Junk Drawer Jewelry

You’ve heard the expression one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. My new version of that saying is one woman’s junk is another woman’s fashion accessory. I do not collect rare buttons and I do not make fine art jewelry. But I do like to make fun funky artsy jewelry from things I find in my “junk” box. I often invade my mom’s and my sister’s stashes also. Some of the great antique shops will often have a drawer or grab bag of treasures that end up on my jewelry also.

I’ve enjoyed sorting and deciding on just the right piece to create a unique brooch or pendant. I’m also a gourd artist and discovered several years ago that gourd shards (the pieces left over when I cut up a gourd) can make great bases to a piece of jewelry. Adding an interesting button as the main focus of the piece creates a very beautiful artisan fashion accessory.

Here are a few examples of what I’ve created.

If you are a true collector of buttons and find it appalling to cut off the shanks and glue them to things like I do then the library has a wonderful collection of books for you. Do you collect buttons?

Here is one example and you will find several in the new area called the Collectibles Neighborhood. Look for the colorful headers above the books and follow the easy to follow signs. If you are a Dewey decimal buff look for the 641.19s.

If you just have a stash of fun junk type buttons like me then you will want to visit the Arts and Crafts Neighborhood. My favorite Dewey – 745! There you will find many books on all kinds of crafts and many on making jewelry like the one below. Have you ever made jewelry from buttons? Send me some pictures if you have and I'll post them.

Next spring March 19 and April 16 find me again when I give a couple programs called Junk Drawer Jewelry. They won’t be about button jewelry but something just as fun so check them out to see what we’ll be making and come create with us.