Tracy Statler of Make Bracelets issued a challenge, one that caught the eye of many of us in this jewelry community. We were challenged to make a collection of bracelets, stacked-wrapped-and-layered – sound like fun? In Tracy’s words:
The trend of wrapped, stacked and layered bracelets has been around for awhile and it shows no signs of stopping! Bracelets of all kinds mixed together in new and unique ways are bigger than ever. The coolest part is this bracelet layering Paloozza can be adapted for all styles!
For my stacked, wrapped & layered bracelet collection, I narrowed down the daunting realm of possibilities by picking a color scheme and components that I knew I wanted to work with. I paired both bronze and brass metals with mother of pearl to create an eclectic yet cohesive grouping of bracelets. This was the perfect opportunity for me to try a few new techniques – it was like each bracelet was a mini lab experiment.
After taking the mesh bangle class last weekend at Bead Fest, I was interested in seeing what SilverSilk was all about out on the showroom floor. Now we didn’t use SilverSilk in class, but rather vintage mesh chain. The Silver Silk chain is somewhat similar though and is made with very fine knitted wire. They offered a kit that is much like the leather wrap bracelets that are popular now. I loved this alternative – incorporating wire rather than the traditional leather version…I added a bronze wire hook clasp.
In this next set of bracelets, I did use a bit of faux suede and knotted it with new brass beads I bought last weekend from Hands of the Hills. The clasp is plump, round antique button. For the wire bangle, I attached a vintage mother of pearl buckle to a piece of half-round red brass wire that was first tumbled smooth.
I love how this next bracelet turned out…what could be better – the combination of sari silk ribbon and old rhinestone chain! If you’d like to learn how to make a braided bracelet like this, check out the fabulous tutorial on Miss Lovie’s blog right here.
I just had to mix in some straight wirework. I used brass wire for this bangle, along with new rose bud components from Hands of the Hills (can you tell I spent a bit of time in their booth at Bead Fest?). You can find my tutorial to make a similar wire bangle in Denise Peck’s book, Wire Style 2.
I really had fun with this next bangle. I’m drawn to jewelry that combines old bits and pieces with a touch of fiber. In this bracelet, I used a brass strip as the base to stitch old mother of pearl and rhinestone buttons. I even stitched on a few seed beads. That’s what I loved about this challenge – the excuse to purposely mix things up!
Thank you, Tracy, for hosting this FUN challenge!
The list of Challenge participants – let’s see how everyone stacked and layered their bracelets!
stringsattachedcindi.blogspot.com
carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
copperpennydesigns.blogspot.com
twentytwelve-mmxii.blogspot.com
elizabeth-marengoalhajas.blogspot.com
erinsiegeljewelry.blogspot.com
ferrarioriginalsyahoocom.blogspot.com
facebook.com/handcraftedserenity
silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com
daisychaindesignsjewellery.blogspot.com
howienjoylife7997.blogspot.com
pinterest.com/kk0725/stack-it-up-bracelets/
inspiredadonments.blogspot.com
freshbakeddesigns.wordpress.com
maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com
beadingbymalindekoning.blogspot.com
eclecticteaenshrinements.blogspot.com
stefaniessammelsurium.blogspot.com
sedillohillstudio.blogspot.com
sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com
aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com
blueberrycrazy.deviantart.com/gallery
uniqueboutique-creativetouch.blogspot.com
theresestreasures59.blogspot.com
sweetbeadstudio.com (you are here!)
Thank you for stopping by!
– Cindy
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I so love your style. I need more hours in the day so I can play with wire. The braided rhinestone bracelet is oh so lovely….I need to take a look there! I always leave here smiling.
oh em ge Cindy!! These are all so amazing and together they are just an absolute knock out!! I am sooo going to wear some bangles today in honor of the challenge reveal and I’ll be wishing mine were half as beautiful as these. WOW!
Cindy, Amazing work! Love the metals and color combinations. If I had to pick one it would be the metal strip and the one with the buckle. You always think outside the box.
Guess I need to pull out my Metaliferrous stuff … and Hands of Hills will be in my neck of the woods in a couple of weeks. Hope they have stuff left after all you gals were at Bead Fest!
Stunning bracelets the combo is fab. Hope all is well and we see each other soon:-)
Cindy, absolutely stunning and beautiful photography of your pieces!!
Whoa! So much to look at and so beautifully photographed, as usual! Every element is so well-thought out and stunning. The colors are subtle but you have used glimmer, contrast, texture and suprising combinations to luxe out the entire stack! Gotta get some more details about that brass strip. And I know what I’m adding to my ArtBliss workshop– stacks!
Cindy, you do such amazing work and I love that you took this challenge and kept your signature look both. A great accomplishment in my book. They’re just beautiful pieces. I would love to do this one the next time — after we’re moved and happily settled in our tiny place in LA. Keep on keepin’ on, girlfriend. You’re awesome!
All of them are so pretty!! Love the braided silk and rhinestone bracelet! And the bracelet with the brass strip- wherever did you find that, it’s awesome! i would totally buy this set. are you selling them!?
Wowzers! Really love the techniques you have shown here…and the photography makes me woozy!! Wonderful presentation and the theme is just too beautiful for words…
Cindy, the bracelet collection you made is AMAZING!!! i love how each one showcases a different technique and was a mini experiment.
Before I even clicked on your blog, I KNEW how beautiful your bracelets would be! Your photography, once again, is fantastic! These are all really stunning, and quite the collection!
Those are great! Love that vintage feel!
Cindy, I love your style, it is part vintage, part elegant and just plain awesome! I love your stack, very inspiring and I would love to rock this on my wrist!!!
I really love the vintage feel and the tones you used. Really nice.
OhMyGoddness!! There is absolutely SO MUCH to admire about this post. First, I like that you used a particular color theme for your stack. It really helped the bracelets to have some cohesion about them even though you used a wide variety of styles and techniques to make them. You really produced a wonderfully romantic stack. And, that’s not something I was expecting to see in this hop. Thank you for surprising me and think you for sharing all the links. This is a completely inspiring stack!
Oh wow! They are all so beautiful! And they go so wonderfully together! A very romantic vintage look.
Cindy, these are so you! All so vintage and beautiful! I especially love the wire wrapped bangle with those gorgeous rosebud components and the way you added a hook clasp to the brass strip bangle is ingenious! I didn’t get to do much shopping for myself this last trip to beadfest, HOH is always one of my favorites, I usually buy their antique glass beads, will have to check out their brass in august.
Wow! Amazing. You have such a great eye…
Beautiful work as always Cindy! I really love this soft vintage look! The way you bring all these elements together always blows my mind…so unique.
Cindy, Beautiful bracelets. I love them all separately but the stack is awesome!
Holy Hell, oops sorry, I hope your blog isn’t PG. I’m jumping out of my seat. I’m in love with the fibers, the wire, the bits of vintage, and that mop buckle, brilliant! Your photography is just as stunning as your bracelets.
Love the knottted faux suede and brass bead bracelet! Very bohemian. Very me.
SO gorgeous and so you – That wireworked one is my fav – love the flowers!
Each on is gorgeous alone, but what a huge impact all together. Love the vintage looks…my favorite is the wire wrapped rose bud bangle.
Each one is so very lovely and as a bunch they are simply divine. Great work!
I absolutely LOVE the sari silk on and the wire bangle — everything is so pretty.
each one is better than the last & togheter they are divine! beautiful work
Hey Cindy- You did it again! STUNNING bracelets- my fav has to be the all wirework with the tulip-y beads. So lovely- so YOU! WHEN are you going to teach a class already!!!!
They are all just so lovely.
Wow. Really beautiful stack….LOVE the color palette! They look so classic & uptown!
These are amazing. I don’t think there is one bracelet I don’t LOVE. I especially adore the silversilk bracelet. I will be trying this soon!
I love them all! You used your color scheme and components in an amazing way! Your experiments were very successful, Bead Fest must’ve juiced up your creativity, not that it needed it! Hands of the Hills is an essential stop, very good ideas on using their pieces. You could call your class, “How To Do It Like Cindy”, but no one can! Lovely post!
Cindy – this is a knock out stack of bracelets! Beautiful styling and beautiful photography. Such a romantic collection with unique details. I am always in awe of your work. I think the brass strip and the wirework bangle with the rosebuds are my favs. Thanks for playing along!
Tracy
Cindy, I love your combination of bracelets and each one is so unique. I can’t make up my mind which one I like the best. The brass strip piece is awesome – it is so different, looks so vintage. Where did you find a piece like that? Using the wooden spool as a prop for display is genius. Partial to the sari silk and rhinestone bracelet as well.
I love the bracelets. I’m sitting here while my husband watches an old western and your pieces fit the mood nicely, but could easily fit may times from long ago.
Just beautiful! I love the braided rhinestones. It’s totally unique with the antique look I adore.
Very pretty stack. I feel the need to make a big bunch of bracelets myself.
gorgeous work, i love them all!
Hi Cindy,
Love your bracelets. My favorite is the braided silk one, thank you for sharing the tutorial on how to make it.
Therese
What a gorgeous stack Cindy. It was such a pleasure to read through all the different materials and methods you used to make your bracelets. Love the mesh wire you used and how you included the mother of pearl buckle in the wrapped leather and brass one. All so inventive and very pretty. Your choice of a color palette made all these diverse pieces into such a cohesive and exciting piece!!!
Oh my Cindy! This must be one of my favorite stacks so far. WOW! Each piece you made is gorgeous and fun, and together they are even better. I adore the braided one. And I am definitely gonna check out that tutorial. I must complement you on the absolutely fantastic photos as well.
Cindy…such a gorgeous little collection! I love how they all look together and that if I saw them out and about I’d know they were from you.
Take care!
Jen
WOW!! I love this beautiful vintage/romantic stack you created. Each bracelet is so pretty on it’s own and together the stack is just stunning! Your photography is really nice as well. Thanks for sharing!
Love the bracelets you came up with! I’ve been layering bracelets more lately, for some reason it makes me more confident LOL
Is it okay to admit that this is my favorite stack of all that I have seen? I love it! The simple tones of brass and pearl are classic. These each have a lovely patina to them and a style that is simply fantastic. I love your inventive use of materials. That reminds me that about 6 months ago I bought some of that Silver Silk. I will have to dig that out again! Beautiful work as always. You inspire me so much, Miss Cindy!
Enjoy the day! Erin
Cindy! I do believe this grouping of gorgeous bracelets are my most favorites I have seen in this hop! Wow, so many beautiful components and unique ideas and such a cohesive grouping! Stunning!
As always, Cindy, you do not disappoint! Your bracelets are lovely, just gorgeous!! And I love that Silver Silk….must remember to look into it 🙂
WOW, your bracelets are amazing! So very elegant and lovely!
Oh Cindy, the bracelets are fantastic. Such beautiful soft colors and so delicate and feminine. My favorite, the simple bangle with the pearl buckle… so classic :0)
Cindy, you have out-done yourself this time! I absolutely love the whole stack, but that sari silk and rhinestone bracelet, yummy! and your wire bangle w/ the rosebuds, love it!
Wow, I don’t know which one I love best! So many wonderful bracelets with unique styles, beautiful.