Broken Brooch to Striking Necklace DIY

At the last minute I decided not to pack this necklace that Hubby & I had made before I left for Hungary.  It was too glittery, I thought, but I regret not packing it because I'm missing Hubs and a little reminder of a recent DIY project we did together would have been so fun to have!   Ah well, there's a ton of stupid things I forgot to pack or did pack and haven't needed (more on that later).  For now, let me give you the DIY details.

I bought this broken brooch at a yard sale this summer for 25 cents.  25 cents!!

Even with a broken clasp, it was too stunning to pass up (plus it's stamped "Made in Austria" and I am a sucker for anything made in Europe).

You could do this with a non-broken brooch too, to give an unloved piece some love. The supplies are pretty straight forward, as is the how-to.



We used side cutters (wire cutters could work) to snip off the rest of the brooch backing.  For some reason, these side cutters are one of my favorite tools.  Someone (my Dad maybe?) lent them to me for removing staples from the sub-floor when I tore up the carpet (that was a "Tanya job") and I never returned them.  Not by accident; I willfully stole them.

After snipping what remained of the clasp, we used a small file to smooth any rough areas.  We took some time with this part, to make sure no rough metal remained.  A little of the faux gold finish came off too, but you can't see because it's on the back. 

Then we attached two split rings to part of the clasp.  Needless to say, this brooch-to-necklace conversion only works for brooches with some part that the rings can be attached to - so an open, filigree style is ideal.  If you're having trouble with the split rings, use needle nosed pliers to open the ring.  Hubby actually used a knife, but that's hardly advisable.

To complete this necklace, we attached some chain I had lying around (from a broken necklace, I think - but you could buy a length of it from a craft store) to the jump rings.  It was that easy!  And cost pennies. 

I don't want to show this photo of me because I was harried and sweaty and stressed from packing when it was taken (it was snapped the day before I left for Hungary), but every time I post a jewellery DIY sans photo of me wearing it, I get comments and emails asking for a photo of it on me.  Why are you all so cruel??  LOL. 

Have any of you been up to any super simple crafts lately?

Treasure Hunting: What I Look For

Emily A. Clark recently posted a list of her top 5 yard sale must haves.  Basically, a list of what you should snag next time you're out and about yard saling.  Genius!

After countless posts bragging about my thrifty finds (search "treasure hunting report" in the google search features, to the right), it dawned on me you might like to know what's on my shopping list.  I'm always surprised by the goodies I find, but I do head out with some kind of an idea of what I want, or "need".  Yup, I'm a list-maker and have a list of things to look for + projects I have in mind.  Otherwise, in the early morning daze, I forget and miss something great!

Here's are a few items from my list that are versatile enough that you might want to add them to yours:

1. Vintage Ceramic Planters & Dishes

I'm trying to be Martha Stewart classy.  I've ditched my dollar store plastic organizers and have opted for 25 cent ceramic pieces instead!  I use super cheap (but super nice), vintage ceramic dishes to corral toiletries, office supplies and other tidbits.  Here's one keeping my lip glosses in order:

Photos from Martha Stewart; Martha Stewart, Paper Lust

2. Frames & Mirrors

Eventually I get around to using all of the frames and mirrors I buy, especially for crafty DIY art projects.  I recently scored three solid wood frames for 50 cents (for all three)!  They need a little paint, but will be a perfect - affordable - way to frame up my own art projects.

And, of course, you have already seen the much-loved feminist makeover I gave a $5.00 yard sale find. 

3. Retro Jewellery

I sometimes use large, reclaimed, vintage beads to make the bodies of my DIY Christmas spiders.  I also reclaim other pieces for jewellery of my own design and have even converted a tired pendant into something else.  Plus, I'm on the hunt for some cheap rhinestone brooches to spray paint a neon hue.  The materials in vintage jewellery have so much potential and can't be beat for affordability.  As a bonus, I have found some truly stunning mid-century pieces for a song, and that kind of treasure-finding just makes my Saturday!

4. Pottery, Art + Accessories

In terms of accessorizing the townhouse, I pepper our home with quite a few second-hand finds to gussy up the place for a fraction of the cost.  Because we splurged (well, his work is pretty affordable, comparably, but we still had to save up!) on Shane Norrie pottery from an art gallery, I've saved money by mixing in some $5.00 pottery pieces.  If you spy some great pottery or other accessories at a yard sale, snap them up!  While you're at it, take a second glance at original paintings, quirky prints and fun artwork. You won't even believe the savings, plus you have a chance to score something unusual. 

5. Bowls!

This was a suggestion of Emily's, too, and & I heartily agree.  Whether I'm adding a stunning vintage enamel bowl to my nightstand, or using a sweet vintage Pyrex piece for a bowl of (slightly dented) cherries, I find bowls so immensely useful and stylish.  I can't amass enough!

Bonus Item: Fuel for Collecting

Yard saling is oodles more fun if you start a collection.  It needn't be expensive or rare - just something you like.  Anything looks good en masse, like my silhouette collection, my budding McCoy pottery collection or Shannon's milk glass collection.  And finding a piece to add to a collection feels like such a triumph!

What do you look for?  Do you make a list? 

P.S.  Amy, from paint.wine.repeat wrote a great post about how to shop at garage sales.

P.P.S. Today's the last day for my custom stencil giveaway.

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Inspiration: Tea for Twenty

While visiting my hometown, I spent some time with my Mummu (my grandma). My Mom, Hubby & I went over one super humid afternoon for a game of scrabble (we were in search of more air conditioned pastures) and my Mummu had set out some tea cups for us. Specifically, a few cups from the colourful set I recently contributed to with a yard sale find. Remember I mentioned she has one in every colour? (The black one is missing - there is currently an investigation and my grandpa is the lead suspect). I love this Royal Albert set so much, I snapped a billion photos of it and it has inspired a new collection: mismatched/matching mixing bowls!

Why is the caption "Tea for Twenty"? Although I have photographed a tea cup in every colour, my Mummu has duplicates of many of the colours and can serve coffee and tea to a houseful of 100 people, using this set (plus another set).

So here is how I was inspired: my Mummu found me this turquoise mixing bowl, yard saling - of course, but I only have the one.   My mom recently bought a lovely gooseberry printed pink and white set (see next photos) that I am envious of.  I LOVE nested bowls but think that collecting them in this pattern might be a nightmare.  Inspired by my Mummu's mismatched/matched tea cups, I plan to find the same style of bowl, but in different colours, for a unique set.

My lonely bowl . . .

My mom's lovely "new" set of Pyrex bowls.

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Treasure Hunting Report

Treasure hunting was a family affair this past weekend, as we're still visiting our hometown.  My grandpa, grandma, mom, dad, Hubby & I all piled in and out of my grandparents' minivan for a morning of yard saling.  My dad must be the key ingredient, because we always score fun finds when he's around.   

My mom & I picked up this bowl, "unmarked" because its bottom was hidden by a piece of glued on felt.  We picked up, but didn't buy, a few vintage West German pieces at the same yard sale - we just didn't love them enough - but this came home because we thought the glaze was so pretty.  Low & behold, it too is a piece of West German pottery. 

"New" West German pottery piece. $1.

Still need to get the rest of the felt off the bottom . . .

I bought this random DIY'd mug because the glaze is soooo pretty.  Maybe it will inspire a painting.  I plan to toss random pens, etc., in it for now.

I have a few other pieces of this china pattern that were my great-grandmother's.  At 25 cents, I couldn't resist this addition (I actually bought two).

I bought this stone dish with lid for 25 cents.  I am obsessed with stones (I had/have a pretty large rock collection and I can't walk along a beach without stuffing my pockets with polished stones) and little dishes like this are so convenient for stashing my jewellery.  I doff my rings and earrings in random rooms as soon as I get home, so this little dish is perfect. 

This pitcher is for my mother-in-law, who likes to mix organic juice with mineral water for a tasty drink.  It is made in Italy, which made my mom lust for it too.  I packed it up quickly - it isn't often I find something my mother-in-law might like . . .

$1.

I bought this petite artwork for 25 cents.  It is a touristy piece from Mexico, but the colours are so vibrant I had to have it.  It just needs a home on our walls.

These Christmas tree balls might seem like an odd choice for a gal who doesn't celebrate Christmas, but I am planning to make this wreath and I am adding this 50 cent score to a previous purchase of teal and gold balls with a rich patina.  Paired with cream wool my grandma happily donated to the project, you might just see this wreath made this year.  Maybe.

We saw a lot of pretty things on Saturday, but we tried to be good about not bringing everything home.  Even if it was vintage/valuable/marked.  If we don't 100% love it, it will only be clutter . . . but it is sooooo hard to resist sometimes. 

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Treasure Hunting Report

Maybe you have noticed my blogging has been a bit scaled back.  I have been posting, like a good little blogger.  I just haven't been visiting my favorite blogs as much as I'd like.  I mentioned Monday I would be delivering The Lamps to my mom and I did!  So I have been a bit distracted.  Time always flies for me, but when I spend time with loved ones the days pass unbelievable quickly.  It is FRIDAY already.  Does anyone else agree that time needs to move more slowly?!?

I am super excited to go yard saling tomorrow because I am in a different city.  Treasure Hunting has been slow going in my city - I keep finding things I definitely do not need.  I thought before I hit the yard sales this weekend, I should show you last weekend's find: a bright turquoise vase, with a luminescent white interior.  I am finding a lot of vases this year . . . like this one.

Have a good weekend!!

P.S. I usually use a pretty good Panasonic DMC-FZ28 camera with a lot (too much!) creative control for blogging, but I recently picked up a cheap point & shoot to have something small to toss in a purse.  Gosh, so much harder to a take a good pic.  The photos above were taken with the point and shoot . . .

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Treasure Hunting Report

I took a break from excessively photographing the new painting in the bathroom and . . . photographed my recent finds!

Last Saturday was dreary (we still went "treasure-hunting" though!) but this past Saturday was lovely.  A perfect day, weather-wise.  I'm getting pickier and pickier about what items find their way home with us, but this weekend I couldn't resist this little pottery bowl:

25 cents!

And I found this cup & saucer set for my grandma.  She has other Royal Albert Regal cups & saucers.  The neat thing is, she has a set comprised of this same pattern but various colours, all given to her by friends and family.  Sweet, right?  Now she has one from me!

And a find from last week: a pretty, ornate mirror I cannot wait to prime, paint and hang.  But where?

Have you been up to any treasure-hunting?

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Treasure Hunting Report

Fondly referred to as "Treasure Hunting" by one of my friends, hitting yard sales on a warm summer day thrills me.  The last few weeks of treasure hunting, including a couple estate sales, yielded modest results.  I'm trying not to fill our house with things we don't need, but it is hard - especially when yard sale finds are so inexpensive! 

I found a great mid-century chair (solid oak and teak) for $25 this weekend, but walked away.  We already have two random teak chairs (guest room & living room) and have no need for a third.  A pair I would have taken home, I'm not going to lie.  But what we need is a chair Hubby can use for his (currently imaginary) desk.  So I'm holding out for something perfect. 

While I may exercise restraint for larger items, the smalls get me every time.  Here are two of my recent favorite finds, plus an oddity I couldn't resist.

I found this gorgeous, spike-y glass vase for $4.00 at an estate sale last week.

I need another vase like a hole in the head.

I also found another McCoy Planter (the smaller white one), to add to my growing collection, for only $1 at a yard sale last weekend.

Yesterday (among other finds) I picked up this cute little trivet, thinking some spray paint would spruce it up.  Then I saw it is stamped "Finland".  Now I hate to paint over it, but it has seen better days . . . thoughts?

Do you go treasure hunting?  What great finds have you taken home recently?

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