Endless Inspiration

Hi to all,

I really don't have a lot to say today, but I do have pictures of the pieces I worked on this week, all inspired by vintage buttons, pins and charms we sorted through a few weekends ago.  This box of buttons will be an endless source of creative energy!

Ode to a Gardener

Ode to a Gardener is the first piece that was crafted the from those  buttons.   I absolutely love it!  The bracelet is made of vintage buttons, pins and some beads from my stash, even a paper bead.  It is a custom order and will not be posted for sale.  In fact it is a gift, so if you know who it is for, don't say anything!  It is supposed to be a surprise.  Already, I have another bracelet fashioned from vintage buttons, crystals and earrings laid out on my studio work table. It is a real dazzler, all pearls, gold and rhinestones.  Take a look on my Etsy site during the week, it will be posted soon.

Chunky Blue Paper Bead Necklace

Above is another one of my creations, inspired by collection of vintage buttons.  I made this necklace from some giant paper beads, crafted from a box that contained trash bags.  Aren't the colors great.  I strung these paper beads with large acrylic beads, wooden beads and some of my vintage buttons using a technique that summer campers use with lanyard.  The necklace is a great statement  piece.  If you want stringing directions just let me know.  The necklace is posted on my Etsy site, please take a closer look, let me know what you think.

This week I met with a Nature Center and visited their gift shop We discussed workshops, a possible holiday fair for local "green" artists and displaying my pieces for placement in their shop. Here is a necklace made with my vintage buttons and paper beads rolled from their Wild Life Encyclopedia destined for the trash.  I made this necklace specifically for the Nature Center gift shop.

Vintage papers

 Finally, I am now offering  some the same vintage papers I use for my beads, these papers are posted on my Etsy site.  They are original pages from an old atlas,  a wild life encyclopedia, my forty year old French grammar books and some pages from the reproduction copy of Jane Eyre I used for the Jane Eyre collection pieces.  There is more information about the vintage papers on my Etsy site, just follow the link.  You can  use the paper for many different projects including, paper beads, scrapbooking, collage, card making etc. And consider that all of these book have been rescued from the trash, using these pages is all part of my recycling and reusing philosophy.

Check it out.

Talk to you soon,
anne