Re-Using, Re-Purposing, Recycling, Salvaging...

Recently I've gotten into the habit of looking at normal, everyday objects as some sort of jewelry potential. I've found some new and interesting materials from things that were just sitting around, or going to be thrown away.

I started by raiding the jewelry boxes of my family members:

Most people have broken chains, pair-less earrings, etc. that they're totally willing to part with. I got several necklace chains that just needed new findings.

I got a bunch of old earrings (in pairs) that weren't shiny and new anymore. A little Brasso Metal Polish got them looking like new. Also, I re-vamped a few pair by wrapping them in cotton yarn (see photo).

I've also started finding materials outside of jewelry boxes:


I absolutely LOVE working with instrument strings. They're easy to come by (free, if you know people!) and you can use them in lots of ways just like you'd use jewelry wire. If you know someone who plays a stringed instrument, they're going to be throwing away strings eventually anyway! Ask for donations- you'll be recycling, and everyone loves recycling. I've got a few generous musicians who donate on a regular basis (if you're selling/promoting the stuff you make, thank your musicians on your site!). If the strings you're working with are a little dirty, Brasso will clean them up as well.

I recently came across some rectangular wooden tiles that I've been using to make pendants, etc. My process is somewhat unconventional, because I really don't have any "tools" at all. I cut each pendant individually with a kitchen knife and sand them by hand. I've got a little drilling tool (not sure where it came from or what it's actually for) that I use to put holes in each piece, also by hand. I've figured out how to make necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings from these wooden tiles I salvaged as they were headed to the garbage.

In my efforts to make jewelry as efficiently and as Earth-friendly as possible, I try not to throw things away. I have a few plastic storage boxes that I keep in my workspace, and one of them is for scraps. This might sound a little tedious, but I've found that I can make entire pieces from a box of scraps! For example:

• Head and eye pins are usually too long, and need to be trimmed. This excess wire is just long enough to make a beaded link (see photo).
  
• This same idea applies for jewelry wire; when I'm wire-wrapping a piece, I usually cut the wire longer than it needs to be, because it makes it easier to work with. If the excess wire is about 3/4" or longer, I can use it later for something small.
• Scrap chain is also really fun to work with. (I am always browsing Etsy for ideas- search the jewelry section for "industrial" and/or "chain" and you'll find a ton of ways that small pieces of chain can be used!) Short lengths of chain (in pairs) are great for making earrings; I used mismatched lengths of scrap chain to make the bracelet in the photo.
• Single chain links can be used as findings; this is especially neat when you have links that are not round like jump rings.

The wood for this bracelet is some of the re-purposed wood I mentioned earlier.
All of the other materials came from my scrap box (odd findings and beads from other projects, scrap chain, wire).


The list of salvageable materials goes on and on from here; these are just a few of my favorite ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle when I can.
All of the pieces pictured (and many others!) can be found in my Etsy shop:
www.rachelsthrivedesigns.etsy.com

Sand Dollar Charms: Process

Making Charms & Pendants From Sand Dollars

All of these were handcrafted from sand dollars that I found in Panama City Beach, Florida.

The process began with bringing the sand dollars home and cleaning them. I selected the ones I wanted to use based on shape and size, and began the shaping process.

I filled in large gaps, holes, or openings with wood filler and let dry. I used a piece of twisted scrap wire to hand-drill a hole in each piece so they could be strung later on.

I then sanded each piece so that the sides and edges were smooth.

I chose a symbol for each piece, and used pencil to outline it onto the sand dollar. I painted the symbols onto the pieces and used permanent marker to fill in any gaps.

I used a clear sealant on some of the pieces; some were left unfinished.

See my Etsy shop for the finished products! http://www.rachelsthrivedesigns.etsy.com

Wooden Beads: Process

The Process of Turning Sticks Into Beads






I started with sticks that I found in my backyard. Using a knife, I stripped the outer layers of dirt, bark, etc. from each stick.



Next, I soaked the clean sticks in hot water for a few minutes to make them easier to cut.

Once they were softened, I cut them into 1 inch pieces (for beads) or longer pieces for pendants.



Each pendant was then carved by hand.








Using a piece of twisted scrap wire, I hollowed out the beads (this is fairly easy because the center of the stick is soft) and drilled a hole through the pendants (this is more difficult; some pieces needed to be soaked in hot water again).






All of the individual pieces were sanded by hand until smooth.












Finally, I coated each of the beads and pendants using either clear sealant or a mahogany-colored gloss.