Necklace Crazy on eBay

I'm a collector. When I get one of something I like, I generally want more. I get in collecting/buying phases: flower pins, vintage kelly bags, sweater clips, mink wraps, Sarah Coventry clip-on earrings. (I'm glad it's never happened with, say, hats).

This week I'm all about necklaces and I've gone on I had a bit of a necklace binge (which has been known to happen every few months).

Here's my deal with necklaces: really bold or rather subtle. (Is there an in between?) My recent purchases included two of each.

In the subtle category, I found two pieces from one seller. First this interesting little gold bubble necklace (BIN for $31) which I find both modern and delicate. (I've been getting more into gold since Donya gave me a great gold necklace for being in her wedding--I'd always been a silver-only gal.)


And also this silver bird/gold nest piece which I think it just so darling (in auction for $16.99). I could do gold or silver earring with this. Don' you love the eggs in the wire nest?


The seller, who calls her line ArtWark, has both an eBay store, and at etsy store and she tells me she'll soon be adding her Fall 2008 line featuring one-of-a-kind locket necklaces. She's got some great pieces (If I wouldn't have shopped so much this week I might have also bought this one), and the prices are really reasonable.

Next up: the bold. First this big mess of chains and stones. I like the colors and the asymmetry. (And I couldn't pass it up at $7.) This necklace, a black tee, jeans, and my awesome bargain of a leather jacket I got last fall and I'm happily out the door.


This one came up in a Trifari favorite search. It's a big, crazy horselike dragon. I've been watching it for weeks and it wasn't selling at $44.75. I emailed the seller to see if she could do any better. I could only get her down to $39, but that was good enough for me. (He'll join my owl and my butterfly in the big-and-odd section of my jewelry tray.)

My Week-long Necklace Binge

Hello again fellow shoppers. I have not posted in a week! I was not on vacation. I was not in bed with the flu. I was not not making purchases. Just busy busy. I've pretty much been too busy to shop in person, so I've been spending a lot of time on eBay while I eat breakfast and I've been finding some good cheap necklaces this week. I've bought seven new ones recently (total with shipping was about $69) which I would say is an official binge.

Here are six beaded beauties that are on their way--five from my favorite place on eBay to buy cheap baubles, Jewels n Treasures run by super nice Sally in Wisconsin who offers free shipping if you buy three or more items. The white one with the funky bumpy beads that look sort of like popcorn is from another seller.




Here's another eBay find (which I'm wearing right now). It's a great length and seems to go with everything. It's a heavy metal enameled link Monet that came with a bonus pair of Trifari clip-on earrings. (Normally I'd convert the clip-ons to a wire and wear them. I've done this to loads of old Sarah Coventry treasures. These, however, are too heavy for my ears, so you'll find that at my upcoming garage sale--May 17th--along with many other interesting vintage items I've acquired that haven't quite worked out.)

My Shopping Weekend: Vintage Florals for Spring, Cheap Accessories, More Shoes

Despite the fact that weather here insists on dropping below 60, it is indeed spring. And I indeed continue to work on my spring wardrobe. Here a bring you a few recent acquisitions.

First, I won an auction for a vintage Saks dress from a favorite eBay seller--because it's really adorable and because a like the ideas or florals for spring as recently seen on the runways. (Check out, for example, the odd shapes and crazy colors and patterns of Balenciaga.) The dress and jacket got (which fit me like a glove) are bold, but in a cute '60s shape. Both items have amazing rhinestone studded buttons, and the dress is finished with a blue velvet belt. The cropped jacket I'll wear on it's own over a t-shirt and jeans (once they get back from the dry cleaner. I'm sure these have been packed away in some old lady's basement in California for a couple decades.) The blond model below showcases all the item sold by the Timeless Vixen eBay store. They post new fantastic vintage dresses and suits every Friday and all auctions start at $24. And they often make a mint, many items going for upwards of $200. (This outfit set me back $118.)


I'm also thinking bold jewelry for spring. (But, then again, I'm always thinking bold jewelry.) Check out this necklace below--an eBay steal for $2.25. I can't wait to wear this.



My problem collecting clutches just won't go away. I got this red woven clutch (leather doesn't seem very springy to me) with a lucite handle for $9.99.



My loyal readers know I've been really loving all the yellow in the stores this season, but I often lament that I look like crap in yellow. I think it would be fine on my feet, however. I'd recently purchased a pair of uncomfortable yellow camper pumps from Zappos that I had to send back. I still had some Zappos gift certificate left over from my birthday, and in a total impulse purchase on Friday night I bought these super yellow pumps by Volatile. They arrived yesterday and I really love them. (They don't look quite as yellow in person as they do online.) Cheapy Jr. is not a fan of this shoe. When I test drove them yesterday he kept insisting I take them off--until I pointed out that they are the color of a DHL truck. Then they were good. (The boy loves delivery trucks. Me too.)

My Three Favorite eBay Stores

I've been shopping on eBay for years, and there are three eBay sellers I've found myself buying from again and again. These are sellers who have set up eBay "stores" or simply continually offer merchandise (as opposed to other sellers who just randomly auction goods when, say, they clean out their closets or hit a interesting estate sale).

These three sellers have made me a happy repeat buyer:

• little-baby-kitty: This is a guy out of L.A. who sells clothing, some of which has been worn on TV. He offers modern and vintage items, frequent leather, and myriad unique finds by anyone from Bebe and Banana Republic to BCBG and Betsy Johnson. Up for auction right now: A lovely Catherine Malandrino black silk dress with floral appliques at this writing going for $39.99 with zero bids; and a Peter Scott vintage customized sweater (pictured) that's one of a kind currently going for $9.99 with zero bids. Items sold by little-baby-kitty tend to start off a little high (probably $39.99 on average) but I've noticed that if things don't sell after a few listings, opening minimum bid will drop by $10 or even $20. My fav Material Girl little-baby-kitty find: A two layered black Diesel skirt, featuring a long chiffon layer under a cotton twill mini with a wide band for $29.99.

• Deja Jewels Galerie des Bijou: This store, run by dina9, offers some really beautiful vintage pieces. It's rhinestone heaven for me. (Have I mentioned that Material Girl digs shiny things?) You'll find necklaces, bracelets, earrings and broaches ranging from pricey signed vintage pieces to low priced costume jewelry--deco, ivory, bakelite, jade and gems. Some of dina9's pieces will set you back a few clams, but you'll often find Buy It Now or Best Offer options. Up for auction right now: An estate chunky black Onyx double heart necklace at $67.99 or Best Offer and a rather stunning Lisner rhinestone circle brooch (pictured) which is a steal for BIN at $17.50. My fav Material Girl Deja Jewels purchase: An amazing deco rhinestone necklace for $35.

• Jewels n Treasures: This store is my absolute favorite place to buy cheap costume jewelry, particularly necklaces. I've gotten a slew of them from this store--partly due to the buy-three-and-shipping-is-free policy. Have I mentioned how cheap this stuff is? Currently for auction: a 32-inch gumball beaded necklace in of-the-moment purple which can't be passed up at $8.95 BIN and a very Jackie O double-strand imitation pearl necklace (pictured) at $9.98 BIN. Fav Material Girl Jewels n Treasures Girl purchase: A short multi-strand beaded necklace in shades of white, icy blue and turquoise for $8.95.