Comments on: Yard Sale Find – How to Use It in Jewelry? Or Is it a Bad Idea?

By: Rena Klingenberg

Rena Klingenberg — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 23:00:38 +0000

In reply to Charissa Powell. Charissa, what a great idea for a jewelry making party!

By: Charissa Powell

Charissa Powell — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 22:09:13 +0000

I’m glad to see others , who think outside of the box.. My coustumers love to hear the stories about vintage jewels used in their creation. I wash my jewels in Dawn then rince and dry. I host jewelry remake parties, where women bring their coustume jewelry and we turn it into nice modern day necklace, bracelets and earrings for their love ones…….great at christmas,,a piece of remade jewelry from their grandmothers jewelry

By: Rena Klingenberg

Rena Klingenberg — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:43:32 +0000

In reply to Ruth. Ruth, what a great bargain! It pays to have the patience to sort and untangle miscellaneous lots of jewelry treasure! :)

By: Ruth

Ruth — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 22:06:12 +0000

They are interesting pieces, aren’t they? Could they become pendants or earrings, perhaps?
I’ve been recycling car boot/garage sale and charity (thrift) shop finds for more years than I can count, mostly taking necklaces and bracelets apart to make into various other things, with beaded doll charms to add to key rings or zip tags proving popular. The findings are often vintage or unusual in some way, sometimes the thing that catches my eye in the first place, and can even become the focal point in a bracelet, earrings, necklace, zip pull or key ring.
I wash the beads and findings separately in warm soapy water, usually an antibacterial washing up liquid and rinse them in a plastic sieve used only for crafts. The pieces are laid out on kitchen paper over a tea towel on a wire cooling tray overnight to dry. I repainted a few old pendants which were unattractive colours to use on a collage because once painted gold, I wasn’t sure if the paint used was safe to wear against the skin; it was from – you guessed it – a garage sale! I didn’t like the collage once it was finished and would have disassembled or dumped it, but a friend liked it.
In June this year, I bought a plastic container full of horribly tangled pieces of jewellery for £10 from a charity shop, whose manager was happy to haggle. Well, what a bargain! I spent a happy four or five hours at home, untangling this mass of necklaces, bracelets, earrings – you name it, it was in that humongous bundle of shiny, sparkly goodies. I found around forty necklaces, chokers, chains and pendants, two rings, twenty or so bracelets, three bangles, three key rings, about ten pairs of earrings, some odd loose beads, buttons and small plastic toys, and a pack of miniature playing cards.
Only one necklace was broken during the untangling – a child’s home made necklace of colourful wooden beads on elastic, which I intend to use in making Christmas tree decorations, something I frequently do with appropriately coloured beads or which I can’t think of a jewellery related use for. The pack of mini playing cards is not being wasted either – the court cards and aces are embellishing men’s birthday cards, which are going to be donated to the charity shop along with some pieces I am remaking from the bundle, and will be packed on card and in clear polythene bags to avoid the tangling problem(!).

By: Catherine

Catherine — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 03:12:04 +0000

Thanks Terri. I didn’t think about a bracelet….that’s a great thought! They’re still sitting here waiting for me to come up with something.

By: Terri Wlaschin

Terri Wlaschin — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 02:36:15 +0000

These are great. Would make fab centerpieces for bracelets if you decide to redesign them! I am all for yard sale and going out of business cheap jewelry finds!!!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 02:10:11 +0000

So true Linette. There is a limited selection where I live, it’s the same stuff, and after ordering from catalog , it gets expensive and the same stuff. I’m still taking apart and cleaning what I got at yard sale, and I’ve already figured out what to do with several pieces. I’m having a ball!!!?

By: Deb

Deb — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 00:47:50 +0000

Recycling IS recreating! Go for it! I use unique things I find at estate sales all the time and ‘update’ them. 🙂

By: Linette Arnold

Linette Arnold — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 00:08:38 +0000

I never make the same thing twice so tag sale finds give me new and different beads to ‘play’ with. I’ve been creating jewelry since 2007 so the online and craft store selection isn’t showing me anything I haven’t seen before. The hunt for treasure is always fun!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 19:01:42 +0000

Deborah, I have a box of all my Grandmother’s old jewely, mostly beads, but alot of broaches. I also thought about using a few pieces, but hard to part with most of them.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 18:58:36 +0000

Kathy. That’s why I hesitated in the first place. I live in fairly small town and even though I would change it up, I still would be embarrassed that the person that sold at yard sale would notice someone wearing the pendant I bought. I need to get over that, like my sister said…” you bought it”.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 18:54:32 +0000

Dana, that is very creative! I would have never thought of that.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 18:52:24 +0000

Thank you Michele. I’m still taking apart and cleaning pieces. There’s a few pieces that I can’t wait to do something with.

By: Christine Stewart

Christine Stewart — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 17:13:34 +0000

I create most of my jewelry from recycled pieces. I’ve found a great many vintage components at garage and estate sales that I’ve reimagined into something new and modern. I’ve found that people think it’s cool that they now have a one of a kind piece rather than just another piece of mass made jewelry. I do caution people who have metal allergies that I use pieces that may irritate their skin. Check out assemblage jewelry on pinterest for inspiration.

By: Deborah Blake

Deborah Blake — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 16:03:11 +0000

I use my grandmother’s old jewelry and any jewelry I find at yard sales to make jewelry. My funds are limited due to disability so I clean things up and put my imagination to work!

By: Kathy Zee

Kathy Zee — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 15:17:06 +0000

I think recycling pretty pendants and or beads is ok. However I always tell the person buying it that this pendant was from an old necklace, or I found this piece at an estate sale, etc. They always like to know the story behind the jewelry.

By: Dana

Dana — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 12:24:25 +0000

I always recycle. I press great finds in sand, and pour silver into the mould.
Save our planet.. Recycle!

By: Michele/MikkMikki Art Jewelry

Michele/MikkMikki Art Jewelry — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 11:44:38 +0000

I stop at yard sales all the time searching for elements for my jewelry. I wouldn’t hesitate to use something from a tag/yard sale. Just change it up a bit and it’s yours. You are giving it a second life. I have never come upon a treasure trove like you found – you really hit pay dirt!! Have fun with your finds !

By: Catherine

Catherine — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 16:07:43 +0000

Betsy, that’s the first time I thought about yard sale jewelry, I’ve been ordering new things from bead and jewelry supply, but it’s fun finding something, cleaning it up and making it new for way less money.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 16:04:36 +0000

Thank you Sarah for the tips. I thought about using one of them on a black leather cord for a necklace. There were so many pieces that had something I could use. Now I’m anxious to see if I can find more.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 01:31:01 +0000

That’s the fun of making jewelry, finding unique statement pieces to create with

By: Sarah Small

Sarah Small — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 22:45:03 +0000

I am a great believer in reusing.. glass and plastics anyway. You want to watch out with metals from risky sources as they could contain lead, cadmium, or who knows what.

For those pendants, you could do so many things from using them directly in new pieces to making a mold for use with resin or use to imprint clay.

Have fun with your finds!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 22:39:37 +0000

I forgot to add that one of these was still enclosed in bag with original price tag of $7 , but I only paid .50 for each.