| A popular trend in jewelry making is to | | | | For adventurous jewelry lovers that have a bit of |
| re-purpose small vintage objects into | | | | skill and equipment, there are lots of books that |
| one-of-a-kind charms to accent any accessory. | | | | have detailed instructions and photos on how to |
| These creations have been given the name | | | | expand beyond the basics of altered art jewelry. |
| "Altered Art" to describe the genre. It just takes | | | | There is an amazing array of innovative |
| a little imagination to fashion unique jewelry | | | | techniques. In my local craft store there are |
| charms tailored to the wearers interests out of | | | | books on how to design charm bracelets from |
| personal items or miniatures. And it's fun to make | | | | polymer clay, dice and game pieces, and tiny |
| versatile low cost jewelry that can be attached to | | | | photo frames fitted with miniature print collage |
| bracelets, handbags, or any wearable item. Also | | | | paper, to name a few. |
| creating wearable jewelry out of old relics is | | | | More sources of inspiration are old miniature |
| considered a "green" activity as it reduces the | | | | playing cards, old typewriter keys, lacquered |
| amount of junk headed for landfills and gives new | | | | puzzle pieces, scrabble tiles, old coins, and old |
| life to discarded items. | | | | ephemera glued and sealed onto small domino |
| There are as many ways to make altered art | | | | pieces. These are usually jazzed up with trendy |
| charms as there are people who make them. | | | | beads and other crafty adornments. There are |
| There is no right or wrong in creativity. It's a | | | | great bracelets made with all kinds of unique |
| process of taking items that are thought to be | | | | media. |
| worthless or worn out and giving them new life | | | | Once you've made a bracelet or two you will |
| as a token on a charm bracelet. It takes no | | | | begin looking at small objects with a new |
| special skill or talent, although you don't have to | | | | perspective. Boxes of worn out junk at a flea |
| look long to find exceptional artists making altered | | | | market now look like treasure chests of funky |
| art charms with advanced techniques. | | | | jewelry waiting to come to life. It's a wonderfully |
| Perhaps the easiest method is just to take apart | | | | inexpensive way to get creative juices flowing |
| old jewelry and reassemble by attaching the | | | | and make a personalized fashion accessory for |
| pieces to a charm bracelet. Broken earrings or | | | | yourself or someone special. There are lots of fun |
| necklace beads will already have a loop that a | | | | ways to use recycled, up-cycled, and re-purposed |
| jump ring can fit through. Add some other items | | | | materials to make fun and personalized jewelry. |
| with a hole that a wire can be wrapped through | | | | Whether custom created by the wearer or |
| like old watch hands, buttons, Monopoly game | | | | purchased ready made by someone else, the |
| pieces, skeleton keys, or any other small object | | | | possibilities are endless. |
| that can easily be retrofitted onto a bracelet. | | | | |