After taking early retirement I needed to find something to occupy and expand my mind and skills. I don’t even remember how I first started. I know it was with size 11 seed beads and amulet bags. But I fell in love with beading. By subscribing to several beading magazines I taught myself the different techniques. A class would have been easier, but I had moved to the country and now lived 45 to 50 miles from the nearest big city. I couldn’t even find a bead store. My daughter, Saundra Ingram, joined me in this hobby, making earrings.
I sold enough items at my first crafts fair to encourage me, and to teach me what my potential customers were looking for; (no surprise here)
1. Quality and low prices.
2. Something different, but not too different.
3. A chance to chat about the jewelry.
4. A chance to see the jewelry being made.
Over the next 2 years my skills increased. The quality of my product increased. I added some inexpensive ready made items for the children and the child in the adult. My daughter continued to contribute her skills with earrings.
Anderson-Barnes Antiques opened in mid August 2007.
Business went well and it was soon noticeable that much of it was rehabilitation, redesign, and repurposing of antique and vintage jewelry and components. And La Belle Harmonie was born. With the logo statement “The glamour of the past joins today’s sophisticated styles in La Belle Harmonie,” LBH became a part of DL Creations of Alabama.
By joining recovered parts from vintage jewelry to vintage and new parts creation of one-of-a-kind and vintage inspired personal statement jewelry became a favorite. Whether repairing or rehabilitating vintage and estate jewelry, or using parts from selected vintage pieces to create a new piece, great care is given to maintain the integrity of the original.
The La Belle Harmonie line was created when I discovered the enjoyment of saving vintage jewelry. It began with a shoe box full of odds and ends of estate jewelry. Many pieces needed repair. Some were beyond repair. I have since purchase several boxes lots of estate jewelry and continue to repair, rehabilitate or redesign many jewelry pieces.
Saving the parts from those pieces beyond repair, an inventory of usable vintage parts was created. In some cases I use the saved components to repair the other pieces. In others I use new components to effect the repairs. And, I create my own, vintage inspired jewelry designs. When I have enough saved components to create a new piece I design a pin, a necklace, earrings, a bracelet, whatever I have the components for. I design with a vintage or retro look that tries to do justice to the original components.
I live in a historical area of Alabama. Many of the families have lived here for generations. Beautiful, well loved, costume jewelry has been saved from generation to generation. I love restoring these pieces to a wearable state. The joy I see on the faces of family members who are now able to wear and enjoy family jewelry brings me joy.
In September 2009 my booth was moved to the front of the store and enlarged with the inclusion of a front window. I now have a window display as well as a 10 by 15 foot booth. Business has increased proportionally and I was encouraged to expand to online sales.
Customers from Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia have jewelry purchased or repaired in my shop. Customers from Canada, Australia, England and other foreign countries visit our shop to purchase one of a kind jewelry, to have their favorite fashion jewelry rehabilitated, repaired or to participate in collaborative design.
