Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Presenting Maxcaro Estate Vintage Extravaganza

BlessedB Vintage is pleased to present

Maxcaro Estate Vintage Extravaganza

Offering Fabulous vintage pieces for

Pennies on the Dollar!

Up for auction is a collection of rings, necklaces, earrings, watches, and bracelets

all starting at an unbelievable 49 cents!

Here are a few of the items we are featuring










At these prices they won't last long so hurry on over and place your bid in my eBay store today!


Tuesday, March 27, 2012

How To Tell The Quality of Unmarked Jewelry


If you’re like me, the majority of your jewelry collection consists of costume jewelry.   Let’s face it, jewelry is expensive and why pay a fortune when you can achieve ‘the look’ for hundreds or thousands of dollars cheaper?

Just because a piece is labeled as costume doesn’t mean that it is a piece of junk, though. There are many different levels of costume jewelry and many pieces are unmarked.  If you are collecting jewelry based on appearance rather than designer name, you may wonder how to tell if a piece is well made. While it takes time to learn how to judge unmarked pieces, these are some basic tips that may help you in your search:

•Weight. The weight of a piece can often indicate the quality. Light pieces that are made with thin metals are often, though not always, of lower quality. Heavy pieces with thick metals that are attractive are often of higher quality. Many factories made designer signed pieces as well as unsigned pieces of the same quality. If you find a piece that looks like the same quality as a designer piece, it probably is.


•Stones. When collecting rhinestone jewelry, you will run into many pieces with bright, vibrant stones that appear to have depth. This is generally a sign of a higher quality piece. The setting of the stones is another indicator. If the stones are prong set, are the prongs well made & secure?

•Metals. While the weight of the metal is one consideration, the general appearance is another. Many quality pieces use attractive metals that retain their appearance over time. While a piece of any quality can be destroyed by lack of proper care and storage, higher quality pieces that are well cared for are recognizable in their beauty.


•Clasps. Higher quality pieces generally have well made, secure clasps.



While these are just some basic tips and will take some practice to implement, with time you should be able to judge the quality of most unmarked pieces quickly and easily.

Be sure to check out my eBay store for a fabulous collection of vintage costume jewelry up for bid!

The Necklace - Ultimate Fashion Accessory


You can spend a fortune for a knock 'em dead dress, complete with shoes and a purse.  However, if you don't go the extra step to pick the perfect necklace, you will feel incomplete.

The necklace can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians.  Necklaces were once predominantly used for ceremonial and religous purposes by men, only more recently used by women to make a fashion statement.

Necklaces are very versatile.  They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles.  They can completely transform your attire.  The best part is that necklaces never go out of style.

Add to your collection today by taking advantage of BlessedB Vintage's Necklace Extravaganza in my eBay Store.  For five days only, you can bid on necklaces by the lot, for the price of a single necklace.  this is an opportunity for the consumer and reseller alike as they will not get cheaper.  Here are a few of the lots we have available:











Click on the link above to place your bid now.


Monday, March 26, 2012

Be a Fashion Trendsetter By Going Vintage


As those who design and sell jewelry already know, vintage jewelry is a part of the big vintage trend that gaining more and more fans.  Going vintage is a powerful force as it makes one look and feel precious by the knowledge that a piece they’re wearing has history behind it.

Don’t underestimate the fact that sentimental value makes a piece as precious as actual value.  A woman can get just as many compliments from her jewelry accessories being an heirloom as she can from it costing hundreds or thousands of dollars.  By mixing the two together, the effect is enhanced to maximum effectiveness.

Going vintage can be liberating as it breaks you out of the fashion ordinary.  The recent economy has made people realize that it is useless to max out your credit card in the mass market when you have this great alternative.  The latest trend in fashion has the mundane tendency to make everyone look the same in the end.  Not only can going vintage give you a certain charm at a lesser price, you can reduce your footprint on Mother Earth as well.

You can start today by investing in a few of these pieces.  Every picture in this post is an item that is currently availabe in my eBay store:  Click on a picture below to bid now!






Tuesday, March 20, 2012

How The Use Of Color Can Inspire Your Jewelry Designs

When searching for inspiration for jewelry design, consider the use of color.  Color is a powerful force because it can evoke memories, ignite emotions, and motivate buyers.  At Pantone.com, they come out with a color report for the upcoming years fashions.  For Spring 2012, hot neons and soft pastels will be all the rage.


As jewelry designers, we keep in our arsenal a variety of materials that add color to our designs, and as we experiment with them, we quickly develop our favorites.  Personally, I love to use gemstones, silk ribbons, and leather cords to light up my custom jewelry.

Monday, March 19, 2012

New Items Just Added

Here's a quick peek at some new items just added to my store.  Click the link below to grab them while they last!


Wire Wrapped Coral Hinge-Cuff Bracelet

Rare Vintage 1950's Lucite Moonglow Bangle Bracelet

Rainbow Rhinestone Goldtone Earrings

Vintage Spanish Damascene Oval Earrings

Custom Chunky Charm Bracelet With Abstract Pieces

Custom Charm Bracelet With Goldtone Tortoise Charm

Jewelry Making Techniques - Design Principles

Making jewelry is more than just putting together pretty stones and tying them together.  Professionals like to use the word principle - as in the principles of design, principles of wearability, and principles of balance.

Personally, when I first sit down to make or design a piece of jewelry, I think about color, patterns, and what kind of patinas (or colors that highlight said pattern) and the bling factor.  Only when I am in 'debugging' mode do I remember the principles of mechanics, wearability, and balance.

I'm sure I'm not alone in this.  How many of us design and create a ring and never remember about the principle of wearability until the ring pokes us in the finger?

To make appealing pieces, it's important to consider certain factors, including:


  • How do elements combine - consider how colors flow together, how are the elements of the piece connected and joined (the cleaner, the better)?  Always look for a better way to set, hang, pierce, or bezel your creations.
  • How do your pieces move? Learn how to bring movement, connection, longevity, and presentation into your design.  When you sketch, focus on the areas of joinery or engineering that can improve movement and the overall structure of your finished piece.
Your finished pieces are usually an illustration of your initial design concepts concerning movement, structure, or an improvement on a common theme.

Fabulous Finds Of The Week

A quick peek at some of the fabulous items I have for sale this week.  These items are all for sale. Just click on the pictures for more information or you can visit my ebay store:




Blue Flower Brooch Set
A fabulous pair of brooches that are guaranteed to take your breath away. The detail is amazing.  The ideal gift for a bride-to-be's "something blue" department.


Sterling Silver Navajo Earrings
These earrings are sterling silver and feature a turquois inset.