Last week I got to work on my very first custom jewelry commission! I originally met with my client over coffee and baked goods while we rummaged through her multi-level jewelry box! She had no idea what she wanted, but as she came across an item that was special to her she would tell me the meaning behind it.
My mind started churning once all these items began to pile up in front of me... and I immediately thought of the combination you see above. I turned her ID bracelet into a necklace and used a sentimental ring and heart pendant she loved as focal points for the piece.
She also had a bunch of charms that she had held onto for decades.... and I squealed with glee as I realized they could all be whimsically combined into a cute charm bracelet! I interrogated her further on favorite hobbies, colors, events and memories she held fondly... and incorporated some of my own charms into the bracelet based on her answers.
My client also had an old unicorn hologram pendant she loved and really wanted to bring it back out into the light again. I wasn't sure how I would accomplish it, but I knew that I wanted to mimic the color of the hologram somehow. I struck gold when I found these iridescent butterflies in perfect matching shades. They kind of look like little bows... which I think makes this necklace super adorable!
I'll be meeting with my client this week to show her what I've come up with, and I'm so excited. The most important part of all of this is that these lovely, meaningful mementos will no longer be stuck in a box and will become awesome conversation pieces.
If you'd like to see more of my custom work or to have me make stuff from your stuff... check out the jewelry commissions page on my website!
I was playing around with the idea of a cardboard cutout of cotton candy... and I just love how retro it looks. my entire kitchen is done in 50's memorabilia and this fits right in. I think I'll do more with this silhouette idea... candy apples, a cupcake, double scoop ice cream... Although I really want to cover the cotton candy part with real cotton to make it more 3-D. Experimenting is fun and definitely something I need to do more of!
Not only do I like to use decades-old stuff in my art, but I also love to wear it too! Currently, this is one of my favorite combinations... a 70's polyester print shirt, complete with a groovy scarf... a steal for $12 at a local flea market. And a peach short sleeve shirt I got at J.C. Penney for only $1.98!
Today was a day of looking at patterns. No matter how much you think you see as you're standing right on top of them... all you have to do is take a couple of steps back and your perspective totally changes. Take a giant leap back... and then you have quite another view!
Happy early Valentine's Day to me! I bought myself these lovely red-inspired kitchen accessories tonight. I will be using them for crafting most likely. Love Retro!
