Vintage Belt Buckle Necklace & Earrings

I have had this vintage belt buckle forever...bought it back in the early 80s at an antique roadshow kinda thing. I think I paid $5.00 for it. Originally I planned to make a belt to go with it, but for a variety of reasons the project always got bumped to the back burner while I worked on something else.

When I came across the dark green beads that were the exact same color as the glass jewel in the belt, I remembered my old neglected friend. After bringing it back to the light of day and really looking it over, I decided a necklace would be a better way to use the buckle. Another reason for this decision was that the actual buckle link on the back of the piece looked like pot metal soldered on to the front. After years of use, and being very slightly bent, I was not sure it could have taken the strain of remaking it into a belt.

After playing around with different ideas, in the end I decided to keep it simple and let the vintage buckle be the focal point. 

Vintage Belt Buckle Necklace and Earring Set

Vintage, and very possibly an antique, belt buckle, emerald green glass beads, clear glass beads, green aluminum jump rings, gold-tone double jump rings, and gold-tone wire. 

  
This was the original thought...I had pieces from one of those bracelets made on stretchy nylon line that had broken. I was going to use the brass pieces along with the faceted clear beads. Pretty early on I eliminated the brass beads and spacers. They just didn't look right. 

Finished necklace and earrings. 

Closeup of buckle. The buckle opens behind the glass jewel, which is how the necklace is taken on and off. 

This was a fun piece to make, and it was nice to finally be able to use this lovely buckle after having it sit in a drawer for so many decades, waiting for me to be inspired. I  have worn this necklace a few times now, and always received a compliment or two.  

Recycled Style

In an effort to promote recycling, periodically I am going to post photos of how I put together clothes picked up mainly at the Goodwill, but also at secondhand clothing shops, and antique/junk shops. I hope this will inspire others to try doing the same, since the garment industry is one of the top ten polluters in the world. There are literally millions of garments and accessories out there waiting to be reused. Most take nothing more than a good wash, or minimal mending. Following the photos are some tips on what to look for and what to avoid, and some of the mistakes I have made.

If you are creative, like me, the possibilities are endless. Here is an example. 

The shirt was made from two mens XXXL T-shirts, using Simplicity pattern #1463 that I slightly modified. The neck and armhole bindings are strips of T-shirt sewn on with embroidery thread using a fly stitch. The front of the shirt was stenciled and beaded (beaded backstitch) before the shirt was sewn up. I added the beads to the neckline months later. 

The necklace is one I made from a broken vintage bracelet found for about $5 at an antique mall. 

Months later I was trolling through the pajama and nightgown section of our local Goodwill and found this kimono. It was a perfect match and all I had to do was wash it.

This is just one example of how I put things together. Recycling is fun, even if all you do is wash the garment and wear it. I have found lovely linen jackets, silk shirts, denim jackets, and I even found a beautiful, butter-soft black leather jacket for only $24.00. 

Here are some tips, and some of the mistakes I've made. Keep in mind, some trips to the Goodwill or secondhand shops I have come out with nothing. Other times I score big time...like the leather jacket.  

Read the labels, if they are still attached. It will tell you the fabric content, size, and the washing instructions. Some garments have had the labels cut out, which I find frustrating.  I stick with natural fabrics, mostly cotton and linen. 

On size. I wear shirts medium to large, depending on the style (I have wide shoulders). Be careful! Some places, including our local Goodwill store, do not separate junior sizes from adult sizes. I tend to eyeball a shirt by holding it up to me and seeing if the shoulder seams are in the right place. This has tricked me a few times. When I get the shirt home and try it on, the underarms are way too tight, and the shirt fits too snug. Junior medium. Lesson learned.  

Look for holes in the fabric. Some can be really tiny. Look for stains and pass these garments by, unless you can cut them up and use the fabric on something else (I do this every now and then), as most of the time the stains will not come out. 

Try to get a feel for natural fabrics, which will help when the labels are missing from the garment. Just this week I came home with what I thought was a thin cotton, but no label. Washed it and the top shrunk up to doll clothes size. With this particular top, I won't even use it for appliqués, as I have no idea how much further it will shrink. The top already had a couple of tiny holes along the bottom front, and the sales lady just gave me the shirt since she couldn't sell it once she realized it had holes in it, so at least I wasn't out any money on that one. Too bad, 'cause the shirt was really pretty. 

This may sound gross, but sniff the shirt, especially the underarms. Some odors never wash out. If you smell anything, pass it by. 

If you know how to sew, you can use mens XXXL T-shirts as flat fabric (which is what I did with the shirt in the photos). Cut the sleeves off, but save them if you do appliqués. Cut along ONE side seam and both shoulder seams. After you do that, you can lay the fabric out flat and lay on your patterns. Here is a photo taken out in my garage where my big work table is. As you can see, you end up with a pretty good hunk of fabric. I try to buy shirts with no front pockets, no logos or designs, and all pure cotton. 

So there you have it, for this time. Recycling is fun, a good way to save a lot of money on clothes, and a wonderful way to stem the tide of pollution. For creative types, there is even more fun with stitching, beading, stenciling, appliqués, reverse appliqués, embroidery, and customizing patterns. For more examples of stenciled, beaded, and appliquéd shirts, see my previous post. 

Enjoy! You can save a ton of money and still be styling it!

Mandala Stenciled, Beaded, Stitched T-shirt II

This is the second mandala shirt I have done, and I really like the way they have both turned out. Here is a pictorial essay on the process, and at the end some tips to keep in mind if you would like to try this process on your own. 

All these projects are done on Goodwill T-shirts, and the stenciled appliqués are other Goodwill shirts cut up for fabric.

Picking the colors. You can see I have already stenciled the first layer.  Paint color here is Dioxazine Purple acrylic by Americana. Try to chose harmonious color combinations, as the beading adds a lot of eye-candy to the fabric and you want that to be the focus. 

Next, set up the layers on the garment T-shirt. I use large safety pins for this. Be sure to center the design, which can be a bit tricky on shirts that have been worn as many times as these. The knit has usually warped or twisted to a certain degree. Get it as close as you can. I tend to eyeball it, step back, and eyeball it again until I think it is good to go. 

Then the fun begins. The beading. I used regular sewing thread, and whatever needle will fit the beads I am using. Test the beads after the needle is threaded, as some will go over the needle, but not over the extra bulk of the thread. Keep in mind the intricacy of the design, and don't get beads that are too large or too small. I use a standard, easy-peasy back stitch for beading. Once the beading is done, I do a running stitch just to the outside of the stencil. In this case, at each point of the mandala I added a blue bead. Stitching this way keeps the material from rolling back over the beads.

In this photo you can see how the knit is rolling toward the front. I got this one on backwards so had to deal with it. Also, as in this case, it looked like the knit was going to roll the other way, and then the more I worked with it, the more it changed. Bottom line, don't sweat over it. 

Next is to unpin and trim away the top (in this case rose colored) fabric, leaving about a 1/4" margin. Be careful not to cut into your running stitches, or the fabric underneath. 

 Re-pin the bottom layer and do another running stitch around the edge, again 1/4" margin. When finished, unpin the fabric and trim away the excess, 1/4" away from the running stitches. Again, being VERY careful not to cut into the running stitches or the shirt. 

Lastly, in this design, I add a charm in the center. This can be anything from a larger bead, a button, or charm. 

At this point, you are done! And just remember, this is meant to look handmade, not like some mass-produced piece from China. Small imperfections are not the end of the world. 

Here are a few tips and suggestions for stenciling and beading on fabric.

I use shirts from the Goodwill in an effort to recycle rather than buy new. The garment industry is one of the most heavily polluting in the world. Not only do I buy the base T-shirt, but also I buy XXXL mans shirts to cut up for flat fabric. The purple on this shirt was just the sleeve from one of those large shirts. I double wash everything before using. 

Stencils can be found everywhere. There are literally hundreds to choose from. To start, pick something simple. Also, I like to leave sections of the stencil un-beaded as part of the whole design. 

Beads are sold everywhere or can be ordered online. JoAnn's and Craft Warehouse are good sources. Online, Fire Mountain Gems and Beads will overwhelm you with choices. The size of the bead should be in relation to how complicated the stencil design is. Also, if your beads are really small, you will need to use a beading needle. I use a size 13. Anything smaller makes me crazy trying to thread it. 

When setting out the layers, check to see which way the knit tends to roll, then face that toward the main shirt. With this kind of work, it isn't super important whether you use the right or wrong side of the fabric, so if the knit curls toward the right side, put that side face down. This keeps the knit, after you have washed it a few times, from rolling over the stitching. 

As for paint, I have used fabric paint, craft paint, and my regular acrylic paints...all acrylic based, so easy to clean up and fast drying. I dab them on with small makeup sponges available at any cosmetic counter. I leave the piece to dry overnight and that has worked out just fine. 
Note: I tried a thick glitter paint once. Once. It was a nightmare to get in the stencil and didn't cover very well. When the project was finished, I threw the paint away! I have used metallic paint with great success, though. Next I want to experiment with fabric spray paint!

Here are a few photos of previous projects I have done. I love beading and stitching over stencils. I was my way of solving the problem of how to get an intricate pattern design on fabric that wouldn't rub off before the beading was done. I get things laid out,  cue up Pandora, and zone out. 

 The above piece is also reverse appliqué.

Enjoy...it is as fun as it is addicting. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment. 

Studio Corner as Sanctuary

As I fire up this long neglected blog site, I have faced some serious questions about how I want to proceed with my life.

In January I was stuck with SSHL - Sudden Sensorial Hearing Loss. Within four hours I was permanently deaf in my left ear, and have had months of balance issues to deal with, starting with vertigo so bad I couldn't stand up, to now, months later, I am finally able to drive my truck and ride my horse. Lingering problems with balance still plague me, but according to my GP, and the ENT specialist, my brain will eventually completely adjust...with time.

In April I turned 70. I was left wondering "How the hell did that happen?"

Then in May I had to have a chunk taken out of my right upper arm to remove pre-melanoma cells.

Warning lights started to blink. Sirens went off. Not so much a panic, but defiantly a wakeup call to reassess what is important in my life, and what is not. I  asked myself,  "What do I want to concentrate on, and what do I want to eliminate?" Some of those decisions were easy, some very hard, but necessary.

To that end, I am cutting my time on FB way, way back. It has become inundated with anger, politics, false memes, pleas for donations, requests to take surveys, and in some cases really vulgar comments on threads. Who needs it? Not me. Trolling trough all that negativity searching for the positive, fun posts by my friends started to depress me. The world is in enough chaos, and I know that, but I don't want to be assaulted by it all while drinking my first cup of tea in the morning.  I felt I needed to pressure-wash all that darkness out of my brain, and bring in some light. 

The remedy? Say bye-bye to FB, or severely limit my time there. Concentrate on my painting, beading, and jewelry making. Now that the weather is getting better, spend more time in my garden and working with my horse, Regala. Walk more, listen to music, read (I do that a lot already), spend more time with family and friends. 

Does this mean I intend to stick my head in the sand and ignore what is happening in the world? No, of course not. I want a certain amount of peace, but I don't want to be ignorant of what is going on everywhere else. That would be stupid. But wow, it is so easy to get sucked into all that chaos and forget to enjoy life. 

I have reclaimed my studio corner in the garage. It got buried during a kitchen remodel during which we lived out of the garage, and the whole place was a staging area for appliances, hardware, paint, etc. My corner is just that, a small space next to a window, wedged in-between the wall the the chest freezer. My big drafting table takes up most of the space. An inexpensive utility table holds my paints and brushes. There is a small alter made up of animal skulls I have found on our property, a big candle, a very special box made for me by a good friend, and a Halloween decoration skull I bought on sale. There is also a small greenhouse full of birds nests and feathers. This is my small sanctuary where I can create without interruption, open the window so I can hear the water fountain which is just outside, and look over and see the birds taking bathes and flinging water everywhere. 

My other "studio" is in what I call the Multi-purpose room. It holds the computer, my sewing supplies, and my beading and jewelry making supplies. It is where I do most of my winter work, as the garage corner eventually gets too cold. My sewing work gets transplanted to the dinning room table, and I have a big work table in the garage for laying out material and patterns. With only a two bedroom house, I have to make due where I can, and I am lucky in that my husband takes it all in stride. We have been married for 27 years, so he's used to it by now. 

So, that is the plan. Less darkness, more light. Less negativity, more creativity. 

Here is my little corner...it may not look very impressive, but it is mine, and I can play there to my heart's content. 

The inspiration board, decorated with a crochet piece done by the same good friend who made the special box. She is very talented and has her own blog site, https://onthehook.home.blog/?fbclid=IwAR3atfOq0ERmfLIUlGIR372zkgKD2XV5vvAQx0QPWTKLbmujX7Le5Z8M6G8

Drawing on the table is a work still in progress. Watercolor pencil on illustration board. 

Make Mistakes, Make Good Art.

"Make interesting mistakes,

make amazing mistakes,

make glorious and fantastic mistakes.

And then.....

Husband runs off with a politician?

Make good art.

Leg crushed and then eaten by a mutated boa constrictor?

Make good art.

IRS on your trail?

Make good art.

Cat exploded?

Make good art."

Break rules.

Leave the world more interesting for your being here.

Make good art."

Neil Gaiman, from a commencement speech given at the 

University of the Arts in Philadelphia, in May of 2012.

I found this quote in the book "Neil Gaiman the View from the Cheap Seats", a collection of his non-fiction - essays, speeches, book reviews, interviews, etc.  The book came from our local library, so I must give it back, but the book impressed me so much that I intend to find a used copy on line and buy it. This review of the book by the journalist and author Caitlin Moran explains exactly why I want my own copy.

"If this book came to you during a despairing night, by dawn you would believe in ideas and hope and humans again. This is a beautiful book."

Motivational Slump

I admit, for the last month and especially after Tuesday's election, I have been pretty depressed. For lack of a better term, my "muse" has gone into hiding. I don't blame her.

There were two projects started.

 Back in September/October it was the cropped jacket experiment, the inspiration for which I found on Pinterest. I got as far customizing and futzing with making the pattern, getting the material, and cutting out the outer layer, which will eventually be stenciled and beaded. Part of the delay with this was the stencil I had intended to use just didn't work, so I will have to drive into the next county, hit the Michael's over there, and try to find one that works. The other setback was the work table I use for cutting out cloth and stenciling got buried under...stuff. So I had to clear that off...again. It seems to attract "stuff" like honey attracts bees. Then the election became utterly terrifying, and my worst nightmares came horrifyingly true. I cried! I actually cried over the results of an election! Unfortunately, I am still depressed. I decided to give myself time to grieve before attempting anything creative. I am afraid it would color in a negative way whatever I tried to do.

The other project was a painting I started toward the middle of summer. I love the concept, and I am really happy with the drawing. I struggled with the painting, but felt things were moving along okay. Then some outside circumstances put things on hold for a few weeks, then the light fixture over my drafting table wouldn't work, then the weather got cold and rainy (I work in the garage), then the election added to the gloom. For me, it was a no-win situation. Now the garage corner where I paint is cold, and because we get no sun until late in the day, if at all, my corner, even though the light fixture is working again, is still on the dark side. That is something that needs to be addressed. Also, some kind of heater will help with the cold, but it has to be radiant heat, not something with a fan, or the paint will dry too fast.

This probably sounds like a litany of "woe is me" and to a certain extent, I guess that's true. But when your soul is in such despair, it's really hard to get motivated. I look at my poor painting, which is pleading with me to finish it, and I have good intensions, and then...just can't. Until I can reboot myself, I have brought it into the house so it doesn't get dusty. Since it is in the same room as the computer, it also forces me to look at it guiltily every day. Maybe the guilt will eventually overpower the depression, or something will happen to get me fired up again. Or maybe a week or so to do nothing but read, work my horses, and just breath will solve the problem. At this point, I just don't know.

This is the progress/progression on Embrace the Night so far. The last photo was taken in the house today, which is why the colors look darker, although parts of the painting were darkened before I left it. At this stage, I consider the painting about halfway finished.

Hopefully, this artistic funk I am in won't last. Maybe I can entice my muse out of hiding with a nice glass of wine, one of my favorite art books, and a lovely chat about inspiration?

Firing The Old Girl Back Up...With Photos of Projects Past and Present.

Recently I got asked by a Facebook artist friend why I had let this blog site sit silent for so long. I told her it was because I didn't think anyone was really interested, and that most exchanges of info and photos was happening on FB rather than on blog sites. She agreed, but lamented the loss of the way blog sites used to be. I know there was one blog, Notes From the Voodoo Cafe, done by Rice Freeman-Zachary, that I loved to read, and listen to her pod casts, but eventually she dropped it all and went to FB. It made me sad.

So, I thought about it, and decided that I would fire this old girl back up, and do it just for me as a type of diary. I will post a notice on FB when I add something here, and those who are interested can ck it out, and those who aren't can ignore it. I may only post things once a month or so, but if it keeps me connected with a few other people out there, then that is all for the good.

This first post will be photos of projects that have been completed, and projects that are in the works. It would take too long to describe each one in detail, but at least it gives an overview of what I have been doing for the last few months, and what is coming.

Hope you enjoy.

Wedding circlet - commission

Stenciled T-Shirt

Beaded back stitch over stencil

Eco-print experiment

Near completion, The Message

The Message competed

Preliminary drawing for Embrace the Night 

There you have it. A run down of the things I have finished, and the latest painting in progress. There is also a cropped jacket sewing project going on as well, but I don't have photos of that yet. 

If you are so inclined, please leave a comment. It's nice to know there are actually people out there reading this. Thanks!