Bangles Bangles Bangles

A few weeks ago I bough Fanciful Devices' Gypsy Bangle Stack tutorial, got super inspired, and...made a ton of ridiculously busy bangles that all managed to clash with each other. This week I revisited them, simplified most of them, created bunches more and ended up with some stacks that I like. I listed 5 yesterday, and Thingette made her first appearance(s) in the shop.

Gilded Grunge Bangle Set

I found that washes of alcohol inks add a lot of interest to beaded bangles that are too uniform for my taste. The ink works a lot better than acrylic washes for sticking to non-porous surfaces like glass. The bangle on the left here is black seed beads and a few larger black and white glass beads. I added a wash of white ink to the seed beads and then a wash of brown over the whole thing. Then I tested it by rubbing it against my jeans and the ink didn't budge. It can be mostly removed with rubbing alcohol, or entirely removed with Pinata clean-up solution, but water and friction don't affect it.

Rose Pastilles Bangle Set

 I named this set "Rose Pastilles" after those weird little candies. My mum used to keep them around, just because of their pretty packaging. I was drawn to them, since they were after all, candy, but they smelled like roses and tasted like what it probably would taste like to munch on rose petals. Terribly disappointing for kid-me. But, I ate them several times anyway. Sugar is sugar.

This is the packaging I remember, but apparently they come in plastic containers now. Bummer. I loved those pretty little tins. Or, maybe they're tin on the top and plastic on the bottom...memories are such fuzzy little things. Anyway, the candies themselves were a really soft pale pink like the button in the bangle set.

Planet Earth Bangle Set

 I think this is the only picture I have with Thingette actually "wearing" the bangles. She looks cooler holding them or hanging them off her fingers.

So, this set has one of my salt-textured beads and on each side is a really, really old nut (as in "nuts and bolts" not "pistachios and almonds".). I never thought I'd be so thankful for my great-grandfather's habit of saving things- like, every little metal piece to everything ever. My shed is full of rusty little treasures. I just wash them up, seal that natural aging in with some wax,  and they're magically transformed from ancient clutter to rustic jewelry accoutrements.

Cherrywood Bangle Set

Doesn't that big focal bead look like a cherry Jolly Rancher? I promise I didn't lick it. But, I thought about it.

Beach Bum Bangle Set

 This one's all beachy and extra grungy. It reminds me of Kim. She is secretly a mermaid and these are her colors.

I took a picture of them all together, too. Just because it's awesome.

Oooh. Aaaah.

Also, some other things (I'm so good at segues).

Remember the cheese beads? Well, they're haunting me. Yep. I threw them out the same day I procured them, but somehow they just keep showing up in my house. I found one the other day on the floor and threw it away and then today there was one just sitting here on my desk... Menacingly. Help.

Yesterday I did some major marathon-like yard sale shopping (17 in one day!) and I got these wine glass marker things (Are these at every yard sale or is it just because I live in wine country? I see these and Tae Bo tapes every weekend).







I liked the flowers, so I took them apart to stash the charms for future use, but ended up putting them to use  within a couple hours as accessories for the updo I gave my niece for her prom. Look how perfect!
 

I just hooked bobby pins through the eyes of the charms and pinned them in. I'm of the opinion that anything that can be pinned or strapped to a head can be a hair accessory. You know those artist dolls they make for pose reference? Mine has been a hairstyle accessory a couple times. There are pictures somewhere. If I find them, I'll share.












Question time:

Which is your favorite of the new bangle sets?

How do you wear your bracelets? One at a time? Little groups? Big groups? Both wrists or just one?

How do you suppose one kills a cheese bead? Do I need special weapons? Holy water?

Check it out, I have a signature now. That's so you don't get confused who's talking to ya when Kim starts blogging again.