Authentic Turkana handmade aluminum pendant with assorted beads on a 2 strand necklace.

New listing in my Etsy Shop. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Mukwoh

This unusual hand made pendant was crafted by the Turkana people from the Lake Turkana area in the far northern reaches of Kenya.

The old blacksmiths hammer shapes to a very thin layer from copper or brass wire and if metal is scarce, they use old aluminum cooking pots for their jewelry.  The spear shape pendant listed here was created from one of their old pots.

 click on image to enlarge

African Turkana Pendant for the focal point on this Tribal necklace.

Necklace with authentic African handmade aluminum pendant and assorted beads.

Just listed in my Etsy Shop.   http://www.etsy.com/shop/Mukwoh 

This unusual hand made pendant was crafted by the Turkana people from the Lake Turkana area in the far northern reaches of Kenya.

The old blacksmiths hammer shapes to a very thin layer from copper or brass wire and if metal is scarce, they use old aluminum cooking pots for their jewelry. The spear shape pendant listed here was created from one of their old pots.

 click on images to enlarge

Upcycled Wire Wrapped Resin Donut Pendant

I love to upcycle or recycle items to give them a new purpose. This is one of those items.
I recently listed this pendant onto my Etsy Shop.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Mukwoh

Upcycled purple wire wrapped resin donut pendant.

Squiggly Silver Wire Pendant

Handmade coiled and bent wire pendant.

One of my wire designs that I recently listed onto my Etsy Shop. Very simple design that can be worn anywhere.


Squiggly silver wire pendant.

Ocean Washed Natural Beach Finds

I love jewelry and art made from natural found objects. I think I'm a beach bum at heart. I also love to upcycle or recycle items to give them a new purpose.
Recently I listed some pendants into my Etsy Shop made from sea washed natural coral, pieces of shell, and lava rock. I wire wrapped them and added a bit of bling to some for a dressier look.

Large beach coral pendant wrapped with copper wire.

Sea washed shell wrapped with copper wire.

Beach coral boot shaped pendant wrapped with glass bead and silver wire.

 Sea washed natural lava rock pendant wrappped with silver wire.

Wire Wrapped Sea Glass Pendants

Some handmade wire wrapped sea glass pendants I recently listed on my Etsy Shop.

I thought I would try free form wire wrapping rather than drilling a starter bead hole in them first.
Depending on the shape of the glass, I had to vary my technique. Some of them were quite a challenge to hold and wrap. They were slippery little fellas to hold on to when I started the wrap. Now I know why people drill them first.

Friends collected the glass for me from North Carolina, Florida, and the shores of England.

Frosted white sea glass with silver wire.

Green seaglass with dark green wire.

 Frosted white sea glass with copper wire.

Frosted white sea glass with purple wire.

DIY Lamp Decorating for Kids Room

People have been asking me about a lamp that was sitting on a dresser in one of my earlier posts on how to decorate a kids room cheaply.
http://www.nancypallenstudio.blogspot.ca/2013/03/kids-room-decor-cheap-and-easy-to-do.html

I bought a cheap $2.00 lamp from Value Village. I bought some sparkly folk art paint from the Dollar Store in a periwinkle blue colour that I thought would go well with the dark blue room I was decorating for the kids.

I also bought some small craft pompoms. Mine were pink, blue and yellow which I thought the girls would like.

First I painted the non metal parts of the lamp with the sparkly folk art paint and let dry. I did this quite awhile ago so I don't remember what the lamp material was that I painted on top of. Whatever it was, the folk art paint stuck to it fine. I didn't prime it first, but I suggest that you do if you want to be sure of the paint adhering to the item.

I used cheap Dollar store paint, but you could also use spray paint and tape off the areas you don't want covered.

After everything was dry, I just glued on the pompoms following the design of the lamp. I also glued pompoms around the lampshade. I used Tacky glue for this. I don't recommend using a glue gun for this project, as the lamp will get warm after it's turned on for awhile and glue from glue guns will soften and sometimes come unglued.

Have fun!!