Fabric necklace

This was a fun combination of fabric and jewelry with very little sewing involved but I was really happy with how it turned out....been seeing these on a lot of "crafty" blogs I visit!  {found this tutorial }I wanted to make one for myself!!!!  Very girly....when I explained what I was doing to my sweet husband he gave me the doubtful "OK...." look.  But even he had to agree it turned out super cute when I got done...and the best part was it cost me $0 because I used things I had on hand...left over fabric and some old beads.  You cannot beat that!!!

What 's for sale

Just dropped off the new jewelry to Winsome Cottage yesterday! (Link bracelet, Sterling pendant necklace, and Aluminum cuff bracelets)  While I was there I went ahead and took some pictures of what was already there (.....since I can't seem to find the ones I had before the big computer switch over in December...) 

 All of these charms are hand hammered and hand stamped.  You can choose from sterling silver or copper....I have a silver letter for the first name of each of my kids.  There are some leather necklaces that you can add these to ( Some are adjustable so you can wear them any length.  See photos of how those work HERE.) Or you can add them to the silver bracelets pictured below....

 Here are some hand hammered copper cuffs.  Fun to use the torch to add color!  Each one turns out really unique and these also look great with names or words stamped on them.  The silver bracelets are made from bicycle spokes.  Probably my favorite thing that we make....I say "we" but my husband actually makes these because honestly I just can't "muscle" them into shape!  They make great bangle bracelets for that very reason---they hold their shape really well.  They are just really simple and versatile --dress them up or down, add my charms or your own....

 Some necklaces and bracelets I've made....

These are little "extras" to add if you like! With a charm or two or just by themselves...

Link bracelet

Latest creation....this one is going to the shop as well...I have several ideas for pendants based off this design.  Those will be coming soon.  This could also be stamped with letters, words, or numbers/dates.  I have an idea for a pattern using dots that I want to stamp into a pendant as well....

I like the closure ...

I want the whole thing to be unique not just the bracelet....

Pretty happy with how this one turned out...

Sterling pendant leather necklace

So one of the BEST parts about the craziness of being creative is when other people like your "stuff"!!!  I find it highly fulfilling to make things for friends and family and just people that see what I've made and ask about it.  Sometimes when I make something it reminds me of someone I know and their "style"....I made this necklace today and that's what happened!  I've been trying to get some new things together to sell at Winsome Cottage so I've been working more than usual.  And Mighty is finally starting to nap better .....Naptime is lovely!!!!

Hard to get a good picture because it's concave...sorry about the glare!

I've been thinking about making this clasp for awhile...finally got to try it!

I made it from flat stock aluminum--from scratch...pretty happy with how it turned out!

Winsome Cottage

I am THRILLED to be the first "featured artist" on Winsome Cottage's website!!!  Thank you Marykay!!!  This is a photo of my latest creation....A hammered aluminum cuff bracelet.  These can be be stamped with letters or words/phrases as well.  You can see more pictures of these bracelets here.
This is an example of my hand stamped sterling silver charms.  We also make these bracelets from bicycle spokes (so they are stainless steel).

More handmade items....

Here's another item my husband made....when we remodeled our kitchen (I'll have to post some pictures of the remodel later...) I wanted something simple to hold all the things I use while cooking/baking.  Rice, noodles, corn starch, baking soda, salt, etc.  So this is what he made to fit over our stove.  The jars were my grandma's and great grandma's probably....

Aluminum shelf

I also LOVE the dispenser we found in a booth at the Springfield antique mall.  It holds aluminum foil, wax paper, and paper towels.  Very handy....why are these not still being made?!?!?!?!  I enjoy using the things we find.....I'm not a fan of antiques you have to be "careful" around.

Shelf and ball jars

I finished an aluminum cuff bracelet for Winsome Cottage today!  Hopefully I'll be able to post this week with items available at the shop.  I'm excited to start some new ideas I have and see how they sell.  Happiest of Sundays!

Grandma's jewelry

So I'll start off by saying that one of THE things I remember most about my Grandma was her style!!!  I would consider her to be one of the most important female role models I had.  She had a very sweet spirit about her , loved the Lord, and loved her family.
When she passed away I asked to have all her costume jewelry and now I have a box full of clip earrings, bead necklaces, and all sorts of bits and pieces.....
So this picture is of a necklace I made a couple of weeks ago using two different necklaces.

She had this pair of clip earrings which I love and wear all the time....so now like her I have a matching set.  She always had matching earrings and necklace....and loved shoes and purses.  It's in my blood!!

!

So yesterday I decided to raid the box again.  I bought a little sterling silver link style bracelet.  I used two sets of clip earrings that were falling apart and part of a necklace.....

Aluminum copper Anniversary bracelet

So for Christmas this year we were trying to be really careful about spending on each other due to the unexpected MacBook Pro purchase in December...we usually go all out since it's the only time we really buy for each other.....and my wonderfully sentimental and romantic husband made this for me...how lucky am I?!?!!??!?!

The copper is riveted to the aluminum...both of which are hand hammered.  And the date stamped on it is our wedding date.  I know.  Very romantic....
There are more pictures here.  Hoping to get some plain, hammered aluminum cuffs to Winsome Cottage in the next week or so.
Tomorrow hoping to post some pictures of the jewelry I 've been making from my Grandma's beaded jewelry......we'll see how my sweet babies do....

Trash finds

Be sure to check out the Pickers page for more photos I added today...Gearing up for the coming snow.  I'm so ready for Spring.  It can't come fast enough as far as I'm concerned.  We're all experiencing a little cabin fever here at the VanHook house!!!!

Past obsessions

Backpack I made for someone....

I thought I would go ahead and start off (after successfully posting the other pictures) to put some past things we've done on here.  I had a ton of fun making purses!!!  For quite awhile.  It started at a craft show with these clever little placemat purses I saw.  I said..."I could make that...." and then it evolved from there.  Right now I'm hot and heavy into the jewelry.  Most recently hammered aluminum cuff bracelets.... 

Love polka dots....

Pinstriping and knitting/felting

Okay so now that I'm figuring all this out here are some of our most recent endeavors....Chad did some pinstriping on these wine bottles for a customer which turned out pretty nice....

And here is a set I made for my niece as a Christmas present...so much fun to make her stuff because she enjoys all the same stuff I do!!!!  Love you Soph!!!!  I knitted the hat and crocheted the border...then the mittens are recycled wool sweaters that I washed (felted) them then cut and sewed them.

That's all for today!!  Happy Sunday!!!

Adding more ...

Busy day here...I get into these "rearranging" moods where I start looking at things in the house and thinking about moving them to another room.  Once I start thinking about it I just can't let it go so today that's what happened.   It's like those puzzles where one square is missing and you have to keep moving the tiles around....because moving one thing leads to moving another...and another....This is the creative/ocd side of my personality mixed with the frugal "I can't afford new stuff" side!!!  Fortunately my husband shares this trait as well so even though it makes for a lot of chaos-- he gets me!  Which is really wonderful.  And with two kiddos and an smallish house there's always a lot of stuff.  Also spent last night looking through old pictures of my dad's side of the family...my Aunt reminded me of a picture I have of my Grandma as a little girl.  Mighty (my daughter) looks just like her...very strong resemblance...

First Blog

I'm seriously excited about this new site I just found while looking at another blog.....freecycle.com.  You join a group in your area and everything on the site is FREE!!!!!  People post stuff they want to give away...LOVE this idea!  I' m already a huge trash picker so this is right down my alley.  I have several great items in our house that I'm proud to say came from someone else's trash.  I'll try to post some before/after pics soon.  We'll see how much time I have.  My kiddos and sweet, soulmate husband get most of the time I have.