Off the Cuff: Mixed Media Jewelry

Off The Cuff

Definition of off-the-cuff : not prepared in advance : spontaneous, informal 

I am anything but spontaneous. I love to plan and organize. And my most favorite thing to do is cross things off my list. Sometimes, I make lists of things that I have already completed just for the sole purpose of checking it off. I am amazed at how much I can get done when I make a list and stick to it. That sense of accomplishment is a very essential part of my day. Even though there are days that I don’t want to do much, I dislike feeling lazy.  Hopefully, this summer while my children are off school we can get into a routine. Not only does it keep them from being bored but it keeps me on track…and less grumpy.

Most of our friends through the years have all been spontaneous by nature. Many times, Hubby and I have pondered how couples with children can live so care-free. But now I can see that there are many upsides to this dynamic. They tend to be adventurous and adapt easily to change. We tend to weight out all the options and in the end choose the least risky (aka boring).

Are you an Off the Cuff individual/couple or do you err on the side of caution?

Making The Mixed Media Cuff

Inspiration

I was very inspired by a tutorial that I recently saw on the StencilGirl® blog by Claudia Neubacher. I loved how she combined fabric, stencils and paint to create wearable art. I love unusual/eclectic jewelry but have never wanted to invest in another hobby. These cuffs are a happy medium. They are worn as an adornment yet they are still a piece of art. How cool is that?

The Process

I used a flour sack towel as my base because I had a scrap leftover from a previous project that I had already colored using PaperArtsy infusions. I laid my Chinese Garden Plum Blossom stencil on top and sprayed Lindy’s to create my outline.

I painted the stenciled image with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paints and then outlined in a black marker. I did not use fabric safe paint as I am not planning on getting this wet. Plus, this was just an experiment to see how it turned out.

Last, I cut a piece of flannel the same size as my cuff. The original tutorial was a single layer but flower sack towels are very thin so I thought I needed a bit more thickness. I used a zigzag stitch around the edges to keep it from fraying. I did a straight stitch around the edges twice, being careful to not maintain a straight line. I also stitched around the larger flowers and leaves. The button hole was last. I made it a bit too close to the top but it doesn’t really bother me. Overall, I am rather pleased with how it came out.

But, I am thinking about adding some seed beads to the center of the blossoms to dress it up a bit.

I am playing along with Elizabeth and Bleubeard today by sharing a pot of my favorite tea.

That’s all for today. I would love to see links to some of your jewelry projects or wearable art. Inspiration is always in demand in my neck of the woods.

Happy Tea Day,

Kate