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

 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?

Ivy, My favorite theme on buttons.

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

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.