Courtney Jacob is no stranger to flea markets, yard sales and thrift shops.

It’s part of her family history, which includes a long line of artists, junk pickers and antique dealers, writes Gina Lizzo for Main Line Today.

“I’d always make a beeline for the vintage costume jewelry and clothes,” she said.

So began her work repurposing vintage tins, trays, cannisters and other materials to make jewelry.

Today, she sells these handmade treasures made with upcycled material from her Havertown home business, Rare Bird Handmade.

Jacob likes a mix of vintage and modern, and it shows up in each earring, necklace and bangle she makes. 

“Being able to combine my passion, as well as my love of vintage pieces, allowed me to find the perfect creative match combining the use of something old like vintage tins and making them into repurposed fashionable jewelry,” Jacobs writes on her business website.

Source materials can come from anywhere—a local thrift store, an antique shop or even the homes of friends and connections.

“It does help to know people that are in the picker business,” she notes. “They’re always saving things for me.”

Read more about Courtney Jacob and about Rare Bird Handmade in the Main Line Times.