Comments on: How to Repurpose Old Jewelry? Please Help

By: Rena Klingenberg

Rena Klingenberg — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 05:54:04 +0000

In reply to Tanis. Tanis, thanks for sharing these lovely ideas!

By: Tanis

Tanis — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 05:49:08 +0000

I have seen pieces artfully arranged inside a small decorative frame. Use odd pieces to make a charm bracelet. Using a ball or cone shape cover with Brooches and ribbon to make a bride’s bouquet. Put on a Christmas stocking to glitz it up. So many idea!

By: Diane gibbs

Diane gibbs — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 05:07:33 +0000

Would love to see a gallery of Nadenes work it sounds beautiful

By: Judy

Judy — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 00:30:53 +0000

What wonderful ideas for repurposing what would otherwise be thrown on yet another trash heap. I especially enjoyed reading Nadene’s comments. Not only is she creative, she has a wonderful attitude that most of us need for inspiration.
Thanks to all who contributed their ideas for using up that old, but still useful jewelry.

By: Nadene Veltman

Nadene Veltman — Mon, 25 May 2015 19:27:52 +0000

I use old and broken jewelry for making art. I sort it by color or type. My first project was a butterfly 18 inch wing span. I glued jewelry on blue fabric background and framed it. It was left over stuff from a church garage sale. It is beautiful. I am now 80 years old and I am going strong on art work with junk beads and jewelry. I covered a 6 foot wooden giraffe with beads. She is gorgeous. each spot has a center piece with beads around it to make the spot. White pearls cover in between the spots. She has a gold saddle, a turquoise saddle blanket, a red and silver bridal. I was offered 20,000 for her from a casino person, but she is not for sale. I cover owls, pigs, hats, I make flower arrangements with beads. first I get a nice fabric glued to the base, (rigid). then I make a vase, many ways. then I glue down an earring and embellish it with other stones. I keep making flower and leaves from scrap beads until I have a bouquet. My best one was “wild things” by Nadene Lanett. Make up the look of a flower, I use my imagination. I give my creations to churches and charity organizations. they raffle them for good causes. I collect from garage sales, donations, thrift stores, and even discount beads. I make landscape designs from seed beads. Glue and drop the beads with a teaspoon. I use e 6000 mostly. I make many designs and art pieces with beads that have no value by themselves, but I make them valuable. I just finished 15 art objects for charity. I am so happy to have found that I do know color and what looks good by instinct. I was an R.N. 47 years and had no beads until I was 24 years old. Now I have a room full and I would rather play with my beads than eat. (I buy seed beads a quart at the time.)
I am active in my Church, I still do Quick Books for our business and I can do everything I need to do. Being 80 is such a blessing. People even open doors for me. I love beads. I just finished covering a pig. she is made of concrete. She is 16 inches tall and 30 inches long. Cover her with fabric and make her into a Las Vegas show girl. Sorry this is so long. Nadene

By: Susan Baker of "Susi's Workshop"

Susan Baker of "Susi's Workshop" — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 06:17:56 +0000

I am so glad you have posted this conversation. I like to do wire working with stuff that I make. Old pieces are very inspirational like everyone says. I would probably figure out a way to work with all the pieces, and make other interesting things. You might be able to bend pieces of stud earrings like the backs that stick out, in order to make loops so that you can attach chain or jump rings or even thread wire through them. Also like that one person was saying, you can use a piece of mesh material which doesn’t necessarily have to be metal to put some of the earrings into. Like you could take the mesh material, leave the earring on its hook, that way it can flow and move, and then use other ones that might be stud earrings and place them around, then put like a flat piece in there that you can wire work into the mesh. Even if you used recommended glues it should help you make something interesting. But there are all kinds of ideas of creations you can make with your pretty wonderful collection of stuff. Good Luck and hope you have a wonderful time “building up your creations”.

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 16:04:30 +0000

so happy to see this conversation! i have several old and precious rings, recently inherited from my mom, as well as my husbands high school ring and some other miscellaneous rings that are precious to me. I’m thinking of putting them all on a big, wonderful handmade charm bracelet – will check the links above for other ideas and will post my stash of rings here. I am challenging myself to get this done in 2014…..sooner rather than later! thanks for the inspiration, everyone!