieh ich meine Runden	Today I'm doing my rounds	If I could find a souvenier
Seh' die Welt in Truemmern liegen	Seeing the world lying in ruins	Just to prove the world was here...
Hab' 'nen Luftballon gefunden	Found a balloon	And here is a red balloon
Denk' an Dich und lass' ihn fliegen	Think of you and let it fly	I think of you and let it go.

It's Snowing, it's snowing!!!

2009-01-19T18:00:00.000-05:00

Well I don't have much to say except it's snowing and a picture is worth a thousand words. After finishing a day of school we went to the local college to sled. We met the nicest couple who had moved here six months ago from Florida. They live about an hour away and had not a drop of snow, so they decided to go snow hunting and ended up in our neck of the woods. She is a Christian and an artist, her web site is Susan Oller Gallery, very beautiful paintings. We were out in the snow for about two hours. Everyone had lots of fun, including myself. I went down the hill at least 8-10 times, mostly with LilyB.
God Bless,
Timeless Trinkets

Brrrr it's cold and I'm still painting

2009-01-14T20:32:00.000-05:00

Well to update anyone who is reading this I finished the playroom today. I will try to post pictures of the room later on tonight. I love love love it! Such a happy room. I can have sunshine even on a cloudy day.
I thought I would also share one of my favorite sites http://www.hwlongfellow.org/ I hope this link works. For some reason I'm not that good at copying and pasting links. It's a link to a sight about Longfellow, my favorite poet. I really like his lyrical writing style. Does anyone one know why it is called lyrical? Well let me tell you what I recently learned. The Greeks wrote their poetry to be sung to the lyre thus it was called lyrical poetry. To determine if poetry is lyrical it should have a set meter based on a set number of syllables per line. In other words, the poem has a pattern that you can recognize and usually rhymes. My husband's Uncle Bliss wrote lyrical poetry. I will try from time to time post some of his work. I really like the fact that most of his poetry was based on historical happenings and places here where I live.
The poem below was written by Longfellow and in my opinion is the perfect poem for January.

Woods in Winter

When winter winds are piercing chill,
And through the hawthorn blows the gale,
With solemn feet I tread the hill,
That overbrows the lonely vale.

O'er the bare upland, and away
Through the long reach of desert woods,
The embracing sunbeams chastely play,
And gladden these deep solitudes.

Where, twisted round the barren oak,
The summer vine in beauty clung,
And summer winds the stillness broke,
The crystal icicle is hung.

Where, from their frozen urns, mute springs
Pour out the river's gradual tide,
Shrilly the skater's iron rings,
And voices fill the woodland side.

Alas! how changed from the fair scene,
When birds sang out their mellow lay,
And winds were soft, and woods were green,
And the song ceased not with the day!

But still wild music is abroad,
Pale, desert woods! within your crowd;
And gathering winds, in hoarse accord,
Amid the vocal reeds pipe loud.

Chill airs and wintry winds! my ear
Has grown familiar with your song;
I hear it in the opening year,
I listen, and it cheers me long.

God Bless,
Timeless Trinkets

Almost There

2009-01-13T09:04:00.000-05:00

After being sick with a head cold for two days, yesterday I was able to resume painting the bathroom. Simon and Lillian helped on the lower half of the wall. It was little crazy since this is a very small bathroom. I really-really-really like the color and am so pleased at how it turned out. Today, I am off to paint the playroom. I have decided to paint it a sunflower yellow. A very happy and warm color. I also am experimenting with painting the mantel various dark colors to complement the yellow. I like white trim, however, the mantel needs special treatment. I'm going to post a picture of the bathroom. All that needs to be done is painting the baseboards.

Only 3 days left until my children come home so I need to hurry hurry hurry:)

God Bless!

A New Coat

2009-01-10T17:16:00.000-05:00

of paint!!!!
Since my older three children are gone I have taken the time to spend more one on one time with my fourth child, Simon. Today we went to our local home improvement store and bought some paint. We plan on painting the bathroom and maybe the playroom. I found a cute little roller that was just Simon's size. He did very well and we got a lot of the bathroom painted. It had been painted a color named Pear. It gave your complexion a sort of sick look and had been scrubbed to the point of not having paint on the wall in certain places. I really like the new color.

On the other hand, the playroom color Cinnamon Swirl I don't like. I think it is too Southwestern for our type of farmhouse. It is between a peachy-pink color. We built on to our house three years ago and lost a window in that room and it is very dark not to mention the color that had been on the walls was a very dark teal blue. I've painted test spots on the walls in various colors and today out of frustration I had my husband help me pick out a color and went with it. It won't go to waste because the wall will need 2-3 coats of paint to cover up the dark blue. I would like something maybe with a little more pink undertones rather than orange.

My husband cooked supper while Simon and I painted. Spaghetti, yum. I will have to say he is a very good cook, better than me when it comes to meat. I'm the baker and sweet maker. I'm very blessed that he enjoys cooking. All in all it was a nice way to spend a rainy day!!

God Bless!!

It's Quiet

2009-01-09T03:37:00.000-05:00

Three of my children have gone to Florida with my parents. I miss them and hope they are having a very nice trip. I have the two younger one's here at home and who would have thought how quiet it has been. All this quietness has let my brain and body recharge a bit. However I must admit I'm really missing my daughter's help with her little sister. Lillian, my least one has asked me over and over when will her siblings be home. On a brighter note her and Simon have fought very little:)

Being an artist reminds me so much of our creator. Sometimes when I make a piece and it turns out the way I planned I take such delight in just looking at the item. Other times I make a piece that isn't what I wanted and I will post it for a while hoping that someone else finds beauty in this piece. Occasionally they do and purchase it. Most of the time I become impatient with having to look at that ugly piece and I will remove it, either to take it apart or redesign it.
Being the Presbyterian that I am, with a heritage of Baptist raising, I will attempt to explain where this post is going. Romans 9. Yep, any artist with half a brain cannot argue with Romans 9. I recently had a discussion with my father about the call to salvation. He still believes that God is just begging for all those unsaved people to choose salvation. How could God make people that are not to be saved. First of all I am a sinful person and the things I make don't always come out just the way I envisioned them, God is perfect and creates all according to his will-no mistakes here. Secondly, I created the piece I have almost total control over what I will do with this piece of jewelry, sometimes I have the patience to look at it for awhile hoping that it will do it's intended purpose(make someone else happy and make me some money) other times I will remove the piece and take it apart or redesign it. God doesn't have to sit around and hope that his creation will do it's purpose. He has full control and knows exactly for what purpose and why this person was created. Thirdly, how can we as sinful people tell God that this is unfair. Who are we to question God? I'm guilty of this and when I start questioning God as to if he is fair or unfair with my circumstances I find that it stems from pride on my part. I then go to Romans 9 for a reality check.
You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?"On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory

It's not because we are so great that he made us for salvation, it is by his mercy that we are not cast into hell. All have sinned and fallen short. It is only by his choice that we are saved. Our duty to Him is to honor and glorify him in all that we do. Continually thank him for his mercies. At best this can also be a way we deal with those around us. Be patient with others. Pray for your brother or sister in Christ. Share the gospel with them. Encourage them. Show others that Christ lives in us by not always wanting to be noticed by how different we are(such as in our dress and appearance) but by always giving him the credit and glory for all things. Many times my children will ask how is it that the unsaved can do good deeds. Sometimes the unsaved can do better deeds than those whose claim to be Christians. I struggle with this myself. My only answer would be that many do things to feel better about themselves, to have people give them praise, to have the focus and eyes upon them. Any comments??

By the way the necklace above is not one of my ugly pieces, it's one of my favorites:)

Through The Looking Glass

2009-01-05T19:48:00.000-05:00

I decided to post a picture of a bracelet I made a few weeks ago using a vintage watch band and chandelier crystal. I named this creation "Through the looking glass". Just imagine the former past of this crystal, the people it greeted, meals overseen, the conversations overheard. It reminds me of our lives, they are but a small space in time.

The computer reminds me of a looking glass. We can look into it and expect to find many who are just like us. Many times we do, other times we don't. It' so easy to make friendships here. The people on the other side that read and hear us seam so easy to talk to and communicate with. However, I do find it very impersonal. There are no facial expressions to observe, no smiles to see, no hurt eyes to behold. There is an old English proverb "Eyes are the window to the soul". A person's thoughts can be ascertained by looking in his or her eyes. The proverb has been traced back in English to 'Regiment of Life' (1545). But the proverb was known much earlier. Cicero (106-43 B.C.) is quoted as saying, 'Ut imago est animi voltus sic indices oculi' (The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter). The Latin proverbs, 'Vultus est index animi' or 'Oculus animi index,' are usually translated as 'The face is the index of the mind.' The French say, 'Les yeux sont le miroir de l'dme (The eyes are the mirror of the soul). 'The eyes are the window of the soul' is a variant form of the proverb..." From "Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings" by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996).

Nurturing a friendship with somebody you can’t see or feel, is not an easy task, by any means, for without their physical presence, forming a friendship that will last forever is very difficult. C.S. Lewis says friends are people that are travelling in the same direction, have similar aspirations and goals and encourage each other in attaining those goals. Friends are not people that pull you down. They are not people who are jealous, they are people who can handle your talents and gifts and help you to be the best you can be. Friendships is DOING and not just TALKING.

Of course, some people will argue that there is an advantage in not being able to see one another. Some don’t have a lot of confidence in their looks and some shy away from speaking in public, or in a group. For these people, online friendship can be a way of avoiding these daunting moments. In the main though, this opens up the Internet to deception in an Internet friendship. Anybody can be anybody they wish… hide behind a veil and live an Internet life of deceit and lies. Any person who owns a computer, can log onto these sites anonymously and make friends with bad intentions, and sometimes these people are difficult to spot until perhaps, it’s too late.

So, when making friends over the internet, it is advisable to be extremely careful and be alert at all times. When speaking to unknown people on the internet, do not divulge personal information, like you telephone number, address or even close location, unless you are totally sure of the person to whom you’re speaking. Cut contact, if you feel this person is probing too deeply into your personal life, and don’t disclose anything about your friends, relatives or close family. Exchange photographs only if you know this person well, and trust them with personal information, and never, ever arrange to meet a person you have just met on the Internet. Whatever age you are, if you feel you want to go meet somebody tell your parents or a very close friend. Someone should know where and when the meeting is to take place. Always check a person’s profile, and if you feel they’re not genuine, don’t accept their friends request, and certainly don’t forward or read e-mails to or from unknown people.

I hope the people here with blogs meet many friends, nuture those friendships, and always remember there is a person on the other side of the screen.

God bless

Star Gazing

2009-01-03T18:22:00.000-05:00

What a day it has been!!! We drove around last night in the dark to find the perfect spot at which to view the meteor shower this morning. We drove all the way to the top of a local mountain into the clouds. It was kind of eery, being able to only see 20 feet in front of you. At the top there was some snow and a driveway where we could turn around to go back down the mountain. I was hoping to get above the cloud bank, but our mountain wasn't that high. We finally drove northeast in our county to a church that is located in a big open space-perfect spot. Then home we came....only to arise again at 4:00. We passed one other person who was standing outside their car gazing at the heavens(felt good to know we weren't the only strange ones out at such odd hours).It was slow at first and then on toward 5:30 things started to happen. It wasn't as showy as some that I've seen but it was worth getting up to go see. I would estimate that we saw 1-2 meterorites every 3 minutes during the peak. It was such a blessing to have a clear sky, our prayers were answered. As we drove back into town we again drove into the cloud bank. It was cloudy in town until around 1:00 p.m.

My domestic diva took a turn for the worse today as I have been very tired from getting up so early. I also had to mail a load of parcels and go by my husband 's office to unload a good amount of stuff. All in all I did well to wash a load of dishes, make Harmony soup for lunch, change a toddler about 4 times, and start to clean up my office(which made lots of people happy). I still need to put in a roast for church lunch, lay out clothes for Sunday, get baths for two children, wash dishes, and straighten up the kitchen. Did I mention I stilllllll need to put away Christmas decorations...that will come next week.

I think I will end with posting a picture and description of a necklace that I recently sold. It was one of my favorites. Sometimes I hate to let my pieces go and I do miss them, but I am glad that I have made another person happy and they are enjoying the talent that God has given me.

This necklace was a delight to make. I could just smell the cherry blossoms, despite it being winter. I couldn't believe how well the button fit into the vintage watch case. The watch case inside is marked 14K. The button is back marked AP and Cie, a Paris company. Albert Parent and Company of Paris, the manufacturer of some of the most elegant buttons ever made. I have added to this piece lots of vintage goodness. The silver dimpled balls came off of a broken metal wired necklace. Brass flower,leaf and butterfly charms add to the spring theme of the necklace.

This is a very collectible button, especially since the shank has been left in place.

Thanks for stopping in to read my ramblings.

Back In The Swing of Things

2008-12-30T21:54:00.000-05:00

Well I am finally back into the swing of things. Today I baked bread, helped my daughter to make a pear pie, did laundry about 5 loads(almost caught up-thanks to all of Avery, Elliot, and Simon's help), made a huge salad and meatloaf for supper. I still have lots of house cleaning to catch up on plus the ornaments and decoration to put away. Whew! I also listed some new items as well as sold a commissioned order. My favorite item I listed today is the necklace above. This necklace features a vintage brooch as it's focal. Above the necklace I have added a vintage picture button from the late 1800's. These types of buttons where very popular during this time period. This one has a picture of a flower. It has some oxidation and does show it's age, one little hole in the metal. It does not have any rust. Personally, I like the worn look. It's old and I want it to look old.Because of the inner cardboard construction you cannot wash these buttons. They will rust from moisture trapped in the middle. The Victorians would remove such buttons before laundering their clothes(wow).I have however brushed cleaned this button. Glad I don't live in the Victorian era as far a time spent on appearance. Overall it was a blessed day spent with my family.

A Thankful Christmas

2008-12-26T20:40:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of our Christmas tree, excuse the patch work on the wall. We live in an older home and had some work done to the walls and painting is not our priority. One day the plaster repair will be dark green like the rest of the walls. Today I finally broke down and went to Kmart to buy an artificial tree. We have always had a live tree, but this year after putting up the tree my husband and daughter started sneezing and having watery eyes. Not only that but the daily cleanup and watering is beyond my housekeeping abilities. I was very thankful to find a beautiful artificial tree . It looks real, has lights, and was 1/2 price. What could be better? I also was able to purchase some candles, wrapping paper, and cards as well. Next year I will be ready!!

I pray that everyone had a pleasant Christmas filled with joyful hearts. Our Christmas was very blessed with family and friends. On Christmas Eve, my husband read from the Scriptures about the true meaning of Christmas. He mostly read from Genesis, then Isaiah, and finished with the Gospels. We then prayed, opened our gifts, and had an evening meal. On Christmas day we attended our Church, had Bible readings as well as sang hymns. It is always so fun to look forward to Christmas Day and know that we will get to go to church and fellowship with our friends. We then went to pick up my husband's mother who lives in an assisted living home and take her to my parents home to celebrate with an afternoon meal and gift giving. It was a long and busy day, but a very happy day.

Truffles!!!

2008-12-20T18:18:00.000-05:00

Today we made Truffles!! A Christmas tradition for our house. This is such an easy recipe that I thought I would share it, the recipe I was given called for dipping the chocolate balls, but I like to make them in candy molds using a paint brush to double coat the mold with chocolate and then pressing in the center.

Mocha Truffles

2pkgs. (12oz. each) semisweet chocolate chips (4cups)
1 pkg. (8ox.) cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. instant coffee granules
2 tsp. water
1 pound dark chocolate confectionery coating
white chocolate confectionery coating, optional

In a microwave safe bowl or double boiler, melt chocolate chips. Add cream cheese, coffee and water, mix well. Chill (or set on counter) until firm enough to shape into 1 in. balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Shill for 1-2 hours or until firm. Melt chocolate coating. Dip balls and place on waxed paper to harden. If desired, melt white coating and drizzle over truffles. Store in refrigerator.

Okay, what we do is coat the candy molds with melted chocolate disc(find them at Michaels) put them in the freezer for 2 min. then coat again and back into the freezer. Take out and add to the center the choc. and cream cheese mixture pressing down a little but not with too much force, do not fill them to the brim because you will need to brush on a top of melted choc. to seal the truffle. Put them back into the freezer for 2 more min. and then remove and pop out truffles. You can then wrap in tissue paper and box. Because of the cream cheese they need to be stored in the refrigerator.

We have used many different flavorings, you can substitute 1/2 tsp. of any extract for the coffee granules, such as raspberry, strawberry, mint, rum, and almond.

Merry Christmas!

New Designs and a Rare Find

2008-12-13T21:07:00.000-05:00

I have been so busy that I haven't finished decorating for Christmas. At least this year we remembered to cut the price tag off of the tree. Last year while taking down the decorations we noticed that the price tag was one of the ornaments. I've been working on some new designs, one of my favorites being the Shadowbox Garden necklace(shown above). It is made from a vintage watch case left over from when I make my Shadows of Time necklaces. I would like to make these using many different colors of flowers, however the ivory is my favorite.

I also came across a beautiful enameled button. It just so happened as I was digging through my box of goodies, many given to me by people who want to clean out their jewelry boxes(thank you!!Thank you!!!) , that I came across a beautiful silver orphaned filigree earring. I believe that it is sterling. The beautiful button fit the earring perfect. I so want to keep this one for myself, but I don't have many outfits with these colors. I just can't bring myself to buy an outfit to match the accessory- too much work on my part just to look good. Oh well, someone is going to have a treasured and collectible piece of jewelry.

Thanks for taking the time to stop in and read my rambling about jewelry and life.
God bless!

15th Wedding Anniversary

2008-12-04T22:21:00.000-05:00

Today my husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. It was a delightful overcast day with some drizzle, just like the day we were married. I'll be on the lookout tonight for snow, it snowed on our wedding night. We went to a friends house about an hour away and she watched our 5 children along with her 3, while we went out for the day. What a very sweet friend to do this for us. Our day started off with a trip to a small local restaurant that serves Spanish style cuisine. The sausage was delicious and the dessert was some type of egg custard with Amaretto sauce. Ummm.
We then went to a local used book store that benefits the local library and walked out with 12 books for $26...what a bargain. To end the day, we drove to a local winery that we had never visited, Chateau Laurinda, which specializes in making German styled wine and fruit wine from the local fruit farmers. My favorite wine had to be the Strawberry and Raspberry. These where not the artificial colored and flavored stuff you find in the stores but wines made from fruit without any additives. We ended up buying tasting glasses for souvenirs and several bottles of wine. I feel sorry for our wineries here in Virginia. To be able to sell to local restaurants they need a distributors license which cost around $5,000. Or they can go through a distributor and not be able to compete with the big wineries who can sell their wine at half the price. These small wineries cannot afford this type of tax, so therefore they have to try to advertise with their own organizations. I hope they will get this law changed soon. North Carolinia has a lot of small wineries and I believe it is because they do not have this pay it to the piper kind of law.
Well enough of my raving for the day. I think I will post a picture of one of my favorite necklaces that I made. It is a button of a thistle. I am a reformed presbyterian, scottland,thistle...need I say more. Have a beautiful and blessed week.

Lo how a Rose e'er Blooming

2008-11-15T08:27:00.000-05:00

Today it is raining. It is suppose to snow, maybe just a dusting tonight. I am getting ready for my daughter birthday celebration today and last night as we came home from the grocery store she noticed a single white rose blooming in our neighbors yard. The sight of that single rose reminded me of the hymn, Lo ere a rose is blooming, one of my favorite hymns. I love roses ( white and yellow being my favorites) and they are one of the few flowers that will bloom in a mild winter. I have included the lyrics below in English as well as German. The symbolism of Christ as the rose is exquisite and the allusion to the prophecy in Isaiah 11:10 helps to tie Advent and Christmas together.This hymn was sung in the Academy Award winning movie Love Story (1971). In a few days I would like to get a couple of versions up so that you can listen to the music. I'm not very good with this technical stuff and my daughter will be helping me get together a play list. I also thought I would include a picture of a necklace that I designed and recently sold.- Have a blessed day!

Lo, how a rose e'er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming,
As men of old have sung.
It came, a flow'ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half-spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
The rose I have in mind,
With Mary we behold it.
The Virgin mother kind.
To show God's love aright
She bore to them a Savior,
When half-spent was the night.

__________

Es ist ein Ros'

Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen
Aus einer Wurzel zart.
Wie uns die Alten sungen,
Aus Jesse kam die Art
Und hat ein Bl�mlein bracht,
Mitten im kalten Winter,
Wohl zu der halben Nacht.

Das R�slein das ich meine,
Davon Jesaias sagt:
Maria ist's, die Reine,
Die uns das Bl�mlein bracht:
Aus Gottes ewigem Rat
Hat sie ein Kindlein g'boren
Bleibend ein reine Magd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyuOIYCERc4

More Paper Lockets

2008-11-13T07:09:00.000-05:00

I'm so happy the wall paper locket sold. The colors where really very vibrant and pretty. I hope to have more posted soon. Meanwhile, I have made another locket using a vintage ornithology illustration from an old book. I'll try to post a picture.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

My daughter's 13th birthday is only a few days away and we are busy getting ready. Wow, she's a teenager and a very delightful girl. I am blessed to have her as my daughter and pray that she will always choose to glorify God in her endeavors. Not to brag, but she is a budding artist. I have always enjoyed art and when I was younger would occasionally draw and paint. I cannot express the joy that I receive by watching her draw and develop as an artist.

Etsy best,
Timeless Trinkets

Fun New Locket- Wallpaper who would have thought!!

2008-11-06T10:46:00.000-05:00

I mostly make lockets with buttons, brooches and old watch parts. However, this week I thought I would try something new. Wallpaper!!! I guess I'm a real recycle nut, but I believe we should be good stewards of what has been given(waste not want not). I was thinking about all those huge wall paper sample books they have at the interior designing store we have here in town...what happens when the styles discontinued ??? Well there thrown in the dump. I've used this paper for various craft projects and it came to me this week why not jewelry? To the center of this locket I have pasted wallpaper, sealed it with resin for protection and added a floral stamping. I think it turned out quite lovely. It's one of a kind!! Thanks for stopping by!!