Tag Archives: recycled jewelry

Brass Treasure Neckpiece

June 24, 2014 Annie Desantis

The triangle focal piece on this neckpiece is a piece of brass found during one of my rummages through a bin at my local scrap yard.

Neckpiece by Annie Desantis — Brass Treasure Neckpiece
by Annie Desantis

Hammered and pierced, the focal piece is wrapped in pure silver wire threaded with tiny recycled glass beads.

These tiny beads are made from ground recycled glass in Africa. A fabulous use of waste glass, but also these tiny treasures are their livelihood.

A tiny disk of hammered, patina’d hot water cylinder dangles off the bottom, and the piece is attached to a hand beaten chain made from recycled copper and brass with hammered blobs of solder.

I used to be a hot water cylinder, Neckpieces

Limeyellow Sari Silk Focal Neckpiece

June 24, 2014 Annie Desantis

This neckpiece is a collection of recycled elements! The lime and yellow sari silk in the centre focal piece, is factory waste that I buy from women in India. Some of the tiny treasures I have unearthed among the scraps are gorgeous.

The silk is wrapped with enameled copper wire around a square hammered copper wire piece made from recycled electrical wire with a hammered solder bead (blob actually!)

Neckpiece closeup by Annie Desantis — Limeyellow SariSilk Focal Neckpiece (closeup)
by Annie Desantis

The lower circle is wound with teeny tiny wires I reclaim from old speakers, hammered, then partly wrapped in pure silver wire and hung with tiny recycled lemon yellow glass beads. These tiny glass beads are hand made in sand with fire from crushed glass in Africa. No fancy kilns or even electricity! Amazing how creative people always find ways to work, but more importantly these tiny treasures are their livelihood.

The dangle on the right hand side is a hammered piece of brass found in my local scrap yard, threaded with another tiny lemon recycled hand made bead.

The chain is made from individual hammered curly links, with a leather thong around the neck, attached with pure silver wrapping and two more tiny lemon recycled glass beads.

Earrings, I used to be a hot water cylinder

Hot Water Cylinder Spiral Earrings

June 24, 2014 Annie Desantis

These earrings are part of my range “I used to be a hot water cylinder”. Turning junk into beautiful jewelry is something I love to do, and one of my favorites is cutting up pieces of hot water cylinders and turning them into wearable art.

Earrings by Annie Desantis — “I Used To Be A Hot Water Cylinder” Spiral Earrings
by Annie Desantis

The disks were hand cut and hammered over concrete to create a rough knobbly texture, which is perfect for building up the patina process. The hot water cylinders already have some interested aged patina, but these earrings have several process (top secret!) that I use to build layers of gorgeous verdigris. I then wax the disks to protect them.

These earrings are assembled with pure silver wire, hammered copper wire (both recycled) and old Tibetan beads made from coral and turquoise chips. The ear wires are Sterling silver.

Art Rings, Encaustic Jewelry, Encaustic Wax Art, I used to be a hot water cylinder

Black And White Art Ring

June 19, 2014 Annie Desantis

This is another in my series “I used to be a hot water cylinder”. The ring bowls are hammered into bowl shapes after cutting circles from old hot water cylinders.

Art Ring by Annie Desantis — “I used to be a hot water cylinder”
Art ring by Annie Desantis

This black and white piece is layered papers and pigments with encaustic wax, then a small red copper circle is riveted in the centre and attached to the sterling silver ring band.

The back is natural copper patina, that has been protected with micro crystalline wax.

Art Rings, Encaustic Jewelry, Encaustic Wax Art, I used to be a hot water cylinder

Red Encaustic Art Ring

June 19, 2014 Annie Desantis

My encaustic jewelry art rings have layers paper, silks, pigments, and found objects into layers of encaustic wax – hot beeswax with damar resin.

The ring bowl, is cut and hammered out of an old hot water cylinder and rivitted onto a stirling silver ring shank before layering in the encaustic and embellishments.

This glowing red, black and white Art ring has layers of silk, hand made papers, gold leaf and pigments layered into the wax.

Hammered off center is a silver nail.

The edges and the back of the ring has pigments and wax rubbed into the copper, with the natural patina of the copper shining through. The piece is protected with micro crystalline wax.

I would not recommend immersing these pieces in water, however if it gets wet, simply blot dry. Don’t leave my encaustic wax pieces in the sun, they probably won’t melt unless they are in a very hot place, such as a car, but they will soften.

I used to be a hot water cylinder, Neckpieces

Blue Moon Neckpiece

June 19, 2014 Annie Desantis Leave a comment

Blue Moon is another neckpiece from my series “I used to be a hot water cylinder”.

Blue Moon Neckpiece by Annie Desantis — “I used to be a hot water cylinder”
~ Blue Moon ~
by Annie Desantis

The focal piece is cut, hammered and folded from an old hot water cylinder. It has layers and layers of pigments and wax giving it luminosity.

It is attached to hammered reclaimed copper, threaded with beads that have been cut and hammered from old refrigerator pipe, and coloured with pigments and wax.

Factory waste sari silk that has been wrapped in pure silver wire attaches round the back of the piece, and a focal bead of howlite, threaded with a silver nail hangs to one side.

Blue Moon Neckpiece by Annie Desantis - close up — “I used to be a hot water cylinder”
~ Blue Moon Neckpiece closeup ~
by Annie Desantis

I used to be a hot water cylinder, Neckpieces

Blue Dreaming Neckpiece

June 19, 2014 Annie Desantis Leave a comment

My series “I used to be a hot water cylinder” grew out fossicking round scrap yards and have one fabulous man “Hillbilly” who tucks aside interesting pieces of metal for me. I have a stash of old hot water cylinders which I cut, hammer, roll and shape.

Blue Dreaming Neckpiece by Annie Desantis — “I used to be a hot water cylinder”
~Blue Dreaming ~
by Annie Desantis

Blue Dreaming has a focal piece that is hammered and rolled from a piece of hot water cylinder. Then coloured with layers and layers of Prisma colours and pigments.

The beads are hand made also, hammered from reclaimed plumber’s pipe and coloured with layers of patina in several processes and waxed. Attached to hammered and soldered electrical wire, also hand waxed and coloured, around the back of the neck, factory waste sari silk that has been wrapped in pure silver wire (recycled of course!).

Blue Dreaming is embellished with smaller hot water cylinder pieces, and pure silver spirals.

Art and Jewelry created from recycled and transformed materials