Janet of All Trades

 Halloween is quickly approaching and although I no longer dress up, I do like to create and wear to celebrate the holiday. When I found these Glow in the Dark stickers at the Dollar Store, I instantly knew I had the perfect use for them.  First I collected a few buttons and cut one of the stickers up to make it look more scary. I then cover it with Mod Podge and let it dry. Then covered it will Mod Podge Dimensional magic. I made a few more using buttons and pendant trays and I now I am all set for the big day.  Some Cute and Scary Pendants. They Glow in the Dark too!  I might wear one or maybe three.  So easy and very inexpensive. Enjoy!

With my collection of beads,buttons and findings growing for my jewelry creating, I found it necessary to revamp my organization so I could spend less time searching for something. This was how I was organizing most of my items in mismatch of clear plastic containers and never knowing exactly what I had. So it was time for a better system. I looked at a few craft store and found one that I really liked. This one was at Michael's and for $44.95 I probably could have purchased it with a 50% coupon to get it at a better price. It had a flip top lid and three removable trays. But I knew I could find a better one and at a more reasonable price. And I did! I found this tool organizer at Harbor Freight for $17.99 and it was on sale for $13.99. Now if you sign up for their newsletter or look online you can find coupons for 20% off.  It is the perfect solution and size. I purchased two since I knew I needed room to expand and could not pass up a great deal. The top ...

I have seen these bracelets everywhere and came very close to buying one. But I knew I could possibly make one for much less and it didn't look that difficult.  I started by purchasing 2mm leather cording and the beads came from my stash. I tried to figure it out a few times on my own but then I found this awesome tutorial on Make It/Fake It with step by step images to guide you thru the process. I used beading thread instead of fishing wire since that is what I had on hand. You start with a button and the top and start your bead. It went along pretty well, but it does take time to perform the beading correctly. I taped the top and the bottom of my cording to the table so it was easier to wrap the thread around and bead without everything rolling around. Once I was done I tied off the thread and made the super easy closure. Just knot where you end and make sure you loop fits over your button (I had to take a few beads off to make mine fit). Then my bracelet...

I was asked by a lovely work colleauge to create a comb for her hair for her destination wedding. She gave me images of the details of the front of her dress to help me create perfect comb.  Beading at front waist and the rest of the dress is simple but very elegant. She had given a comb to use and the rest of my supplies came from my stash of beads,buttons and ribbons. I decided to sew the beads and buttons on to the ribbon first and then laid it across the comb to see how it would fit. Then I started to sew it to the comb and this was now easy task as the the ribbon is large and the teeth of the comb kept catching my thread. I had to take it apart three times just to get it to lay correctly and look nice.  But eventually it was done and delivered to the Bride to be and should could not be happier.  It was fun project since it is something that I have never create before and let me use a bit of my stash! Enjoy!

One of my favorite activities to keep my brain creatively thinking, is to look at discardable object and see I if I can find a use for it. Remaking,recreating or reusing has been a theme that fuels many of my craft projects,so today on Earth day, I have a few to share. I am always surprised by packaging and how a perfectly good piece of plastic may end up in the recycle bin or the garbage. For example, this Wash Bag from tide, a $5 item packaged in some really nice re-useable plastic that I knew I could use for something. Then I came across buttons at an Estate Sale for a steal and did not want to pass them up. The two were combined to create this.. My Earth Day Necklace, Recycled plastic disks and Buttons.  A little green and a little green! The next project was to use up those pesky Plastic Wine corks. Not sure why I have so many of them (ha!) but I keep everyone since I knew I would eventually find a use for them and my brain finally did. I made a ...

It's been so unseasonably warm this weekend that it is difficult not to start gardening or cleaning up outside, but it is only March. I decided to use this warm sunny day to take numerous photos of the jewelry I have working on and hopefully can sell some day. For a few I used these antique papers that were intended to be used in card making long ago. Pretty Spring flowers that would be interesting as pendants. Here is my first attempt.  I love the flower and paper combination. Perfect for Spring.. Or for Summer.  I felt I need to make a few more and one I will show at a later date since it was not photo ready. But this one made from discarded maps came out lovely. Too bad it is past St Patrick's day since this would have been perfect! Just a litte Paper,Bead and Chain! Enjoy!

I am lucky to have access to a wide variety of colorful and interesting leather scraps. I finally decided what I could make with them after looking at my button stash and my estate sale items and created some interesting pendants and rings made from both. Embossed Woven Leather and Recycled Estate Sales jewelry pendant Woven Leather and rhinestone button. Green Sueded Leather with recycled bead and earring pieces. Leather and Button rings. Just a little reusing of scraps and buttons to make some interesting Jewelry for the Spring! Enjoy!