Pink Hot Butterfly, My New Watchface Necklace

Whew!! All done.

Took 3 days on and off to make two necklaces with watchfaces and metal butterflies. I am only showing you this one, Pink Hot, since I need to retake the photos on the other one.

I started off with this silver metal butterfly. I wanted it to be the focal point. I added one of my recycled watchfaces in black. Then I weaved through the butterfly a ball and chain to hang the brass bell. Used gold plated chain links, oval shaped. To balance the left side, I added a couple of black 11/0 seedbead loops and dangled 2 tiny keys.

For the peyote tubes, I made two of each color. Gunmetal gray, hot pink and black. Used 8/0 Dyna-mites from Fire Mountain Gem and Beads. (14 seedbeads across/9 rows) The tubes slide over the chain. Can be grouped together or spaced further apart.

I will probably list this necklace at Etsy. Here are my Etsy-ready photos.

Necklace measures 22″.

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Original design by This Year’s Dozen. Please do not copy or post elsewhere without my permission. Thanks.

Calling All Ice Resin Experts…

I have been researching how best to turn my recycled watch parts into paperweights. So far, from what I have read, Ice Resin seems like the best solution.

This is what I am trying to do. Make the beads and items sitting on top of the beads into one solid clear piece. To be used as a desk decoration or as a small work of art, standing on its side or sitting flat.

There are so many do’s and don’t’s. I had to bookmark all the information so I wouldn’t get confused. Most of the sites provided the same details. I even watched two video demonstrations.

One question I don’t have an answer for… yet… is whether or not the resin can be poured into a small wood frame.

One concern I have is about the potential for bubbles ruining my crafty work. One site said if using beads, to put a bit of glue inside EACH BEAD. I am guessing each frame has about 400 seed beads, maybe more. That would take a year. There has to be a better way to do this.

And I am wondering if I can’t just pour the resin in the frame and ‘place’ the items on top. Is it absolutely necessary to completely cover the items. Won’t they still stick in the solution?

I got some really good tips. Work in a well ventilated area and use a fan if possible. Wear a mask even though Ice Resin isn’t supposed to be fumey. Place a sheet of plastic, like a large white garbage bag, on top of your work space. Ice Resin won’t stick to plastic. Don’t reuse the mixing cup or stirrer. Always start fresh. I am glad I saw that as I probably would have recycled them.

Have you ever used Ice Resin? Were you happy with the results? Any advice for someone new to this? I have to tell you… I failed gluing. I NEVER get the items glued per the instructions. I am hoping I have better luck with resin.

I Have A Lot To Show You… So Go Get Some Snacks

First off. Here is another beaded collar/cowl I made from the royal blue Bead Soup mix. Believe it or not, there’s still a bit left. And after making that huge bracelet and ring. Now here are matching necklace and earrings to add to the set. And I found a better name. Royal Nights. Ha!! Isn’t that better? Royal for the predominate color. Nights since you wouldn’t be all glammed up before 5pm.

Oh… I forgot to tell you about the earrings. I spent one whole day learning how to make Winged Beads. Yep, I am still teaching myself techniques from that same book. Mastering Beadwork, by Carol Huber Cypher. Pages 198-200. Using brick stitch and a picot edging. Of course, I changed it up and put my own spin to it.

And you know how excited I get when learning something new. I went kind of crazy. First I made the royal blue ones. Then peach.

Then made a peach necklace with a couple of the Winged Beads. And the neat thing. They are reversible. Can wear them with the peach side showing or the ivory side. Cool, huh? I am calling the set Peach Ice.

Steampunk? No, I haven’t forgotten about it. I am leading up to it with all this extra learning. I’ll get there. In fact, I have a bunch of stuff already lined up. I showed you some of it. Here’s something you haven’t seen.

And chain links. Don’t know why I had to buy these coiled ones in every color the store had. It isn’t finished. Just my model modeling it.

I retook photos of my One-Eyed Steampunk earrings. I think these are better.

Well, I think that’s it. I think I am all caught up.

One-Eyed Monster, Steampunk Earrings

😀

I may add a few rhinestones to the backs of the watchfaces. To give the earrings a bit of color. Kind of drab looking. U G L Y, actually.

The bracelet isn’t done yet, still working on it. The other bracelet I wanted to use, the clasp kept opening and the bracelet kept falling off my arm. So.. back to the drawing board on that one.

Forever 5 Paperweight and Brick Stitch Fan Earrings

What fun!! Coming up with ideas for all those broken watches I got on eBay.

How about this? Placing the backs in a wooden frame on a bed of black seed beads? Could be a paperweight. Or a miniature standing shadowbox. That is, could be, once I figure out how to get it all to stay put and not fall apart when picked up.

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And aren’t these fan earrings cute!!

Another project from the book, Mastering Beadwork by Carol Huber Cypher, pages 195-197. What a unique way of working with stringing wire AND beadwork. I like it so much, I am making a necklace using this technique. I really love this book.

These earrings match a couple of the bracelets I made a month ago. Necklace about half done. More photos to follow.

To keep from getting bored, I am switching back and forth from stringing to beadwork to beadpunk to steampunk. So, you will have to keep coming back to see what I am working on next.

Steampunk Watchface Earrings

65 cents for a screw!! Outrageous!!

Tiny. Teeny tiny even. So small you need tweezers to pick them up. I say they should be a nickel and no more. The guy at Ace Hardware said they are stainless steel so that is why they cost more.

And I am working on a necklace. Here’s a glimpse of it.

Steampunk: Project 1, Burgundy Timex

I think this will be the watch I will attempt Steampunk. Timex Electric. I have some of the pieces lined up. At least, this is my plan. But you know what happens when you try to design something. Having to make changes or adjustments as you go.

You are probably wondering how I am coming along with my watch salvaging. Really good!! Half of them have been taken apart. Six or seven I decided to leave as is, just in case I can get them repaired. About 10 are being stubborn. I can’t for the life of me get the back case off. Those I will take to my neighborhood watch repair shop and ask them to do it.

This is the one I am working on next. Upper right corner.

Also, look at this great stuff I found on eBay. Cool, huh?

Meet ETERNITY: My 1st Recycled Watch

Eternity. That’s the name on the watchface. Ironic, huh? Eternity, and it no longer works.

Sorry, I didn’t get a Before photo. I had already taken it apart. I pieced this together for you. It had a REALLY well worn lavender watchband.

Isn’t this pretty?

Too pretty to just toss in the trash. I had an idea on what I wanted to make. A necklace using the main colors. Blue and pink.

I took the watchface with me to Munro’s last week and picked out one strand of blue glass beads and one of little pink round glass ones with flowers.

Here’s one of the reasons it takes me so long to create something. Right in the middle of working on a design, I change directions. You can see in this picture, one side already connected to the watchface. I took this all apart so it could connect with a lobster claw clasp instead. Undo, restart.

Moving on…. Another couple hours trying to get the correct size beads inserted into the giant keychain ball the way I wanted. And then deciding on how many strands of seed beads. For balance.

Hubby went out to Ace Hardware to get me these chains. Wasn’t that sweet of him!!

And the final look. It isn’t much Steampunk. More fashionable. I just didn’t see the point of adding gears and other parts. The chains are enough.

So…. what do you think?

More Keys Found

Found more keys yesterday. In a craft bin. In an old, old plastic container filled with different sizes of safety pins. Who uses safety pins anymore? And why do I need them in all sizes. Boy, what a strange collection.

One key has U.S.P.S. stamped on it. Uh, Oh. The Post Office Police have probably been looking for it. 😀 The others I have no clue what they used to lock/unlock.

One more place to look. The basement.

Went To A Yard Sale Today In My Own House

With Steampunk on my mind, I decided at noon that I would go to a few garage/yard sales to look for usable metal stuff. Started off the intelligent way. Checked the net. Only found one in my area. June 4th. I wanted to go to one TODAY!! (Sounding like a 2 yr old)

Got in my car, drove around for an hour. Pretty yards, pretty flowers. No Yard Sales!!

So, I did the next best thing.

Went from room to room in my own house. Opened all the drawers. I hit the jackpot in the dining room. Now, I have to tell you. The last time anyone was in there was 5 years ago for a family holiday gathering. There’s a beautiful table in there, china cabinet sitting on top of the hutch, 6 chairs, etc. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO IN THERE!!?? Nothing!! So it was no surprise that I found lots of goodies. Hidden treasures.

Lookie!!

Aren’t these GREAT!! And just yesterday I saw some skeleton keys like these for $10 each. On-line. Ouch.

I found a bunch of other stuff I can use. But none as interesting as these keys. Stay tuned for my Steampunking stuff.