Hardware Store Earrings

I stopped at Homeowner's Hell the other day for a propane tank. I started browsing around in the hardware and came home with some fun earring components. Three of these are made with steel retaining rings. They looked a little grungy at first but a trip through the tumbler cleaned them up, and I think they look kinda cool embellished with sterling silver chain and gemstones. The round brass thingies are compression sleeves. I drilled holes in them, then added pyrite to the large ones and Swarovski pearls inside the smaller ones, connecting them to the ear wires with sterling silver chain. The pyrite ones make a fun tinkling sound when they move.

Week 35-Copper Viking Knit with Kazuri Pendant

When I'm at shows I often work on a piece of Viking knit to keep my hands busy. I ended up with this long piece of copper so I pulled it and pulled it until it bacame a neck chain. I made the end cones with 18 gauge wire wrapped around my round nose pliers. I added a slide made with a Kazuri bead and a large smoky quartz drop. Then I lightly oxidized everything. If you're not familiar with Kazuri beads, they are fair trade beads from Kenya. The company was started in 1975 by Lady Susan Wood, the daughter of two British missionaries. Today they have a factory that offers employment opportunities to single mothers, widows, and people with special needs. They offer good wages, favorable working conditions, child care and health care. Some women are supporting extended families of up to 20 people on what they are able to earn there.

I am now officially caught up!