BTW::Custom Upcycle

I did it! I finally remembered that it was BTW before it was actually Wednesday!

{reinventing the bling - Julsbeads choices}

{sentimental favorites - Humblebeads choices for the two daughters}

{pulling it apart to put it together}

Tonight I managed to finish three necklaces.
I was given the opportunity to take some sentimental pieces from a friend from church named Rosan - like her mother's three strand costume pearl necklace and a pair of over the top crystal cluster earrings - and turn them into something new.

 The three-strand pearl necklace was not in the best shape, but the piece is sentimental to my client. She asked me to make an updated necklace for two of her daughters. I featured Humblebeads in both of these necklaces, using coordinating seed beads as spacers to make the beads go further, since a fair number of them had their lustre worn away over time. I mimicked the lines in the Humblebeads with the wavy silver and gold disks that remind me of flower petals.

I still have to make a double strand bracelet for my client from the remaining faux pearls. And to make it special I am going to use the ornate filigree pearl clasp as a little dangle.

Rosan also presented the challenge to take a very bling-y black crystal cluster earrings (complete with silver plated bows!) and tone it down a bit to make it something she would actually wear. So I selected a Julsbead from my prodigious stash and pitched the idea of breaking up the crystals into a necklace and earring set. I took apart about 30 crystals off their head pins and still only managed to use one of the earrings.

I like the way this piece turned out and think that Rosan will be proud to wear them now!

Turning someone's treasures into something they will actually wear is a great rush for me. It is like breathing new life into something that was forgotten or neglected.