A piece of vintage jewelry makes a unique fashion statement, and is a great way to show off your individual style. Vintage jewelry doesn’t only look lovely, it’s more likely to be of a higher quality than modern costume jewelry, is often cheaper than buying brand new and lets you rise above the current fads with an individual piece that you’re unlikely to see on anyone else. But with vintage home ware, fashion and jewelry being so popular nowadays, genuine vintage items fly off the shelves at flea markets, vintage stores and antique fairs, so how do you make sure that you get your perfect piece without spending a bomb?
An ideal tactic to get exactly what you want is to make your own jewelry using unusual vintage items, as you’re unlikely to have to spend too much on your perfect treasure, and you certainly won’t see anyone else wearing the same item! You don’t even need to go to college to learn the art of jewelry making, with online stores such as WigJig offering handy tutorials, advice and all the tools and accessories you’ll need to make your own jewelry.
What to Look For
Don’t just hunt for existing pieces of vintage jewelry, you can be as creative as you like when designing and making your own piece. As long as you think about how comfortable the item will be to wear, the only other restriction is whether or not you like it! Be as crazy and inventive as you like, and the sky’s the limit. Here are a few interesting things to consider when you’re searching for the ultimate centerpiece to your jewelry:
- Belt buckles make stunning bracelets, and you’ll find them in all shapes and sizes.
- Clock and watch mechanisms are frequently found as main parts in steampunk style jewelry, so why not save money on buying new and use the real thing?
- Vintage glass stones make a beautiful focus for a piece of hand-made jewelry.
- Keys are a popular choice for modern ‘vintage style’ jewelry, and an intricate antique key would be the perfect item for an eye-catching necklace.
- Vintage dolls house toys and accessories are so much more elaborate and detailed than the modern versions, and using a tiny doll, chair, tea-set, baby carriage or mirror will give you a spectacular piece of jewelry. If you’re lucky enough to find somewhere with a large stock, then a number of miniature items would look amazing made into a charm bracelet.
Where to Find it
Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to make your own jewelry using vintage treasures, it’s time to start looking. Obvious places to look are flea markets and antique fairs, but there’s a whole wealth of other great places where you may be surprised to find some fabulous vintage items. Yard sales and estate sales can yield a huge amount of hidden treasures; you’ll just need to be prepared to have a good rummage around in boxes to get to the perfect find. Friends and family can also be a fantastic source of treasures, as they’re likely to have boxes and bags filled with items that are junk to them, but perfect for your purposes. There’s no harm in asking and they’ll probably be more than happy for you to take some things off their hands!
Susan Thomson loves making new projects out of recycled items. She often blogs about her inspirations and end products.
Cheerio…
LadyJava
