Author Archive: fitzcharming
Wanda Fitzgerald is a Florida native and an vintage charm collector who loves to share her adventures in an e-commerce jewelry business with anyone who is interested.
Snapeez Magic Locking Jump Rings Now Available From Charmcrazey
I’m so pleased to now offer for sale in my ebay store the incredible Snapeez Locking Jump Rings. I wrote about these magic rings in a previous post and have since had many requests for them. So I contacted the distributor and I am now an authorized reseller of these charm bracelet “must haves”. No […]
Charm Bracelet Basics and History
Besides a wedding or graduation ring, there is a piece of jewelry on the market that has the capacity to signify some of the best moments in your life. Charm bracelets are placed around the wrist with numerous decorative trinkets dangling about. These small pendants are meant to symbolize the things most important to whoever […]
So Much Vintage Jewelry To Sell
This morning I started thinking about goals for 2009, and decided that getting my jewelry inventory listed for sale would be a good start. So I dumped it all out & started to sort. But before I did I took this photo, which is about half of the box. So now I have a list […]
Jewelry Quote of the Month – January 2009
“Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Joan Munkacsi Rest in Peace
Christmas morning I logged into an ebay charm bracelet discussion group that I belong to and read the heartbreaking news that the founder of the group had passed away on Christmas eve. Her name was Joan Munkacsi. She had fought a long painful battle with cancer, which finally claimed her life. I knew that she wasn’t doing well as she had gone through many treatments and the cancer kept reappearing, but I never really thought she would not be back to the group……
Vintage Charm Manufacturer Catalogs
I’m a heavy user of jewelry reference books. In fact I have a mini library of them and the shelf is growing all the time. I spend lots of time learning how to identify older charms and bracelets, as well as costume jewelry. Lately I’ve been on the hunt for old catalogs and pages of charms from manufacturer and sales companies……..
A Favorite Charm Bracelet – Old Florida Attraction Souvenirs
This is one of my very favorite charm bracelets. It’s not entirely complete but well enough on the way to show it off. The theme is old tourist attractions in my home state of Florida from “pre Disney” days. Read more about it here:
Cleaning Sterling Silver Jewelry
The natural darkening of aged silver is referred to as patina, and is considered very desirable because it shows the detail of the workmanship in jewelry. In charms, for example, the low or engraved areas take on a darker patina and the surfaces are a bit more lustrous.
Charm History – Bates & Klinke, Inc.
The old Bates & Klinke Company produced some of my favorite collectible travel charms. Bates & Klinke, Inc. was founded in 1919 in Attleboro Massachusetts by Harold Bates & Oscar Klinke. Attleboro was a major center for jewelry production in the early 20th century. Bates & Klinke are noted for making souvenir silver charms from tourist travel destinations, along with souvenir […]
Jewelry Quote of the Month – November 2008
“The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.” ~Salvador Dalí
Final Chapter – Creating Your Special Charm Bracelet
The Result Now you’re ready to put on your bracelet & start jingling. Expect to receive lots of inquiries & complements on your creation. Charm bracelets are sentimental little tokens of one’s life. Like your own individual magical history tour. You’ll be surprised how addicting charm collecting is. Enjoy – it’s lots of fun!
My New Life As An Entrepreneur
Today I officially gave my resignation notice at Ernst & Young, the accounting firm where I’ve worked for the past 12 years. I’m scared to death but I’m determined to make a life for myself as an entrepreneur. This was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made and very emotional for me. I’ll be […]
Jewelry Quote of the Month – September 2008
“Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewelry.” – John Lennon, 1963, at the high point of the group’s set during the Royal Variety Performance before members of the British Royal Family.
Jump Rings or Split Rings?
Attaching the Charms After you have purchased some charms, they will need to be attached to the bracelet. There are a few options here. One is to buy jump rings & attach them yourself. This method is nice because it offers flexibility in the placement of charms as you purchase them. The charms can be taken […]
Another Step Closer to a Charm Bracelet Masterpiece
Second post in a series of helpful tips on creating a cherished bracelet of your own. Bracelet Theme Pick a theme for your bracelet. It can be mementos from special times in your life, or holidays, travels, animals, beach charms, the possibilities are endless. It’s a great creative outlet & way to express your personality. Some charm […]
Creating Vintage Charm Bracelets
Charm bracelets are a personal form of expression. They are sentimental little tokens that commemorate a moment in one’s life, a magical history tour collected over years and often passed down through generations. For those that haven’t yet succumbed to the addiction here’s the first in a series of tips on how to assemble your […]
Vintage Zodiac Charms
While I’m figuring out the nuts & bolts of WordPress, here’s a pretty vintage zodiac bubble charm bracelet to look at. And a list of zodiac birthstones.
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