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After opening her online shop in February little did she know that Madge would get repurposed! One of her first sales was a sparkly rhinestone heart brooch from the 1950s. Madge had owned the piece since high school. The brooch was purchased by a local woman, Janice Fuller.
Madge assumed it would be worn or gifted. During routine buyer follow-up Janice let me know that she would be repurposing the brooch to create another piece of jewelry.
Repurposing vintage is a hot trend especially on Etsy. Type repurpose into the Etsy search and you will find thousands of listings – everything from jewelry and clothing to home decor and art. There are vests and appliquéd t-shirts made of fabric scraps to lawn rakes as wall art to drinking glasses made from Pepsi bottles.
Well once Madge found out the brooch would be repurposed she began nagging Janice on a regular basis to get a look at the finished product. Janice would patiently reply that she was in the process or had put it aside for a while. Well finally, the piece is done and what a masterpiece!
Called Key to My Heart, it’s a stunning necklace made of a combination of the brooch, a silver key, plus silver and pearl chains. The coolest part is that this beautiful necklace can be worn so many different ways. The vintage rhinestone heart can be pinned through the chain at any place along the necklace. The silver and rhinestone key has a spring clasp and may also be positioned where you think it would look best. The chains may be worn along or together and at 36″ in length; the necklace may be wrapped around the neck more than once to become a choker. In essence this repurposed piece can then be repurposed into a number of different looks. Just sensational!
Here’s a little about Janice in her own words:
“My creations are real, energetic, funky…and each can tell a story. I love bling, unusual textures, metals, glass, gemstones and most anything that
can be transformed into a work of wearable art. Many years ago, I started upcycling some jewelry that I already owned and received numerous compliments. Then, I worked with some polymer clay and found that I loved the art of design and then creating with that clay. Soon after, I was hooked! Almost every day I find that I must jot down ideas for designs on a bit of paper and hope it survives to make it to the workbench in my studio. Inspiration is all around me as I really am drawn to accessories that I see everywhere. The thrill of hearing from or seeing someone who received the piece of jewelry will never cease for me. That will always be my reward….but of course, getting paid for something you love to do is the best part!”
Madge wishes she had this type of creativity but will have to settle for enjoying Janice’s wonderful pieces. Check out her shop on Etsy – J. Marie Of Atlanta and look for her second shop – J. Marie for Kids. Thanks Janice for your creative talent and eye for saving vintage pieces and turning them into beautiful new objects of art.
1 Comment
Thanks for this wonderful feature Madge! I loved the results of this purchase and will always be on the lookout for more fabulous vintage pieces from your shop that I can “repurpose”.
All the best,
Janice