Edwardia Necklace - SGD 125 - Sold

This is honestly going to be the one I find it the hardest to part with, simply because of that seriously awesome Victorian swallows brooch pin with a bezel set opal cabochon. This was a surprise find during my antiquing stint in the UK this summer and I just know I may never come across the likes of it again! I kept it simple with a pretty faceted emerald green onyx dewdrop briolette, vintage rhinestone drop, freshwater pearls and sprinkles of semiprecious rondelles on a 14k GF chain.

Victorians were known for their sentimentality and expressed itself in their tendency to use symbolism in their jewellery. Apart from flower language, the swallow was another popular jewellery motif in that time period. The Victorians use swallows to symbolise "the winged soul", love, children, motherhood and more. Swallows were known to always return to the same nesting place no matter where they went so they symbolised "faithfully returning home". This is why sailors of old liked using swallows as a tattoo theme -- due to their navigational prowess and the fact that he sight of a swallow also indicated that land was near. How much meaning for one little birdie!

Relique Necklace - SGD 70 - Sold

I can never resist the weathered look of vintage brassy chains - how beautifully they age with time! It began with this gorgeous very, very old scrolly gilt filigree (ex)brooch set with peridot green rhinestones. Add more vintage lovelies to the mix: a copper budded cross charm, petite round locket, antique rhinestone drop, with a good dollop of smooth apple green chrysoprase rondelles and aquamarine nuggets. A tiny rose charm at the clasp brings a whiff of unexpected softness to this darling necklace.

St. Germain Necklace - SGD 130 - Sold

A lovely statement necklace made up of a large Victorian era brassy bow brooch, vintage opaque white signed earring, vintage rhinestone wreath focal, clear crystal quartz cube gemstones, natural chalcedony briolette, a heavy weight weave vintage chain with a slight chain & side toggle closure in 14k GF.

 

Elderflower Necklace - SGD 115 - Sold

Romanticism abounds in this belle of a necklace made up of a vintage gold rose & navette rhinestone signed earring, petite oiseaux charm, lace roses, gorgeous faceted turquoise heart briolette and a 14k GF chain interpersed with pink freshwater pearls, aquamarine ovals, amazonite nuggets and sprinkles of sparkly gemstone rondelles. Utterly delightful.

September necklaces

 :: A sneak peek of the new pieces coming soon ::

I apologise for the long absence, our trusted helper has been away on home leave for nearly 3 weeks now so with all the chores and looking after the kiddies, everything else has had to take a back seat. More pictures can be viewed at my Flickr album here. I will be listing them in a day or two (hopefully!) .

Little Nyonya - SGD 135 - Sold

A Peranankan-inspired darling with another amazing 3D detailed korosong-like vintage brooch made up of floral clusters, tiny faux pearls and rhinestones. I love the dark green jade butterfly and chinoiserie jade coin focal to the left. A single carved terracota-coloured stone rose, fluorite oval nuggets, coral, malachite, turquoise, lapis lazuli and precious gemstones (vesuvianite onion briolette, phrenite, carnelian, amethyst, garnet). Necklace measures approx. 18" in length.

Harem - SGD 125 - Sold

Harem features a pretty jade butterfly, large brilliant faceted blue quartz focal with a vintage rhinestone piece in the most amazing emerald green, sapphire blue, royal purple and deep scarlet. Other semiprecious stones include blue lace agate, black agate, coral, ruby, turquoise and lapis lazuli. Necklace measures approx. 18" in length. Stunning blues and peacock hues.

Songstress necklace - SGD 128 - Sold

I thought I would kick start my return with some oriental creations, true to this blog's name :)

Songstress is a chic chinois starlet with a medley of smooth & faceted semiprecious gemstones in bottle greens, corals and luscious reds. The spotlight is on the amazing brassy gilt finish butterfly set with shiny green, garnet and sapphire paste stones. It is quite old, originally part of an art deco 20s era trembler brooch but the rivet attaching the butterfly to it has broken with age. The pink enamel floral cut out disc is also vintage, though a more modern contemporary of its butterfly counterpart. 

Other interesting details include a single red acrylic rose, rose quartz leaf, japanese tensha, jade accents with toggle closure. Necklace measures a slightly longer 21" in length.

In that 6 months

And so 6 months have passed since the last update. Awfully terrible of me I admit, and you'll be right to think badly of me. I can only explain my absence with an overwhelming sense of needing a sabbatical break from jewellery and actually giving my attention to the little kiddies at home. I may be with them physically, but my mind was always distracted with wanting to do my own stuff. Enough being enough, an unplanned short recess turned into a half year hiatus. 

In these few months, we have spent lots of time being in the outdoors with them, reading with them, undoing any damage the TV or ipad/iphone may have inflicted as an object of infatuation, and of course the disciplining, the rod, the frustration, the tears! I can safely say we are now at a much better place than we were at the start of this year. They both enjoy reading so much now, we have stories before naps and bedtimes, sometimes repeating the same well loved stories many times over in one sitting. They are also far less interested in playing on i-devices now than making up imaginary stories with their toys as kids their age should. Disciplining is a necessary ongoing process, a work in progress still but we are getting there slowly. Perhaps the most heartwarming change of all is how well the siblings get along, how affectionate they are with each other and enjoy playing together.

Just recently little Sarah has begun toddler playgroup along with her older brother in preschool, which has given me a few hours of wonderful peace and quiet and sanity. I feel a small growing urge to go back to tinkering with what I know best, to feed that creative appetite once more. A little excited, a little anxious, will it be like how it was before?

On my table are some completed pieces which will be listed soon. Thank you again for being here, reading this. I hope this will be a beautiful start of another phase in this journey :)

P.S. The above photos were taken last Saturday morning. Nathan is now a proper little man at 3.5 years old and Sarah is a precocious 20 months. And yes they have breakfast in PJs.

Twin Blessings - SGD 60 - Sold

Willowy jade and chrysoprase gold earrings at a shoulder-dusting length of 7cm with 2 tiny antique rhinestone drops for that unexpected vintage touch. Refined and elegant, it will carry you through the lunar celebrations and beyond.

Jade Bliss - SGD 36 - Sold

Classic linear earrings with petite jade donuts, pearls, lemon quartz and smooth pink rhodochrosite from 14k gold-filled hooks. Simple 5cm dangles with a dash of oriental flair.

In case you wonder why my posting is so erratic....

This is why.

Venezia necklace - SGD 118 - Sold

A vintage enamel floral trio of springtime blossoms, vintage paisley component with blue rhinestone, stunning large faceted Brazilian pink amethyst focal, translucent green amethyst nuggets, AAA grade gorgeous gleaming pink freshwater pearls, more rhinestones, moonstones and a simple vintage brass etched teardrop locket with double rose toggle clasp closure. Can you smell spring already?

Hideaway necklace - SGD 125 - Sold

Hideaway features salvaged vintage rhinestone and pearl components set in gold tone metal, an antiqued rustic excalibur sword,  blue flash labradorite gemstone cubes, beer quartz and green amethyst nuggets with flashes of rainbow moonstone. Goldfilled with side toggle closure. 

My fantasy take on medieval legends and Arthurian folklore -- who doesn't love a good chivalrous knight or two? I'll take them brave and handsome in full armour thank you very much.

Tudor Rose necklace - SGD 115 - Sold

 

Tudor Rose's heroine is a vintage designer component of a floral wreath starburst with prong-set rhinestones in sky blue, meadow green, sunshine yellow and blush pink. Coupled with a brilliant grade plump faceted heart-shaped rose quartz focal briolette that appears to glow from within. The chain is made up of similar quality green amethyst nuggets, aquamarine ovals and lavender pearls in goldfilled wirework.

Truly a simple stunner.

Twilight Necklace - SGD 129 - Sold

Subtle greys and platinum silvers conjure up a vision of moonlit glens and feathered friends. A petite vintage silver owl with pearl eyes and vintage white enamel lily of the valley bouquet amidst glacial crystal quartz gemstone cubes, moonstones, labradorites and a large mystic grey swarovski crystal in antiqued silver setting. One of my favourite pieces ever.