Handmade Jewlery, Bags, Clothing, Art, Crafts, Craft Ideas, Crafting Blog

Vintage-Inspired Jewelry and Art

in Featured Crafters, Handmade, Jewelry on

I am inspired by the beautiful vintage creations one can find in antiques stores or in photos in old books. These feminine and sometimes ornate pieces can get my mind fired up with new ideas!

Deborah Davey

Random Facts About You?

I have a PhD in molecular biology but have barely worked in the field of research science since motherhood and working in the science field don't mix well (in Australia at least).

I use some of my profits to support the Lydia's List project which helps women in developing countries to access education, financial help and training in other life skills.

My taste in music is pretty eclectic and ranges from classical (I especially love Baroque period music), to jazz, to dance music and rock and roll.

I love to travel and would happily travel around the world if I could! I would really like to see more or Europe and Asia as well as my own country.



What got you started crafting?

My mum is pretty artsy and taught me to embroider and cross stitch when I was 4 or 5 years old. Since then, I have been trying out various crafts which interest me. I took a break from crafting when I went to university but started again when I had children as a way to entertain them and myself.



What is your source of inspiration?

I am often inspired by the beads, trims and vintage findings with which I work. A mess of supplies sitting together on my craft desk might result in a combination or new design I had not previously envisaged or an adaptation to an old design.

I am also inspired by the beautiful vintage creations one can find in antiques stores or in photos in old books. These feminine and sometimes ornate pieces can get my mind fired up with new ideas!



What have you made recently?

I have recently returned to my love of sewing to design a new range of "bracelets" for my stores. I love to work with fabric, doilies and vintage trims and lace, but have never used them in my jewellery or accessories.

So, I have started to combine jewellery supplies, such as vintage floral cabochons, cameo settings, charms and filigrees with vintage or repurposed trims, lace and fabric to create my new line of shabby chic fabric cuffs. Some of my pieces were created after sketching some design ideas in my "ideas book". Other pieces were designed by placing complementary fabrics, trims and jewellery supplies together and then mixing and matching bits and pieces until I was happy.

What stands out about these cuffs for me is that they are incredibly feminine, comfortable to wear and different from anything else I've created.





Where do you sell your crafts presently?

I predominantly sell my crafts online since regularly attending markets is pretty taxing when you have young children. Also, the market scene is pretty over-saturated where I live, so it can be difficult to find a good market to attend.

I also gift a lot of my creations to my friends and family. They are the ones who encouraged me to sell my creations so I love to make them bespoke items which suit their personalities.



Why are handmade crafts important to you?

My family and I love handmade goods because they are unique and not mass produced. Not that I don't buy commercial items too, but it's nice to own something which isn't widely available. For example, I made a library bag for my daughter to use at school and she just loves that nobody else has a bag like hers and it's really easy for her to spot her bag.

I also love the fact that buying handmade means that I usually have direct contact with the creator of my purchases - there's something pretty special about that!



MENU