RagTrader Blog

During the day I edit video but nights and weekends I make jewelry. Many of my pendants are made from vintage molds- designs that are 40 – 150 years old.  Other items I make are from antique found items like pocket watches, cameos, keys, bottles, keyholes or whatever odds and ends i find at the flee market or in the barn.

I try to use vintage jewelry findings, like chain,  whenever I can.  Not just in the spirt of recycling but also because they are beautiful and I love to think the history of a jewelry creation reaches before I was born.  I often wonder where these items have been and what they meant to other people.

I’ve always had a fascination with old things. This passion developed, I think, from living on an old deteriorating farm with my 9 siblings.  Being the youngest of 5 girls I never complained about wearing hand-me-downs.. I even loved wearing 70’s outfits to highschool in the 90’s (Now I sell vintage clothing in a store front in Pittsburgh as well as online).  I would often wonder the woods around our farm digging up antique bottles and old odds and ends.  I always thought these were the most amazing and mysterious treasures  – when really these were trash dumps left by farmers in the early 1900’s.  I think the most beautiful objects are covered in rust or patina or better yet, broken.

You can find my jewelry at:
www.ragtrader.etsy.com
www.ragtradervintage.com

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/RagTradrVintage

Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elisabiffy_volts/

FaceBook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/RagTrader-Vintage/97379130799