The Upcycled Necklace

Well, here are pictures of the famous necklace that I did NOT get to show at the recycled/upcycled Earth Day Show at the Kent Island Federation of Arts. Everything you see in these photos that isn't beads was made from plastic grocery bags. I braided together strips of plastic bag to make the chain. The broach is more strips of bag that I threaded through the large wooden bead and then fringed. Each fringey was then threaded through a smaller bead. (And when I say "threaded" I mean it literally, I had to use thread to guide the plastic through the hole in the bead.) If you look closely, you will see that the clasp on the necklace is a pop top off of a can of soda.
I am looking on the bright side, since I wasn't able to show it this time, I now have time to create a matching bracelet and possibly earrings to create an entire collection. I also was convinced to finally become a member of KIFA so I can get actual notice about when these things happen so I can be better prepared. Yay me!

One man's art is another man's crap

No picture this time.

Don't know if there will ever be a picture of this, whatever "this" is.

Lemme start at the beginning. KIFA (Kent Island Federation of Arts) is having an art show for Earth Day on Saturday. It was suggested to me by someone close to me that I enter something. After giving it alot of thought, I decided to make a necklace. The rules for this art show are that the entries have to consist of 80% recycled materials. I saw some of the entries that are already on display. There is a dress made entirely of Capri-Sun bags and a fish mosaic made of soda can pop tops.
I was stumped as to what to do. Then, I got inspired when I remembered that my friend Tammy, (whose crafting site is listed at a link above this blog) has made handbags and wallets by crocheting strips of plastic grocery bag. I remember loving this idea when I first saw pictures of her work. So I decided to modify that idea for myself. I took strips of grocery bag and braided them together into long braids intending to make a necklace and pendant. The necklace was going to be a long strip of bright blue plastic with brown wooden beads strung periodically. The pendant was going to be a flower created from intricate loops of white and red braided plastic. The blue portion of this project turned out fine. The pendant is where the wheels fell off the wagon. I just cannot make it turn out the way I want. I have tried many different methods of working with the materials and finally went to my old standby: crazy glue.

So, here I lay. It's 11pm and my fingers are covered with a fine layer of crazy glue. The pendant still looks like crap and the piece is due tomorrow morning. I am hoping a good night's sleep will provide me with the inspiration that I need, but I am afraid I have now totally psyched myself out. You see, once I had the fleeting thought of calling KIFA and telling my friend Carol that I wasn't going to be able to drop anything off after all, my mind just gave up. A total psych-out.

So, good night and sweet dreams. I really hope I can pull this out. I would like to be able to announce that I am entering the show after all. Maybe I will dream a solution to my problem. You never can tell.