A vintage necklace.

I am like a magpie nowadays.  Always on the search for something up-cycled, re-cycled, retro and vintage.  I so enjoy owning something that isn't brand new, hasn't been mass marketed or made in China..... and something that has memories, has been put together with love and, most of all,  unique, eco and often much, much cheaper than something designer or new!

So imagine my delight when I discovered Wendy, of Ghost and Lola,  at the Byron Bay Sunday Market.  A once a month event that has always done me well when it comes to finding locally made clothes, accessories, home crafts and artisan products. I come over with an empty bag so I can bring things back to England.  Everything from bedcovers and cushion covers to vintage dresses, sunglasses & jewellery have found their way back with me on the long flight home! 

Wendy has collected vintage beads, chains and bits and pieces for decades from all over the world. And this necklace is a perfect example of how she has combined her talents as a designer and jeweller to produce this one-off, hand-crafted "Chocolate Box" necklace.  The beads and chains come from the 50s, 60's and 70s, making this a really authentic and individual piece. 

She describes some of them here: 

Vintage Lucite and copper cage beads from the 70’s intertwined on a gorgeous golden vintage chain also from the 70’s. The striped beads are Ocker from West Germany. The Chocolate Swirl beads are Japanese vintage.

I wish I was a maker and could put together something as beautiful as this.  However, I am a collector & shopper with a good eye, so I hope you enjoy posts like this to either inspire you to make wonderful pieces yourself or to look for eclectic, one-offs to buy cheaply in markets or charity shops supporting local trade & artists along the way.

I am seriously thinking of starting an on-line shop for some of my individual, vintage bits and pieces I have found in the past, so do let me know if this is something that could be of interest to you in the future.  

Meanwhile, I will continue to search every market & vintage shop I can find in the Byron Shire, while I'm here, to source more unique treasures to bring home.  I am probably going to end up like my departed mother.....she was an antique dealer but loved everything she bought so much she rarely sold anything!  Do you think it could be in the genes?  

Vintage sunglasses, vintage bangle and now a vintage necklace to complete my brown theme!