Repurposed Vintage Necklace

The first photo shows the necklace I purchased at our local Humane Society Thrift Store for $5.00.  I bought it for color, vintage square beads, and the size.  The 2nd to bottom photos show my designs using the beads ....  I should be able to get quite a few neat pieces from this one small purchase.  The original necklace is strung with thread so that tells me "vintage" and the square pieces are most likely celluloid....

I am calling the necklace:  Balance.  

Doll Mixed Media Assemblage Spiritual Art Dolls

I am working on some Mixed media assemblage spiritual art dolls ....  This is the new one for 2017.  I try to do a little bit on it every day....even if it is looking for inspiration pieces to use....or photos for ideas....  It is not a planned piece....  Will also be working on shared pieces that will go between myself and a friend which will be challenging in different ways.....

The main thing for me is to create color, texture, form, balance, dimension, etc.

Following is the first step finished.

Tree bark from Pennsylvania
Fretwork pieces
A gemstone face
Small bark and moss pieces from here in Oregon

One of the most important things my husband has taught me is to have a good strong foundation so when I glue I clamp...... it is a slower process but well worth the extra effort in finished product.  No one wants to pick up something and have it just "fall apart".  I am using gel glue and some super glue I am trying out that I get from one of my wholesale suppliers that is working really well....but more costly that other super glues found in the craft stores....

Hopefully along the way she will get a name.......

PROGRESSING Date 2/20/17

The butterfly is going....don't like that at all.
Added more treebark, petals from a pinecone, metal material;  like the screening I remember, cut into strips for the "waterfall", and a pebble.   Can tell she is NOT finished.  Not sure what will be next.  She is "resting".

Winter Wonderland January 2017

We have had terrible winter storms here in Bend, Oregon since Christmas.  We kept thinking "this is it" every day but it never was and it got to the point of real concern.  We had to have our house / garage roof shoveled, many stores were closed in town, roads were thick layers of ice, and in the ground snow we had 3 layers of  snow and ice....the ice layers about 2 1/2" with a couple of feet of snow between like a bit marshmallow sandwich....  It "IS" beautiful so my camera has been busy and here are a few of the ones which are my favorite.   Notice the landscape image of upside down trees in the water drop at the end of the icicle.... the snow falling from the trees as it warmed up a bit today, and the snow by our house nearly roof high from having the roof snow removed.