Handcrafted Tags, Cards and Notes

Hand made tags by Susan (from 99c each)

Hallmark cards are fine, but when you want to say something special, carefully handcrafted cards are the right touch. Whether you make it yourself or get one from a local artist, it is still special. We carry a number of cards, tags and notes crafted by local artists and individual crafts-people from around the country. While some of these are made in multiples, most are one-of-a-kind creations. We also have lots of ephemera, special paper, images and crafting accessories to help you make your own. Take a look -- we do not have many of these pieces available online. So come in to the shop, or send us an email and we can send photos and details.

Glittered Tags ($7.95 each)

Glittered Letter and Crown Tags ($6.95 and $7.95 each)

Packets of Ephemera, Great "Card" for a Crafter ($12.95 each)

Hand made Tags by Susan ($2.95 to $3.95 each)

Cards and Tags by Susan (from 99c each)

We have a number of very special hand crafted tags by Tricia's Ribbons and Fine Things. These are large enough to be cards or works of art and each has a removable tag in an envelope on the back.  All are one-of-a-kind creations.

Selection of Tricia's Tags ($12.95 each)

Tricia's Tag showing envelope on the back.

A few more of Tricia's Tags ($12.95 each)

This is a stationery box, hand crafted and selected by Tricia. It's like an ephemera fantasy. ($89 with all the contents)

The selection of decorative paper and ephemera at Vintages is excellent. We have everything from hand made paper to crafting accessories to artist transfer paper to ephemera packets filled with doo-dads and treasures. All so you can make your own card, tag or note.

Several years ago we acquired these hand made bridge tallies. These are from the 1950s or so. Alas, these are from our personal collection and are not for sale. But you can drop in and check them out in the shop.

Emerald: May's Birthstone

Emerald green ... darker than the new green leaves of spring and the lovely apples of fall ... a gorgeous, rich, velvety green that captivates and allures. Emeralds have been considered special since ancient times. Top quality emeralds can be more valuable than diamonds, and definitely more scarce. While emeralds have been found in many places around the globe, today's finest emeralds come from the mines of Colombia.

Emerald is a fairly hard, but brittle stone. Unlike diamonds, emeralds are rarely ever free of inclusions and fissures. In fact, these defects form the famed jardin of an emerald when looked at under low power magnification. To conceal the fissures, almost all emeralds are impregnated with oil. Such treatment is not considered a detriment to the value of the gem.

Here's a good look at the emerald jardin under two different magnifications. Photo courtesy of All About Gemstones, an excellent website for research about gems, their structure, origin and history.

One beautiful aspect of emeralds is that many have been expertly carved through the years. These carved specimens create a genre of jewelry beyond the beautiful faceted gems that we normally see.

Cartier Pin with a Carved Emerald Gem (1920s)

Alas, we have just a few pieces of emerald jewelry here at Vintages. While we have many items with lovely light green peridots and several with emerald green glass or crystal, all beautiful in their own right, but still not emeralds. Jewelry with exotics green jade and classic chrysoprase are also wonderful, whether carved or left as cabochons. But emerald jewelry is a class unto itself. Here is some of the emerald jewelry that we have at this time.

Emerald & Diamond Pendant in 14K Setting and Chain ($145)

Edwardian Gold-filled Brooch with Emerald ($95)

Emerald & Diamond Ring in 14K Gold Setting ($295)

Happy Easter • Happy Spring

Spring is here and Easter is in a few weeks. What better way to enjoy the Spring than with bunnies, chicks, Easter eggs and Spring flowers. We have a lot of bright and cheery Spring and Easter gifts and decorations in stock. As well as crafting treasures, both vintage and new for the creative crafters out there. We also have a selection of wicker and wire baskets ... stuff them with excelsior and Easter grass (from us, of course!) and you have the perfect presentation for Spring flowers, Easter eggs or gourmet goodies.

Handcrafted Rabbits ($23.95 to $49.95 each)

Eggs, Baskets, Boxes of Bunnies (Starting at $9.95 each)

Handmade Folk Art Bunny Rabbit Dolls ($39.95 each)

Bunny-Carrot Picks ($4.95 each)

Bunny Basket ($14.95) and "Gold" Egg Container ($7.95)

Bright Egg Ornaments ($6.50 & $7.50 each)

Glass Eggs ($3.49 each)

Spring Corner of our Shop

Handmade Mulberry Paper Flowers

Giant Paper Flowers (from $13.95 each)

Handmade Mulberry Paper Flowers in a Few Sizes ($0.95 to $5.95 each)

Beautiful Ribbons by the Yard

Be creative. Be different. Always something wonderful and unique at Vintages.

Diamond: April's Birthstone

How lucky is the lady born in April? With diamonds as her birthstone, why would she want anything else? After all, as Marilyn Monroe so breathlessly sang in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ... 

A kiss on the hand may be quite continental
But diamonds are a girl's best friend

...

Diamonds ... Diamonds
I don't mean rhinestones

But diamonds are a girl's best friend

Diamond Solitaire 14K Gold Engagement Rings ($695 to $995 each)

Diamonds have been treasured for their brilliance and beauty for many centuries. When diamonds became a part of our lives is unclear but where they entered is completely certain -- in India. An old Indian text from the 4th century BC notes that diamonds were known, traded and even taxed in India at that time. The Romans treasured diamonds and examples of Roman diamond jewelry can be found in several museums.

The European love of diamonds was subdued after the fall of the Roman Empire, as Christianity took a dim view of the Roman's superstitions about diamonds. Contrary to the European situation, the gem maintained  its popularity in the Indian and Islamic world, reappearing in Europe in the 14th century.

Two gold rings with old diamonds that were re-set in the 1940s. Left: Old European cut diamonds ($2295). Right: Old table cut diamonds ($975).

Early diamonds were simply polished crystals, but when the diamond industry revived in Europe, the process of cutting and polishing diamonds was established. (FYI: Indian artisans not only polished diamond crystals, but had learned to cleave, cut and polish diamonds early on.) The history of diamond cuts is an interesting one. The brilliant cut which we are all familiar with today, did not emerge until the 19th century. The earliest cuts were the pyramid and table cuts. Today we also hear much of "old mine cut" and "old European cut" diamonds used in 19th century jewelry.

Victorian Jewelry with center Diamonds. Gold-filled Locket ($95) and 14K Gold Pin with Enamel Decoration ($165)

Old mine cut diamonds in enamel pansies. These were re-set in 14K gold in early the 1940s into these gorgeous pieces ($2950 each)

Diamonds have also produced many unique and whimsical sayings through the years: 

• Diamonds never leave you ... men do. (Shirley Bassey)
• I don't exercise. If God had wanted me to bend over, he would have put diamonds on the floor. (Joan Rivers) • I have always felt a gift diamond shines so much better than one you buy for yourself! (Mae West)

• I never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back. (Zsa Zsa Gabor)

Art Nouveau-style 14K Gold Rings. Left is a wedding set with a large fresh water pearl ($295). Right is a floral designed ring ($695)

Over the years, famous diamonds have been given names. Some of the most well-known gems are the Blue Hope diamond (which is in the Smithsonian), the Taylor-Burton diamond (a gift from Richard Burton to his lover Elizabeth Taylor) and the great Star of Africa diamond (the largest cut diamond in the world).

Taylor-Burton Diamond

Hope Diamond

Great Star of Africa Diamond

While here at Vintages, we do not have any of these great, famous stones, we do have several wonderful pieces of diamond jewelry. The gallery below features jewelry that have diamonds without other gems in the setting. However, we have a number of lovely pieces that feature diamonds with gems such as blue topaz, rubies, emeralds, garnets and more. Check out our online selection, and stop in the shop to see more.

Platinum and Diamond Bracelet ($1995)

14K Gold Brooch with Diamonds and Carved Rock Crystal ($695)

Multi-colored Gold Cross with center Diamond ($245)

18K White Gold Ring with Diamonds and center Turquoise Cabochon ($1295)

Online References:• History of Diamonds • Famous Diamonds • Historical Diamond Cuts

A Little Bird Told Me ...

A little bird told me ... it's the start of Spring (almost) and the birds are as happy as we are. So we thought it appropriate to have birds as our March Featured Product.

bird |bərd| • noun • a warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate distinguished by the possession of feathers, wings and a beak, and (typically) by being able to fly. 

Birds seem to have fascinated man right from the start. Maybe it is their ability to fly. Or their beautiful plumage, especially of the males in mating season.  Or could it be that they are soooooo cute!

And birds have found a place in many of our favorite colloquialisms:

birds of a feather flock together

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush 

the birds and the bees

kill two birds with one stone

a little bird told me

We recently came across these fantastic folk art birds made of reclaimed wood, tin and such.  These are made just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, and clearly come from the imagination and hand of an artistic person.

Folk art birds ($59.95 each)

Feathery bird ornaments are a happy sight all year 'round. These little white ones are just a sample of the colors and styles that we have available.

Ornamental birds (from $8.95 each)

Hand crafted wreath with bird on nest (from $29.95)

We have paper birds (decorative paper, tags, die cuts, notebooks), bird figurines, bird ribbon (check out the new wide birds on burlap!), paperweights, wall hangings, and more. And don't forget bird jewelry! Here's a small gallery of our offerings.

Decorative papers (starting at $4.50 per sheet)

Bird tags, labels and sticky notes (from $14.95 each)

Bird dish ($35.95), Bird nest vase ($13.95), Hand-made bird box ($17.95), Folk art bird on the line ($59.95)

Folk art metal sandpipers ($64.95 & $84.95)

Bird paperweight ($44.95)

Burlap bird wired ribbon 4" wide ($4.95 per yard)

Folk art Party Chicks wooden wall plaque ($49.95)

Birds, birdhouses and beach accents.

Audubon bird prints ($18.00 each)

Rustic bird nests and houses on branch ($7.95 each)

Tiny bird cages ($9.95 each); "Love" bird ($7.95 each)

Coro Bird of Paradise Duette Double Clip Brooch from 1940s ($245)

Girl with Basket and Bird (One only - inquire)