The Latest Experiment... Altered Clothing

Anyway, I guess that's what you call it! I'm not exactly just altering an existing piece of clothing, I'm experimenting with combining 2 or more pieces of clothing to create something new and completely unique.

 So... I started with a sweater vest and one of those graphic Ts with 3/4 sleeves. The sleeves of the shirt became sleeves on the vest and the body of the shirt became the "tail". Feeling it needed a little more dressing up, I trimmed it in vintage embroidered trim. The closures are actually necklace clasps and then I fancied up the neckline with gold metallic buttons and flowers made from the left-over fabric of the T-shirt.

This is just an experiment, of sorts, but I would love to hear what you think of it, in general. The combination of prints and colors may be a bit much for some but I wanted it to be feel gypsy-like or bohemian, slightly ethnic or tribal or... well... something like that! I'm thinking about making the "tail" less square - possibly going from short in front to long in back and ruffling the hem like I did on the sleeves. Hmm... that might be a nice alteration...

Anyway, feel free to leave comments and be nice - this is my first crack at this sort of thing! :)
Thanks for stopping!

Cat Nap

Whew! I'm just SO loving creating new pieces of wearable art from my stash of vintage jewelry! Here is one that is "in-development" called "Cat Nap". When I found the sweet sleeping cat pendant, I thought about our cats enjoying a little nap under the cover of plants and flowers in the garden. Here are some sneak peeks - let me know what you think! :)
Thanks for stopping by!

Flight

Here's another from my new series of "reclaimed jewelry" pieces - this one is called "Flight". It all started with the gold butterfly which came to me minus all of the original pearls and rhinestones. All it needed was to have some vintage pearls added to once again take flight!I think this one is perfect for a bride or possibly that big prom night! Enjoy it here or find better pics on Etsy :)

I'm Ready for My Close-up

Here is that "Silver - Black - Pearl - Crystal" piece from my last post - FINISHED!! I'm calling it "Ready for My Close-up" because the elegant combination of black and white is SO classic Hollywood, movie star and red carpet premier. I hope you'll agree! Let me know what you think and feel free to check out the "Ready for My Close-up" necklace and matching earrings on Etsy! :)

Silver - Black - Pearl - Crystal

This is the palette I'm working with today - classic and elegant! Just a few peeks from my worktable...

Daisy and the Dew Drop

So, I have once again found my way back to jewelry! No matter what I do, it seems that I am meant to make jewelry.... so it's a dang good thing I enjoy it!! :)

I have been buying way too much vintage jewelry from a wonderful seller on that "other auction site" (I am a HUGE Etsy lover, so you know to which "other" site I'm referring!). This will explain the enormous amount of jewelry posted in my vintage shop on Etsy. After two days of sorting, I finally sat down to create and came up with "Daisy and the Dew Drop".

This sweet and very simple necklace was inspired by the brushed gold daisy with a pearly cabochon center (a reclaimed earring). Once I added the pearl "dew" drop the name just came to me. Actually, it sort of sounds like a 60s girl-band name... oh, well!

It's available at Cindy Caraway on Etsy. Here are a few more shots - I hope you like it! :)

Cowgirls Love a Rodeo Rider

"Cowgirls Love a Rodeo Rider" is the latest of my upcycled mixed media jewelry pieces! It was inspired by the round mandala centerpiece with a faux turquoise (swirled acrylic) cabochon. When paired with the lovely stamped heart charms, it made me think of western cowgirls hoping to catch the attention of their favorite rodeo rider.

I hope you like it - here are some more shots for you to enjoy!
Please feel free to comment below and visit my Etsy shop to see larger photos.

 

 

 

Panthera Regale

I have really been spending some quality time with my lovely (and growing!) stash of vintage and "junk" jewelry. Here is a new piece I just finished this morning called "Panthera Regale".

The centerpiece and inspiration for this necklace was the leopard pendant in an antiqued brass finish. I instantly thought of the Indian Subcontinent - leopards, elephants, palaces and the maharaja - and wanted to make something fit for royalty but not necessarily opulent. With that in mind I chose the sweet elephant charm and a color palette of antiqued brass, gold, red and cerulean blue with some touches of amber tossed in.

I was super happy to find the swirled brass piece in my stash! It has been in my collection for a few years and is a mystery piece - I have no idea what it was in an earlier life but it was the perfect addition to "Panthera Regale".

Anyway, I hope you like it! I will have it available in my Etsy shop later today. Here are a few more shots for you to look at. I hope you will leave a comment  to let me know what you think or to just say "Hi" :)

Light from a Golden Garden

Well, it seems I'm on a roll - another mixed media necklace finished and posted!

This one is called "Light from a Golden Garden" - I was, of course, thinking of spring, pretty flowers and warm sunshine. It's the perfect piece for a garden party! Let me know if you agree.... :)

Unlocking the Secrets of the Moon

I haven't made too much jewelry lately but this past week found me in my studio up to my elbows in lovely bits and baubles! I had actually sorted some of my crafty stash into bags by theme and/or color scheme and that really did help in the creative process - need to do that more often!!

So, here is my latest...

"Unlocking the Secrets of the Moon"

"Unlocking the Secrets of the Moon" - Mixed Media Necklace

The adjustable chain clasp means it can be worn in any length up to 24"

It comes with matching earrings

See the sweet Sterling Silver Crescent Moon charm?

Find "Unlocking the Secrets of the Moon" in my shop on Etsy!

I just can't....

...keep my fingers out of my vintage junk jewelry stash! The lovely mess on my desk... :)