Years ago, when my Great, Great Aunt Opal passed away, I was given some of her old jewelry. Mostly costume pieces, large beaded necklaces, brooches, rhinestone bracelets, earings and watches. Some of these are stored away for my daughters to have one day, but others I've taken apart and made new jewelry with. Now, if my father found out I did this, he would have my neck. The way I see it is that all her beautiful possesions would be shoved in a box in the attic, forgotten. This way, I've repurposed them into something current that I want to wear, and when I do, I think of her.
The white bracelet started out as a simple chain necklace. I measured out a length longer than I wanted for my wrist, as you add beads and bobbles, they take away from the length. I bought some sterling jewelry posts from the craft store, and used pin nosed pliers to attach each bead or a combination of beads to the chain. I bought a large clasp, originally I wanted to use an old clasp from one of her bracelets, but most of these were too old and not very reliable. I love how it turned out - also on there are a few pieces from my grandmother, some old white buttons from my mom, and a glass aqua bead I picked up at a quilt show that I've been waiting to use in just the right project.
The bracelet on the right is made of a combination of new and old pieces from Aunt Opal. Old silver colored pearls and new yellow and blue square beads from a local shop. It's not as heavy and bulky as the other, but still chunky and dangly, like a grown up charm bracelet.
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