To some, it's just junk jewelry, something you'd toss in a Goodwill box or give to your children to play dress-up with. For those with some knowledge about costume jewelry, antiques, and an eye for design, people like Tamara Schafhauser, junk jewelry can be turned into treasured mementos.

Here's her story according to her website:

Since childhood, Tamara has always enjoyed the "hunt" for treasures. From scouring flea markets to digging through New York basement bead houses, the thrill of the "find" is her passion.

She learned a lot about "living a simple life" from watching her father-in-law William. He was a master plumber by trade and loved creating things with his hands. Together with her husband, many of William's treasures left behind were carefully sorted and selected to be included in this collection.

Each piece is crafted by Tamara using aged hardware in combination with semi precious stones and jewels. The look is fresh, unique, and all about dressed junk.




Read more: It takes an expert to piece together the costume jewelry business