Frivolity: A Truer Word Was Never Spoken

"Before plastic, only rich people could afford to have bad taste."-Don Featherstone (designer of the pink plastic flamingo)

How-To: Brooch Storage and Display

"A really well made buttonhole is the only link between art and nature."-Oscar Wilde ("Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young")

Some of my favorite costume jewelry pieces are floral brooches.  They're like modern buttonholes (or en Français: boutonnière), and they add personality and whimsy to a work dress or blazer.  Create a simple, inexpensive display for your brooches and pins with some scrap fabric, a styrofoam ball, a rubber band, and a pretty container.

Step-by-Step

1.) Select a container.  Purchase a Styrofoam ball that is slightly larger than the opening of the container.

2.) Measure the circumference of the Styrofoam ball.  Add 3-4-inches to find an overall dimension.  Cut a square of fabric to the size of the overall dimension.

3.) Gather the fabric around the ball and secure with a rubber band.

4.) Place the ball in the container.

5.) Insert pins into Styrofoam.

*This method can be used for all types of broaches and pins.  If your broaches have a separate clutch fastener, keep the fasteners safe in a Ziploc bag inside your jewelry chest.