What to do with old boxes? Toys, light box? Bigib is going green...

I have been preaching my daughter about recycling. Not only putting the recyclable items into our recycling bin, but also to think about recycling items for different uses.

Last week, I helped her make a kiddy purse. The idea comes from Market Day.
It's very simple. Just find an old sturdy box. Flip it inside out, put a knotted end ribbon in between the flaps. Or if there's no flaps, make a knot and tape it on the side. Finally, let her decorate. She's so proud with her purse. She even take the purse to the church. She's happy because she has activity to decorate the purse while we are happy to have a quite service...

Other than making it into kiddy purse, there are several ideas including using the flip inside out box for storage, make kids building blocks toys and may be a cheap light box?


Here's an idea by lollygirl that uses old box to make your own light box

What's your idea for recycling?

Dare to be different...

Does a necklace has to be symmetry? I'm challenged to make something asymmetry but still able to keep the balance. What do you think?

Nursing Bracelet for Miss CM's friend.

Ms. CM ordered one numberless nursing/breastfeeding reminder bracelet in Ruby color, for her friend who is having a baby in July. I'm so excited to see how the bracelet turned out.
Wouldn't you agree?

How to make Mindy's "sprout" necklace.

I'm a WIST-etsy member. Last year we had "Christmas in July" gift exchange. When I got Mindy's name, I felt so anxious. What can I make for fellow jeweler?
So, here's what I made. A sprout necklace. It's made from sterling silver wire, balled on both ends and twisted. I used torch to ball both ends of the wire and then pickled and cleaned the wire.
Because her favorite color is blue, I add turquoise for her blue color. That's the tricky part as you can't pickle Turquoise. So, I have to individually hold with my hand for a few minutes. To keep the "fringe" centered, I used the cable tension idea. If you look closely, it's actually two cables that pull each other, so the focal point with always centered.

Look what I made for my mom... sterling silver hand stamped necklace

For mom... hand stamped sterling silver pendant with all her children names on it...

Why do I make jewelry? The love of dreaming ideas and making it happen.

"What do you want to be when you grown up..."
That's what my mom asked when I was just a teenager.
"I want to be an Architect, so I can build a house for you", I answered.

People may think I'm a bit out of ordinary. With a Bachelor in Architecture, I should work in an architecture firm or a construction company.
Yes, I did work in Architecture world before. But now I'm doing it in a much smaller scale...

I believe, metal jewelry is Architecture in a different scale. It involves schematic design, design development, construction, just like the process in Architecture.
I use sterling silver instead of steel, I use nylon coated steel wire instead of steel cable, I use similar constructions like rivets, nuts and bolds or brazing. The only different is no one living inside a necklace or earrings.

I make metal jewelry because... I love doing it, it's my passion. I dream about my design at night, I think about it when I'm putting the baby to bed, when I'm rocking her in the glider, when I'm in the shower, when I'm driving from work, everywhere...

When I walked to my studio, I'm charged with energy, ready to burst. I wanted to construct an idea that I had been playing in my mind. When I sit with my torch or my hammer in my hand, I have goose bumps, filled with excitement then...pfft............I'm in a different world...

Recently my mom asked "What are you doing?"
"I'm making a necklace for you..."

Crystal, crystal on my door...

Something is not quite right with Wisconsin weather. We had rain & snow storm in addition to the wind chill... Of course, black ice are everywhere....
I love taking crystal pictures. No two are alike. There may be more to come.