TGIF & New Jewelry Designs for Etsy

Hey there Sweeties, TGIF!!!
After a long week of jewelry design & babysitting,
2 things that don't really go together all that well...
I'm sooooo excited that it's finally Friday!
I've already got a fab spinach & chicken flatbread pizza

cooking in the oven, frozen of COURSE!!!

Made up a tray of salami, pepperjack cheese & yummy crackers,

& I'm just about ready to crack open a bottle of White Zinfandel...
I tell ya, do I know how to live or what! lol

Since my hands are full & I can't type when my hands are full,
I'll just let you feast your eyes on all my etsy WONDER...
Enjoy!
'The Saint'

'New Horizon'

'Grumpy'

'Penny For Your Thoughts'

And this ones for me...

'Madonna & Child'

made with my Grandmother's vintage rosary

& a tiny skeleton key that unlocks the treasure box where
I keep my most Secret Dreams.

Where do you keep your secret dreams?
Have an amazing weekend friends!!

XOXO
vintagesusie

I Can Solder, But it SUCKS!

 Hi Sweeties...
Well, here I am as promised, back to tell you about my
weekend of soldering. I was so inspired having seen all the absolutely
gorgeous pieces of handmade jewelry on Pinterest.
But let me tell you a little secret....
it's NOT as easy as it looks! LOL

I must say, this is not my first attempt at trying to conquer my fear
of soldering, it's my 2nd. My 1st try was a complete failure & you can
check that sad experience out HERE!
Let's just say, I BURNED shit!

So, the good news is...I love to copper wrap!
Instant gratification, just like wrapping a beautiful present...
it's easy & tidy & neat, me likey.  ;)

{don't ya just LOVE the face of my grumpy little girl}

But then comes the hard part, the SOLDERING...arggggggghhhh.
My problem is, I want it to be perfect & as far as I can glean,
there is no perfection in soldering, or at least not in MY soldering.

In the pictures above, I bought the glass soldered charm on the left
& my soldered charm is on the right. When comparing, I see that even the purchased
glass charm has solder dripping on the edges on both sides & I bought it & loved it.
But I need mine to be smooth, which comes from the anal, OCD part of me.
Another problem I have, is that the flux always gets under the glass
leaving a wet mark on my antique, 1855 French paper.

Like I said before....arghhhhhhhhh!
By Sunday evening, this is exactly what my face looked like. lol

But through it all, the trials & tribulations, I did manage
to create this one little perfect gem.

And look...the flux didn't even get under the glass this time.
Yippppeeeee.....

To reward myself for suffering through a weekend of soldering,

I also worked on some yummy little vintage coin purses

that will be made into long necklaces. 

I still have a few, treasured metal jewelry pieces left from my

Round Top, Texas trip last spring & they make perfect little frames

for a Tintype photograph. 

I ADORE Tintypes...

you can see & feel the history they share with us.

Sooooo....short story long, I can solder, but it SUCKS!!!

I know I will get better in time & I know practice makes perfect,

but for right now...

I will try & find the beauty in imperfection.

And keep in mind,

I haven't even TALKED about jump rings...arrrrgggghhhhhh.  ;)

XOXO

vintagesusie