Monday, June 11, 2012

London Calling

Hiya! You might know I'm an anglophile. I don't know how it happened, or really when it started, but there it is. In honor of all the 2012 festivities across the pond, I've put together these kilt pins. I have a small assortment (no duplicates!) of London-centric ones and will have USA Olympic ones soon.


As I was making these I found I really like the puzzle. I had to find the right balance and resist the urge to over-bead these pins. I didn't want to make them too busy yet I still look at a few of them and want to reach for the pliers and baby beads... :)


There are also a few non-"red, white and blue" pieces.


The disc reads "breathe" on this serene birdie pin.


This pin was hard to photograph. The bronze charm on the right frames a crystal beautifully when it's hanging... not so much lying flat. The clear and clear AB crystals are vintage Coro and the chain spanning the back of the pin is original Coro. The three larger ones are gorgeous and flash like so many vintage rhinestones do. (The amethyst drop is Czech glass, not Coro.) 

I had fun with these baubles and, of course, they're available in my Etsy shop if you're so inclined. :) I'm on the hunt for more vintage pieces. I feel a move toward re-purposing old beads and jewelry into fresh new pieces. It's funny where our art takes us...

Anyway, thanks for visiting today. I think its time for me to work on paper stuffs. Happy crafting, no matter what medium you're using!

Cheers,
Susan

4 comments:

Penni said...

Wow Susan - These are fabulous.

Can I please ask where you get your beautiful charms from?

Hugs
Penni
X

Susan ~ Killam Creative said...

Hi Penni - Thanks so much! My charms come from a variety of sources. Some have been in my collection for years and I can't remember.

Check eBay, Etsy and Folksy. Sometimes I will just search Google images for a theme (UK charms, crown charms, etc)and see what comes up. I've found fun little shops that I would otherwise never know about if it wasn't for random searches. :) I've learned that you never have to pay for singles since someone "out there" is selling the same charm in multiples (sometimes for less money!). It takes time to find them, though. Also, there are a lot of UK sellers on Etsy, which would benefit you for shipping charges. :)

I realize that's not the most helpful answer, but there isn't a single source for it all. I wish there was!

Cheers,
Susan

Heather Cooper said...

These are great! I'm a bit of an anglophile myself, so enjoyed seeing your creations!

Handmade in Israel said...

These are fabulous! The red and blue ones my favourites. I presume you enjoyed the Jubilee celebrations as much as I did then?