Junk Jewelry: 25 Extraordinary Designs to Create from Ordinary Objects

Designed to make people look twice, Junk Jewelry’s beauty lies in featuring otherwise ordinary items in artful, surprising ways. What looks like a metal cuff turns out to be made of safety pins; translucent hoop earrings are actually computer chips; and a drawer pull transforms into a pendant. As the world goes green, there’s never been a better time to pack a visual punch with recycled materials and everyday objects or mementos found in a dresser, at a flea market, or in the attic.

But Junk Jewelry isn’t just about throwing together useless bits without some thought—artist and designer Jane Eldershaw shares prin-ciples for assembling it successfully without sacrificing imagination. You’ll learn how to find inspiration, create aesthetic rhythm, and pull off wearing the pieces with panache.

With a focus on acquiring a visual vocabulary and having fun without spending a lot of money, the 25 projects featured here are perfect for anyone who appreciates thrift-store funkiness and avant-garde fashion.

Hipsters and fashionistas will be pleased to find that Eldershaw also delves into the high-fashion roots of the medium, starting with Coco Chanel all the way up to recent collections by Jeffrey Chow. With step-by-step instructions, tips on finding the best raw materials, and instructional illustrations, Junk Jewelry is both a thoughtful how-to manual and a unique, intellectually satisfying style guide.

JANE ELDERSHAW has worked at Australian Vogue, New Woman magazine, and the New York Post.