Thrift Store Blog Hop

I was at the Charity shop yesterday to buy some supplies to make some more thread wrapped bangles for my shop as I only have a couple of them left now.

And whilst I was at the store I realised how amazing some of the stuff there was and how fun it would be to turn some of the finds into jewellery. You can choose whatever you want as long as it is in budget from a thrift store. You can buy a piece of jewellery and take it apart, or a piece of clothing for the buttons or fibres, or something else. Just use your imagination.

So here's my blog hop challenge.

Thrift Store Blog Hop

• Sign up for the Blog hop here leaving your name and your blog website address
• Go to the thrift store/charity shop and buy an item for less that £1 ($1.50 approx at at the moment)
• Take a photo of the item when you get home 
• Take an "in progress" photo
• Take a photo when you have finished making your item
• And blog about it on Saturday August 4th.

Don't forget to include links to everyone else taking part in the blog hop so that we can all blog hop together :)

Participants so far:-

Sarah - www.pookledo.blogspot.co.uk
Deb - http://greenshoot.blogspot.co.uk/
Kimberley - http://goddessesandbeads.blogspot.co.uk/
Skye - http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.co.uk/
Ambra - http://chicandfrog.wordpress.com/
Beti - http://stringingfool.blogspot.com/
Emma - www.apolymerpenchant.com
Shelley - www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Tammie -  http://ttedesigns.blogspot.co.uk/
Leah - http://beadyeyedbunny.blogspot.co.uk/
Denielle - www.somebeadsandotherthings.com
Keri Lee - http://www.pinklemonade.typepad.com 
Rochelle - acreativechelle.blogspot.com
Pam - http://pamelas-studio.blogspot.com/
Ingetraud - http://ingetraud.wordpress.com/
Audrey - http://esperianterra.blogspot.com/
Julie Anne - www.thepeacefulbead.com
Sharyl - http://www.sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com
Micheladas - http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com 
? -   http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.co.uk/
Kala - http://maybejustperhaps.blogspot.co.uk/

Hand Dyed Thread - Challenge Bracelets #7 8 9 10 11 12

I love Etsy and I love finding artist made materials to combine with my reclaimed materials so when I found The Rainbow Girl I just had to try out some of her lovely thread so I bought these!

I found a few second hand bangles prime for upcycled so got together with a few simple macrame knots and started working away and came up with these stacking bangles.

I've listed them individually on Etsy so that people can choose what charm they fancy or combine them with other bangles they own for their own personalized set of bangles. 

Swap-bot - Rainbow Scavenger Hunt

 

I love colour. I love matching them and seeing what goes with what. So when I saw a rainbow swap on Swap-bot I decided to join in.

As you can see, I had to send my partner a Bead Button and Bauble in rainbow colours with an aim to finding gold at the end.

Patchwork Heart Experiments

Sorry I've been a bit quiet. I've been making a few prototypes and trying to figure out which direction to take to try and and get my shop up and running enough to start making me an income. Feel free to pimp out my facebook page and my Etsy shop if you like my work. I'd be greatly appreciated.

This week I've been having a play with some multimedia pendants. mainly using patchwork, embroidery and beading.

The pendant is only 4cms across so you can imagine how small the embroidery stitches and materials strips are. I've embellished it with seed beads and a Swarovski pearl on the tip of the heart.













This is the other side of the pendant. Instead of adding beads, I kept it more simple with patchwork, embroidery and a bit of couching.

I think I prefer the one without the beading, but G prefers the one with.

Which do you prefer?

Necklace Time

I realised that I don't have many "found art" mixed media type pieces in my Etsy shop at the moment. It was the perfect excuse for dragging out my bead soup box. I don't know if other beaders have one, but I have a box where I put all my lonely beads. Single beads from nearly used up strings. beads I have reclaimed from vintage jewellery and broken pieces.

I love my bead soup box. I sometimes buy boxes of broken jewellery, sometimes get given bits and pieces from friends having a clearout, buy end of sale items to dismantle, and trade for things on Swapbot. So last night I start sorting out focals and co-ordinating beads and ended up with this.

 

I think I might be keeping it myself :)

Chrysocolla

Chrysoprase

Foiled Glass

Quartz

Ribbon

Mother of pearl shell

Fabric

Vintage clip on earring

Glass Pearl

Silver plated Rounds

Silver Chain