Scraps and leftovers…

Due to the change in weather, I wanted to set up a nice garden this year of veggies and native drought hardy plants, which I did to the detriment of my blog postings. LOL

I have however also been making all types of jewelry out of leftover projects. I like to try to use up as much as possible of old supplies and pieces before I make any new orders or get new supplies. In this case leftover polymer clay, which seems to run rampant in my projects, I keep every poly clay scrap I possibly can. Sadly they often sit in a box for months, “glaring” at me when I go through my scrap box for something to make. Wanting to make a new order of supplies but knowing I had to do something with some of my left over stuff, off I went to my poly clay scrap and my jewelry finding junk box. I collected some slices off a cane, which I was able to cut into small pieces and arrange on a bed of scrap black poly clay, smooth the edges, carve little texture lines and add 3 horseshoe hoops for hanging findings.

Add a few findings, beads for contrast and silver chain, and there you have it: a quick and classy necklace.  🙂

After a few more necklaces made from scraps I realized I was honestly low on supplies so merrily I went ahead and made an order to Fire Mountain Gems. Though this time along with the needed supplies, on a whim I ordered a Boss’ Bead Bag. Basically a grab bag of all types of findings, beads, cabs, frames, anything and everything they carry might end up in one of these bags. I was more than pleasantly surprised when I opened my order.

Here is the Boss’ Bead Bag separated by size of beads and metal findings. There was sterling silver beads, semi precious stones, wood beads, adorable plastic animal beads, glass beads of all sorts, frames and filigree findings! Which of course got my squirrely little mind a whirl with the idea of making necklaces just from the supplies found in the Boss’ Bead Bag.

I wanted to try making the first one as classy as possible, just to see how un-grab bag like I could make it. I ended up with this lovely mix of butterflies and purple/pink hues, everything was from the Boss’ Bag except for a few added jump rings, eye pins and nail pins, which was also from this order to Fire Mountain Gems. I still have loads of stuff left over from the bag to make more necklaces and even some miniature work (there was some very tiny pendants and beads perfect for a doll house).

I highly suggest anyone into jewelry making but also likes interesting surprises to order a Boss’ Bead Bag.

Till next time Safe Travels! 🙂