We are continuing right along with our month long Naughty Secretary Club themed edition of I Love to Create with a new spin on the Office Hanky Panky Bracelet from The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry. As if the original bracelet was not cute enough we took this new version to an all new customized level. As many of you know I am an obsessive collector of many different things from vintage Fisher Price toys to Burt Reynolds paraphernalia. Today I’m going to show you how to make your favorite collections wearable! Don’t forget we are also giving away a copy of my book every Thursday and this week you get a bottle of Liquid Fusion glue too!
SUPPLIES
Digital Camera
Computer
Scanner
Pliers
Photoshop Program
Black and White Polka Dotted Scrap Book Paper
Toys (something fun and bright to photograph)
Bracelet Blank
Liquid Fusion Glue
Computer Printer Fabric
Scissors
7/8” Button Covering Kit
HOW TO
1) Choose something that you would like to photograph. I chose my collection of vintage Dream Pets. The brighter and more colorful the better it will pop against the background.
2) I used a photography light tent and took pictures of 6 different stuffed animals because there are six blanks on the bracelet.
3) Choose a patterned piece of paper such as black and white polka dots and scan into computer.
4) When the scan shows up in Photoshop select a 2” X 2” section at 300dpi and save.
5) Next using your USB cable import your digital images into your computer and one by one open in Photoshop.
6) Once the picture is opened in Photoshop first crop as close to the sides to the image as possible making the width roughly .7” in size and 300 dpi. I chose to just use the heads of the animals.
7) Unlock your layers so that you can then use the magic wand tool to select and cut/delete your background.
8) While your animal image is open and at this point should have a gray and white check background open the 2” square of your background at the same time so that the two images are side by side.
9) Use the “move tool” to place the cut out animal image onto the black and white polka dotted image. Move the image around until it is centered.
10) Once you have done this to all 6 images place the images side by side in a word document. You might fill up the entire page with extra squares since you can not run the fabric through the printer again once it has been cut.
11) Place the printer fabric in your printer. Set your printer to print using best quality and also set your paper choice options to “other specialty” papers in most cases.
12) Once the fabric has been printed onto cut out the 6 squares you need.
13) Follow the manufactures guidelines for using the button covering kit for all 6 buttons.
14) Using pliers remove the button shanks.
15) Using Liquid Fusion glue attach each button to the bracelet blanks.
16) Allow to dry overnight!
That was easy! Make bracelets out of your collection of state plates, taxidermy, Majolica – you name it! So you wanna win a copy of The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry and a bottle of Liquid Fusion Glue? Leave me a comment and let me know what you collect. Do you love your collection enough to wear it? Give us the juicy collectible details.
Suggested Reading:
Discovering Tomorrows Collectibles Today
My Collections
Everyday Beauty
I collect handmade origami paper. I wish I were bold enough to cut it up and wear it, but I’m afraid I might ruin it. Which is so silly, since it just sits in paper bins, all the beautiful designs hidden.
Love this! It’s so Banana Splits! I just figured that magic wand tool out ths weekend and it made quick work of a detailed image I used for a screen printing project.
Great tutorial.
Cheers,
Madge
Chel your paper is a perfect candidate for this project. Scan your paper and print it out on this fabric and make some jewelry!
Unbelievably cute!
It’s not often that I want to cuddle with a bracelet…
oh banana splits, loved that show!
Wouldn’t my Pez collection look smashing on a bracelet!!
omg Pez would be perfect, do it!!! I am debating what collection I should do next.
You have no idea how thrilled I am that you collect vintage Dream Pets too! I just pulled some out the other day to show my 4 year old! He was very impressed with them!
I love this project! I saw that the crafty chica made a wonderful bracelet using some great vintage clip on earrings too! It’s on my ‘to craft list’.
This would make a fabulous craftster challenge!
This is awesome. I’d only like to add the suggestion of ironing your fabric before you cut it. It helps the ink stabilize.
Of late I’ve been collecting fabrics from Gabon – or rather my husband buys them for me when he goes there. Left on my own, I have a growing collection of cutesy birds (which would look cute on a bracelet).
Jasmine you are so right and I should also mention avoid getting your bracelet wet (rain, sweat, washing hands) the ink tends to run no matter what preventative measures you take.
If you brushed on some mod podge & let that dry & then gave them a coat of resin over that…they'd be near waterproof. At least sweat & handwashing wouldn't affect them much!
;o)
would that not darken the fabric? sounds like a helluva good idea.
It may be worth experimenting on some scrap fabrics…just to see what happens. I haven’t had fabric change color much when doing that technique…any change seems slight. You do trade the matte finish for glossy resin though.
I’ve always got my hands in water being a mom of 2 little ones..so it would be worth sealing the pictures! Would hate to ruin such a fun creation!
what about scotchguard? You could spay it on… right. Not sure I’ve ever actually scothguarded anything.
Oh Bonnie you are indeed wise Scotch Guard is a great idea. I have never used it either but in theory. I also wonder about that clear iron on vinyl, although that might make everything too thick for the button kit.
We collect Star Wars goodies! That would make such a neat bracelet!
Leslie
I was looking at all of our little star wars figures. It would be so cute to have a bracelet with all the jedi, then a bracelet with the dark side, then a different bracelet for all the bots like the little R2D2 guys and C3PO! I have to do this project! May the force be with you……
I collect so many things! I have old childrens books, rubbermaid tubs FULL of old costume jewelry,buckets of buttons,fruit and veggie wall pockets, and lots of odd vintage kitchen items. Oh, and about 3000 happy meal toys..
It would almost be easier to post what I don’t collect (yet) – lol
I have an out of control quilting fabrics stash (both cottons and all kinds of velvets, satins, trims, etc. for crazy quilting), I am completely obsessed with anything butterfly or pertaining to the seventies, I collect and covet vintage beads, buttons and craft books…this list could go on and on but I’ll stop here.
LOVE THIS…and, I was more of a Witchipoo fan. “Oranges Poranges, who says?”
Julie
What a great idea to be able to wear a collection!! Or to put it on a garment (as a button) or incorporate it in another fiber piece.
Came here from The Crochet Dude who I’m sure is thinking the monkey that was on the cruise with us could now stay out of my purse!
Collect: Ice Follies jewelry, Fallen Ice Skaters, crochet hooks, fabric, dust, pins, skunks, monkeys, boks
Saguaro – I think Star Wars would be perfect! You could use a star backdrop instead of polka dots.
Tracey I wanna dig through those tubs of costume jewelry and I too colelct fruit wall pockets. My mom actually wrote an entire book on wallpockets called Wall Pockets of the Past.
Lorrwill it sounds like we were sperated at birth.
Kitschentable I pretty much heart
I have so many collections! "Cowboy & Indians" stuff from the 30s-60s, books, vintage jewelry, Hall tea/coffeepots, beach glass/shells/rocks/???'s, antiques, advertising stuff, Black collectibles, etc., etc.!
I definitely love some of them enough to wear them!
Thanks so much for this giveaway!
Oh ya….star background…perfect!
i collect way too many things! pyrex and snowglobes, salt and pepper sets, vintage hankies, vintage fabric and sewing supplies, old photos, especially vintage nudes, embroidery patterns, a certain style of vintage towels, those 2 and 3 strand necklaces from the 50s and 60s, BUTTONS, rosaries and marys and other catholic imagery (i have a catholic themed bathroom), books, etc…
this is
I collect used light bulbs. I have all shapes and sizes; it gets difficult to find one that isn’t burnt out when you need it though…
My ultimate goal is to make a chandelier with them, but until I have enough they’re displayed where ever I find space.
I collect vintage magazines, clothing patterns, ads, books… the question for me is also… what DON’T I collect? 😉
I collect Barbie Dolls and I would love to wear them on a bracelet like you made.
So much fun!
So Barbie!
I would also love to win your book!
So Me!
Pictures of Barbie would be perfect for this project! Speaking of Barbie don’t forget the Totally Hair Barbie Necklace How-To I did over on the Austin Craft Mafia blog.
I collect turtle figurines, cat fabric, cooking utensils. Any and all would make a cool looking bracelet.
Also, for those of you who have stuff you want to get rid of, to downsize, but don’t want to “forget”, make a bracelet or necklace and “wear” the memory.
Katina
kjkoukla(at) hotmail(dot) com
Very Cool!
I have a small collection of Dream Pets, a large collection of PEZ, and a gazillion other collections that would look great turned into wearable jewelry.
Can’t wait to make some!
Karen
treasureangel(at)airbaud(dot)net
By and large, all I collect is craft supplies. 🙂 A yarn bracelet could be awesome, though.
corvus.melloriATgmailDOTcom
I don’t really collect things intentionally. But I think this would be a fabulous way to commemorate any favorite thing. I’m thinking my children’s artwork would work well or my favorite shoes, that way I could wear more than one pair at a time!
Heather – a way to wear 2 shoes at once…I lika the waya ya think.
I love this bracelet. I think this is such a creative way to create a unique design unlike anyone else. Thanks for the great ideas. I definitely have some ideas for some bracelets for my daughter.