Crafty Inspiration- New Finds!

I spent part of yesterday afternoon in the hot, dirty, dusty warehouse of Construction Junction yesterday after dropping off a donation to Creative Reuse upstairs. Don't let those adjectives scare you off, as they do not outweigh the awesomeness that is CJ's ginormous building filled with recycled construction and building materials, tools, architecture, and other mysterious treasures. :) I poked through boxes and boxes and more boxes of random collections of hardware bits and pieces, my hands getting grimier by the minute (it's so fun, though) looking for interesting metal shapes to use in my jewelry. I found lots of new inspiration! I don't know what 95% of what I found actually is or does, but I know it will all make for great new upcycled jewels!





I am so inspired by other artisans of all types who can look at a random piece of something and figure out how to make it into, well, something totally unique and different. And I love metal and the way some artisans reuse raw and rough industrial-looking metal-ly stuff in their work and make it into fabulosity and loveliness. Sooo, I've been working on figuring out a way to do the same thing in my own way. I think I've done it! Think delicate swirls and sparkles and flowery-fluttery things blended with stark, cold utilitarian metal. I'm working today on some new pieces, so keep an eye out! :)

This is the latest little something I've made and really loved. This necklace is made from an antique (old) sterling silver cuckoo clock charm. In the center of the clock I glued a glass rhinestone from the 1940s and a tiny vintage (from the 1960s) copper stamping of a bird in flight.



The necklace sold the very day after it was made (actually, like 4 in the morning the same day- those all-nighters get me every time) at I Made It! Market at WYEP's Summer Music Fest! Yay!

So back to the tiny copper bird stamping... the Etsy seller I purchased them from had not only tiny birdies, but tiny butterflies, hearts, and leaves. So freakin' sweet! So sweet, in fact, that I contacted her after my initial orders and bought her entire supply of them! *evil laugh* I must have all! :P

SO anyway, look for more new jewel designs using those little coppery treats! And some fantastic antique chandelier drops like the one in the necklace I wear at shows (I made it for myself) and get so many compliments on!