A find

I was browsing at a flea market over the weekend and stumbled across a treasure trove of old costume jewelry, including this brooch key. I'm guessing it's made of brass, but who really knows with flea markets? I also saw a wonderful vintage-looking watch pin that I was thinking I could turn into a charm for a necklace, but as I didn't have enough cash on me (and it didn't even enter my mind until it was too late that being at a flea market, I could've haggled), I ended up buying just the key. I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet, but I'm pretty sure it will make its re-emergence soon.

Vintage necklace

I finally tried my hand at oxidizing metal, and here is the result: the Priscilla necklace. I used the brass skeleton key charm I got a while back as the focal point. The circle pendant that the charms are hanging from was hand-forged using 16g sterling silver wire, but oxidation came out a little unexpectedly. Instead of a gunmetal color, the liver of sulfur gave the pendant a bluish/greenish patina. After a while I decided it actually sort of matches the verdigris on the key, so even if the results were a little unexpected, I kept it as is. I'm not sure if the blue/green color was a reaction to the soldering process or to the copper tongs I used (does anybody know if copper reacts with liver of sulfur?) but, it worked out in this case.

New supplies

I love these gorgeous brass charms that I found on Etsy. They were given an aged finish for a beautiful distressed look. Still mulling over the designs I want to use for them, but I'm thinking at least a long necklace for one of the keys, with oxidized findings to match the antique look.

Vintage charms

The result out of those vintage-looking keys I bought at the craft store a few weeks ago. I took two of them and fashioned a cluster charm consisting of the keys, a white nugget pearl, a clear swarovski crystal, and another swarovski crysal in "vintage rose", hanging from a silver chain of approximately 16" in length. There are two additional crystals worked onto the chain and above the charms.

It has a vintage-y feel to it that I really like. Below is a close-up.


FIRST DAY BLUES

For the most part, the first day at the new gig went okay today, except for the fact that I felt extremely discombobulated all day long. My routine was interrupted, I didn't have the usual familiar faces around me, I didn't know where anything was, and there were a lot of strange faces. I miss my old morning routine that consisted of 1) my morning commute 2) my morning hot chocolate 3) goofing off with my coworkers. I know that my discomfiture is a product of first days being just weird in general, and I expect that it will get better once I get used to new routines and new faces. As one of my good friends told me, I will look back at what I've written today and wonder why I was so upset. But for now, I dearly, dearly miss my old job and the people there!