A couple of my Very Special Blingees wrote me from Alaska and requested that I create some special jewelry for them ~ something they hadn't ever seen in the ksyardbird Etsy shop ~ they wanted treasures made with typewriter keys.
Hmmmm. . . sounds like a GREAT idea to me!! I've seen jewelry with typewriter keys before, so I hoped I could do something just a bit different, y'know, add that Robin Z twist.
First step, though, was to locate a variety of vintage typewriter keys. . .
So I did.
Oh! Trust me - I have LOTS more!
Black keys with white, gold keys with black, blue keys, white keys and even a couple of green keys. All from vintage typewriters and so so cool!!!
My trusty little grinding tool and I became very good friends to flatten the metal backs of these full-of-memories typewriter parts. (Personally, I think power tools are AWESOME! And anytime I can find an excuse to use one. . . well, count me in!)
The keys were typically welded or 'formed' on the ends of metal bars. When removed, the backs tend to be rather rough or still have a portion of the bar attached.
Oh! And did I mention - old typewriter keys are glass-topped. YES!!! Most are metal framed with glass tops. Some have a sort of paper or cardboard insert showing the character/letter/number that's sandwiched between the metal back and glass top. Too amazing, right???
Anyway, once the backs are ground so the key sits flat, the imagination was set free and time to locate the components to bring the ideas to bling-reality. . . adhesive and bezels were the most important parts for pretty much any design idea. And, trust me, my brain was busy-busy with too many ideas. . . some that worked, some that didn't. Along the way, I stumbled upon other bits and parts that became part of my vision-come-true. And the ideas just keep on coming!
This nifty bracelet was my trial run -
which I deemed a success!!! And just like a snowball rolling down a mountain - the creations grew and Grew and GREW! (P.S. Unlike that snowball, Typewriter Bling won't melt)
Necklaces!
With a dangly drop
With keys (aka 'key-keys' in the ksyardbird Studio) and birthstones
Earrings!
Keeping it simple
In fancy bezels on very cool hoops
With dangly crystals
And semi-precious stones
Oh my!!!!! More. . .
Bracelets!
There are so many-many more ideas bumping around that Busy Brain of mine!!! Stay tuned :-)
Have a Type-Bling kind of day ~
Robin Z
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