Faux Ancient Beads Technique

Hi guys!!! :) I have sooo much stuff to show you and so little time, so just a quick post today before I go back to cooking and dusting and cleaning and all that fun that needs to be taken care of once in a while...Ah, my house is such a mess! An organised mess though. I know exactly where to find my supplies, my wires, it's very easy...


...they're everywhere! After every cleaning and re-organising my place, I feel lost! Everything disappears! Maybe I should start making a list, like an inventory of every item to remember where I put my stuff after cleaning.


But as always, jewelry first ~ yay!! If I don't prioritize I won't get anything done at all. The guys above are vintage glass beads soldered on oxidised copper wire. Berry clusters, yum!


Second pair, African terracotta beads and Carnelian. Love the swirls on the African beads, but still, they looked kinda simple for me, so I painted them with acrylics! Aren't they super pretty now? :)


 The third pair, crystals on dark, oxidised metal...there's something so mysterious, almost magical  about this particular mix of elements, they look perfect together. The crystal beads were brand new "Swarovski elements" ~ cute, but a bit too shiny and too new looking for my taste. So I sanded them, boiled them in salty water, buried them in soil, and look at them now!!! They look like they're 100 years old! Squeeee!!!!


There, see what I'm talking about? My primitive head pins don't look well with brand new beads. If I'm in the mood for girly, sweet ones, like these...


...no need to alter the beads. But for grungy, primitive looking stuff, you have to age the beads first. Unless you have lots of money and can afford to buy all the awesome ancient beads to work with...  I haaate you!  ~ I love ancient beads...


 Ancient art, stones, pottery, jewelry...love them, they fascinate me. An object that has been created and worn/used thousands of years ago, buried and finally found again, is now here, for you to see and touch...almost like a connection in time...how amazing is that? Who else has touched it? What is its story?


 I'm making my own faux "ancient objects". The beads above are glass ( I think..?) and were titanium coated...but after lots of sanding and burning and what not they look like this, old!! I have my special place outside where I bury my beads: my Rosemary pot.


It's right next to my door and it gets watered often. I bury my beads there, wait for a month or sometimes more, and voila! I'm excavating my own faux "ancient beads"!! ...Jeezlouise, I can't believe I just told you my faux ancient beads secret. Shhh, don't tell anyone!!! Oh, the glass and the polymer work the best, the beads end up looking so old!


These polymer roses were buried in my Rosemary pot for months! They're sold now. Yes, I washed them well with water and soap after excavating them, of course...I'm not crazy! Not that way, at least... 

For vintage jewelry lovers, this awesome sterling set will be up for sale soon.
 I have to go, it's getting late again...but I still have so much stuff to show you!!! 

All these wild guys, next time!!!


See you soon!!!

Love, Laura! xoxo




 P.S. So, what is your secret technique?? I'd love to know! I told you mine, don't be a meanie! :))


What I'm trying to do right now...

Comments

  1. Cool, beautiful and what else? Lol. Each one is so unique! Very clever with the primitif headpins and the faux ancient
    beads.
    Thank you so much for sharing your technique with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My dear Solange, so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you! :)

      Delete
  2. Fascinating Post and lovely Jewelry.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So funny :) I just had to clean up the dining table of my stuff for we had friends for dinner and feel lost, I don't know where to start tomorrow! Now this is a great secret about making beads look old, I need to pin this post. I'd love to share but I don't have so important secret methods yet :) And I share everything on my blog :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad I'm not the only one lol! :)) Thank you so much, your blog is awesome!

      Delete
  4. Yep. I knew your blog wouldn't disappoint! Now I will be up to the wee hours reading all the goodness here. �� So glad I found you on insta.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you so much, I'm so glad to see you here! :)

    ReplyDelete

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