Plate flowers and Jewelry trees

13 years ago

I'm sorry I don't have picts of this, but I'll try to describe it as best I can. I went to a festival this weekend, where a gentleman was selling plate flowers for close to $200. I know, gasp and shudder, however, let me try to describe them, because I think they were probably worth it (oh how I wish I'd had a couple hundred dollars not earmarked for food and bills and silly stuff like that!!!!) First, the bases, were some metal, steel probably, they stood hmm, 3' tall? he had cut out very large leaves, somewhat in the shape of tulip leaves and welded them to the 'stem' and curved them and turned them, I'm thinking besides for the aesthetics of it for the weight to hold down the flowers themselves. They were beyond gorgeous. The base of the flower was I'd say glass platters, at least 18" wide to close to 2', in all kinds of colors, shapes, finishes, I'd swear one of them was a huge platter of depression glass. Then there was a normal sized plate, then maybe a bowl, with a votive in or a couple bowls, you know they gradually got smaller in size, just like the rest of us do. What was really cool about these, other than the sheer gorgeousness of the pieces, was that they were able to be either a flower or a bird/butterfly bath. The piece that fixed to the stem had two holes, one perpendicular to the platter and one directly under it. The man said he made a mold and cast this piece in resin, then painted it. It was very cool. I told my BF to get to thinking of what we could use instead, he came up with the pvc 90 idea, which may be doable, has anyone siliconed pvc to glass? how's that hold up? I really thought I had gotten over the plate flower thinking, but now, darn it, I may be hooked again. Oh, anyway, the pieces this man used were not GW type pieces. They were all, at least the platter portions, the bigger parts of the flowers, vintage, auction, estate sale type pieces. I'm sure he spend a pretty penny on them. BTW, the reason I don't have pictures for you? Big sign that said "no pictures unless you are buying" you can imagine my thinking about that sign.

The second things I saw, were also just gorgeous and again quite out of my price range! Awhile ago someone asked what we'd do if we had a bunch of costume jewelry and the craft of making Christmas style trees with the jewelry came up. I was in a vintage/thrift store and saw these on the wall and knew I had to share them.

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Comments (15)

sprout_wi
13 years ago
WOW!!, Kelly - thanks for the great information and the luscious photos. I bet the jewelry could be used to mosaic, the same way most mocaicers (is that a word??) use tiles. I love mosaic, but don't trust myself to make all those suitably shaped and sized pieces. I would end up with lots of gravel. lol

I am blown away about the man with the plate flowers. I would have loved to see them. Just for fun I went on ebay this weekend and looked at some of the vintage and estate pieces, that could be used for plate flowers. Some were affordable but the shipping costs put them out of range. Fun looking, though and imagining how I would use each piece. Testing my creativity.

Lots of people have antiques and what do we do with them? Store them in a closet - maybe take them out once a year and plan to leave them to kids and grandkids who probably don't care about the supposed value. Another poster said that her pieces got more appreciation in the garden than in the house (or closet). I think I am going to re-think the design elements of plate flower. Thanks for posting - very interesting info and photos.
-Sprout
tlfox
13 years ago
Just getting back to gardening - a health issue put my garden on hiatus for a few years...so plate flowers are a new thing for me.

I have recently began to rethink my "princess house" crystal and thought of selling it or packing it away. I went to a local "paris market" and was told the market it too saturated with it right now, to save it for a few decades and try again...

Well - I don't think I am going to do that. I think I might mix some of my crystal with some thrift, yard sale, estate sale, junkin' pickin' and discover this new found love of plate flowers and glass totems.

Feel like Rip Van Winkle - just waking up to all of these "new to me" garden creations that everyone is making now. I think my garden rejuvenation will need some glass art to make it complete.

And - HOLY COW - love the trees! I have a HUGE box of jewelry pieces that I have been saving for a project...I think I might have to get that box out when the heat of the summer gets here and I am hiding in the air conditioning during the day.
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Thanks for the info, I wanted to make some plate flowers. =) As the for the glass, I seriously doubt it's tempered, too much work and cost to temper something that's going to sell for a buck. If you order tempered glass for a door, they have to run it through a special machine and it has to be a certain dimension to fit. I don't think they temper anything but plate glass with any regularity.
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Love you Victorian Home! I didn't realize I was a member until I tried to register:) I've looked at so many of your creations, you are so inspiring!! I have a few questions I hope you don't mind :) Your bird bath is made of what? How did you make you flower plate? I saw what you did with a spoon but I must have missed what you used for the center of the plastic plate, was it another plate? I love all your totems, neat how you turn a flower vase up side down and put your tea cups on them :) I went to the thrif store looking at things in a whole new way. Thank You for posting your creations and your lovely home, Did I miss the backyard pictures? Jackie
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They are all beautiful. I have some jewelry I have saved for some sort of craft and now will have to try them on the flowers. Love your plate flowers, I have been making them and thinking I would sell them. I fall in love with most of them, so not sure how this will work. I didn't put any weight on my spoons for at least a week after dry time. But now I am going to try hockey pucks, like Shabby Joe. Have fun crafting. Here is a link that might be useful: Shabby Joe Glass Art
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Oh my....Jewelry....Oh No.....I might have to make some!!!! These are fantastic!!! These are costume jewelry arent they? I will have to start look for some! I have had great luck finding colored glass around here...I hope I can be as lucky finding some sparkly pins. Great Job!!!!!
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socalliegal
13 years ago
Way too much money I think. I have seen folks here fashion leaves out of various things as well. I hate when people inflate prices to extremes just to make a quick buck. Those jewelry trees are no where near worth that much either. All you have to do is empty out your moms or grandmas junk jewelry drawer and you have all the materials ...free. Same with the plates...cheap at garage sales and thrift shops.
jeannespines
13 years ago
kelly-oh...sounds like this person who makes the flowers is quite artistic in his method...they sound beautiful! Like our "Robert" on here, some people can make fantastic art from found items! Thanks for sharing this artist...I wish you had the extra $200 also...when you love something alot & can spend the money, it is definitely worth it...to one's own eyes & feelings!

The jewelry trees are wonderful also ...I posted the one I made from my Mom's costume jewelry & some of mine & my G'ma's pic necklace...& it was alot of work & very time-consuming. The tree base is a pic of my Mom/Dad when they first married...I used lots of family momentos on this tree. Also made my sister one & my brother's with lights. Took me a long time!

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TFS your pics...great jewelry trees! Jeanne S.
socalliegal
13 years ago
Jeannie, that looks spectacular...see one can do it...just got lay it all out and plan it...then get the glue gun...lol!
luna_llena_feliz
13 years ago
Kelly_oh, I sure wish I could have seen those plate flowers. They sound wonderful! You did a great job of describing them. The jewelry trees are gorgeous!

I wanted to make a memory jug using some of my mother's costume jewelry so I'll have to take a few pointers from these trees.

Jeanne, your jewelry tree is so precious! What a great way to use up mom and grandma's jewelry! And yours looks just as lovely as the ones in Kelly_oh's pictures.

TFS!
jeannespines
13 years ago
luna...a memory jug sounds wonderful also! The hardest part was "cutting" the jewelry to fit...like "rings" in half...backs of earrings, etc. etc. It took a lo-o-ng time & I used hand snips & wire cutter tools to do it.

Glue guns do not work on metal jewelry for this project ...the backing is velvet & I used superglue...so you also have to kind of hold each pc until it sets up.

I hope you make your memory jar... I have a cream colored pitcher that I want to do with white buttons & some fish gravel rock that I saw a pic of in a lib bk.

anyway, kelly oh, shared some great pics here! Jeanne S.
Marlene Kindred
13 years ago
Wow Kelly! Those plate flowers sound amazing, but the jewelry tree pictures are really beautiful! What a great idea. Jeanne....I particularly love yours...what a beautiful way to remember your mom, grandmother, etc. Just a great idea! I'll be it was very time consuming, but turned out beautifully! Thanks for sharing with us Kelly!
kelly_oh
Original Author
13 years ago
Oh wow, Jeanne! That is wonderful and you made 3??? I love it. I made a shadowbox for my mom awhile ago with some of her mom's things, watches, favorite necklace, handkerchief, pictures, and a crocheted slipper (Mamaw made them like crazy for everyone! I loved them). It was fun and bittersweet, but its a nice memory piece for my mom. Mamaw didn't have a lot of jewelry or I would be tempted to make a tree like yours :)
I haven't seen a memory jug, what's that?
Glad you all liked the pictures!
kelly_oh
Original Author
13 years ago
Oh, i searched memory jugs, sooooo gonna make some now!!!
aka_strawberrygoat
13 years ago
there was a lady who used to be on this site a number of years ago...she made Christmas trees just like your photos..
that was the first time I had seen them, too.
it's it wonderful, what can be done, with something that could sit for such a long time, unappreciated?
get them out and have a ball~

garage sales have that kind of jewelry all the time..
old frames, black velvet and there ya go!
Purplemoon
13 years ago
Strawberry, here's one of those jewelry trees like you mentioned. Tho this gal sprayed her's all one color when done.
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hugs, Karen
crazyone
13 years ago
OMG.. these are spectacular.. what a way to show of retro jewels, my GG had so many like this that got put into dress up boxes.. they would have made a gorgeous tree.. but maybe i can collect some :-)
laurastheme
13 years ago
Last summer I saw some plate flowers similar to the ones described here. They were HUGE!! I have used some vintage plates and dishes in my garden art when they didn't sell on ebay. Figured I might as well put them where they would sell.
Those trees are gorgeous!! I have one I made on burgundy velvet.
concretenprimroses
13 years ago
Wow! Glad to see this as I think I missed it the first time around. Love love Jeannes tree with the photo trunk.
I don't have a problem with artists making a nice profit. His plate flowers sound quite spectacular.

My dfosterd says that she thinks I should do something with my plate flower stems, maybe paint them dif. colors rather than solid. I'm thinking of that as I look at them peeping out of the snow!
Kathy

Plate flowers and Jewelry trees

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