Industrial Steampunk Set

I said I was going to do more steampunk styled jewellery and this is what I came up with:

While browsing some designer jewellery, I came upon a spectacular design by Paco Rabanne, featuring chains, metal loops and black pearls.  I loved the simple looking construction which on closer inspection, you realise how intricate it truly is.  I've just bought a load of steampunk cogs and vintage chains, so I decided to simulate the design.  It kind of reminds me of a ribcage, especially the way it hangs, which I think adds to the steampunk effect.

As I layed out the materials for the design, however, I realised I wouldn't have enough of some of the cogs to finish the earrings as well.  But such is the beauty of steampunk, I grabbed some other metal rings I had and mixed and matched with different chain and various shaped cogs until I had this gorgeous "inner workings" look.  The "black" beads are actually dyed coral, and I love the way the vintage hammered chain contrasts with the normal silver chain.

Finally, I used a metal push clasp with a black acrylic bead to match the coral beads.

The earrings were a little trickier.  I'm not sure if the metal pieces are that were used on the Paco Rabanne ones are smaller than the cogs that I have used, but if I had copied the design exactly, I think they would have been hanging past your underarms!  The earwires are nickel free.

But this wasn't about copying, it was more or less doing what I always do - Taking a piece that I like, and putting my own flair on it to make it into something that I love, and I hope you will too!

This is obviously a one-of-a-kind piece, as I'm not Paco Rabanne, and don't have access to all these materials again! ;)

SOLD!

Peacock Set

I've had this peacock feather (bought when I was a kid) lying around, and it's always getting lost.  So I thought, why not make something out of it that won't be so easily lost, so I made this for myself.

 

First I cut the feather as close to the plumage as I could, but I didn't throw the other bit away.  I'll show you what I did with that later.  I wrapped copper wire around the top and around a copper jump ring several times for security. 

 

I used the many different coloured semi-precious stones I had to emulate the graduating colours of the feather itself.  I started with Goldstone flecked Bluestone chips on either side of the feather pendant.

I didn't have any purple beads that matched the shade I wanted, so I went for turquoise instead.  This is "S" shaped Blue (dyed) Lemon Turquoise.

 I then threaded different sized Antique Bronze metal beads onto pins and bent them into a marquise shape and hung these pear shaped - Turquoise (dyed) Picasso Jasper beads from them.

 There's two thin lines of brown either side of a bright green before it fades into the beautiful dark green colour on the feather.  So to emulate this, I got to use my new brown acrylic beads and lime silver lined seed beads.

 Finally I ended with one of my favourite semi-precious stones - Malachite.

 And it's all connected with an antique bronze barrel clasp.

 So what did I do with the rest of the feather?  I stripped it and made earrings!

 A couple more malachite chips and Capri blue beads for distinction...

 

and voila! Peacock earrings.

 

I have no idea what the price is as I was just having fun.  I can't replicate this design at all, it's just something I made for myself.  I do plan to do more work with feathers though, so keep checking back!