Vintage Book Cuff

I'm sure by now most of you know that I'm a thrift store junkie and that I love finding ways to re-purpose some of my thrifty finds into jewelry.

One of the things I'm always picking up at the thrift stores are vintage hardcover books. Many of them have beautiful artwork on the covers and along the spine. I decided instead of just displaying them on a shelf, it would be fun to wear some of that beauty. A cuff seemed to be the perfect way to do just that!

 

Some recycled suede, used jewelry and a few easy steps was all it took to create these unique cuffs.

supplies:
vintage book
recycled suede
heavy duty snaps
used piece of jewelry
fabric glue
wire
wire cutters
scissors
bead reamer

Rip the cover away from the pages.

Carefully rip the spine from the cover.

Apply a layer of glue to the front of the spine. I used my finger to spread it out evenly. It gets tacky very quickly so work fast.

Let dry completely.

Tear a piece of suede that is slightly larger than the spine.

My wrists are small so I did not need to add any extra length.

I suggest you measure your wrist and add extra length

to the suede piece if necessary.

Apply glue to the back of the spine and lay it over the suede piece.

Let dry completely.

Decide where you want the piece of jewelry.

Attach it to the cuff with wire. I used a bead reamer to poke the holes.

Trim and secure the wire at the back.

Cut a piece of suede a little smaller than the one used for the cuff

and glue it to the back of the cuff.

Follow the manufacturers instructions to

add the snap to one end of the cuff.

Wrap the cuff around your wrist to line up the placement for the other half of the snap and follow the manufacturers instructions to add it.

That's all there is to it!

Your finished cuff should look something like this.

 

Happy Creating!
 
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Vintage Tin Jewelry

The Autumn issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry is out and a couple of my vintage tin necklaces were included in the Gallery section.

 

 You can find out how to make the Heart necklace here.

This issue is loaded full of amazing and creative jewelry.

I'm lovin' those earrings!

 Included are these fun and fabulous

Wool Felted Pendants from my talented friend, Cat Kerr.

And these gorgeous rhinestone pendants

that my sweet friend, Kristen Robinson, created.

 Yep! This issue will not disappoint!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Shabby Chic Cuff - video tutorial

I created this Shabby Chic Cuff using ICE Resin, fabric and very thin copper sheet cut from a Spellbinder's die.

My video tutorial will give you step-by-step instructions for the creative process. You can also get the written instructions and supply list here on my tutorial page.

I hope you enjoy the video!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

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Rule Breaking Thrift Store Finds

I have this thrift store shopping rule: Don't buy anything unless it is on the 1/2 off sticker price for the day. I stick to it most of the time but occasionally RULES are made to be BROKEN and today I did just that! These finds were just too juicy to wait for their 1/2 off day.

I thought these old binoculars were pretty cool but I wasn't sure I really needed them...what would I do with them?

Then I discovered the lenses came off...aha!

I could use the lenses in jewelry projects so I paid the $2.99

and assured myself it was a good purchase!

The smaller lenses have writing on them.

 One says SMOKE TANSILL'S PUNCH - 5 CENT CIGAR

and the other one says R.W. TANSILL & CO. - CHICAGO

Here is another item I don't really need and can't use for jewelry projects but it could make a very cool mixed media assemblage/collage piece and it was only $1.99.

It was the carved detail at the top that suckered me in!

I didn't even blink an eye to think as to whether I should pay the full price of $1.99 for this gorgeous brass case. This will definitely show up in one of my jewelry designs!

Love, love, love the curved oval shape and the little mirrored door!

Breaking the Rules Can Be Fun!!

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

 

Fun To Wear Hardware

What do you get when you pair a
rusty piece of hardware with a vintage bottle cap?

Jewelry, of course!

 I found some cool old hardware at the thrift stores and from a fellow blogger who just happens to have a store only three miles from my house. Barbara Jean at Treasures From the Heart has some of the best rusty, chippy pieces of anything and everything.

I found some bottle caps from another blogger friend.
Linda at Itsy Bits and Pieces had a fabulous collection of them
and I was lucky enough to snag a few.

The first step was to hammer the bottle cap. I used a regular carpenter's hammer to lightly tap around the edges of the cap.

I continued working my way around the cap

until the edges had curled up.

Then I hammered the center area with the ball end of a ball-peen hammer to create a concave area or a "well".

The cap looked like this once I finished hammering it.

I filled the "well" with ICE Resin®. I rubbed the hinge with wax and buffed it. And then once the resin was cured I used

an epoxy glue to adhere the cap to the hinge.

I glued a piece of brown suede to the back of the pendant to cover the glue that showed through the holes on the back.

And then the fun began!

I embellished the hinge with wire and gemstones.

I added a black suede cord and finished it off

with a handcrafted hook and eye clasp.

I've designed several more of these Fun To Wear Hardware pieces but I have plans for them and I will have to keep them a secret for now!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Step 3 - March - Good Luck Wishes

I've completed step 3 - March's project - of my JA (Jewel-aholics Anonymous) 12-step program from my earlier post "My Addiction" just in time for St. Patty's Day.

Since St. Patrick's Day is in March it was inevitable that this month's project would celebrate the lucky holiday. Besides, who couldn't use some of St. Patty's Irish Green Luck?!

I gathered together several green and gold items.

I even found two 4-leaf clovers amongst my jeweled treasures.

I settled on a brooch for my focal piece. It was missing three of the original stones so I took the opportunity to add the words, "Good Luck Wishes" which I printed onto some green colored decorative paper and covered with ICE Resin®.

I also encased the gold 4-leaf clover (which I grunged-up a bit to age it) in the resin to appear as if it were magically floating.

For the dangle, I chose to use a jeweled link

and attached an earring to it.

Visually, it's a fairly weighty piece so I added a heavy vintage chain which I embellished with a few links from a different chain along with a wire wrapped green stick pearl.

 

 Good Luck Wishes to all of you on St. Patrick's day and everyday after!

Below is where you can check out my previous

JA (Jewel-aholics Anonymous) projects.

January - "Snowflake"

February - "Tin Heart"

June - "It's Heating Up!"

July - "Golden Dreams"

Bonus Project - "Masquerade Mask"

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