upcycling

lately this term 'upcycling' has become more and more popular, as artists, designers and consumers alike are recognizing the importance of recycling and reusing, even when it comes to our clothes and jewelry. i have been crafting a lot of earrings, headchains and hair pieces almost entirely from old jewelry pieces. long necklaces make a great base for a head chain, secured using either wrapped wire or jump rings. a few weeks ago i salvaged about 50 raw turquoise beads from a dismembered rosary at Trevor's old house. here's a pic of my recycled beads box:

my trips to the thrift stores have been great for collecting materials to be re-worked, re-designed and upcycled. this is a headchain i made the other day from an old necklace chain and a necklace pendant:

the Etsy marketplace is a great place to find crafted jewelry and art from recycled materials. if you don't know Etsy, i highly recommend you check it out!! for more photos and ideas of recycled material crafts, follow me on Instagram @sakioto.