Black and white paper jewelry

Hi everyone!

For some reason black and white as a combination has always inspired me and my artwork for many reasons. Not only does it give clean lines to the art work but they complement each other so well then any creation looks clean, sophisticated and chic!

I decided to do black and white paper beads with marble effect on them as this effect gives it a beautiful look and looks classy.

I complemented the entire look with a wooden pendant hand again hand painted it with Indian classical look o give it a sort of tribal bohemian effect.

Take a look at the pictures below.

It's available on etsy for sale. Please refer to the link below

https://www.etsy.com/listing/616240313/bohemian-neck-piece-with-paper-beads-and?ref=related-3

I look forward to hearing from you!

Bhawna

Paper Mache Bead Necklace

Hello Readers,

This post is an extension to another type of recycled paper jewelry which i design. 
As kids we might have played with paper mache pulp to form different shapes of animals or make some other craft project.

But this is a more professional version of making paper beads even though most of the steps remain the same.

The procedure to make the paper mache is as below

1. Tear the newspaper or any waste paper in small bits of pieces. Alternatively you can even use the toilet paper roll.
2. Soak them in luke warm water for 20-30 mins. Depending on the thickness of the paper the time for soaking depends.
3. Run them through a grinder to make a soft pulp or use a hand blender to pulp them.
4. Now pour them in a sieve and force the excess water out.
5. Take the paper mache pulp and some white glue to it along with some salt. This protects them from catching fungus.
6. Now knead the paste for a while to turn it into soft clay like consistency.
7. And you are ready to make your beads!

Once your beads are have been rolled out, keep them for drying in a warm place for 2-3 days. If the size is make it may take 4 days also depending upon the weather conditions.

Below is the picture of the dried paper beads.

I have not made a hole in the above beads, but i will used a manual driller for the same. Another option is to make hole using a tooth pick when they are still wet. This needs to be done carefully in order not to spoil the shape of the beads.

I usually sand the beads to give it a more finished look and smooth the edges further since its paper it tends to wrinkle when dried out.

Once you are done with all these steps, let your imagination take wings and paint the beads in the color of your choice or you can even create some designs on it.

Enhancement of the beads for the finished look really depends on your imagination and creativity.

Below is the  finished Paper Mache Bead Necklace. I have combined other plastic beads to complement the look. You can any other alternative beads like metal or glass or faux steel. It depends on your design

Hope this post inspires you to take up the project of paper mache jewelry.
It's available on sale on etsy website, below mentioned is the link

https://www.etsy.com/listing/602630172/paper-mache-bead-necklace?ref=listing-shop-header-1

Do write your feedback and queries on the post.

regards,

Bhawna

Sustainable Fashion with Sustainable Jewelry!

When i started painting the glass bottles it gave me a lot of scope to display my creativity in terms of art, but the thirst to do more and take this a step further, pushed me to get into making sustainable fashion jewelry. In the beginning it seemed like a craft project where a few paper sheets are rolled and made into beads. And i must confess it was not seeming pretty or interesting, knowing the fact that the market is flooded with beautiful imitation and junk jewelry at very affordable prices.

Fashion jewelry or a colloquial term junk jewelry is something that changes with time and is more of a fad. To be a sustainable jewelry designer and to create pieces which can stand equal or a greater chance to be noticed required something extra.

I had to think on various parameters like

1. Durability

2. Cost

3. Time required to make

4. Designs

Of course handmade holds a special place but when it is paper jewelry it has to pass the test of durability to be counted as one of the most sought after pieces to have.

With years of patience practice failures and successes i came up with my designs which can stand out and are as durable as any other metal jewelry in the market. Of course a few tips to take some care of jewelry is definitely stated to the buyer but overall its a practical jewelry choice and is very unique!

I am sharing the pictures of few of my jewelry pieces that i have made.

The cylindrical beads in green, pink and postage stamp are all made of waste paper and combined with ceramic beads to finish the look.

Do share your feedback on this post and i shall soon be back with a new post.

Thank you readers!

Bhawna