windbent

When Melissa Trudinger (https://www.etsy.com/shop/BohoBirdJewellery) offered to host a blog hop focusing on jewelry design using components from the haberdashery department–buttons, ribbons, lace, etc–I jumped at the chance, since I have a plethora of such things just sitting here unused. Apparently, my brain didn’t engage with the fact that I can’t sew. As usual, I got an idea quickly and went with it…until I realized I needed something to sew on, and something to sew with. My husband when out and got me some needles and thread.

It’s a good thing he repairs his own clothes and will be able to make great use of these because I have no idea what to do with them. Wire, however, is my friend. I’m sure there is something you’re supposed to sew beads on, but since I have no idea what that is, I grabbed my wallpaper. I love using wallpaper.

At this point, I should tell you that I am in the process of packing to move. I decided to use things on my table so I wouldn’t have to put them away to pack; I have done this before with mixed results, but I like making myself use what is lying around.

I had my husband drill some holes for me while I cut out my wallpaper. My necklaces tend to be around 16-18 inches but I wanted to make a longer necklace this time. Longer necklaces tend to twist around when I walk, so I wanted the focal to be double-sided. As I was using brass and steel, I decided to paint the back of the wallpaper silver and go for a mixed metal look by adding gunmetal wire.

There was a broken necklace on my table that someone sent me (my friends know I love to recycle and re-purpose so I get some interesting things in the mail on occasion).

There was some silk sari ribbon along with a charm/pendant I had already started as well as some shell buttons from Rita (http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/) on my desk also.

It’s at this point things went “pear shaped.” The screws I had did not match in size and didn’t fit in the nuts. Then, I had a little melt down when I realized that if I used the screws in the holes my husband drilled, I still had no way to hang the focal. D’oh!

Round two of drilling commenced and I realized that I really wanted to hammer the plates also. Once I looked at the charm I had thought to use to hang on the bottom, I remembered an amazing beaded charm (on the right below) I own made by the talented Karin Grosset Grange (https://www.etsy.com/shop/GinkgoetCoquelicot).

The charm was part of the exchange and fundraiser auction for Beads of Courage that was hosted by Jennifer Cameron (http://www.glassaddictions.com/blog/2013-art-charm-swap-reveal-and-benefit-auction-beads-courage) last year.

This Haby challenge turned out to be more difficult than I envisioned. I’m really pleased with the final product. Here is the “front”:

And here is the “back”:

See that little blue dagger? That bead was in a little bag of mixed beads that Melissa sent me, so she is in my necklace not just in spirit, but literally too!

Please visit the other designers participating in the hop:

Melissa Trudinger                                           http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com

Ann Schroeder                                                 http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com

Tammy Adams                                               http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog.html

Amanda Wacasey                                           http://mandyinmystic.blogspot.com

Dolores Raml                                                   http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com

Divya N                                                           http://www.jewelsofsayuri.com

Michelle McCarthy                                         http://www.fireflydesignstudio.BlogSpot.com

DiYana Brooks                                                 http://agapecreationsjewelry.blogspot.com/

Robin Kae Reed                                               http://willowdragon.blogspot.com

Andrea Glick                                                   http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/

Karin Grosset Grange                                   http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.fr

Mitzie Crider                                                   http://needfulluxuries.blogspot.com

Janine Lucas   (will post Sunday)

http://www.esfera.me/travel/blog/travel-stories

Rosantia Petkova                                           http://bairozan.blogspot.com/

Susan Kennedy                                               http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Leithleach Alainn Seodra               http://alainnjewelry.wordpress.com/

Kathleen Breeding                                         http://99bobotw.blogspot.com/

Shiraz Biggie                                                 http://secretsongdesigns.blogspot.com

Chris Eisenberg                                               http://www.wanderware.blogspot.com

Heather Richter                                             http://desertjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier                                                 http://www.windbent.net/

Rebecca Anderson                                         http://www.songbeads.blogspot.com

Jenny Kyrlach                                                   http://anafiassa.blogspot.com

Rita Toltec Jewels                                         http://www.JewelSchoolFriends.com

Mischelle Fanucci                                         http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com

Karen Mitchell

http://overthemoon-design.com

Carol Briody                                                     http://Cbriody.blogspot.com

Karla Morgan                                                 http://TexasPepperJams.blogspot.com

Carolyn Lawson                                             http://Carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com

Lori Anderson                                                 http://www.prettythingsblog.com/

Jami Shipp                                                       http://www.celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com

Lili Krist                                                             http://pcbylik.blogspot.com/

Evelyn Shelby                                                   http://raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com/

Raissa de Guzman

http://www.abloro.com

Niky Sayers

http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk

Keren Panthaki

http://vasdea.wordpress.com