Week 10: Ste M Punk

Yeah, I'm a wrestling nerd.  <3 CM Punk!  This week's craft items have nothing to do with wrasslin' though, they're all steampunky earrings:

I'm really having a thing with gears and cameos.  You'll see!

Fun little gears and locks.  So tiny!

Gears and flat backed keys from the scrap-booking section.  Steampunk has now invaded everywhere!

You thought I was kidding about the gears and cameos?

Because no, no I wasn't.  : )

My only wish is that these hinges actually.... hinged?

Another washer project.  I added patina to these washers during washer week and then didn't use them.  Turns out they were the perfect base for some spirals and gears.

That was a pretty low stress week, so I'm going to endeavor to do something a little more ambitious next week.  I just haven't figured out what yet.  Thanks for looking!

Week 9: Message in a Bottle

I picked up selection of bottles from Michael's while working on a project to help one of the hubby's co-workers replace a necklace she had broken.  I've been trying to think about what to do with the remaining bottles for awhile, and there were definitely enough bottles to make for a whole week's worth of projects.  This is what I came up with.  See you next week!

Nonpareil filled with ribbons.  I love how they look like mini gumballs! 

I colored the inside of these bottles with alcohol inks.  I'm a sucker for colored glass, so I expect to have a pair of these in just about every shade I can make.

Pebble filled bottle on a charm necklace.  Finding pebbles to fit in the tiny bottle was a pain, but so worth it.

Mica filled.  So shiny!

Filled with peacock feather plumes.

Moss filled bottle pendant.  I really liked how this one turned out so....

... I made it a pair of matching earrings.

And another pebble filled bottle, but I thought I could count this as a separate project as the necklaces are so different.  Once I did the first I couldn't help but think that a "paper, rock, scissors" theme would be cute, so this was my take.

Week 8: Washer Week!

Aaaaand now we come to the first week where I've run out of vaguely clever titles.  : )  Washers are a really cheap base for a lot of jewelry projects, and I wanted to see if I could come up with some different ways of using them that I haven't tried before.  I had mixed results; I think I'm only going to end up using a few of the techniques again, but trying them all out was pretty fun.

Wire-wrapped.  I think I can do better, but not bad for a first attempt on the idea.

Twine wrapped for a more rustic look.  Didn't quite turn out the way I had hoped, and was painful enough on the fingers to avoid doing again in the future.

Ribbon wrapped!  I like the final outcome, and want to try again with some different ribbons.

Manga paper / ModPodge covered.  Cute, but not really something I'd wear on a regular basis.  May try again with origami paper for a more sophisticated look.

Painted with gesso then colored with colored pencils.  While it certainly looks different, I don't know that I'll be replicating this project.  I did like the embroidery thread necklace piece though, so I'm sure I'll be using that again.

You can't see the back, but this is a pin I swear.  Using the washer as a base I glued a metal filigree, cameo, and some rhinestones to the front, and bunched and glued lace to the back. 

My favorite: Wrapped with embroidery thread.  I will definitely be  doing this again sometime, in many different colors.

I have about seven more ideas for how to alter washers in my notebook, so expect a return to washer week sometime in the near future.  : )

Week 7: Back on the Chain Gang

I have a love for chainmail that far outstrips my ability to create chainmail.  I tried a variety of different weaves when I was first learning, and pretty much had settled on Japanese weaves as what I could comfortably do.  I have a couple of chainmail books sitting on my shelves that detail more European weaves, so I decided to pull them out and see what I could do.

Tiered "Infinity" Links

"Shaggy Loops" earrings

Helm chain bracelet

"Romanov" Byzantine links with rose and crackle quartz

European 4 in 1 thin bracelet

Queens chain necklace in copper and silver

Byzantine rectangle links in copper

So yay!  thanks to my new project I can do some very basic European Chainmail weaves.  I made all these with jump rings purchased from Michael's; I really suck at Aspect Ratio calculation (because I'm lazy) and their consistent ring size really helps me avoid having to re-measure new batches.  I always wander back to chainmail so I'm sure I'll have mroe weaves to post in the future.  Right now I have my eye on Persian weaves and Dragonscale, so we'll see.  : )  Till next week!