Wonder and Whimsy Monthly Challenge - March Reveal

Guess what day it is! 

...If you guessed that today is the day for the Wonder and Whimsy Month Challenge reveal, you'd be right! :)

As a refresher, this month I decided to make jewelry using components I picked up at my local creative reuse center, Scrap It Up. (If you want to see pictures of everything I bought, go here.)

Now, it's been a super truncated challenge this month... my original plans didn't coalesce in time, so I had to fall back on this as a backup. Still, for a backup plan, it went quite well! In fact, I managed to make three projects. 

And, without any further ado, here they are!


Project #1

For this first project, I made a pair of earrings. I took these components (a combination of stone rounds, glass drops, and still-in-the-package filigree):

...and turned them into these:

...A rather straightforward transformation, I realize, but a nice one. And a nice way to start off this challenge.


Project #2

For the second project, I decided to play around with the bag of scrap chain. I didn't get a good picture of it, but I'm sure you can imagine what it looked like--a baggie filled with different lengths of various styles of chains.

I decided to take those chains and mix them with some vintage acrylic pearls I picked up (the white ones were still in the package, with a date of 1970!), and this is what I made:

...Yep! A tassel!

All of the chain pieces that were long enough, I cut to uniform length and put in the tassel. The other pieces--and the leftover bits that I had cut off--were then joined together using wire-wrapped links made with the acrylic pearls.

The result? A super long, lightweight tassel necklace that can be worn either as a double or single strand. It's a bit of a hodgepodge, and I kind of love it.


Project #3

I mentioned that Scrap It Up also carries scrapbook paper. For this last project, I decided to utilize some of it. 

Here are the project components that I pulled together from my haul, complete with one of those papers cut into strips for paper beads: 

...And, because this picture turned out super nicely, here is everything--this time with the paper beads rolled.

Using those components--a ceramic focal, glass and acrylic rounds--here is what I made:

Surprise! It's another tassel. :)

Almost everything in this necklace is from Scrap It Up. In fact, only the wire and the bead caps are not... the paper, the beads, even the clasp, are all from my latest haul. Not bad at all--especially considering that they were "leftovers"!

And, for fun, I made these matching earrings:

And so, there you go! Those are all of the pieces that I made for this month's challenge. It was fun taking all of these components--things that someone else no longer wanted--and making pretty things with them.

Thanks so much for stopping by today to see what I've been up to--and for being so wonderfully supportive, even for this shortened challenge.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Pretty Palettes - March Reveal

For this week's worktable post, I get to share what I made for this month's Pretty Palettes challenge. Hurray!

The palette in question is a modern combination of blue, grey, black... and yellow. 

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical of the palette at first. I definitely like the color combination, but those shades are not ones that I usually pair together. Still, I dove into the challenge... and, I have to say, I am really really happy with what I made.

Curious? Well, here it is:

Granted, this was not my original plan. I actually began this challenge by working on a single strand color-blocked necklace. But, the more I worked on it, the more I kept feeling the itch to make it into a tassel. And, well, I can't say no to a good tassel design.

You know, I really hope people don't get tired of my big wire-wrapped tassels any time soon--because I don't think I'm going to stop making them!

The central bead is a gorgeous piece of agate--I absolutely love the way that it goes with the palette. The majority of the other beads are Czech glass, with some black-and-grey Network Stone and vintage acrylic black rounds thrown in. 

I went with silver tone metal, both to echo the grey in the palette and because it made the necklace itself feel sleek and modern--just like the color combination itself.

As I said, I really am happy with how this came together. While on the heavier side (that really is a lot of glass), the movement is delightful... And I really do like the way that the colors blend into each other. Not bad, for being so skeptical at the start!

Oh! And, for fun, I made some bonus earrings:

So, ta-da! That's what I made for this month's Pretty Palettes challenge. Thanks so much for stopping by today to see what I've been up to! :)

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Wonder and Whimsy Monthly Challenge - March Edition

This is super overdue, but I am happy to finally introduce this month's Wonder and Whimsy Monthly Challenge. Yay!

So, first, some background. In the past, I have briefly mentioned Scrap It Up. I believe I called them my local craft thrift store. More accurately, they are a nonprofit creative reuse center located here in Cincinnati... and they are a wonderful place both to donate and buy craft supplies. 

This is my new favorite place.

Want to learn knitting, but don't want to spend a lot of money on yarn and knitting needles? Or, conversely, decide that you are done with knitting and need to get rid of some yarn to make room for another craft? Either way, this is your place. 

They have yarn, fabric, scrapbooking paper, buttons, mosaic tiles... pretty much everything. I have already donated four bags of supplies that I no longer use--and I am absolutely delighted to know that those supplies will get the love they deserve. 

...They also carry beads. 

Not only do they carry beads, but those beads are sold for $0.25 per baggie.

I may or may not have giggled manically and started hyperventilating when I learned that. Heh.

With such an amazing price tag, that means that f0r under $20, I picked up everything in the following pictures:

So, what does that have to do with my Monthly Challenge? 

Well, you have probably guessed it: I want to make jewelry using these supplies. Not all of these supplies, mind you--but at least some of them. (Including the papers that I showed on Wednesday--I got those at Scrap It Up on my last visit as well.) With such a wonderful array of possibilities, I'm bound to come up with something awesome! 

Come back next week, on Friday March 29th, to see what I end up making. I'm pretty excited to get started on this challenge (as you can probably tell by the hasty, not-the-best pictures in this entry--hah!).

Thanks so much for stopping by today to see what I'm up to... I appreciate being able to share my creative endeavors with you.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Wednesday's Worktable

On my worktable this week: paper beads!

...And I'm pretty sure that these beads are going to be a part of March's Monthly Challenge. 

Oh! And speaking on March's Monthly Challenge, I'm actually going to introduce it on Friday. My apologies for the delay... starting this month with really bad tendinitis really put a wrench in things. 

But! Things are definitely better now, and I'm able to work on my (many) projects. Hurray for healing wrists! (Now, to just make sure that I go slowly and don't overdo it again... that's the hard part.)

Oh, and one more thing... I have a pretty big project that I'm working on for next month. I'm super excited about it, and can't wait to talk about that, too. I just have to wait until April. Which, at this rate, really isn't that far away. :)

Thanks for stopping by today... There's a lot going on over here (like I blogged about last entry: I got published again!), and hopefully I'll soon get this blog up to date. 

Until then, have a wonderful week, everyone!

Exciting News!

I have been sitting on this announcement for a few months, and I'm very excited that I can now share it.

Two of my pieces are in the current issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry!

One of the necklaces even has a full page article to go with it (yes, that I wrote):

And, since I know that I'm going to be asked, here is the other piece:

I'm so incredibly excited and humbled and pleased... I work very, very hard on my jewelry, and it's always a thrill to see it in print. :)

Thank you, everyone, for giving me a chance to share this happy news... I hope you all have wonderful days!

Wednesday's Worktable

On my worktable today: headpins!

...Well, and other things. But mostly headpins! :)

As far as those "other things" are concerned: I am currently in the planning stages of several projects (including my Monthly Challenge, which I have yet to introduce here... oops). However, I'm also healing up from a rather bad bout of tendinitis, and I'm trying really really hard not to overdo it. 

Gaaaaah. It's hard to be patient--I want to make all the things!

So, while I'm taking it slow and planning, I'm doing little things here and there. Like headpins. Hopefully by this time next week, I'll have more to show... In the meantime, though, thanks for stopping by!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Hello, March!

...and hello, return to winter weather! Bah.

It's definitely back to being cold here in Cincinnati. I admit, I was starting to really enjoy having the temperature above 20 degrees. Ah well... It just gives me more of an excuse to stay inside and create!

Speaking of creating, here is what's on my worktable today: patinas!

...Specifically, I've been trying out Vintaj Patinas on some buttons I picked up at my local crafty thrift store. (Side note: I really do need to blog about that store one of these days... it's called Scrap It Up, and it's amazing. *grin*) 

The buttons in question are plastic--and, when I bought them, I realized that some of them have been melted a little. Perfect, I figured, for some experimentation! Above, you can see some of the results of my efforts. (I even thought to include a button for Before and After.) What I'm going to do with the finished buttons, I'm not sure... but it certainly is fun to play! :)

So, there you go... That's what I'm up to: playing around, as well as plotting out all my projects for this month. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today... Have a wonderful week, everyone!