New Technique

This week, I made a pair of earrings using string instead of head pins. Doing this allowed me to create a different shape with the beads rather then just having them hang straight down on a pin. I liked this technique a lot because I was able to mess around with the shape and try lots of different options before committing to one design. This is what the finished product turned out like:





Early this week I went to the mall and was looking at different earrings for sale in the stores. I got to thinking about craft & marketing & its relation to the book Cheap, by Ellen Ruppel Shell. Now that I'm able to make my own earrings, I like the fact that I know what goes into their production. When it comes to buying products from stores, you don't have the knowledge regarding the quality of materials used, the care put into the product, or even the conditions surrounding the labor. I may have to put a little more money into making the earrings myself, but I at least have the satisfaction of knowing that they were made with quality, care, and are meant to last.

For next week, I'm going to continue to use up some of the beads I have and try to come up with new types of techniques or styles that I can use.

Paper beads

Earlier this week I found instructions on how to make paper beads online. They seemed really easy to make. All you have to do is cut the paper you want to use into a triangle. The width and length of the triangle determines how long the earring is, and how wide around it is. Usually these beads are made out of magazine paper, but I decided that I wanted to try using a page out of an old book I have. The book itself is from the 1920's, so the pages look aged. They also, as I found out, are not that easy to roll without tearing. After I got them started a bit, it became easier to roll and keep the paper taught. I really like the way the beads turned out =).










^ the triangle of paper I started with










^ I used a head pin to roll it on













^ the finished beads













^ the completed earrings

I liked being able to use materials I had laying around my room in a project that I can wear and use. It tied in well with what we've been talking about in class about reusing things, being resourceful, and the idea of "Yankee frugality". I was able to turn the page of a book (that I'd probably never read) into a pair of earrings that I can wear whenever I want. I also like that by using available resources, I can save money by not having to go out and buy actual beads to turn into earrings. This gives me the freedom to make a variety of beads for free, while at the same time being environmentally friendly and recyle.

For next week, I'd like to continue to look for other types or beads that I can make out of paper. I want to make one that looks more like a ball rather than the shape that these earrings are, but I just need to find out the shape to cut the paper in to begin with so that it will end up in the shape I want it to. I'd also like to try different papers and see what color combinations I can come up with.