Making Jewelry From Recycled Objects

Making recycled jewelry is a great rainy-day or family activity and not only helps chips away at the amount of waste we usually toss, but also makes unique and fashionable pieces for wear. Here are three methods of using recycled objects to make personal jewelry pieces.Silverware: Flatware is a popular starting point in jewelry making. Real silverware can come in beautiful designs and mis-matched pieces are easily found in antique shops and at flea markets. Bracelets are some of the most popular bangles to make, but rings and earrings can also be crafted. 

If you choose a piece of flatware, heating is not usually necessary, and so by using tongs and pliers with some strength a bracelet can be easily crafted by bending to spoon so that the handle end is sitting inside the bowl of the spoon. This can also double as a pendant for a necklace. If you choose a fork, the tongs can either be spiraled for a unique design or curved to fit the wrist. 

Unique, Earth Friendly Gift Giving

It’s not just the poor economy that turns people to homemade, handcrafted gifts this season. Instead of purchasing more unnecessary goods this gift-giving season, why not use what you have and create beautiful items you know your recipients will use, and love. 

• Homemade Jewelry: Homemade jewelry does require some skill to make, especially more intricate pieces, but jewelry is a notoriously heartfelt gift, even more so if it is personally crafted. Craft supply stores feature a wealth of beautiful beads and materials for earring, necklaces and bracelets.  If you don’t feel comfortable making your own jewelry cites such as Etsy are great ways to find hand-made crafts and gifts from individual artisans. Not only will you receive a completely unique gift, but you’ll also be supporting small craftspeople and local economies.  

Diamonds: Not All Are Your Friends

Photo by S&P Graphics

"At one time they may be carbuncle stones, then coals, then diamonds, then flint stones, then morning dew, then tears." -Lope de Varga

I admit it: I watch those terrible shows on VH1 about exactly how much money celebrities spend on their clothing, houses and jewelry. They showed Beyonce strutting around with the giant yellow diamond ring she bought herself, Puff Daddy (P-Diddy? Sean Combs?) with a white, kajillion-carat behemoth at his pinkie, and who can really keep track of the monster stones Jennifer Lopez has been proposed to with?

 Shameless celebrities of the world, how do you sleep at night? Haven’t you seen Blood Diamond? Guess not, but someone should let these guys in on conflict-free jewelry.

What's Old Is New Again, Recycled Art

I pulled into the parking lot of my favorite coffee shop last week, when my eye caught a curious glint from the car next to me. Upon further investigation, I found I was staring at a sun catcher, but not any normal sun catcher, one made from an old CD.
The novel idea sparked a wealth of others. How to recycle mundane or broken things we normally throw away, to create not only useful items, but beautiful items.
As someone who admittedly spends too much on shiny objects, from jewelry to candleholders, I like the idea of recycling objects in order to satiate my need for art. Even in high school I remember doing