It all starts here...

Want to see how it all begins in our cottage studio?  Well, it starts with pure and sterling silver.  Here is my latest buy of raw material.  Believe it or not, this is about $900 worth of silver. And that sheet on the bottom is a whopping 6 inches by 6 inches!

 

Choosing China

We get lots of questions from ladies about what china is best for Broken China Jewelry.  Well, it really depends on how you want it finished.  If you have a curved piece, it is really best to get an artist that does the copper foil method.  It's the same as what is used for stained glass windows.  There are lots of kits out there, too, if you want to do it yourself.  Be prepared, though, there is a learning/experimentation curve, but it is well worth it.

My favorite method requires a flat or near flat piece, like from a plate, that can be set in Sterling Silver.  I love this the best because it treats these little pieces of history as fine jewelry.   It just gives it an air of refinement and romance that you just can't beat. 

Since we create ours with a solid sterling back, it also makes the perfect canvas for engraving names, dates, or little messages.  Its really helps a gift stand out and gives it meaning.

Tips to help you find a good piece to have made into a Sterling set Broken China Jewelry charm:

1) The thinner the better.  Bone china is wonderfully thin and we do a lot of work with it (it also breaks easily so we find lots of damaged pieces to use!).  That is not to say that you can't use a thicker china (like semi-vitreous) , but it really can make the charm pretty heavy using a really thick piece. 

2) Take a quarter with you when you hit the antique stores and garage sales.  A quarter is your best friend.  You can use a quarter to see if the design will fit in space.  It can also tell you if the piece is pretty flat. You don't want the design to extend onto the "foot" of the plate (the lip on the backside) either.   Better yet, if you own the piece, lay your quarter on your plate and draw a circle around it with a magic marker.  Remove the quarter and look at the circle.  Is the design inside the circle pretty to your eye?  Trust yourself.  You know what is pretty and what isn't!

It's pretty easy and there are still a few more tips, but this post is getting a little long.  Tune back in for more tips. 

Still not sure if the china will work?  No problem, send us a pic (even one off of your camera phone) and we will be happy to help you out!

Antique Austrian Broken China Jewelry charm custom set in Sterling Silver

Ideas & How to's for DIY Jewelry

We thought that we would share our little informal how-to that will be posted later on our website. Send us your ideas of how we could improve this little article or some more ideas on what can be put in these frames or any other ideas that you might have. We would love to hear from you!

Photos, Postcards, a child's refrigerator art, holiday themes, a photo of your favorite pet, a love letter...all become jewelry ready to grace the beholder in this versatile frame necklace. A longtime customer favorite at RoseBlossomCottage.com for making showing off things that mean something to you. A gift for grandma, a remembrance of a treasured summer vacation, or a lovely project for young ladies to adorn, the ideas are endless. These are so easy to do:

You will need:

A frame necklace (click here for choices)
Your favorite photo, postcard art, letters, scrapbooking art, cards, etc. We recommend that you copy and/or shrink them if needed on your printer.
Scissors
German Glass Glitter (opt.)
Glue (opt.)
Jewelry findings/flatback crystals/charms... You can even use parts of old jewelry. (opt.)

1) Purchase your favorite pendant shape (we even have the new copper toned that would look fabulous for Halloween and Thanksgiving). All come with black cording.

2) Assemble some pieces of ephemera, scrapbook materials, postcards, photos, greeting cards or whatever you would like. Open up the frame and lay it down to get an idea of what you think would look best. Don't be afraid to cut on the angle. Not everything needs to be straight up and down.

3) Use a pencil to outline one side of your frame and then trim it to fit in the frame. Consider putting another choice on the other side. Embellish with glitter (we love German Glass Glitter- Fine or Very Fine.) also available on our site. Don't get carried away or it won't close!

4) Embellish your cord and frame with crystals, bells, charms, or old jewelry parts.

5) Give as a gift or show it off yourself. It is a masterpiece and needs to be bragged about and you can tell everyone that you did it yourself!