Artist corner
The
Gypsy ’ s
Moon
Jan Cade repurposes vintage pieces into one-of-a-kind jewelry
Story and photos by Glenda Sanders
Discovering a cache of vintage brooches , antique clip-on earrings , beaded belt buckles , old silverware and glass rosary beads at an estate sale is a treasure trove find for Jan Cade .
Cade makes one-of-a-kind , handmade necklaces , bracelets and rings from vintage jewelry , antique trinkets and old secondhand household items .
“ Everything ’ s one of a kind , made out of antique and vintage pieces , anything from a belt buckle to silverware , charms . I use a lot of old rosary beads . They have a lot of energy about them ,” she said . Her love affair with vintage clothing and accessories stems from a warm fuzzy feeling that washes over her when she picks up an antique brooch , an old serving spoon or a compact from the 1940s and instantly feels a connection to the era it hails from . “ I guess I am an old soul .
The vintage , I don ’ t know , it speaks . It has a past . Usually somebody wore it , or there was somebody like a grandmother or great grandmother that had it , and I feel like it should live on ,” she said . “ It should be loved and used for many more years to come .” A resident of the Russell community , Cade first started crafting with vintage jewelry a decade ago when she was taking care of her mother who had Alzheimer ’ s disease .
“ I had to have something to take my mind off things , to get
Jan Cade poses beside her booth , The Gypsy ’ s Moon , at a recent NightMarket collaboration between Earth ’ s Bounty and the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience . Jewelry pieces on these pages were created by Cade .
14 • MERIDIAN LIFE