Golden Shellback’s Cuff
This cuff which I call the Golden Shellback’s Cuff is encrusted with shells and paper beads. I learned about Golden Shellback when my son joined the U.S. Navy. One of the most precious thing he brought home was the Golden Shellback Certificate which I framed and now have a special place in my home. Wikepedia defines Golden Shellback as:
The ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite in the Royal Navy, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, and other navies that commemorates a sailor’s first crossing of the Equator. Originally, the tradition was created as a test for seasoned sailors to ensure their new shipmates were capable of handling long rough times at sea. Sailors who have already crossed the Equator are nicknamed (Trusty) Shellbacks, often referred to as Sons of Neptune; those who have not are nicknamed (Slimy) Pollywogs.
The Certificate itself is like a work of art, with drawings of Mermaids, King Neptune, crabs and porpoises and other denizens of the sea as what they’re called.
My collection of shells.
And paper beads.
The foundation of this cuff is 140 lb paper that I folded into a round and covered with fleece.
I used hot glue gun to adhere the shells and paper beads into the cuff.
The olive shaped paper beads and the smaller round beads were used to fill in the gaps.
This is such a conversation piece and so easy to do. You can purchase shells and some of them are colored at your local craft store.
Morning Glory Paper Bead Necklace
So, here is what I came up with the paper beads made from the paper printed with the beautiful sky image I aptly named morning glory. I mixed it with fiery orange beads, purplish mother of pearl stick pearls and olive shaped paper beads in lavender and orange.
Here is the finished necklace, I wanted to use the gold filled chain for this necklace and just fashioned a fish hook from gold filled wire.
You can tell my models are not available today, so here it is worn on the neck.
You can wear this close to the neck as a choker or it’s full length of 22 inches.
I can certainly say, this is one of a kind.
Thank you for visiting me today and I hope you are inspired to make some beautiful jewelry with paper beads.
Read MoreFrom Magazine Pages to Wearable Art
Many of you have e-mailed me on how to cut paper into triangle strips ready for making beautiful paper beads. When I started experimenting on how to make paper beads I get frustrated when I get those odd shape looking ones. One day, as I was opening a package from my sister (she ships on a regular basis paper beads that they have made), there was a small pouch tucked in containing different odd shaped paper beads. She had a note for me that these are “rejects” but she did not have the heart to throw them away. They were beautiful, there’s one that’s shaped like a bell, a Christmas tree, a bottle, an egg and they are all unique. So, even if you don’t cut a perfectly proportioned triangle don’t despair this will add character to your jewelry:) Anyway, here is a video on how to cut them into strips of triangles.
The paper beads in this necklace were made from Recycled Avon Magazines.
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