The Beading Gem

I've featured rubber jewelry designers before but Dallas based Kurt Molhusen and more recently, his partner, Kay of ArtwithLatex astounded me with their amazing statement latex accessories. Always bold and sometimes colorful, their pieces show their skill working and forming with natural liquid latex. 

All of my pieces are hand squeezed individually one at time wet on wet and left to air dry. I recently started combining glass crystals and eyes to my work.

Many jewelry designers source some of their materials from the hardware store. We might be tempted to dismiss these as boho jewelry and not really high-end.  However, innovative Spanish metalsmith Pablo Cimadevila whose work I featured before, will change minds!

What he does is to turn 2 humble hex nuts into a 1 carat diamond ring!

It's not what you use, but how you use it that counts. Who would have thought the humble zip tie can be used for jewelry making?  Slovenian artisan, Renata of ZipTieJewelry certainly saw its potential and now creates "ziptacular jewelry for ziptacular people!"

The large flamboyant, often futuristic and yet lightweight pieces are eye catching. Judging from the photos accompanying the reviews of many fans, these are worn to compliment costumes, festival wear and cosplaying. Or they just want to be different!

I've often said jewelry can be made from just about anything. So here is yet another look at an unusual material!  Watch this amazing tutorial where woodworker, Peter Brown - a self confessed "geek with a full set of power tools" makes a donut pendant from bread.  Yes, bread!  His suggested name for it? A gluten medallion!

Remember the shock and horror when the latest iPhone 7 launched without any earphone jacks? Users will have to use airpods or wireless ear buds.  The next worry is what happens if the airpods fall out?  Nothing more distressing than to see it floating in the toilet!

Real Acorn with Ruby Zoisite Earrings

One wonderful example of a found object artisan is Chrystal Nausse who is based in New Orleans. She makes real acorn jewelry out of the acorn cupules or caps she finds. Her shop name is unforgettable - Nuttier than a Squirrel. What I like about her minimalist style is how she teams up the acorn caps with many different kinds of gemstones. These gemstones add color to her designs.

Massachusetts based Mariko Kusumoto is an extraordinary metal, resin and fiber artist. Her fiber art is amazing . She transforms polyester fabric into translucent sculptured art jewelry.  The 3D shapes she designs even encase other forms. Some of her creations are clearly inspired by coral reefs and sea creatures.

Were you wowed by the fabulous real living succulent jewelry by PassionflowerMade which I featured recently?  Well, here is how you can make your own.  The tutorial is by a self confessed succulent addict,  Cassidy of Succulents and Sunshine. She was taught the technique from a landscape designer.

Artisans who carve pearls and turn them into jewelry are few and far between. Japanese designer Shinji Nakaba carves many things but it is his tiny hand carved pearl skull rings which caught my eye. His wearable sculptures are now exhibited in various group and solo international exhibitions. These one of a kind rings are also for sale on his online shop.

I may have tried tricking readers on April Fool's Day before. But this is not a prank. Thigh gap jewelry? Seriously?  They do exist. Sort of.  The gold plated jewelry is real enough on TGap Jewelry but the collection isn't for sale. The website though, looks just like an actual shopping site. But as soon as you click anywhere on it, the TGap story pops up  and explains it is not a real company at all.

Akiko Shinzato is a London based Japanese jewelry designer. She now designs for Vivon Jewelry Japan. Her wire facial jewelry for her Another Skin collection was created as part of her jewelry design degree at Central Saint Martins (University of Arts, London).  It won her the student category at  ENJOIA'T 2015, a competition for contemporary jewelry awards.