Not exactly a true bangle stack, but I made a set of bracelets and threw some vintage bangles in the mix...
I'm sure
the beaded bangles are fun to make and it's right up my alley in many ways, and from what I've seen all around they sell well. And I don't know why I personalize it so, and I'm sure I could amend it a million ways, but I just have this thing about bangles. I once had to break one off my wrist to get the dumb thing off. Most of the time, I can't get them over my hand. And my hands are in no way enormous. You can't see my whole hand. but that's me modeling the bracelets in the first photo. My hands and wrists are normal sized, perhaps just slightly larger than average. But the bangles are problematic for me.
It's probably some deep claustrophobic memory of that bangle-cutting-off more than anything, but the idea of a wire wrapped bangle just gives me goosebumps. It makes no sense, because intellectually I know it's not uncomfortable. I made one for my friend and it had like one bead on it. Found a picture of it...
I guess there's more than one bead, but you can see I made the wire wrapping really flush to the bracelet and even put in some super thin fabric in an attempt to soften the blow or something. All this for a girl who would probably like it to be made of barbed wire. Anyway...
...these earrings above have some of my favorite little beads ever. Love that satiny look.
These above are my air dry pottery ceramic beads with liquid polymer and acrylic mix glaze.
Above is a bracelet with a couple of my polymer beads...
A bracelet with a big polymer rose bead and some vintage baroque pearls with beaded wire wrap...
Above earrings again have the air dry pottery beads but the white and pink is white enamel bake-on paint with pink enamel bake-on paint. That stuff is really great. It never looks like enamel, so I don't know why it's called enamel.
Here are some earrings--they used to be domed bright gold plated 80s things. I hammered to flat, then used color pencil to color, then did something (heat?) to set it. I ended up liking the backs more than the fronts, but the fronts are so obviously 'front,' but I'm going to list them as 'reversible.' I put easy hooks on them so people won't fear turning them around.
Yeah, the backs are better.
These earrings above have several layers of paint and then a thick layer of crackle paint to get big crackles. That gold leaf was an accident, but I loved how it turned out. I spilled half a jar of gold leaf paint on my table and all over a just-completed set of polymer beads. Luckily, nothing but the beads got totally ruined, and my table looks fancier than ever now.
Above are some pendants available in my supply shop...
Some brown jade that makes me want a caramel apple...
Some of my favorite foiled beads ever. They look like astronaut suits inside. Available in my
supply shop.
These above as well... and these little metal things below...
And not quite listed yet is a single polymer bead. I've never sold just one bead before, so it's an experiment.
I messed up a whole order of faceted ones, so I revamped them with various things I've been wanting to try, and they all look different. Some of these things are listed but some will be coming in the next day or so.
Go see!
I totally understand about the bangles. I've got big hands and small wrists - a combination that just doesn't work, banglewise. I like your idea of the stacked clasp bracelets.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how many people seem to have a bangle issue. I honestly thought I was alone in the world...
Deleteclasps win hands down! xoxo
ReplyDeletegive me clasps or give me goosebumps!
DeleteI agree. The backs are better.Thanks for the reminder. I've wanted to play with pencil patina since AnvilJanet mentioned it in her patinas blog. Strangely attracted to the pink girly bracelet that looks like a fairies crown. I think it's your lovely beads.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad everyone seems to agree about the back--I've got to reshoot so I have another of them hanging to show them off instead of making it just look like a 'backs' shot. I'll have to check out Anvil's colored pencil patina info--I really wish I could remember just what I did with these. I think I held a match to the underside in hopes it would meld a little. Which would mean I directly heated the back, which I must have applied pencil to as well, because there's some blue there. I'll go see what she says.
DeleteI avoid bracelets and bangle making myself because of the sizing issues although there is a trick to holding your hand just so...limply for adorning and removing from your wrist. I was shown one. Speaking of bangle phobia, I was at a street stall in India trying on some glass bangles and one was rather small and was broken apparently and I was bleeding on my knuckle when the vendor removed it. I ended up buying the next size up and used my bloody knuckle as a bargaining point to get the price down a few rupees. No infection ensued I'm happy to say.
ReplyDeleteOne of these days I may give the bangle making another go.
I like the air dry pottery wire-wrappy ones and I agree the backs are just wonderfully distressed on those discs.
Have a lovely Sunday xo
Gah! I would probably never put another one on again! It reminds me a little of something that happened a couple decades ago--I was washing dishes and a glass cup broke as I had my had way down deep in it with a sponge, twisting it around like crazy. I had a deep gash my hand, but the worst part was the constant memory of that painful surprise every time I went to wash a cup. Until about 2 years ago I never put my hand inside any cup, even a plastic one, as I washed dishes--always used a scrubber thing with a handle. I still do with glass stuff, but now I'll use a sponge with ceramic and such, but I still ALWAYS recall that incident.
DeleteI've never made bangles--though I purchased Fanci's tutorial quite some time ago. I can see why you might have a fobia after having trouble getting one off.
ReplyDeleteYour stuff is gorgeous, and I keep going back to those cute rusty tins!!!
Thanks, Alice. The little tins are getting some attention--can't wait to see who purchases and uses.
DeleteI have exactly the same problem with bangles! My thumb is set low and wide (a trait of 'creative genius' a palmist once told me, I'm goin with that) so getting bangles over my hand is pretty much not happening. Everything has to be clasped, expanded or hinged.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, the backs are better- I hate it when that happens!
Why have I never done the bangle stacks?!
It's weird to make something you have physical issues with. The body's influence, perhaps. I'm sure that's what's kept me from going here yet. Even my description in the listing for the stack is kind of apologist in nature--explaining that the vintage bangles are 'okay'...
DeleteLate to the party as usual, hmmm for some reason your blog posts don't always pop up in my reader... in any case.. I love the pink bracelet, and wow! Your new blog banner is so incredibly beautiful, made my insides light up, no really.. hmm I can't bring myself to do the bangle stacks either but can't quite put my finger on why. That scarab necklace on your sidebar is distracting me... really nice.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that picture pretty? I can never get enough of old Coney Island photos. You can cross your eyes and see the 3D ness of it if you're good at doing magic eye type stuff.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew how to link those sidebar photos. That scarab necklace is still for sale.
Try this, in blogger go to your Layout then when you add a "gadget" on your sidebar if it is an image there should be a space below to type in the link. Type in the link to your etsy listing... should work.. Let me know if it doesn't and I will tinker some more . Yah... Coney Island is awesome, I have a thing for antique boardwalks, and amusement parks.
DeleteOh my gah...how in the world has that link thing eluded me? There it is, right where you said--thanks! I'll go make the links to the items soon! Can't believe I never saw that.
DeleteI love antique boardwalks & amusement parks too, especially weird, frail, rinky dink ones. Old miniature golf places too, and circuses, zoos, etc. And images from any old World's Fair.
Eee all wonderful those things, fodder for my sweet shop which I have neglected, too many creative streams, but that is where that inspiration and aesthetic comes from. Did you ever read "The Night Circus"... it is simple but you would like it I think. Man you have some wonderful images here on your sidebars, I am getting lost in them. Checked and I hearted that scarab necklace of yours previously LOL, it always catches my eye.
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