Clues from Keyboards Past - Art Jewelry

I've been frantically trying to create enough new pieces to bring to the Pasadena Bead and Design Show, which will start next Thursday. I'm very excited about a new design I've created, a hybrid of a choker and a chain charm necklace. The back is a sturdy oxidized sterling wire and the front is a specially antiqued brass chain with interesting stories and mysteries of beads and treasures. The necklace is very comfortable and easy to put on, as the clasp is in the front. It's also adjustable and can be worn with each strand on either side, or the two together. (I know, I need some pictures to explain this. Coming soon.)

But for now, here's a peek of one of these necklaces, this one called Clues From Keyboards Past. Do you think she was upset? Screaming? Caps Lock! What will that mean in a decade? A century?

Coming soon to the Mystic Isle Collection of Amethyst Lobster - Unique Jewelry.

Art of the Day - "Give Live Love Soda Can Tie Tack Lapel Pin Upcycled " by Amethyst Lobster - "Give Live Love Soda Can Tie Tack Lapel Pin Upcycled " by Amethyst Lobster

Last week on EBSQ the theme of the week was Recycled-Content Art. They chose one of my recycled soda can jewelry pieces for the Art of the Day on Friday, Sept 07, 2007. I LOVE EBSQ! They are the best!

If you're an artist, I encourage you to join. It's worth the annual fee to get encouragement and inspiration from the community there.

Give Live Love Cola Tie Tack Lapel Pin Upcycled - Amethyst Lobster Unique Jewelry



Give a hand! I just wanted to make sure you see what I just added to the site. These tie tacks or lapel pins are VERY limited edition. They are recycled from limited editon Christmas soda cans. So, when they're gone, they're gone. There is a glued tie tack pin on the back, with a secure clasp. There are no sharp edges, these are formed to a soft foam backing during the cutting process. Measure 1 3/4 inches tall.

I've also made them on a stick pin. I'll be adding those to the site soon. Let me know if you need more than one or two, because I'm afraid they might run out quickly.

Santa was on those cans too! But you'll have to wait until next Christmas season to see what I did with Santa!

Now, why am I talking about Santa! It's almost St. Patrick's Day!
Get out the green! (And the beer!)

This bracelet is a sampler of materials I often use. It includes a plastic guitar pick, a stainless steel snap, a vintage Indian head wooden nickel, threaded with sterling silver wire and embellished with a flower made of ocean jasper faceted briolette beads, a charm made from an American Express magnet, mixed metal rivets and jumprings. The clasp is a silver metal magnet. I made this bracelet for the EBSQ Art Jewelry Show Contest, although I've made others similar, I had to be sure to add wood, stone and metal to this piece. It was a fun challenge and I plan on making more with these elements.

Since each piece is unique, I will be allowing for customization in the bracelets. I think this is a great way to incorporate little tiny treasures that we all hold onto and never know how to keep them close to us. Like a quilt made of fabric scraps from our childhood clothes can trigger such precious memories, I think a sampler of found objects bracelet can do the same.

Let me know if you have a "scrap" of the past to put into a custom bracelet.

I currently have this bracelet on HOLD status, because I'd like to see if it places in the contest, before I set the price! I'll also have a custom bracelet listing soon in The Chelsea Collection at Amethyst Lobster. Click here for the page of this particular bracelet, titled Found Object Wood, Stone Metal Bracelet.

I HEART IKE
Today's Inspiration - Common Postage Stamps
Found Object Art Jewelry Earrings


This is what I like to do - challenge myself to create jewelry from the commonest materials. Some call it trashion. Some call it found object art. They also call it recycling and upcycling.

My challenge today was to use postage stamps. I took a big bag of saved, used stamps and sorted through them. I kept throwing Ike (President Eisenhower) into a bigger and bigger pile. He was the commonest of the batch I had. So - he deserves a glass heart. His campaign motto was I LIKE IKE. But these days, I think he'd get a heart instead.

These earrings are double-sided. There is Ike in mulberry, which matches the dangling heart. And there is the dark side of Ike - a deep gray. These are laminated and the holes are hand riveted. The charm adds some weight, but they are light. I love the way they flutter, showing both sides of Ike.

I really enjoyed making these. They'll be added to the Chelsea Collection soon. There are so many other stamps I could use. Do you have a special request? Let me know - these are easy to customize. If I don't have the stamps, you can send them to me - on the outside of the envelope!

Antique and Vintage Button Bracelets

There is something so special about buttons. Maybe you have to be a button person to understand. Anyway, here are some bracelets I made - mostly today - from vintage and antique buttons. I'll have them on the site soon for sale. Thanks to my sister Patty, who is the Queen of Buttons!


Carved Brown Bakelite Button Bracelet



Carved Applejuice and TEAL Bakelite Button Bracelet



Antique China Buttons Bracelet Pink and Green CUTE!



Silver Amethyst Antique Button Bracelet



Antique Gold Button Bracelet Sorry, this one I'm keeping for myself! I LOVE it too much to let it go!



Antique Flower Buttons Jade Bead Bracelet