Sometimes A Collection Starts With 5....Hand Saws

It has been crazy around here.

  I will reveal why in the next few weeks.

I apologize for being a little MIA.

Earlier this summer I shared my apron collection.

It all started with one...

But sometimes a collection starts with 5.

That's how I am now collecting hand saws.

On one of my flea market trips this summer, I found 5 hand saws for $1 each.

Now, I could not turn away a bargain like that.

So my daughter and I dug out all 5 and put them in the little rolling red wagon we take on such journeys.

And home they came.

They have each seen their own share of work.

The handles are worn smooth with wear...

I had no idea whatsoever of what I would do with them when I loaded them in the wagon.

But a few ideas are dancing around in my brain now.

My husband was given first choice when I got home.

He kindly declined.

At first I was a bit disappointed.

If he had chosen even one, I would have had a reason for such a strange impulse buy.

Nope.

On my own here.

I do love the wear on the handles and the blades.

I always think of the stories a piece holds but cannot tell.

So it looks like I now collect hand saws too.

What odd little things do you collect and how did it all begin?

Thanks for stopping by...

                   Linking up with these great blogs.

Shotgun Shell Vials....Inspired By Lynne Simon Suprock

I was looking through my pictures to see if there was anything I had missed sharing with you.

I realized I did not share these.

I gave you a taste of them when I shared the post for over dying silk strips.

Today I wanted to show you all of them.

Lynne Simon Suprock is an amazing artist.

You can find her blog here: Simply Pretty Stuff.

Or follow her on Facebook.

Her original pieces first appeared in an issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry.

I made my own after I tracked down the right size tubing.

Because my shotgun shells were not brass, the etching did not work the way I wanted.

I do like the patina I got on mine.

I love filling each little reliquary.

That is half the fun.

I also like determining what the rest of the necklace will be like....

Old hardware, crystals, silk strips, polymer beads, patinaed chain....

It is all good.

I gave a makeover to cheap mall jewelry chains with mad scientist patinas.

Because I do them myself, each has a whole different look.

I even stamped some of the vials with StazOn black ink.

Uh-oh!

Sometimes when I revisit something I made, it gives me an itch to make some more.

I am definitely feeling itchy...

Hope you have been working on something that inspires you too.

                       Thanks for stopping by...

                 Linking up with these great blogs.

15 Jewelry Projects From Up Cycled Materials

I am always looking for ways to reuse something I have or something someone has discarded.

I also love the challenge of taking something common and doing something uncommon with it.

Take a look at some jewelry projects that started with some very non-jewelry related items.

These bangles got an upgrade with buttons and some earring flowers.

Find the post here.

A vintage spoon and a bullet casing became this fun necklace.

Find the post here.

These fun rose bracelets are actually made from plain white sheets.

See how to make your own here.

And more sheets transformed this bangle to a fun cuff.

Tutorial here.

These plastic bangles got a makeover with some washi tape.

Make your own by following this tutorial.

The following pieces remain among my favorites to this day.

These were made from plastic tubing, shotgun shells and were dressed up with recycled silk strips.

See the full post here.

Some incorporated hardware pieces as well.

Don't throw away that old puzzle because some of the pieces are lost.

Make some earrings instead.

See the post here.

You might want to raid your kids pockets after seeing this post.

A simple glass marble becomes a fun yet sophisticated necklace.

See it here.

The same post shows how to turn a tiny glass Christmas ornament into a tiny time capsule.

A bullet casing can become an amazing jewelry piece.

See the full post here.

These pretty earrings started with some paper flowers from the scrapbooking section of your favorite store.

See the post here.

How about making some very artistic earrings from some beads, yarn and discarded book pages?

See them here.

More buttons...

This time getting a new life as a fashionable choker.

Here is the post.

This bohemian sweetheart stars beads made from felt and discarded book pages.

See the post here.

I promise to bring you more up cycled jewelry pieces soon.  

It is my favorite thing to create.

Thanks for stopping by....

                  Linking up with these great blogs.

Workbench Wednesday: Polymer Bead Finishes

Sorry for the lack of Workbench Wednesdays.

I never stop working but sometimes I do forget to go take photos.

Here is a shot of an area I recently cleaned off and can now work on.

Before it had my vintage printer's trays full of vintage baubles on it.

  I got some new studio storage though so the trays got moved to there.

Which freed up this space.

Working on beads.

Actually, that is an understatement.

I have been bead obsessed.

These Metallic Lustres from DecoArt are amazing.

I use my fingers to rub the color into the beads.

I love the tactile process.

After they dry, I buff them with a soft cloth.

I will also seal them.

See?

Beady goodness.

Yup, bead obsessed.

As I make and fall in love with some of them, they start to live in my mind and work their way into new designs.

All in my head for now.

My hands are busy making the beads.

Here they are before the Metallic Lustres.

I use white Sculpey and dye my beads.

It allows me to get all new colors and finishes.

These things are to die for.

And they have expanded their line of colors to include some luscious new pastels.

As well as some bold colors like red and orange.

I usually work with one color at a time and see how the color looks against the dyed beads and focals.

Just a few that have been buffed.

There are still so many beads to be done....

Ahhhhh.....

The possibilities...

Is your head dancing as much as mine right now?

Thanks for stopping by.....

Linking up with these great blogs.