New: Wine Leaf Beads

Leaves from a shiraz bottle on small, sterling hoops.

After the Recycled Arts Festival last month, I have been enjoying some time away from the torch. I am excited however about a new tool, a "leaf masher"!  I have been making leaves from wine and beer glass and am having fun experimenting with how the masher shapes the leaves. Like in nature, each leaf is looking quite different, so pairing leaves up for earrings is a challenge. I also got a new shipment of beads and findings, so I will be trying out some new designs this weekend at the Overlook Village Festival on Killingsworth, on Saturday in Portland. 

What a weekend!

    The Clark County Recycled Arts Festival was such a great time. The weather was incredible and the people were so friendly. Organizers estimate 15,000 people attended. I had a great time explaining how I have been making beads from old bottles.  

    In addition to seeing amazing creations by the vendors, there was excellent entertainment on stage, craft activities for kids and education about recycling throughout the event. It was great to hear people commenting on the signs that were posted around the sidewalks which gave interesting facts about recycling. I think many people walked away with great items purchased from vendors, and also an appreciation of little things we can do each day to conserve resources and protect the environment. As a person who was born and raised in Clark County, I was proud that such a great event takes place here.

    I sold many pairs of earrings, some that will travel as far as both Boston and Toronto.  This was my first outdoor event in over 2 years. It was so much fun...I am looking forward to my next event. 

A look at my display and bottles (including the cats)  that will become future beads.

This is my display of large hole bead sets. 

Check out this blog!

At the Recycled Arts Festival a lady asked me how I made my beads and took some pictures of my work. She then told me about her blog and plans to include me and my work in her blog post about the event. 




Check out the post about the Recycled Arts Festival...my work is featured as "Lesson Number 8" that blogger Kaitlin Smith learned at the event: Wine bottles recycled into jewelry can be way more interesting than gemstones.




Thanks Kaitlin! Here is a link to Southwest Washington Zest: Celebrating People, Places and the Good Life in SW Washington State. www.southwestwashingtonzest.com

New Pieces for this Weekend

This bracelet features 33 beads made from beer and wine bottle glass with some clear beads made from a salsa jar. In between the handmade beads are brown irridescent brown beads that really accent the colors of the upcycled glass. 

The necklace was made with vintage, black, cut glass beads, brown irridescent beads and five large hand-torched beads from beer and wine bottle glass. 

Big Hole Beads

I finally have enough large holed beads to create some nice sets for bracelets. These beads will fit Pandora, Biagi, Brighton and other build-a-bracelet styles. Currently I only offer unlined, but in the future plan to line them with sterling silver. 

Pinot Grigio Bottle Beads

All of the beads I have made from this bottle are filled with tiny little bubbles, which seem to add an extra sparkle to the beads. There is a faint tint of blue green in the glass. 

Salsa Jar Beads

These beads were made from glass from an old salsa jar. I like the combination of the copper and sterling silver accented with black.