RECYCLED TREASURES

Recycled treasures.....We all have something that we hold dear, save forever in that special box tucked away where only you know where to find it. If you're anything like me you have a ton of treasures that you have kept over the years since you were a child. Treasures you can't replace, one's that hold a very dear memory, others from a family member and pieces you yourself have found special enough to keep.

Everytime I go up into my mother's attic I find another treasure...sometimes I get rid of them for the meaning is no longer and sometimes I'm still not ready to part with them. One can only collect so many treasures so I started to recycle my treasures & turn them into something useful that I can actually enjoy.

Years ago for Christmas my brother bought me a necklace with an engraveable large heart pendant. As we all know engraved items fade fast. This was the first piece of jewelry my brother ever bought me. Once my name faded I no longer wanted to wear the necklace but it had a special meaning to me so.... in the special box it went.

In 2008 I started recycling all my scrap Sterling Silver & melting it into pendants & charms to stamp on. After melting several piles of scrap, I was hooked & ideas just started popping into my head. One of those ideas was to go through all the jewelry that I owned but didn't wear & recycle it. I figured it was better than sitting in a box & it would give me a lot to experiment with. I cut up bracelets & necklaces for scrap metal, took apart diamond tennis bracelets & hoop earrings to use the diamonds which left me with scraps of White Gold & Gold. As I was cutting up a few charms another idea popped into my head. I decided to try melting charms from their original shape. To my surprise...I could alter the charm keeping itself original shape & adding texture to it.

Remember that large heart pendant that my brother bought me but the engraving faded? I wear it everyday & it's been around my neck for the past year and a half. It's now my mOMmY TaG with my son's name hand stamped on the front & a special quote hand stamped on the back.

     Recycled Sterling Silver
       "mOMmY TaG" Necklace

  Pendant hangs from a Stainless Steel ball chain with Sterling Sliver ends &  lobster clasp.

"The best things in life are worth waiting for"

Turquoise & Recycled Sterling Silver & Gold

 "mOMmY tAg" Necklace

This is my mOMmY tAg for my daughter. The gold heart is from an earring that was hers when she was a little girl. (now 18yrs old) The hoop was hollow which allowed me to seperate it into two pieces. She lost the one hoop & for some reason I kept the other hoop. I'm glad I did :-) I choose to use Turquoise because of the beautiful contrast of the blues & greens that make the stone. It's said to be a scared gemstone & when worn anywhere on the body will protect & bless the wearer. 

My Artist Signature & My Nickname Since Childhood.

Pure & Sterling Silver, Sea Glass & Diamond Charm Necklace

Pure Silver Heart with embeded diamond:
Silver clay-PMC 3, once fired in a kiln becomes 99.9% Pure Silver. Diamond recycled from a tennis bracelet.

Clear Sea Glass with diamonds:
 Sea glass I found in Puerto Rico. Diamonds recycled from a ring that the center stone fell out of but I aquired 6 nice diamonds from it.

Sterling Silver Hamsa Charm:
 It was plain so I added a diamond center. Diamond recycled from a tennis bracelet.

No matter what day of the week or where I am going I always have one of these necklaces on. Depending on my mood I will pair them up or wear all three. These necklaces have true value & meaning to me....Nothing could replace them....Not even a necklace from Tiffany's. For those who see me often know I never leave home without one of my bracelets from Tiffany's :-) 

http://www.mountainwatermetal.artfire.com/
http://www.mountainwatermetal.etsy.com/