Tutorial: Bracelet Made from old Slides

Recently a lot of slides have come into my life.  Lancaster Creative Reuse seems to have a never-ending supply of them from an Art History department.  Then I also recently came across a bunch that belonged to a widower without any family.  They would have been thrown out.

Where you can find slides:  estate sales, garage sales, thrift stores, auctions.  Just keep your mind and eyes open and you'll find them!  

Supplies and Materials:

(what on earth is going on here?!?)

• Slides (I used 5)

• 7 mm jump rings (22)

• Lobster clasp

• 2 pairs of pliers

Step #1

I didn't take a photo, but I removed the slides from the protectors.  Sometimes they are the plastic protectors.  Keep those!  You can find so many other things to do with them!  These were the cardboard and they were pretty destroyed when I got the slides out.

Step #2

Connect the slides together with 2 jump rings, 1 in each corner.

I used 5 slides.  You may not need as many.  You can also add more jump rings and use less slides.

Step #3

On the end slides make a chain of 3 jump rings on each corner.

Step #4

Connect the 2 chains with another jump ring.

Step #5

Do steps #3 and #4 on the other end.  When you add the final jump ring, add the lobster clasp to it before closing.

Step #6

Enjoy your unique bracelet!

If you need some extra help with jump rings or want to make more unique jewelry, check out my How to Make Extraordinary Jewelry from Ordinary Objects Workshop (a/k/a How to Make Hardware Jewelry Workshop.)  Available for purchase + instant download in my Craftsy Store.

Personalized Custom Gifts

It's almost Thanksgiving and I hate to rush into the Christmas holiday season, but if you are looking for one-of-kind personalized custom gifts in time for the holidays, now is the time to get your order in!  I don't have a deadline for ordering yet, but it will be soon!

Glass Tile Pendant

 

Scrabble Tile Pendant

B.B. Bellezza pendants make wonderful, personalized gifts.  Your gift recipient can wear more than one at the same time and they are all interchangeable with the cords and chains I offer.

Scrabble Tile pendants (see the pendant with the photo of Centralia Tree above) are .75" x .82" and are made on an actual scrabble tile from the Scrabble game.  The image is applied to what is actually the back of the game piece and a silver plated bail is attached to the side with the letter.  You can partially see the letter on the back.  (Custom letter selection is sometimes available, but not always depending upon my supply of tiles at the time.)

They have a glass-like glaze preserving the image.

Glass tile pendants (see the pendant with the couple above) are approximately 7/8" x 7/8".  The image is preserved under the smooth glass tile.  A silver plated bail is attached.

CARE:  The pendants are water resistant, but not waterproof.  Do not wear them in the shower, pool or hot tub.  Make sure to remove if you're near a pool in the presence of your bratty little brother.  (He will throw you in....)

Ideas for personalization:

1.  Any photo:  photos of kids, a loved one, favorite vacation location, photo of something sentimental, a favorite tree, etc.

What I need:  Send me a photo via email in digital form (preferably a .jpeg) and I'll resize it into a pendant.

Glass Tile Pendant      $25

Scrabble Tile Pendant $15

2.  Custom initials or name up to 3 letters.

What I need:  Send me the name or the initials (or just a letter.)  Tell me their favorite color(s) and I'll create a pendant with initials and a cool background.

Here's an example with my name.  It has a register in the background because I work with numbers in my day job and some cute flowers.  This is just an example, but the possibilities are endless.

Glass Tile Pendant      $27

Scrabble Tile Pendant $17

3.  Artwork:  Your own artwork or a child's

What I need:  Email me the image in digital form (.jpeg is best)

Glass Tile Pendant      $25

Scrabble Tile Pendant $15

Cords and Chains

Sold separately:  $4

Cord and Chain Choices:  

Ball Chain 24 inches, can shorten by cutting with regular scissors

Cotton Cords:  Black, Dark Brown, White, Pink  16", 18", 20", 22" or 24"

Black Satin Cord:  16", 18", 20", 22" or 24"

Black Ribbon:  16", 18", 20", 22" or 24"

Cords/Ribbon made with silver plated findings and a lobster clasp

Shipping:

First Class, flat rate (no matter how many items you purchase, it's the same price) 

U.S.  $3

Canada $4

Other locations:  varies (contact me for quote and to make sure that I can ship to your country), most will be $5

Gifts:

I'm happy to ship directly to a gift recipient and add a personalized note for no extra charge.

TIPS:

The less busy the background, the better the pendant will turn out.  These pendants are small, so of course the photos will be small.

I may have to crop the photo or resize the photo to get it to fit.  If there is something important about the photo that I might not realize (a/k/a something important in the background that I might cut out when cropping), please point it out.

If you are ordering a glass tile pendant, I also have rectangle glass tiles (about 2"x 1").  If I find that the rectangle will work better for your image, I'll let you know.

LEAD TIME:

Approximately 2 weeks.  If you have a rush order, I can try, but I will still need at least 4 days to make your pendant.  

Shipping price includes first class mail, but I can upgrade if you're in more of a rush.

TO GET STARTED: 

Email me with your ideas or photos.  I'll let you know if how long it will be and your total.  If you are not sending me a photo (i.e. option #2 above) I'll work up a design and email it to you for your approval.  After that, I'll send you an invoice for total payment via paypal.  You'll get the invoice in your email with instructions.  After I receive your payment, I'll start working on your pendant.  The time I quote is starting fromt he time your payment is received.

If you are in the Lancaster, PA area, you have the option to pick up your pendant at BUiLDiNG CHARACTER in downtown Lancaster.  I can't get there everyday, though, so I will let you know when I can have your purchase there.  (Make sure to let me know prior to paying so I don't charge you shipping.)

WHOLESALE:

Contact me for wholesale pricing when purchasing 10 or more pendants of the same image!

Any questions, please let me know!

Edgar Allan Poe

The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?   ~ Edgar Allan Poe

 

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.  ~ Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary.  ~ Edgar Allan Poe


{For more information about the software I used to make these pages & an exclusive discount to purchase it, head over here.} 

MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking Software Giveaway!!

-> The Giveaway is now closed.  Thanks to all who participated!  Please read about my experience here.  You can still get the discount mentioned below, too! 

Each Wednesday check in for Wonderful Wednesdays to get a free download from My Memories! <-

Scrapbooking:

I started scrapbooking at a young age.  I remember when I was in elementary school – in 3^rd or 4^th grade – I was a pom pom girl.  (Basically a cheerleader.  We did a halftime show during the pee wee football game.)  My mom suggested that I start a scrapbook.  Back then scrapbooking was not at all what it is now.  I basically used an album with sticky pages, cut out newspaper clippings, ribbons and whatever I felt was important at the time and then put the plastic back over the page.

As I got older and the scrapbooking supplies got better, so did my scrapbooks.  I have more than 20 scrapbooks for the first 25ish years of my life. 

Then I started to get really busy.  I would save bits and pieces of things that I would someday scrapbook in a drawer.  I had probably close to 10 years of stuff in various places.  When I moved about 10 months ago to a much smaller place, I went through and got rid of a lot of that stuff and the rest got put in boxes and put into storage. 

I rarely even print photos these days.  To think, I was the person who would never switch from film cameras and boycotted digital.  Yes, I still love film cameras.  I still have one.  I just rarely use it.

Digital:

Now most of everything I do is digital.  My photos are on flickr and I share them on facebook, too.  We order tickets for events online so we don’t have the cute ticket stubs anymore.  I don’t have the time – or the room – to collect things, have photos printed and spend a day on a 2 page scrapbook layout anymore.  I think that people who still do are amazing.  (If I really wanted to devote that much time anymore I would – the time thing is a cop out.  I just use my time differently these days.)

Take a lot of photos.  Sometimes over 250 per week.  Sometimes even more.  I rarely print them.  I'm happy if I just get them on my flickr photostream or share them on facebook.  I have thousands of photos on my computer.

I'll be honest, I was skeptical about trying digital scrapbooking.  I was really interested, but I didn't think I would really like it.

Boy was I wrong!!  My Memories digital scrapbooking software is the perfect solution for me.  Let me tell you, digital scrapbooking is awesome!

It’s easy, it’s quick.  I don’t have to dig through photos, paper, embellishments, pens, scissors, etc.  In fact, I don’t have to store everything.  I don’t have to put off scrapbooking because I forgot that I ran out of glue dots. 

It’s all on your computer, right at your fingertips. Plus when you want new background paper or embellishments, you just go to the My Memories online store for instant download!  Instant gratification.

My photos are all on my computer, too.  So it works great!

How it works:

To my surprise, it is so easy to use! You can even create an entire album with one click! 

At first, I used one of the free layouts that came with the software.  I just picked it, opened it and clicked on the spots where the photos were to insert photos.  Add a little journaling and I was done.

You can see my AVAM post to see my first layouts.  Here's one page:

This is my FIRST try!  See how easy it is!

I have since downloaded freebies from MyMemories and made some purchases as well.

This is an example of a layout I actually made from scratch.  I chose the background, the embellishments, the layout of the photos, etc. 

I haven't even scratched the surface here!  You can make interactive albums with videos and music!  You save the album and then decide what to do with it.  You can make books for your family, friends, etc.

Here's a video from My Memories to learn more about what you can actually do with the software:

I can't wait to use with with my wedding photos in May!  Think of the awesome personalized Christmas presents you can make.  (You know the grandparents are waiting for photos!  Think how impressed and excited they would be with a book, or a calendar!)

If you have problems, don’t worry, they have tons of tutorials to help you through!

My new blog header was made using My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Suite!

GIVEAWAY!!

The folks at My Memories have given me the opportunity to give away a free copy of their digital scrapbooking software!

To enter, just leave me a comment below.  Comment about anything about scrapbooking – have you done it before, are you new, why do you want to try it, etc.  Anything, really!  Click on “comments” and type.  Make sure that you enter your email address (if you don’t have a google account and are leaving an anonymous comment, please make sure to put your email address in your comment so I can get a hold of you if you win!)

----> UPDATE:

Extra chances:

• Receive an extra chance by heading over to MyMemories and picking out your favorite digital paper pack and commenting here with the link.
• Tweet about this and leave a separate comment to let me know you did. 
• Fan MyMemories on facebook (you're gonna want to anyway!  They have lots of fun events and lots of freebies!!) and leave a comment that you did or already are a fan
• Fan B.B. Bellezza on facebook and leave a comment that you did or you're already a fan

Every Wednesday I will be giving away a My Memories freebie to add to your scrapbooking!  Yep.  Right here.  Every week!

If you don’t win, or can't wait to get started,  I have a great deal for you:

You can still get the software for $10 off!!  Find it here My Memories Scrapbooking Software and use code STMMMS70060 when you check out.  Plus, use the code to get $10 off in the My Memories store.  ($10 goes a LONG way in the My Memories store!)

That's $20 off!! 


Make sure to use the code above to get the discount.

To Enter the giveaway:

Leave your comment below to be entered to win free software!  I’ll choose the winner next Wednesday evening, October 19^th around 7 pm.  (Also there will be freebies for everyone that day!!)

Good Luck!!

Photography Prints

I'm happy to announce that you can now purchase my photography on deviantART.  I have several prints already available, and more to come.  

You can get prints on paper, have them framed or have them printed on canvas.

I use my real name - Kimberlie Burkhart - on deviantART.

Kimberlie Burkhart on deviantArt

What I'm Working On....

I have many - A LOT - of scrabble tile pendants in progress right now! 

I'm so excited that many of them are my own photography.  So you can carry around photos of interesting, unique, historical, odd places right around your neck!  Most of the photography is of places I have visited with my boyfriend (via Outta the Way) around Pennsylvania.  There are other photos, too.

The photo above is just a little taste.  It's of our favorite road sign ever, in the place that got our road trips started:  The abandoned town of Centralia, PA.

CUSTOM

This reminds me,

I can make ANY photo into a scrabble tile pendant.  If you can get me an image in ditigal form, I can resize it and make a pendant.

Something to note:  Not all photos look great very tiny!  Keep that in mind when choosing your photo!  (I can give you my opinion on the image you want to use as well.)

Logos make great pendants, too!

To get your own custom pendant, just email me and I'll give you all the details!

To get of of my photo pendants, check back at the end of the week!

Looking Out

Life {or Lunch} is Beautiful 1-16-11

Snow!

This was the scene outside of my apartment last night.

I love snow on trees.  I love undisturbed snow.  Really, I think snow is beautiful unless I have to be somewhere.  Then, I really despise snow.

Life is Beautiful

I've been struggling a little bit creatively lately.  I had some difficult times.  Now I'm settled and it's over, but I'm still struggling a little getting going.

So I have been trying to come up with some sort of 1 per day project that would keep me accountable and going, even when I don't feel like it.  

I've also been struggling in my life to continue to see the beauty in the world around me.  I feel like there is a lot of beauty, but so many people have misunderstood and hurt me.  People are mean to each other and hurt each other.  I've hurt people, too.  I've for a long time made a conscious effort to continue to see the beauty in people, even when I do feel hurt.  (I've also cut my losses and moved on in many cases, too.)  

Lately, though, it's been more difficult for some reason.

Maybe I'm burned out.  Maybe I'm depressed.  I'm not sure.

It occurred to me the other day that I should do a yearlong project to help me with both of these problems.  To be creative each day and to see the beauty in the world around me.  (In addition to working on my photography skills.)

Thus, the "Life is Beautiful" project I've started today.  My favorite movie of all time is "Life is Beautiful."  Just thinking about the movie makes me emotional.  If you never have seen it, you should.  (And see it in Italian with the subtitles - it's better that way.)

The title of the movie is the perfect title for my project.  1 photo per day of something I find beautiful in my life that very day. 

I will post the photos daily on my flickr photostream.  Sometimes I will post them here, too.

Today is Day 1 for Life is Beautiful.  It's what I saw this morning. 

Autumn

Howard Tunnel 7, originally uploaded by B.B. Bellezza.

This is one of my favorite autumn photos. I took it last year in autumn on the Rail Trails in York County. The photo is taken from inside the Howard tunnel. The Howard tunnel is the oldest continuously running railroad tunnel in the world.

Autumn

I always feel like autumn is more of a time for the type of fresh starts that most people associate with the new year. I love the colors and I even like the crispness somewhat, although I'm not a huge fan of being cold. I love the pumpkins and haunted hayrides, and I especially love Halloween.

Wednesday is the first day of fall, what do you love about fall?

(by the way, this photo is available as a photography pendant in my shop.)

New Photography Jewelry

New Photography Glass Tile Pendants and Pins

available exclusively at BUiLDiNG CHARACTER.

These are some of my favorite photographs that I have taken, so I made them into jewelry!  (Don't forget, I can make your photos and artwork into jewelry, too!)

Cemetery Upcycled Coasters

My boyfriend and I went through a "cemetery phase" in our travels a little while ago.  It seems like we were at interesting cemeteries every weekend.  I got really into taking photos at cemeteries.

I really love the way these black and white photos of this cemetery turned out, so I thought they would make cool coasters.  The coasters are made from upcycled ceramic tiles.

If you want to check out all of my photos (beware there are a lot), which I try to upload from all our trips, you can check out my flickr photostream.  I can make any of those photos into coasters if you like, or I can make your photos into a custom coaster set!

If you would like to purchase this set, contact me.  ($20 + shipping unless you're local and can pick up in Lancaster, PA.)  I'll have them with me this weekend at the HoPo Roadshow, unless they sell before then.

Cemeteries in Weird Places

Lately, it seems like my boyfriend and I have been fascinated with cemeteries.  I am not sure how it started or why, but we have been to a lot of cemeteries.  And I have been taking a lot of photos at cemeteries.  

I am particularly fascinated by cemeteries in strange places.  This cemetery we found while looking for another cemetery.  It is in Lancaster County's Central Park, right on the outside of the golf course.  Just several very old graves in a wooded area.  Many of the headstones are falling over.

This little area with graves is just off to the side of an off-ramp.  I must have driven by it 100's of times until one day I noticed it.

I guess it isn't really that odd how the cemeteries ended up in these places.  People bury their family on their property and then the area is developed.  I am just glad that people were respectful to the graves.

Don't be surprised to see lots of cemetery photos in my photography scrabble pendant line!  I certainly take a lot of photos at cemeteries and think that headstones have their own special beauty.  There are a few in my latest photography photo line, and there will be more in my next run of them, too.  I am currently working on a coaster set with them that is turning out just beautifully.

It's always sunny in Gettysburg

This photo is from the National Cemetery in Gettysburg, PA, when we visited March 6, 2010, for a birthday road trip.  (My birthday actually lasted an entire week this year and encompassed 2 weekends.  I'm spoiled!)

What is weird is that every time we visit Gettysburg, the sky is this pretty shade of blue.  I was transferring these photos and giving them nice little labels and realized our last trip to Gettysburg was just as gorgeous!

This photo was from our previous trip

(this photo is available as an ACEO in our Outta the Way Etsy Shop, by the way...)

Have a beautiful day, even if you aren't in Gettysburg!

Spring

IMG_6619, originally uploaded by B.B. Bellezza.

As you probably have noticed, it's flower week here at the B.B. Bellezza blog! So when I saw this scoutie girl post about spring, I thought it fit in perfectly!

The photo above I actually took last spring at the Silver Mines in Pequea, PA, when the flowers first started popping out. I haven't actually seen flowers appearing here yet, although some of my daffodils are starting to have little sprouts.

Spring holds a special place in my heart. It's a signal that we have survived another winter! I don't mean that so much literally, as I mean mentally. The snow has melted (or at least melting....), the sun is out and the thermometer is heading up. We can shed off our big winter coats and be free!

(Share how you see spring on the scoutie girl blog!)

Handmade Flowery Goodness from Etsy {Flower Week Day 3}

Bethany - Yellow Satin Black Beaded Headband by SunshineSparrow

Red Flowers, Original 8x8 Signed Photo by LanitaPhoto

 Day Lillies Bracelet by Lella Rae Designs

 

Flowers for You - Original Encaustic Painting by Susan Najarian Art & Design

Navy Blue and White Daisy Purse by Kreative Karryalls

Floral Get Well Soon Card by SMJ Handmade Cards

Magenta Watercolor Puddle Floral Print by Stephanie Corfee

Don't forget to join in the giveaway!

Traveling for the Memory vs. Traveling for the Photo

 

I was reading this post, Can you travel without a camera, and a follow up post, Hey, Me Get Out of My Travel Photos (Not!).  While I cannot possibly imagine going on a trip without my camera, and I tend to take tons of photos of everywhere I visit, I do not do so to prove I have been somewhere. 

I think it is a combination of wanting to preserve a memory, enjoying photography and making sure that I have a tangible (if I ever actually print out my photos) souvenir of my travels.  Most of the photos I take do not have myself or traveling companions, so I guess we're not really proving we've been anywhere.

Additionally, I like to share where I go with people.  I travel to odd and interesting places and I want to make sure other people know about them, too.  In fact, my boyfriend and I even write a travel zine.  We write the zine because we like to share inexpensive and fun trips with people....not because we are proving we have been anywhere.

Even though I take a lot of photos, I am still in the moment while I am traveling.  I think it's great that I can come home, look at the photos and relive the moment again, too.  It is not more important to me to take a photo or get a souvenir than to enjoy where I am and what I am doing.  However, I am sort of afraid I will forget where I have been or what I have done without documenting it in some way, and I think that memories are important, too.

So while I don't think that I will be traveling without my camera any time soon, I don't travel just for the photograph of where I've been either.

Old Buildings

As some of you may know (although many of you may not, I am realizing), my boyfriend and I love to go on road trips to weird and historical places. We also write a zine about our adventures (well, my boyfriend writes it, I do everything else, though!) called Outta the Way.

I love old buildings, especially those with a history behind them. I also love to take photos. Usually I have more than 100 (usually more like 150-200) for every road trip. Honestly, they are not all gorgeous pieces of work. Many are for reference - we were there, this is what we saw - that sort of thing. But, sometimes we take really beautiful photos.

I took the photo used in the pendant above. It's of the Star Barn in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. I think it is a nice photo but mainly because of how beautiful the sky was that day. Also, the architectural of the old star barn is simply stunning.

I have started, and plan to continue to make pendants from my photography. They will most likely be featuring old buildings, cemeteries, etc. from the places we visit.

I really like to try to use recycled pieces in my jewelry as much as possible, but the glass pendants such as what you see here is not. However, in this piece, for example, I am featuring a photo of a building that is trying to be saved from the wrecking ball. I think that is important, too. I think that it can start a conversation and spread the idea that we don't have to tear down every old building to make yet another strip mall. Or even just "hey look at this cool building" and then people won't want it to be torn down.

Just in case you are interested, this piece is listed in the Outta the Way Etsy Shop.

Macro

IMG_6600, originally uploaded by B.B. Bellezza.

This is a photo I took using my macro feature on my camera. I actually use that feature a lot for shots of my jewelry, but not a lot otherwise. I was just playing around, but I think it is a pretty cool photo.

I am going to be a missing for a few days. I am going away for a couple of days. Don't worry, I'll be back! :)