Everything Old is New Again

"Don't throw the past away
You might need it some rainy day
Dreams can come true again
When ev'ry thing old is new again"

~lyrics from The Boy from Oz sung by Hugh Jackman

Need a little inspiration to transform your upcycled jewelry into new, fresh treasures? There is no place I would rather go than to my resources shelf.

I would never use any of my magazines or books as a step by step, but rather as a point of departure. I think that I like to see how different I can make it. Besides the fact that it would be nearly impossible to duplicate every component used, I believe it is a true testament to the innate creativity in us all to come up with our own spin on our inspirations. That is why these challenges are so cool...so supportive...so encouraging. I hope you will find the time to make yourself a little retro bling for the holiday repurposing those forgotten treasures.

Hurry! You only have until 11:59 pm CST on Sunday, December 13th to enter your photo at the Flickr group to be entered to win some great prizes.

Speaking of said prizes, the Humblebeads that I ordered to create with this week have not found their way to me. I am at so many different addresses these days, that I fear the post office may be more confused than usual. So I will have to concoct something other than planned...stay tuned!

In case you need a little inspiration, I picked up two of my favorites as inspiration for Week 2 Inspired by...Grandma's Jewelry Box. I love to see the fresh uses of materials in these two books and the great photography that really piques my interest and gets me excited about seeing everyday things in a new light. {Have I told you I have no filters when it comes to buying new books? Even if it is a technique that I would never be able to try on my own, or really don't even see myself doing, I cannot help but buy the book. I have all sorts of them. In 2010 I plan to try to limit myself to just one book a month. That will be tough.} Actually, I would actually encourage you to buy books that are outside of your normal creative comfort zone.....sometimes those books are the ones that have the best inspiration because I don't have that particular skill so I have to be inventive.

The first is Amy Hanna's Rejuvenated Jewels.

I fell in love with this book from the moment I saw the cover. Not only does Amy have the most amazing treasure trove, and has traveled all over to find it, but she has this amazing sense of style when it comes to combining them. There is a timelessness to her designs....vintage yet modern. The book is very well laid out, the directions are clear, the pictures are beautiful and I love hearing the story of where she found the precious bits that she uses. Amy Hanna also has a blog called Living the Artful Life where she tells the stories behind her creations, her passions, her life. She is a beautiful lady with a whole lot of style. Check her out if you have some time.

The second resource is Vintage Redux by Brenda Schweder.

I had the good fortune to meet Brenda at the Bead & Button show in Milwaukee last summer. She is a bold and bright and beautiful lady with a lot of fresh ideas. Her book Vintage Redux shows a much kitschier and playful style than Amy Hanna's. Both styles have their place in the whole repurposing jewels trick. What I liked best about this book is that it helped me to see the diamonds in the rough of the outdated 80s jewelry that I just couldn't part with. And breathing fresh life into those old oddities is a great way to kickstart your creativity.

If you don't already have these resources, they are great additions to your wish list.

When you get new resources (books, magazines, etc) do you sit down and read them cover to cover? Do you buy only resources for one particular style of jewelry making or do you try to branch out and pick out resources that run the gamut?
Do you ever follow the instructions exactly, or do you use it as a jumping off point for your own designs?
Do tell!

Enjoy the day!