Mr Marley prototype!

Finally, a Mr Marley prototype I feel able to share with the world. He's the second ornament in my Ebenezer Ornament Series. This particular fella is not quite right, but he's close, and I'm so relieved. This is actually Design v2.0. I originally started with a totally different concept that was so cool in my head and in my sketches, but in 3D felt reality it was just a mess. So I scrapped the whole thing and started again from scratch. 

As Kenny Rogers might say, know when to walk away.  

This unfortunate spirit sports a real chain hung with store bought baubles. Those are two jingle bells that are standing in for cash boxes (and also make him able to rattle his chains at Scrooge very nicely). Also seen on his chain are a key charm and a little jewelry finding called a 'cap' that you normally would use to finish a necklace. On his chain it looks like a large padlock or maybe a small purse. 

No worries, if you prefer not to purchase little findings, I'm also currently testing an option to make boxes and keys from card stock. You might also use alternatives if you do not wish to purchase a chain. (Don't forget to check your jewelry box for old necklaces you might want to repurpose.) While a real chain gives the best look, you could possibly substitute some braided metallic floss or maybe string some oblong metallic beads. 

This pattern is not available yet, but if you are making a list for things to buy in anticipation of the release, other extras required to make Mr Marley will be jump rings and a bit of wire to form his spectacles (and probably silver card stock if you are making the baubles). The rest of the ornament is made in much the same method and materials you use for Mr Scrooge, and I'll be using the same two Benzie Design felt palettes to make the samples. The glass beads and sequins you see here are all Benzie too. Love 'em.

I hope to nail down the final pattern for him soon, and then begins the intensive process of writing the pattern and sewing the color samples. I hope everyone is well and perhaps enjoying some extra crafting time, one of the only bright spots of the whole COVID pandemic. 

welcome home and happy birthday, Hobyn

Did I tell you? My dear bestie and her family have now moved back stateside. Yay! Their years in Rio were lovely but there's no place like home. And now it's her birthday. So I thought a couple of mementos from her time in the warm southern climes of Brazil would be appropriate!

First I put together a photo book of our time together in Rio. I love making iPhoto books. I spend way, way too much time arranging everything just so. (If you'd like to see more about the trip, go here, here and here.)

Then with the help of my intrepid brother-in-law, Robby, I was able to make the Brazilian coins I brought home from my trip into this charm bracelet.

Sometimes it's a little unfair how pretty coins from other countries are. I especially like the two-tone gold/silver ones.

This bracelet looks a lot like the one I made myself when I was a young teen. And that is because this one is made from the same silver necklace that I frankensteined to make my own coin bracelet some thirty years ago. *coughhoardercough*

Just goes to show you, pack ratting pays off. I think that double chain makes a cracking charm bracelet! And goodness knows the silver finish has proven impervious to the passage of time. (And I still have enough for at least two more bracelets!)

After my failed first two attempts at drilling tiny holes in the coins myself (I don't know why it was so hard for me, this tutorial makes it look like a piece of cake), I handed that job over to a professional. Thanks, Robby! Once that was done, the rest was easy. Harvested jump rings and put the lobster clasp on and finished. I love the cheerful clinky clink sound it makes on your wrist.

I also threw in these pattern weights for her that I've been meaning to make for months. Pretty easy to make. The tutorial is here.

Basically you hot glue two 3/4" oversized zinc washers from the hardware store together and then wrap them tightly with ribbon to make it purty. If you hate to pin patterns you need to make yourself some of these. So that's everyone. I still need to finish my own set. I have been known to anchor my patterns with scissors, rulers, jars, coffee cup, and anything else within arm's reach on my craft table. These will be really handy. And less sloshy.

And lastly, her birthday card. A September birthday deserves a warm, orangey autumnal card. (It's also pumpkin spice flavored.) It is made from paper, wool felt, ribbon, and those tiny pom poms you can get en multicolored masse at the craft store. I never thought I'd have a use for tiny, pale orange pom poms but I did. Hoard, people.

make a coin charm bracelet

When I was about 14 my parents came home from a vacation from Europe with all these cool coins. I had to find a way to wear them, so I rummaged around in my mom's old 'dress up' jewelry box (items she donated to us girls to wear for playtime) and found this fantastic, hugely long silver necklace like they wore in the 70s. It had double links and a heavy feel.

So I took it downstairs and frankensteined it into a bracelet at my dad's greasy workbench in the garage. I chopped it off to bracelet length and re-attached the clasp. I'm sure my method left a lot to be desired, and I knew absolute beans about making jewelry, but the end result looked and functioned like a bracelet and I was quite proud of myself.

I had to ask my Dad to drill tiny holes in all the coins and he obliged. Then I attached them all to the bracelet using additional rings I cut off the leftover chain. I remember a lot of perspiring, finger pinching, and muttered epithets during the construction (all I had was Dad's needlenose pliers and industrial sized wire snips), but I was so happy with the result. I wore it a lot.

And if I say so myself, this bracelet still rocks, 24 years later. I don't know what they made costume jewelry out of way back when, but this stuff never tarnishes. I recently re-discovered the bracelet (and the rest of the necklace, can you say Pack Rat?) in the depths of my jewelry box. It has a very cheerful clinkety clinkey sound when you wear it.

If you have a collection of coins sitting around doing nothing, I'm sure you could do a much better job of putting one together than I did, if you have some basic jewelry-making tools (and skills). I still know beans about jewelry making, but it's on the list.

Anyone know of a good introductory book on jewelry making, with pictures? We are talking BASIC here.