Thrift Stores/Charity Shops

 

We’ve been busy, but this blog isn’t always about where we go unless I find materials in our travels. We try to go away on a day trip once a week. Saturday we tried to go to Weymouth but never quite made it there. We spent the whole day in Portland on Chesil Beach. Unfortunately they didn’t have any sea shells there.

The remainder of our time we pretty much waste. I experiment with new materials and designs or try new recipes since I also love cooking. I don’t know what Neil does, plays Tetris and watches You Tube videos (just kidding). Once a week we go to a coffee shop for cappuccinos. On that trip we have to stop at several ‘Charity Shops’ as Neil calls them or Thrift Stores as we call them at home.

I’m not really into Thrift Stores. Neil loves a bargain but I only like bargains at department stores. I have gotten a few pairs of shoes in the charity shops because that’s pretty much the only place I can get good quality shoes in my size (when I can find them) at a reasonable price. When I decided to start making earrings Neil started looking in charity shops for beads to make them with.

He’s trying to take over my blog! He’s constantly looking at YouTube videos and trying to tell me things to make earrings out of. While I do appreciate the moral support, his ideas aren’t usually the way I want this to go. Nevertheless, we’ve found a few deals on beads at the ‘Charity Shops’ and I’ve done a few pairs of earrings.

 

Rosie

Trixie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These pairs I made from the beads of a vintage necklace, the beads are in good condition. I really dig the shapes!

 

Swirls

 

 

This pair I really love. I’m a hematite fan anyway, but I tried being creative and putting the beads in a spiral. I also tried to incorporate all the pieces from the bundles we purchased. Neil really likes the bundles the way they are so I told him I would take one apart and leave one together.

 

 

Again, what you see here is the only stock there is, at least for now. I think I can make another pair or two of Rosie and Trixie, but Swirls I can only make one pair.

£4.50 for UK shipping, $8.18 for US shipping

Only one of each in stock . Prices do not include shipping. Shipping available to US and UK.
For purchase leave a comment  or send an email I'll respond with Paypal info. Items will be shipped once payment is confirmed.  

Eco-chic!

 

So I haven’t been out much lately, mainly because of the weather, then Neil got a cold and now I have it. So we haven’t really had any journeys, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been busy.

See, I’ a recycling fanatic. Really! My grandfather got me into recycling when I was very young, back in the day when you got paid for taking cans to a recycling center before it was collected with your trash. When my best friend’s neighborhood in Pennsylvania didn’t recycle every time I went to visit (almost every week) I’d fill my car with plastic and glass bottles, and aluminum cans to take home and recycle.

So last week I had an idea and I’ve been working on it ever since. I’m making earrings out of recyclable materials.  Right now I'm using plastic store shopping bags. These bags are often not accepted in local/municipal collections. You know the kind of bags you can turn in at Walmart, but that means you have to collect them and keep them handy so you can take them on your next trip. I used to do that and I’d forget. Once a month I'd end up going to Walmart (or Wawa) and recycling 5 bags full of bags. Sometimes the receptacles would already be full. 

By the end of the year in the UK all stores will begin charging for plastic shopping bags as a way of deterring people from using them. All the stores have starting selling their own reusable bags. They can be pretty fashionable too. But, I'm a bag lady.

Circles

So here’s what I have so far. I’m working on a few other designs and styles. The plastic bags give a very nice texture and appearance to the earrings, also it is easily manipulated while hot.  Plus I’m looking at using other types of plastic as well. The only big thing is I don’t really have control over the colors. Also a lot of stores add printing to their bags which isn’t as nice to work with.

 

Dotty!

 



So here’s something for my eco chic ladies. Helping the environment while looking fabulous.

 


Rectangles



I’ll continue to work on this for a while but I have lots of other materials in the meantime. Hopefully it won’t be so long before my next post.

 

Circles and Rectangles £4.50 or $8.65

Dotty £3.50 or $6.85

Only one of each in stock . All prices include shipping. Shipping available to US and UK.
For purchase leave a comment  or send an email I'll respond with Paypal info. Items will be shipped once payment is confirmed.

 

At the Shore

 

I love the beach! I grew up going to the shore with my family every summer either for the day or for the week. But it wasn’t until my adulthood that I started to appreciate the beauty of the beach. The relaxing sound of the waves crashing, the salty smell and the coolness of the sea breeze and my favorite - sea shells.
 

Every time I go to the beach I collect shells. I started doing it ten years ago when I lived in Florida. I was given an indoor water feature that I put in my bathroom and filled with sea shells I’d collected. My bathroom decor even included a conch shell I smuggled back from my trip to the Bahamas.


I think part of the reason I collect shells is for souvenirs of my trips. But also I’ve always thought of making jewelry out of them. I love shell jewelry! At home I had several sets in different color shells. I only brought one with me to the UK.
 

So my first real entry for the blog are earrings that I’ve made from shells I collected on my trips to the shore or as I believe they call it here the seaside. Last fall my partner and I took a few trips to the seaside; Sheppy, Bexhill, Hastings and Whitstable. We’ve gone to a lot more this year; Worthing, Littlehampton, Penarth, Barry Island,  Margate and back to Whitstable.
 

Sheppy

Hastings










I can’t recall for sure where the shells I collected last year are from because I stored them together. But I know for sure these two are from Margate. 

Margate

Herne Bay






Unfortunately, because the shells are natural the pairs are not identical in color or size, but I have tried to make them from shells that were close. I must say making these earrings was much more complicated than I anticipated. Even once I made the holes a few broke in the process of threading. Sacrifices to the God of pretty earrings.

Herne Bay Sold
Hastings, Margate and Sheppy - $12.15 for US shipping, £7.50 for UK shipping


 

The Journey Begins

A few years ago someone gave me a hematite necklace. I loved it but I like to wear my jewelry as a matching set. So I went to a craft store, bought some items and made myself a pair of earrings.

 Last week I wore them out and a friend loved them. I told her I made them and that if I could find the materials I would make her a pair. I did!

Grant it the stones are not the same, the hematite pieces were bigger in Philadelphia, so the new pair is not exactly the same as the old one, but still, pretty close.

I really enjoy making earrings so I decided after some persuasion by my partner to make some and start a blog. So here the journey begins.

I will post pictures and a story about a pair of earrings every week. If you are interested in purchasing a piece please contact me, I'll send you my Paypal info and when payment is received I'll send you the earrings. Supplies will be limited since  the earrings will be made of materials I find on my journeys throughout the week. I will try to make as many pairs as possible but sometimes only one will be available. I will also try to keep the prices reasonable, around $8.00 or 5GBP.

I hope you enjoy my journey!

 

 

 

£3.00 for UK Shipping, $8.15 for US shipping