Vintage Evening Purses…Lovely and Interesting!

Hello Bling Lovers!  I love this old Whiting and Davis vintage evening purse. The black and white enameled design is from the Deco era. The polished silver plated compact top features a raised oval disc decorated in black enamel, depicting a colonial couple in period clothing.  The inside of the compact provides a place for the lady to carry powder and rouge. There is also a small oval mirror and a fold out holder for a small comb. The compact top lifts up to reveal the interior, unlined mesh purse. The original carry black cord handle with adjustable metal slide is securely attached.  I cleaned my compact with a soft cloth. I buffed the top with a silver polishing cloth. Do not use liquid silver cleaner on enameled bags. This is fun little purse to carry to dinner. Leave you cell phone at home. If you are looking for vintage purses let me know. I have hundreds. My Mom collected them for years and years.

Joy Behar, these are your earrings!

Root beer and amber-colored vintage rhinetone earrings (click to enlarge)

Amazing autumn colors. Wonderful root beer and amber-colored rhinestones set in small gold leaves.

Joy Behar, these earrings are PERFECT for you!

Add these sparkles to your ears. Your hair – Amber and root beer rhinestones – the perfect combination!

Cleaning Rhinestone Jewelry

Hello Bling Lovers,
Recently members of a jewelry collecting, selling group have been talking about cleaning their rhinestone jewelry. One member used a cleaner called Awesome. He got the piece he was cleaning wet with the solution. He ended up with some of the metal finish/coating come off of the jewelry.

Other members have used Jewelry Joose. (This product is difficult to find) and have gotten the jewelry wet with it. A substitute for Jewelry Joose is a solution of Ivory dish soap.

The problem with any of solutions is getting the jewelry wet. If the rhinestones are foil backed or if the gold or silver is a coating or plate you may end up damaging the pieces. On the other hand dirty jewelry is not attractive and if you want to sell it you must clean it up.

How? To begin, take a soft cloth and gently wipe the piece. You will be amazed at the difference this can make. Then take a Q-tip and try a little alcohol. The alcohol evaporates quickly and cuts through some types of grime. I also use a tad bit of ammonia on a Q-tip if there is greasy dirt.

I admit I have “soaked” pieces in jewelry cleaner with good results. I have scrubbed the soaked pieces with a small brush. But these are pieces with rhodium metal and rhinestones that are not foil backed. I also use a blow dryer to make sure I get the piece totally dry. I leave the piece setting on a towel for a day or two and then repeat the blow drying. I do not want water trapped between the metal and the rhinestone.

I use this for extremely dirty pieces and for limited types or rhinestone jewelry. Hope it is helpful to hear what I do. Take care and research before you make your cleaning choices. Take care, bling lovers! Bernie

Vintage Rhinestone Brooches Designed as Hair Pretties, Yes!

Hello Bling Lovers,
Yesterday, I took a walk and ended up at our little town’s Wednesday Market. I met a woman who designs and works with beads. She and I are meeting to see if she can help me make a lovely hair pretty from a vintage brooch. I am so excited. I have several design ideas. My beading is leaves something to be desired in the quality department. So, with her expertise, I hope to make lovely hair pieces for brides, bride’s maids or proms. Maybe just for my fellow bling lovers!!I will be posting pictures soon. Bernie

Rhinestone Jewelry – The Sparkles I Love

Hello Bling Lovers! I had a good memorial day weekend. We attended the Fleet of Flowers Ceremony in Depoe Bay. It was a good way to remember the people who have given there lives for our freedom. A friend and wonderous singer sang at the memorial. June Rushing. You can find her on You Tube. She is amazing. I worn jeans and shirt but had to put sparkles on my ears. Jewelry, especially the sparkly kind makes me happy. So today, I am just here briefly so I can take prictures of butterfies and get them posted to Bernie’s Vintage. If you are looking for rhinestone jewelry, and don’t see what you like at the web store, please contact me. I might just have it. Take care, Bernie

Facebook And Web Store – How To Get More Jewelry Lovers There?

Hello Bling Lovers! I am struggling as I try to upload more of my wonderful vintage jewelry to my web store. I also know I am not using Face book as I should. I need to research effective use of Facebook. I do know if I add new pieces to the web store I can show the pictures on Face book. But for now, while I am have a struggle with my uploads, I am thinking about posting a few jewelry thoughts on Facebook just to keep a post going out to Bernie’s Vintage friends. Looking for ideas. Most of all I need to sit still and work on my upload problems. I don’t know what I am doing wrong. In the mean time I am going to create one hair pretty using s brooch or a bracelet I think it will be lovely. I really like making a design that doesn’t damage the original piece of jewelry. Talk to you tomorrow – I am going to work on uploading. Bernie

Vintage Jewelry – Bridal Hair Prettys and Tiaras – Beautiful.

Hello Bling Lovers! I am so excited about using some of my beautiful vintage jewelry to make special hair pieces for brides. I have some excellent high quality combs. I can add a lovely piece of jewelry with some beading or with feathers to make a one of a kind stunning hair pretty. When the wedding is over the brooch can be removed from the comb and worn on a jacket or blouse. Fun. If someone has a special piece from a family member, the piece can be made into the hair pretty without damaging the piece. Then the brooch or even a pair of earrings can be removed from the comb and worn. I love this idea.
I also like the idea of creating tiaras from a necklace or brooch. How lovely to add sparkle to your wedding. Then the piece can restored to being worn as a necklace. It is exciting and fun to use vintage jewelry in a different way – without damaging the vintage jewelry. I so love vintage jewelry. Bernie of Bernie’s Vintage

YouTube Video – Rhinestone Butterflies

Hello Bling Lovers, I had such fun today. I was learning how to edit my vintage jewelry photos. I have the best teacher. She is awesome. Well she thought we should start making a few YouTube videos talking and showing some of my great vintage jewelry. We didn’t just talk about it – We did it! And I even put the VIDEO LINK HERE on my blog. I hope you will take a look. You will see some butterflies that are sooo pretty. These are samples of signed pieces. The video was fun and I know I am going to do it again. It is a great way to show Bling.

Cheers, Bernie – berniesvintage.com

Hello Bling Lovers!

I hope all of you jewelry lovers had wonderful holidays. I know I did. This is the year to make my vintage jewelry and… store head up the search engines. Thanks to my web-site expert, the store will now use “Zen Cart”. It is amazing. You can feature new items automatically, sell gift certificates. Show multiple pictures easily. And this site loads everything is a couple of steps. It puts creates needed buttons for products. For instance it can put up a pay pal button for you. I am still learning, isn’t that my theme? But I think this is the cat’s meow. Happy New Year to All, Bernie

Bridal Bouquets Made With Jewelry – Wow!

Hello Bling Lovers,
And h-e-l-l-o brides. I just read a great article from another jewelry blog about brides using vintage costume jewelry to make their bouquets. The bouquets looked amazing. Of course you would a “throwing” bouquet. You would not want to get hit with the jewelry. Oh my. The pictures I saw had a variety of flower pins. The pins were mostly metal painted or not. I think rhinestones would be fab! I read one person’s reaction to the photos and she said she would use butterflies to make her bouquet. I could make a several bouquets with all of the butterflies I have. I have not put 100s of butterflies in my shop so if you like this idea contact me. I really, really have plenty. My Mom loved butterflies. I wear one in her memory almost every day. Anyway, this is something new, and something old. A great new idea made from old jewelry. You could even add a special pin from your Mom or Grandma. So cool. I do love jewelry and bling!!