by Tamara Summers.
(Sarnia, Ontario, Canada)
The inspiration for this red, purple and silver bracelet was the embellished heart made from repurposed red faux leather. I made it as a pendant a while ago. I decided last week that I would rather take it off of the silver chain it was on and make it the focal of one of my potpourri cuff bracelets.
I had a vintage acrylic cuff that I had previously painted silver but then had not ended up using at the time. I thought the heart worked very well on it, so I went to town adding a little silver glitter over the paint, then bits of grey mesh material, red lace, crystals in purple, clear, red and aurora borealis, and a little jewelled satin bow at the bottom of the heart.
It was pretty like that, but I started thinking about adding little flowers or flower petals, so I dove into my floral stash. I found some purple flowers with glittered edges, which were the best part of the flower, so I cut the glittered part off of a couple and glued bits of it onto the sides of my cuff.
Then I started playing with mauve hydrangea petals, and this is what I ended up with. The petals soften the look of the cuff, I think. I ended up extending the design onto the back side as well.
I decided to make a pair of co-ordinating earrings as well. These earrings are light as a feather. You’d never know you had them on.
I seem to be on a bit of a tangent with the mauve hydrangea petals now, so am carrying on with that. It seems to be one of my spring colours for creating with this year. 🙂
Tamara Summers
Pink Pearls and Potpourri at Etsy
Thank you for the post, Rena and Alicia! 🙂
How neat that you found a creative way to use your red faux leather heart! It looks right at home there.
Tamara, I often do that too – change the use of jewelry elements (like your heart pendant that became this bracelet focal) – especially in my personal jewelry collection. One of the things I love about your jewelry style is your way of seeing the possibilities for how different materials might be used, and how diverse elements can work together. This bracelet is a great example of that – and of using textures and layering in jewelry design. Thanks so much for sharing it with us!
Thank you, Noreen! I do feel that the heart found it’s home there. I’m much happier with it now. 🙂
Thank you, Rena! Doing this type of piece, where the technique focus is on the combination of beautiful colours, textures, and unique elements, to portray something meaningful or beautiful, really brings me the most joy. That’s where I’m going to focus my creating I’ve decided, to really embrace the “potpourri”. 🙂 I think it’s what’s unique about my style.
Of course you “went to town” on this cuff and it has your name all over it: just beautiful! Springy, festive and feminine. Love it Tamara!
Thank you, Andrea! I know it does kind of “have my name all over it”, lol! I’m glad you like it. 🙂
This is beautiful. I’ve been creating cuffs lately and I can’t get enough of looking at what other beautiful creations others are doing!
Thanks, Pauline! Cuffs are definitely fun to create. 🙂
So romantic and beautiful. The fabric petals are so sweet.
Thank you, Val! I’m glad you like the petals … I thought they completed the look. 🙂