Club Creative Studio hand-made wire bracelet.

Turquoise bracelet hand-twisted wire from Club Creative Studio.

Club Creative Studio speaks often about creativity. Here on the blog, you will find inspiration from art, project ideas, and other helpful information stemming from creativity. Today is no different in that I am sharing a short story from the spark of creativity that comes from the opportunity to collaborate and brain-storm.

I attended a networking event a few months ago and there, I met very interesting business people. Among all of them, I met a lady who had a common thread with me. We both shared the love and passion for beads. She was also designing jewelry so needless to say we had much to talk about. What began from a single common friendship fostered a bond through beading. As we connected via other social media methods, we learned more about each other. We planned an outing together to a local bead store that was going out of business. It was there that we spent several hours looking and speaking about beads as well as shopping for beads. It was really a fun time to spend time with someone with a shared enthusiasm for beads and supplies. We are now “beading buddies”.

My beading buddy bought a bracelet (say that three times fast). The wire bracelet was a store sample from one of their classes. When we looked at it we thought the same thing. We both had wondered how it was made, and if we could figure it out by closer examination, since there was not a way to get instruction from the store that was going out of business. We both had mentioned that we had wanted to try to create something similar but had not taken instruction on the technique. We thought that we could make them ourselves. We ended up splitting the cost of the bracelet and I took it home to dissect so we could recreate it later.

After meeting for a brain-storming session, we combined our creative time, and collaborated with our supplies to make our own versions of the same bracelet. Turns out the pattern was a good starting point for us to springboard into our own style and wire-wrapping techniques. Our skill levels were expanding together and we were inspiring to each other. That is what I am thankful for today, the opportunity to connect and support the creative drive of a fellow artist. Can you think of someone you have merged talents with or have benefitted from bouncing ideas off of? Do tell how it was a positive impact for you.

I am now getting comfortable with the technique and my materials. I will soon be able to offer these hand-made bracelets online for others to enjoy and purchase http://www.clubcreativestudio.com

Feel free to “like” Club Creative Studio on Facebook. You can see a “Sneak Peek” from time to time of a fresh design on the Club Creative Studio Facebook page at http://www/facebook.com/clubcreativestudio

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Remember how thrilled I was when I wrote about the empty bullet shells that I received from visiting my friend? Janet brought to me many more spent bullets and encouraged me to keep creating from them.  She recently introduced me to the supply source and he told me a few interesting things that I will also share with you here on the blog.

Using empty bullet shells, I created fun recycled art.

Club Creative Studio Bullet Shell Jewelry Art.

Mr. Dan Buckley is a retired police officer. In 1990, Mr. Buckley retired from the Montgomery County Police Department after thirty-three years of dedicated service. He told me about when the force was making a transition from 38 calabar revolvers to the now used 9 millimeter weapons.  “The “bad guys” had more powerful weapons than they did.” So, the transition began. While they needed to train with the new guns, they had to shoot many rounds to get comfortable with the use and power.  They trained weekly and shot many rounds. Mr. Buckley estimates that the hundred men probably fired around 500 rounds each when they were first making the change-over. Times that by 100 officers and that equals 50,000 empty cases!  Dan collected the shells from the ground initially because he planned on reloading them. He did not get around to it.  For nearly 25 years, they remained in a 5 gallon bucket in a corner of his garage. I could not wait to make my artful transformations and I continue to dream up new items that I can incorporate the empty shells into.

Mini bead flowers on wires are ready to be cut for the Club Creative Studio Bullet Shell Vase Pendants.

Club Creative Studio bullet Vase Art.

When Janet told Mr. Buckley about me and the art that I created from her police officer son’s empty gun shells, he offered to give me the bucket so that I could do more creative art! so, whenever I create another item using the shells, I thank the kind heart of Dan for being my generous supply source. It was great timing and great luck to feel blessed with bullets!

Club Creative Studio Bullet Shell Key Rings

I am allowing my mind to wander and expand on other ideas and ways that I can utilize these shells creatively? I have a few creations in the works. If you have any suggestions as to a different way I can use these bullet shells as a new pendant or in a new item, please share your vision. I have a lot of shells to use up! Thank you for sharing your ideas with me.

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Close-up bird theme pendant from Club Creative Studio.

Club Creative Studio highlights a creative item offered through the online storefront website on Feature Fridays.  Today’s post is a new item line and it captures the details of the new Nest Necklaces. Nest Necklaces are fun hand-made, mixed media pendants.  The mini bird nest theme pendants range in size but, average to be about one and one half inches wide in diameter.

Created to celebrate Spring and capture the symbolic images of Spring- nests, bird eggs, new life, and birds.  With a bird theme, each pendant is made to be one-of-a-kind and feature a bird charm along with mixed media elements in metal, clay and or glass findings.

Club Creative Studio’s bird theme hand-made pendant necklace.

Each nest form is hand-twisted from coated color wire.  Added to the theme pendants are metal charm birds and a variety of hand-rolled clay or hand-torched glass beads.

The necklace pendants are especially appreciated by “bird-lovers”, “nature-lovers”, and anyone who likes unique wire worked jewelry.  The pendants are light-weight and colorful.  There are two styles of strands that are featured in this series.  Pendants are designed with either a coordinating multi-strand ribbon strand with an adjustable lobster clasp or a leather-like black cording that has an easy snap closure on the end.  Both type strands compliment the pendant and are very light-weight when worn.

Celebrate nature with bird theme hand-made jewelry art.

Enjoy the new theme collection and find them online from the Club Creative Studio website under the category: Mixed Metals, along with other Art That Sest You Apart!

http://www.clubcreativestudio.com

HAnd-twisted colored wire and mixed-media pendants.

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When you find an item that is hand-made, you should automatically realize that someone has dedicated their creative energy and time into the final product. Some may assume that because a person has “creative talent” it is easy for them to whip something up quickly and not spend time on a plan for the outcome. For me, the plan may be in my mind already but, it may have been inspired directly from something preplanned like a sketch, a prototype sample item or even something designed that did not work out well for some reason. A plan is involved.

The new item line that will be announced soon, has been in my mind for the market for almost a year. The inspiration was to find a functional and fun way to display Club Creative Studio beads…and this is it! This product will have combined heart-strings as it includes the artistic endeavors of another profession. This item will become a reusable keepsake as well. Continue to check this blog site and the Club Creative Studio fan page for more hints and information about this new item. I continue to be excited for the debut and the launch of a very creative and eye-catching item to enhance your home.

-Club Creative Studio