Sometimes I am fortunate to stumble on an old piece of Sterling silver that has seen brighter days.

Antique and vintage Sterling possess their own unique and beautiful characteristics. Years of dirt, grime, and tarnish (well-earned patina!) may be hiding a sweet treasure.

My restoration process begins with bathing the piece for a few minutes in my rock tumbler. Stainless steel shot and Dawn dish detergent work their magic on the dark surfaces.

Re-purposing is the term I use loosely to describe any item that was intended for one purpose transformed into something else. My antique floral Sterling spoon rings are an example.

I just finished r&r-ing a dainty vintage Coro Sterling pin. The pin was a bit bent and posed a potential danger. So I filed it off, along with taking off the bottom 2 loops. All that was needed were the 2 chains & lobster clasp to transform it to a one-of-a-kind wearable pendant!