A to Z, 2012-- J is for...

ME!

No, wait... that's not quite right... well, I mean, it is, but it's not the word I want to talk about.

Today's word is Junk.

As much as I love to use fancy rocks and beautiful gems and whimsical glass, there is something to be said for creating something beautiful out of practically nothing. I believe that the term now is called "upcycling"-- using things that would have otherwise been discarded, for an entirely new purpose.

My mom picked up a pair of earrings down in Florida, made from soda can tabs and shells:

Thanks for sending me the photo, Mom! Love you lots <3

On Pinterest, you can find many more things like this-- a ring made out of an old fork,  a bracelet made out of old credit cards or gift cards, a bracelet made out of knitting needles, beads made out of old rulers, a bracelet made out of tape measures, a necklace out of old book pages...

Oh... I almost forgot... they have beads made out of paper, too! This example used Archie comics... I wonder who made it? They must be an AMAZING artist, and a wonderful handmade jeweler~ hee hee hee!

(By the way, those links are NOT from *my* Pinterest page... just someone who has very similar interests to mine!)



I love getting deals at thrift stores and bargains at yard sales. It's the thrill of the hunt-- the idea of finding something special that I can use for a project, something that has been discarded by someone else.

On my most recent thrift store expedition, I found two very interesting objects at an absolute steal-- less than $5 for both--

I'm going to have to do a close-up of each of these at some point. They're all really interesting beads-- carved from stone-- some of them look like chess pieces, others look like Transformers, others look like Aztec relics. Oh, and there's one bird thrown into the mix, too~

Or at least, I think it's a bird... either that or a fish...

And "found object" number two-- a brass bracelet, with black and white resin centers!

I've already taken apart the black and white and brass bracelet-- I'm using one of the "links" as a focal point on a necklace-- but I have NO IDEA what the stone beads are going to be yet.

My family always said that one man's trash is another man's treasure, and I couldn't agree more. Before you throw something away, think not what it is today, but what it *could* be.

See you all tomorrow. Happy creating!

An Earring a Day Keeps March Madness Away~

Three quick announcements!

Announcement number one: THE FARMERS' MARKET WAS A COMPLETE SUCCESS!! We not only sold four pieces, we received orders for a few commissions, too~ so exciting!

Announcement number two: BEAD TABLE WEDNESDAY! <3

Announcement number three: I WILL CREATE AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF EARRINGS, EVERY DAY FOR A MONTH-- ALL MARCH LONG!

See, I'm told that I am quite good at producing earrings, but I struggle to actually *create* them. I get frustrated, so I don't make them as much... and then because I'm not making them, I don't get the practice I need to get better... it's a vicious cycle, and I need to break it. On one of the blogs I follow, they create and post one pair of earrings every single day, all the time! So I said to myself, "Self, if they can do it all year long, you can do it for a month!"

I am very excited about this personal challenge, and look forward to sharing the results with you all as we go along! May this "March Madness" bring great gladness!

Bead Table Wednesday: My First One!

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you all... MY BEAD TABLE: