Reuse That Altoid (or other) Tin

Since I've already posted about the stuff I've been working on lately and I'm not ready to post anything new because I've been focusing today on my design for the Step by Step Beads Colorworks Challenge. It's almost done, but I don't want to share a picture of it until after I've heard back whether it made the cut or not. So, instead of something I've made, I thought I'd share about something I read the other day.

I have Design*Sponge on my Google Reader for general inspiration, and this little DIY project with Altoid tins was very thought provoking. I used to collect hard candy tins from gift baskets (there were always very pretty ones from England or Scottland, occasionally other countries in them), and not for any particular use, I just saved them because I'm a little bit pack-rat and a little bit magpie, I think.

I believe I have a box somewhere in the garage with quite a stash of them. I bet if I did some Googling, I'd find a couple million ideas already out there, but I'm going to go ahead and re-invent the wheel anyway.

Wouldn't small tin lids (decorated on the inside or outside) be great for all kinds of collages using the inside for tiny shadow boxes, or outside of the tin covered in fabric or paper appliques, mosaics from died eggshell chips on the top with a glaze sealant over it (now that the Easter Eggs all need to be eaten - save those shells!), glue some favorite orphan beads around the edge, add some kind of a bail to it and voilà! a pendant...do you smell smoke? I think it's my brain overloading.?

Or cover a tin with polyclay (ok, I gave in and Googled and thought that how to was really excellent - lots of pictures and clear step by step directions as well as materials list).

Maybe put a pretty fabric, knitted, crocheted, embroidered, or felt pincushion on the top and then put things like extra safety pins or hooks and eyes or tiny snaps and give to your favorite quilter or sewer. Sounds like great idea for eye pins, head pins or other small findings, too. What do you think the best way to secure the pincushion would be -if glue, what type? I can see a round tin like this one being perfect:

How about a box of little page-marking clips (here are some fancy "page points" for reference or some Cheeky Flat Clips I found at Michael's) for the avid reader in your life? You can get those in stationery stores, too, or make your own versions. I'd collage that box - maybe use bits of paperback book covers or pages in different typefaces...what else would look good on a book-clip box lid collage? I think this sliding mint tin box I got on a trip to Vegas a couple years ago, would be great for that.

Or a tin to hold post-it index tabs (which I use a lot of and constantly misplace) or those "sign here" ones - sounds like a thoughtful gift to any one who works with contracts (realtors, notaries, lots of admins, etc.), or to hold stamps (if you use snail mail, be sure to buy a bunch of "forever" stamps real soon, the price is going up again on May 11th to 44 cents).

Ok, 'nuff said - but if you've done this or have a favorite instruction post to link, please share!

Gorgeous "Red Magma" Swarovski Crystal Disk Pendants from Artbeads

As one of the Artbeads' Blogging for Beads participants (you can find us in the blogroll on the Artbeads Blog, and I feel so fortunate to be part of this great group of crafters). I was given a choice of many wonderful pendants and other Artbeads items to blog about this month. As I mentioned a few days ago, many of the other bloggers selected beautiful painted canvas on wood pendants. Lisa at A Bead A Day chose the cool large Swarovski Crystal Button rivolis. Kelley at Kellscreations picked a beautiful copper and enamel Faith pendant.

Me, I chose the 25mm disk pendant in a new color "Red Magma". There is a 38mm size also available at Artbeads.

Red Magma is well named, it has a molten, fiery color - and the cut used on these really flickers and glows like flames on a hot coal. You can read about the new color and the new shape at the Crystallized Swarovski Elements website. I immediately pictured it with gunmetal chain - and had a nice stash ready to work with.

While I would like to work with Swarovski all the time, the price point is a bit high for my convertible badge/eyeglass/necklace lanyards except as an occasional piece, but I don't have as much of a pricing concern with single purpose jewelry, and may start using more Crystallized Swarovski beads as I deplete other (usually Czech glass) stock in certain shapes and colors. The extra flash and sparkle of these beads is distinctive and notable - especially so in a large focal like this disk pendant.

For my project with the disks Artbeads sent me, I made a customized length of gunmetal chain by disassembling a chain made of open diamond shaped links:

and then hooked them back together with some gunmetal figure 8 closed links (that were actually part of a hook and eye closure set). Tool marks on the chain are very bright and obvious, so I used my fingers and nylon tipped pliers for the links.

plus a couple feet of a small, simple, gunmetal link chain, I wanted to use.

I looped the small chain through two of the disks and attached them to the open diamond shaped links for the sides of the necklace both from the top and bottom.

I then used a smaller length, hung a third disk through it and a link, then connected the link through the center figure 8 to make a pendant.

I 'floated' the last disk on a length of the smaller chain, suspended it in the middle of the necklace.

I finished it off with a hook and eye clasp. The length of the longest part of the chain is 20". The distance down from back clasp to the end of the pendant is 12". Here's the finished necklace:

You can click on any picture to see more detail.