New for Finders Keepers

'Springdrop' Pink Tourmaline and Pearl Pendant

'Starry Night' Onyx Pendant

'Beautiful Day' Art Clay Brooches

'Finders Keepers' Drop Earrings

These are a few of the pieces I have been working on lately, which will be coming to the market with me on the 16th and 17th of November. For those that can't make it, I have added the new brooches and earrings to the shop. 

I'll be doing another update after the market. 

9 good things

9 good things snapped on Instagram lately 

(My user name is littlebirdlowry)

National Year of Reading 2012, at our local library

Lemon Butter, found browsing at the Pimpama Strawberry Farm

A rainbow that appeared while watering the veggie patch

A wall of yarn at Threads & More, sigh

And an honest sign

Beautiful branches overhead in South Brisbane

Looking up at landmarks

Capturing my two boys in the setting sun

Wearing my andODesign ceramic cloud brooch

I wondered if the novelty of Instagram would wear off after I had used it for awhile. As yet, the answer is no. I quite enjoy the ease and speed of snapping photos on my iphone. Especially in situations where I would be too shy, or not have enough time, to pull out my normal camera. My three current favourite Instagramers are littlebuckles, hellokateberry and foxslane. 

If you are on Instagram, who are your favourites? What good things have you been taking happy snaps of lately?

Loving Brooches

L-R: Typewritter brooch, Polaroid Wood Brooch, Cute Red Fox Brooch,
Geometric Deer Brooch, Sleeping Cat Brooch, Geometric Bear Brooch,
Lady with a bird, Mini Book Pin,White Summer Cloud Ceramic Brooch.

In my head the way I dress is a reflection of my self and my tastes. Ideally, my clothes would be a selection of vintage dresses, hand knitted cardigans, funky tights, beautiful hand bags and glamorous heels. A little like this lovely lady. (Oh, how I would love to raid her wardrobe.) And while this is true to a lesser degree, the majority of the time I can be found wearing dark jeans, an assortment of coloured flats (perfect for chasing a toddler), vintage inspired tops (that I can breastfeed in) and a collection of new and thrifted cardigans (occasionally handknit) with a simple black nappy bag (that was sporting a brooch, from the Gallery of Modern Art referencing Margritte that read, "This is not a Badge." Until it fell off and was lost.) 

My budget rarely accommodates the labels I once loved. So, in order to add a little more 'me' to an outfit I rely on my collection of handmade shawls and scarves in Winter, and year round, my collection of brooches. I love brooches. I have many. Antique, vintage, handmade, simple, complex, heirloom brooches. The brooches above are my latest favourites on Etsy. 

Are you a brooch wearer? How do you express yourself with what you wear? What is your style? 

Are you like me, where the ideal and the reality are not quite the same?

+

New in the shop...

'Planting Seedlings' Brooch

Ginkgo Biloba

To my garden here translated,

Foliage of this eastern tree

Nourishes the initiated

With it's meaning's mystery.

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The 'Planting Seedlings' Green Turquoise Brooch makes an enchanting addition to any seasonal activity. The brooch may well be worn while capturing a scene in a sketchbook, partaking in a botanical excursion, musing over a museum piece, or taking in the theater. Pin it to an upcycled tunic, a vintage dress or your favourite cardigan.

This one of a kind handmade piece features new and recycled sterling silver and contains a large oval green turquoise cabochon. The back of the piece reveals a hand cut ginkgo leaf. The natural patterns of the turquoise are also repeated in the hammered texture of the back plate.

The 'Planting Seedlings' Brooch features a 31x22mm oval cabochon cut Green Turquoise and is set in solid sterling silver and hallmarked 925. The back plate is hammer textured and saw pierced by hand with a ginkgo leaf motif. This piece will be posted in a drawstring pouch wrapped in bubble wrap for protection.

+

Flea Market Finds...

 

I discovered an old basket full of crochet and knitted coat hangers, at my new local op-shop, for 50c each. As I paid for a bundle of colourful, wooly hangers, I spotted this sweet little old brooch beneath the counter and added it to my purchases.

Each plain hanger in Cohen's closet has been gradually being replaced, and now not a single naked coat hanger remains. I love seeing all those handmade hangers, lined up waiting to fulfill their purpose, as I put the washing away. I can only wonder how long Cohen will allow such hangers to occupy his space when  he is a little older. But for now, he is more interested in trying to artfully remove the brooch from my sweater whenever I pick him up, and is not the least bit worried about his mother's fascination with Nana hangers.

-

More Flea Market Finds here.

+

New in the shop...

'At Mrs Lippencote's II' Brooch

'At Mrs Lippencote's II' is the second piece in a series of work featuring Snowflake Obsidian gems. The pieces are inspired by Elizabeth Taylor's charming 1945 novel, 'At Mrs Lippencote's'. The novel brings to life the sensitive, witty, unconventional Julia, who is compelled to live among the yellowing photographs of Mrs Lippencote's house. The evocative descriptions of a bygone era, preserved in the everyday items of the household, detail the women's interwoven lives and their compelling characters. While each knock on the door presents the opportunity for a shared cup of tea, which flows like the detailed narrative.

This darling brooch well suits the cooler weather and could accompany scarf or shawl, coat or cardigan, while reading before the fire or walking through the park. 

A one of a kind, handmade piece by Christina Lowry. The 'At Mrs Lippencote's II' brooch features a round, 24mm cabochon cut Snowflake Obsidian, set in solid Sterling Silver scalloped bezel and is stamped 925. The back plate is saw pierced by hand with a teapot silhouette. This piece will be posted packaged in a drawstring pouch and bubble wrapped for protection.

+

New in the shop...

'A Certain Shade of Green' Brooch

And my old winter coat still 

Hangs by my front door 

Holding all the stories 

I don't remember anymore - "Wintercoat" Paul Kelly. 

As the weather cools and we head further into brooch season, it is a splendid time for handsome coats worn over dresses, or skirts with stockings and boots, finished off with 'A Certain Shade of Green' for a dash of colour.

This unusual Corella Chrysocolla cabochon brooch would be a delightful feature on a wool coat or knit cardigan; perfect to accompany lovers of winter on novel adventures and the making of new stories. 

A one of a kind, handmade piece by Christina Lowry. The 'A Certain Shade of Green' brooch features an oval, 30 x 23mm cabochon cut Corella Chrysocolla from Mt. Isa, Australia, set in solid Sterling Silver and stamped 925. The back plate is saw pierced by hand with floral motifs. The brooch is secured with a strong pin. This piece will be posted packaged in a drawstring pouch and bubble wrap for protection.

+

Brooch inspiration...

Image credits L-R:

Zoe Duthie, freeforged, Thea Clark,

MetalRiot, Syrinxia, Silver-Zaria,

Sarah Hood, 208209, Green Hill Center.

I personally love brooches and have a growing collection of them. To me, brooches add a mark of individuality to any outfit. They have the ability to communicate a personal and unique statement about the wearer with an immediacy that other forms of jewellery do not posses. They can communicate our passions and personalities. They can be casual or glamorous, dainty or ostentatious, serious or humorous, simple or complicated. They represent limitless possibilities and are anything but old fashioned.

I've been so excited about Susie's brooch swap. I've started work on a sterling silver and mixed media piece for my swap partner, as well as new brooches for the shop, which I will share with you soon.

-

Welcome too, to those visiting from the lovely 'frankie magazine' blog post about my blog and shop.

+

'The Secret of the Olive Grove' Brooch

A homage to Van Gogh's rich colour palette and compelling line work in his paintings of Olive Trees; together with the translucent nature and rich tone of this fascinating piece of Amber; inspired the creation of this unique brooch. 

The honey coloured gem reveals the secret of the Olive Grove beneath. The hammer textured back plate references Van Gogh's use of line. The organic silhouettes of the olive branches allude to the organic nature of the fossilized resin itself.

Truly a special brooch for any significant occasion. This natural beauty could be gifted with love to celebrate the birth of a child, mark a memorable anniversary, or an engagement promise.

A one of a kind, handmade piece by Christina Lowry. 'The Secret of the Olive Grove' brooch features a 34mm round translucent cabochon Amber, set in solid Sterling Silver and stamped 925. The back plate is saw pierced by hand and the design is visible through the gem. The brooch is secured with a strong pin. This piece will come packaged in a drawstring pouch and bubble wrap for protection.


Sold.

+

Finished and added to the shop today, the 'Bright Star' Brooch.

"Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art--" John Keats

For the poetical and the romantic, this handmade sterling silver brooch is a piece to be cherished as much for it's vintage inspired simplicity, as for the agatised coral within; it is a combination of strength and fragility captured forever in a one of a kind curio.

Pair this darling brooch with a cardigan and a vintage scarf, or add a touch of the romantic to your favorite little black dress and those heels saved for special occasions.

A handmade one of a kind brooch by Christina Lowry, this piece features a 27x20mm cabochon of fossilised agate with a detailed lacey pattern, set in solid Sterling Silver and stamped 925. Clouds secretly float across the back of the piece for added whimsy. Secured with a strong pin, it is housed in a handmade bag made from sweet vintage fabric and a lovely vintage button.

+

Cloud ceramic brooch

Doily Porcelain Jewellery Plate

Stitch Kumo Cloud Porcelain Brooch

A ceramic cloud brooch arrived in the mail yesterday. A little indulgence in my love of clouds. I'm quite taken by the other designs available at and O designs too. How sweet are those doily jewellery plates?

One day I'd love to try my hand at working with porcelain.

+

'Away with the clouds' sterling sliver brooch, listed in the shop.

My Creative Space...

A simple bezel set moss agate brooch I made for my sister.

In keeping with my current theme I saw pierced some little clouds out of the back plate.

Still managed to photograph lint. I think a new jewellery cleaning cloth especially for photography is in order.

-

More Creative Spaces here.

-

Don't forget to enter the giveaway.

An Early Flea Market Finds...

When I was a little girl I used to follow my parents around antique shops with my hands behind my back, knowing I mustn't touch anything.

I learnt about the antiques - this is silky oak, that is a writing bureau, this is a Toby mug, these are left over from a war, that heavy iron they used to sit on the fireplace.

As a child one of the things that really caught my eye were the brooches.

The seemed like small art works.

I supposed they seemed like a very grown up thing too, as children didn't wear brooches.

Some of my brooches are resting on coats or have been lent to my sister, here is an eclectic selection from my jewellery box. Some are gifts from family, some brought off ebay or etsy or while thrifting, some given to me or brought from bloggers, one was found in a little shop in a romantic village, one brought at a concert, all loved and worn and waiting for more friends to be added to the collection.

-

Do you have a collection of vintage brooches? Is there something you are always on the look out to collect? Sophie likes to collect antique ink bottles and flea market finds.

-

I hope tomorrow's celebration of love makes you feel special and reminds you how many people love you.