Tea

For a beautiful selection of handcrafted Victorian and Art Nouveau style couture jewelry, visit artisan Thea at her online jewelry store,

Below left: The centerpiece of this couture design is a vintage 1940s German topaz pressed glass pendant. Czech faceted glass beads ornately carved with silver-foil ends (cathedral beads) and firepolished crystal. Below right: The vintage stamping gives this couture jewelry an Art Nouveau look. The looped fringe includes dark forest and pale olive green glass pearls, golden sand iris and rose seed beads. The pendant is embellished on both sides. Acanthus leaf hook set.

Below left: The focal piece of this couture necklace is a scrolled sterling silver crescent set with sparkling Swiss marcasite. Swags of sterling silver chain and Swarovski green turmaline round and bicone crystal beads. Below right: Delicate Victorian style swag necklace of Swarovski amethyst and light amethyst bicone beads, and matching crystal rhinestone connectors.

Thea also designs and handcrafts beaded rings, brooches, handbags, earrings, jewelry watches, men's jewelry; and also takes custom orders for bridal jewelry. Victorian is only one of the many styles of artisan couture jewelry designs you will find at Thea's jewelry store. Sam of Eclectic-Elements.com has a new line of handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pendant necklaces. She uses bamboo tile beads about 1 1/2 inches long for the pendant and uses both new and vintage objects to adorn them, such as bits from antique handwritten letters, vintage money, washi and origami paper, charms, Czech glass and other beads. A finish is applied to protect the paper.

Below left: Bamboo bead with the word "delightful" from an antique handwritten letter on one side and a section of vintage money on the other. Below right: Bamboo pendant necklace - bead with the word "comfortable" from an old, handwritten letter found in an antique shop on one side and a section of vintage money on the other.

Below left: Asian washi paper pendant with charm necklace - dark tone bamboo bead with a segment of Washi paper and an Asian symbol charm dangle. Below right: Bamboo bead with a segment of Origami paper, Czech glass flower and aqua bell flower dangle.

Below left: Bamboo bead necklace with Washi paper accent. Below right: Bamboo bead pendant necklace with Washi paper accent and cloisonne bead.

These necklaces and more handcrafted jewelry can be found at Subject it to a weekly scalding, preceded by a thorough investigation of all nooks and crannies by means of a sponge, a sharp pointed stick covered with a piece of linen or, if you prefer, a small brush, such as is used by the man of paint, and a scrubber for the sides. Sapolio may be employed in lessening this part of the labor, and a valuable auxiliary in dispelling disagreeable odors will be furnished by adding a tablespoonful of ammonia to each gallon of water employed in this purifying process. A simple precaution is to deposit a bit of charcoal, renewed when necessary, in the corners of the cold storage box.

At Left: An ad from a Victorian publication for a Leonard Cleanable claims to be the only refrigerator with separate compartments and movable flues.

Wash the ice from every suspicion of sawdust before consigning to its accustomed position. Some housewives reason the feasibility of wrapping it in paper, contending that so it melts less readily, and in the days of extortionate prices for the luxury their advice is certainly deserving of a measure of consideration, at least.

Nothing heated should ever be placed therein; it will tend to raise the temperature and be the means of causing other things to spoil.

If you reside in a climate where a continuous use of the convenience is uncalled for, you will do well to leave it open at such times as not in requisition.

Many people bestow a generous supply of ice upon their refrigerator when it is first desired for service; they declare if once entirely cooled in this manner and conducted upon correct principles thereafter, it needs less in proportion to maintain the proper temperature.

The Victorian ad below is for a Stoneware Lined Refrigerator which reads "It neither sweats nor absorbs moisture and never becomes sour or musty. It is made without open seams; is practically indestructible and is very easily cleaned."

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