Book Review: Junk to Jewelry
April 2, 2008 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Book & Magazine Reviews, Mixed Media, Wearable Art
Junk to Jewelry by Brenda Schweder
I thought that this book was a lot of fun, but for those of us who’ve been messing around with mixed media and found objects for awhile, it’s probably one that I’d recommend looking at before you decide to buy. It’s a great book for two types of people: those with little if any mixed media experience and those who like a young, edgy, unpolished look. Frankly, I am just not going to wear very many of the designs in this book, but I still found it inspiring! How can that be? Well, it’s just full of ideas that will nudge your thinking right out of the box. You just might not end up making exactly what Brenda Schweder makes, but that’s ok. That’s where inspiration and creativity come in.
One of my favorite projects that I would consider making (my own way, of course) is a bracelet that uses a 5-loop slide clasp. Chains of several different styles are then used between the loops, giving the bracelet a mis-matched fun look when it’s all finished. It becomes a mega-charm bracelet when you’ve attached charms to all the different chains. Fun!
Lots of other great ideas too. Just not enough intermediate or advanced techniques to make me buy it, but no book can be all things to all people. This might be just what you were looking for!
