Going Green!

One of my designs is going green with Green Craft magazine!

Dressed Up Pearls from my "A Girl and Her Shoes Series"

is featured in the Autumn 2012 issue of Green Craft Magazine.

This necklace is so easy to make. I just cut the leather flowers from a pair of sandals, embellished them and then wired them onto vintage pearl strands. You can find out more about this necklace here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Key To The Past

I had never used a die cutting machine until just recently when ICE Resin and Spellbinders partnered up and I was asked to create a few projects using the Grand Calibur machine and some of their dies. It was fun to be given a chance to experiment with it. One of the projects that I've created was featured on the ICE Resin blog yesterday.

Key To The Past

My inspiration for this piece came from the smallest die in the
Labels Fourteen series. It reminded me of a keyhole.

I first used the 2nd largest die in the set to cut the shape out of thin copper sheet  and then added a keyhole with the smallest die in the lower portion. I then folded the piece into half and added a patina to enrich the color of the copper and to give it some age. I placed an image of a Victorian era woman that I cut from the Belles Dames Francais image book and covered it with ICE Resin. 

 

I embellished the piece with some chain and vintage jewels

and wire wrapped a skeleton key to it.

I used two styles of vintage chain to add some interest to the piece.

I made a hook clasp from copper wire. The keyhole piece that I cut out at the beginning of the project became the perfect closure once I punched a hole in it.

It was fun creating with the Spellbinders products. I've created a few more projects but I will have to wait awhile longer to share them.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharing with: Here Comes the Sun: Fabulous Friday, Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Funky Junk Interiors: SNS, Knick of Time: Knick of Time Tuesday

 

Butterfly Specimen

This necklace is one of my latest creations as an ICE Resin® Creative Team designer. When I showed it to my Hubby he asked if it

was a real butterfly so I guess my design was successful!

It's very easy to make.

I first cut a butterfly image from the Belles Dames Francaise flip book and used Modge Podge to adhere it to a plexi-glass circle.

Then I stamped a swirling dot design onto

a second plexi-glass circle using black Staz-On ink.

I placed the plexi-glass pieces into a round staple bezel with

the butterfly and stamping on the inside and used

pliers to crimp the staples holding everything into place.

I then showcased the butterfly pendant

between a couple of decorative corset clasp connectors.

For the neck cord, I added some pretty blue and pink organza ribbons and wrapped them with copper wire in a couple of places.

To finish it off I added one of my

handcrafted copper hook and eye clasps.

Every now and then I create with a little

bit of fluff and femininity...I am a girl after all!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sharing with: Ginger Snap Crafts: Wow Me Wednesday, Southern Lovely: Show & Share, Fireflies and Jellybeans: Show Off Your Stuff, I Gotta Create!: Wildly Original Roundup, Happy-Go-Lucky: Shine on Friday, Here Comes the Sun: Fabulous Friday, Funky Junk Interiors: SNS, Six Sisters' Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Not Just A Housewife: Show Me What Ya Got

 

It's Heating Up! Step 6 - JA project for June

Yes, I've fallen off the wagon a little bit. My last project of my JA (Jewel-aholics Anonymous) 12-step program was March.

I completely missed April and May but I'm back at it with June.

You can find my original challenge to myself here.

It's been chilly and rainy the last few days so I'm trying to give the sizzlin' summer weather a boost with a series of necklaces I'm calling, "It's Heating Up!"

Notice the center?

 I've been picking up these needle and dial type thermometers at thrift stores for the past few months. They're super inexpensive - I never pay more than a dollar for them.

To make the necklace above, I chose a thermometer

and a vintage pin that I could use as a surround.

I did a Google search to make sure it was safe to cut the stem off - I certainly didn't want any hazardous substance or dangerous liquid oozing out. I found out that the dial and needle style of thermometers are just two different metals that heat at different rates to cause pressure on a spring which in turn causes the needle to move.

Bottom line - safe to cut! I used a jeweler's saw.

(The thermometer pictured is a much larger one than the one for the necklace.)

I hammered the center of the pin a bit to create a bigger well for the thermometer to sit in and then used an epoxy glue to secure the thermometer at the center of the pin. (I applied the glue pretty thick to make sure it would hold well.)

Once that was cured, I glued a small length of chain around the edge to cover the glue. I also placed a small rhinestone at the center bottom. Once that cured I wired the chain together where they met to secure and attached small rhinestones to the tails.

I drilled holes at the top and attached a handcrafted chain from dark annealed steel wire, glass beads and a couple of small vintage jewelry pieces. Finally, I added a strip of muslin and some purchased chain and finished it off with a handcrafted hook clasp. To learn how to make a link and a clasp, check out my tutorials.

Here is a look at another necklace I made for my

"It's Heating Up" series.

Below is where you can check out my previous

JA (Jewel-aholics Anonymous) projects.

January - "Snowflake"

February - "Tin Heart"

March - "Good Luck Wishes"

July - "Golden Dreams"

Bonus Project - "Masquerade Mask"

My thermometer necklaces were featured at Knick of Time

Sharing with: I Gotta Create!: Wildly Original Party, Fireflies and Jellybeans: Show Off Your Stuff, Funky Junk Interiors: SNS, COM: Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Knick of Time: Knick of Time Tuesday, Ginger Snap Crafts: Wow Me Wednesday, Not Just A Housewife: Show Me What Ya Got

 

New Beginnings - a necklace for spring

I LOVE SPRINGTIME!

All around me I’ve been hearing faint chirping sounds
coming from the baby birds nestled high up in the treetops.  

One determined mama even managed to build her nest
in the rafters of the indoor building where I play tennis! 
 When I go to serve, I can hear her babies cheering me on
to victory or at least reminding me that the long damp
winter is over and the promise of a warm summer
is just around the corner.

I encased the letters N-E-S-T in ICE Resin® 

and wired them onto blue satin ribbon.

I created a “nest” using wire “twigs”, blue pearl “eggs” and a cage bezel and used a hook clasp to hang it from the ribbon. 

I finished the piece with another hook clasp and a pearl “egg” dangle.

My "New Beginnings" necklace was recently feature
on the ICE QUEEN blog.

Sharing With: Craft-O-Maniac: Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Not Just A Housewife: Show Me What Ya Got, Knick of Time: Knick of Time Tuesday, Ginger Snap Crafts: Wow Me Wednesday, Southern Lovely: Show & Share, I Gotta Create: Wildly Original Roundup, French Country Cottage: Feather Your Nest Friday, One Artsy Mama: Shine on Fridays, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hippo: Anything Goes, Funky Junk Interiors: SNS 136, My Turn: Freedom Friday

 

Enhancing and Protecting a Rusted Metal Patina

I love using metals with rusted patinas in my jewelry designs.

If I can't find rusted metal, I'll create my own.

A steel washer that I rusted, stamped and hammered is the focal piece in this necklace that I designed for an ICE Resin® Technique Tuesday Video that recently aired on the ICE Resin blog.

In the video I share with you how to enhance the color of a rusted piece of metal and how to protect the finish

using ICE Resin®.

Rusty washers also make interesting connector pieces. I used them in this same necklace to attach the leather neckband to the copper chain.

I finished the chain with a handmade copper hook and eye clasp. You can learn how to make your own hook and eye clasp from my tutorial.

My necklace made from rusty washers, a rusty piece of metal measuring tape, and a couple of rusty nails may not be for everyone but it suits me perfectly and it certainly is unique!

You can find a great tutorial at Altered Alchemy 

on how to rust iron/steel.

Sharing With:

Not Just A Housewife: Show Me What Ya Got, Southern Lovely: Show & Share, Ginger Snap Crafts: Wow Me Wednesday, French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday

  

 

the Value of a Postage Stamp

What is the value of a postage stamp?

My dad is a philatelist which is just a fancy word for stamp collector. He has been collecting stamps for almost his entire life. Our local newspaper even wrote an article about him and his hobby. Here is the photo from that article.

Over the years my dad has acquired many stamps that vary in value. Lucky for me, I get the ones that he deems worthless. When I asked him what makes them worthless, he said it is because they are torn, bent, creased or just too common to be of any value at all. This may be true in the world of a philatelist but in my world...not so! The colors and designs of most stamps are beautiful and as for the creases...well...that just adds character!

I finally got around to making a necklace with a few of

my not-so-worthless stamps and wanted to share it with you.

I made the frames from brass washers that I purchased at a hardware store.

I hammered them for texture and then used E600 to glue handmade

copper rings and brass escutcheon pins to them.

I chose to use numbers because I have a thing for them...they're graphic and they just look cool! Besides, they were about the only area on the stamps that would be recognizable once placed inside the tiny frames. I lined the back of the frames with clear packing tape, used Modge Podge to glue the numbers into place and covered them with ICE resin.  I love how the resin magnifies the numbers! I wrapped copper wire around the escutcheon pins and wired each frame onto a strip of reclaimed green suede and then finished off the necklace with a copper chain and a handmade hook clasp.

What is the value of a postage stamp? I guess it depends on who you ask; but if you ask me, the value of these stamps are priceless because every time I wear this necklace it reminds me of my dad!

Linked to Funky Junk Interiors and some of these other link parties.

Spider - part five of "a Girl and her SHOES" series

Welcome to part five of  "a Girl and her SHOES" series. If you missed the original post, you may want to check it out here to see what inspired this series.

The working title for this redo was Spider. My reasoning for the working title will become clear a little later in the post. I realize that Spider is not a very attractive name for a necklace but since it is so close to Halloween, I decided to stick with it!

The Shoes. A very unique pair of sandals that I just couldn't pass up.

The first thing I did was cut the leather straps away from the sole. I played around with the shape for awhile until I got the idea to create a copper wire frame that the straps could attach to. I cut the straps down to a reasonable size and this is what I ended up with.

 

Okay, my working title is making sense now!

I attached the straps around the frame and wired on some metallic stick pearls for that needed bit of bling. Finally, a couple of the tiny buckles (also from these sandals)

became interesting additions to the copper chain and handmade hook clasp.

 

Normally I wouldn't think of allowing a spider to crawl around - or even come close - to my neck, but I'll happily make the exception for this Spider!

Tomorrow will be the final shoe transformation in "a Girl and her SHOES" series. (At least until I find time to visit the thrift stores!) I hope you will return!

 

Sharing with: Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday, I Gotta Create: The Mother Lode