Todays Coffee Roundup - And HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Good Morning! And Happy New Year!

I love the holidays,  easy peasy coffee time spent browsing the internet.    I was asked this morning for photos of my table for an application I'm making to a local cool craft fair ...and of course I had those ready (ahem cough).

So,  our mission today - create a craft table display!

First I ran to the local charity shops - where I lucked into a most excellent Bombay Company find, a large tea chest.  New hinges, a good polish and that's staging area #1.

A very beaten up vintage box makes for display area #2.

Next -  a coupon search for Micheals and voila! Two eiffel tower displays at 70% off (we are thrifty!)

Wanting something natural and not so square to balance it I scoured the area while walking the dogs - and a beautiful twisted tree branch adds a little au natural to the table.

Charity store find #3 - cork mats.

And lastly I co-opted our tray from the living room table.


Finally - a run to the hardware store for eye pins to screw into the wood and cork so as to hold things steady.

What do ya' think?

I am liking image #1 better - the addition of the round cork mat adds a little balance.

Oh and hey, check out that beautiful vintage silver mirror!    Wasn't intended to buy that but its so elegant and beautiful!

Total cost:  A smidge over $38 - not too bad!

Pictures are on their way now with my application - hopefully we get in and get to meet some folks in the spring!

Hope your New Years brings you love, hope and happiness.  Spread a little cheer today!
Dawn

Did you see this?    Part of social media is spreading your wings far and wide - Linkedin is a great place to get advice and converse with like minded individuals. I have had some great chats with people there - and look!   I got profiled on this website from South Africa!

Feeling so global right about now!

http://workfromhomemembership.com/craftlistings/handcrafted-jewelry-dawnings-custom-designs/

Big thanks to our new friend Robert Bruce Anderson!   Take a browse through the crafting world in South Africa on his site!

Dawn

And did you see? New items are up for sale in my Etsy shop - take a look - recycled copper heatsinks turned into beautiful creations!   https://www.etsy.com/se-en/shop/DawningsCustomDesign

I take the heatsink, polish it, file it down a little (they are pretty rough edged) and then work them.   I cut, texture, dome, heat and generally experiment till I like the look and then (because I really love contrasts) add something - silver, pearl - who knows what I will find in my box of treasures.      

 Love these things,  the copper is gorgeous and the recycling a  huge bonus.   

<wicked laugh> Spouse is getting nervous as I keep eying all electronics now, wondering what is in them that I might use! 

Dawn

For a good cause!

We got asked to donate a piece of jewelry to a local charity - what a good cause.    We got all generous of spirit and offered to donate to a few other auctions in aid of things like literacy, pet rescue, sick children.    

So, we are thinking this too should be a regular thing!   So, once a month  we will donate a piece to a worthy cause and pop a photo up here along with a link.     Maybe you could do the same?  

December - The Feminist Twins & Adopt a Family

January - Immermans Angels!    Check it out!  http://www.imermanangels.org  I think we got the feel of the logo pretty well!   One necklace, one keychain!

February -

March - 

April - 

May - 

June - 

July -

August -

Sept -

Oct -

November - 

December again! -

I will keep updating the list as things come up!   

Got a favourite charity auction you want a donation for?  Let me know! 

From all of us at Dawnings we wish you a Happy Christmas and a very prosperous, safe and healthy New Year!

ARTIST SHOWCASE #1

I thought it would be nice to showcase some artists I know,  people who make beautiful things. Some sell their creations, some don't, but they all put a little beauty in the world.


Our first visiting artist is from the UK.  She is talented in many many ways - jewelry, painting, I have even seen her take origami and make funky earrings from the results.  She doesn't yet sell her stuff but we are hoping to persuade her otherwise! 


Background:

Artist:  Heidi Bailey
Location:  UK
Matierials: Silver plated wire, discarded welding tip from a oxy/acetylene torch, and sterling silver

INSPIRATION: 

I wanted to share an insight into my jewellery, it's not necessarily expensive or fancy, in fact some of my favourite pieces are those that I've created from discarded objects and often they are not items you would expect to find in jewellery at all.  I think it shows my personality and the way my mind works to seek treasures in the strangest things.  

For this bangle I took inspiration from curved shapes we find in nature, like sea waves and the wind-blown patterns of desert sands.  I used silver plated wire and hammered it causing the base metal (copper) to show through (I love mixed metals). 

I hammered it over a bangle mandrel to bend it into a more interesting shape and then added a thick, solid circle of copper with a sterling silver jump ring.  

This copper addition is in fact just a small cross section of an old oxy/acetylene welding tip which was in the trash at my work!  Hope you like it :)

Gotta love the creativity - taking discarded welding tips and turning them into jewelry - An artist after my own heart! 

Want to see what we make?


Here are a few examples!

Thought I would share this mornings coffee search - every morning after dealing with dogs and kids I sit and look for inspiration. There are some AMAZINGLY creative folks out there. I am constantly in awe of what people come up with.

Where do you get YOUR inspiration?  Please share!

Check out this amazing creation- old pipe turned into strange beauty

So awesomely creative! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZvPYGX9Tbk&sns=tw … via @youtube



Cracked Marbles....into wearable art

Cut out and Keeps site - excellent tutorial on turning marbles into jewelry!  I gotta try it, going to raid kids toy box!   Marbles, Glue and findings.   All credit to Ivy M on the Cut out and Keep site!  (I couldn't get the link to work so here are the details.

1. 1   Bake marbles in the oven for 20 minutes at 400〫F.
   (I found changing the temperature has little affect.)
   I baked the marbles in foil on a cookie sheet.
2. 2
   Immediately after removing the marbles from the oven, put them in ice water (be careful, the marbles are extremely hot). This will cause the marbles to crack! Also be careful of some weak marbles that may break entirely.
3. 3
   Put the metal bead and bead cap on the earring hook (you may also use the small looped jewelry wire things.. I wasn't sure what they were called). Bend the hook to somewhat hold the bead cap on the bottom and cut the excess wire.

   1. 4
      Next you can either use jewelry glue to attach the marble to the little top you have just made, or use hot glue. I tried both, and the hot glue tends to fall off occasionally.
   2. 5
      Now just add a cute chain and you're finished!

Well, Hello and Welcome to Dawnings.  

I have never had a blog before so here goes!

Dawnings is small craft company that specializes in creating beauty out of broken or discard things  - recycling, up cycling and repurposing things that catch our imagination into jewelry! 

Even our husbands workshop is not safe - we steal borrow things from there that catch our eye!

We have an Etsy shop here:  https://www.etsy.com/se-en/shop/DawningsCustomDesign

Face book here: www.facebook.com/DawningsCustomJewelry

Email DawningsCustomDesign@gmail.com

And of course Twitter!   @Dawnings Jewelry