Art made from old jewelry- Vintage Monogram Letter
Art made from old jewelry- Vintage Monogram Letter
Retro is hot in almost every market. Home décor, clothing, design. Vintage jewelry is right up there, and costume pieces are expressive and affordable…perfect for upcycling!
When my great aunt passed away, her costume treasures were given to me. While I cherished them, for several decades they sat in a box unused.
When my kids were young, they enjoyed playing dress up with them. As they matured, they returned to the box.
I wanted to create ways to honor and remember the life of my beloved aunt, but her style wasn’t mine. I got the nerve to start taking the pieces apart with the intent to repurpose them.
This feels a little odd at first; altering someone else’s treasures…but they have potential and great design elements. If you have sentimental pieces, consider this a compliment to the original owners.
This DIY project is a 3D Memorial Letter. With a cardboard base of her first initial, I set out to create a small art piece that would remind me of my aunt.
I attached a small frame at the top left corner to hold her picture, and simply attached the jewelry with a hot glue gun. The result is a slightly flashy, but personalized way to honor a beautiful lady.
If you would like to try this idea and don’t have jewelry already, it is very easy to find. Flea markets, vintage shops, estate sales, EBay, swap meets and garage sales offer vintage costume finery at cheap prices.
Look for gems that would complement your own style color wise, and don’t worry too much about them falling apart a bit. That is the beauty of these projects!
Remove backings carefully from items like earrings that would create too uneven of a surface to glue onto the letter
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Layer the earrings, brooches, whatever, and glue where desired. For an extra nice touch, a thin necklace creates a border to balance the randomness of the other choices
Print off a small photo, and attach it to a miniature metal frame. These can generally be found in the jewelry making department of a craft store
Perfection is definitely not required. That is what makes this project so fun.
It would also be a great idea to do with residents from nursing homes, grandparents, or any other friend who is elderly and would have memories attached to their pieces. Ask them their stories and let them create while listening. Enjoy!
I’ve been the keeper of my Mom’s costume jewelry for 15 years since her passing. This idea is Fantastic! I’ve wanted to do something with some of the pieces that represented her and her life, I found it! Thank you for sharing this great idea.
I’ve been the keeper of my Mom’s costume jewelry for 15 years since her passing. This idea is Fantastic! I’ve wanted to do something with some of the pieces that represented her and her life, I found it! Thank you for sharing this great idea.
That is awesome to hear! Enjoy the project and I hope it brings you joy to see it done
Great DIY! I can’t wait to try this soon. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! Have a fun time creating 🙂