Monday, November 28, 2011

Cameo Appearance


As a long time admirer of the beauty and grace of vintage cameos, I was thrilled when I became the lucky recipient of several gorgeous and unique cameos that had belonged to my grandmothers and my mom. However, many of them were brooches and earrings which I rarely wear. When I set out to find a way to incorporate them into necklaces without compromising the integrity of the original cherished pieces,
I decided to replicate them using polymer clay.


Polymer clay comes in a vast array of colors, is inexpensive, and very easy to work with. The versatility of the clay allowed me to incorporate metal framework within and around the cameo that could be adorned with complimentary crystals, pearls, and charms.


I adore the look of my new collection of cameo jewelry but most importantly, I love the precious memories that come to mind when I wear a piece that was inspired
by a cameo worn by a loved one.


Do you have a family heirloom cameo that you'd like to turn into a necklace, or maybe even make as a gift for a sister, mom, or aunt to remind them of a loved one?

Visit my tutorial here to see how they are made. 

You can also find some of them featured in the Autumn 2010 issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry and in the Summer 2011 issue of Belle Armoire.



9 comments:

  1. I too love Cameos - you have created some stunning pieces with them! x

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  2. I love cameos and each one of these is beautiful! Obviously, you have family heirloom cameos, so the real question is do YOU want to make one for a loved one...maybe a sister-in-law? Just sayin'!!

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  3. Wow! Your pieces are just stunning! These cameos you have are breath taking and true treasures. I've only dabbled in extremely simple jewelry design, nothing like this! I have a friend who used to make her own glass beads, but that was short lived. LOL!

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  4. That is wonderful! I like the take on this cameo. It is very different, love your work!

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  5. Gorgeous!!! All such original pieces! I'm totally impresed!

    Aimee from ItsOverflowing

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  6. Lovely! So glad you shared at Shine On Fridays!

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  7. These are truly works of art -- how creative you are to re-create these treasures!

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  8. Kathy ... you are amazing. I could spend several hours on your Blogs.
    Christmas Blessings.
    Audrey Z.

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I look forward to reading what you have to say. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!

Have a great day!
Kathy