Thursday, April 15, 2010

Project four: "Das Boot."

Hi! I'm up to number four! (See previous posts on the SuperSecretStashBusting challenge.) I do believe that today's will be the simplest project yet. I'm taking this cute two-holed silver thingy from the stash:By the way, does anyone know what it is? Possibly a slider for a bolo tie? Hmm. I haven't a clue, really, but that never stops me. I'll also use another of those leather cords - a rawhide-looking one. And about 18 inches of not-fancy wire from the garden shed.
Even if you don't have the exact same kind of silver thingy, I bet you have something that is a.) cute, and b.) has 2 holes in it. Perhaps an old brooch or part of an earring? I know there's something in your stash. Anyway, here's my version:

First, I cut a l'il piece of rawhide, and fringed the ends. Just because...I don't know. I just did.

I took the piece of wire and formed one end of it into a circle (about 3 inches diameter; I had some help from a mayo lid). Then I folded the rest of the wire across. Like so:

I bent the wire upright, at the point where it reaches the center of the circle.

I threaded the thingy onto the wire. Ah ha! I suspect you are now starting to guess where this is going!

I bent the top part of the wire into a curlicue and added the rawhide.



That's it! A photo holder, eh? Perfect for a picture of my nephew Eli, when he was a really little cowboy.


(I couldn't decide which adorable baby picture was most adorable...dang, I wish I had two boots!)

Depending on your centerpiece, you would customize these with different embellishments - ribbons, dyed silk, colored cord. I think the great thing with these would be to choose the perfect photo that speaks to the item you use as a centerpiece. A young woman with a pretty filigree, a little girl with a ladybug, etc. Go with your gut, make it personal.

Like this one. For me, the perfect pairing.

And now, my fellow Stashbusters, go forth! Find your own 2-holed thingy and rock it.

9 comments:

  1. Michelle, I am amazed & awed by your creativity.
    I wonder who you take after.
    love,
    your mother

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  2. Your mother is obviously a smart woman. I, too, am awed, and I love your writing. Gonna add you to my Reader right now.

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  3. When I started reading this post, I never dreamed you were going in this direction with your "silver thingie" (ie. concho). I just knew it was going to be a jewelry project! I was surprised and thrilled with the direction it took! Very, very creative! Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Okay... I wrote like four comments on this post but they never showed up! I love this project. I can't remember what else I wrote about it, although I think I posted a link to the boot's matching concho friend, which I used on the pocket of a cowboy vest for my son for a costume. Let me go find it again... http://croqzine.com/?p=393

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  5. Heather: I went to look at your vest project - so cute! How funny that we both thought 1. rawhide thong tied in center, and 2. for a little boy!

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  6. This is so cool!! This would make a lovely Cousin Camp project, so I'm filing it in my idea file! :)

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  7. Michelle,
    HOw stinkin cute is that photo holder? So fun! Thanks for joining the Craftaholics Anonymous Support Group! I had fun stopping by and checking out your craftiness!
    Linda

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  8. This project made me heart go pitter pat. Well done.

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  9. This is great! I have been looking for an inexpensive wedding favor/ place card holder. This is it. I am thinking that beads or silk flowers could make them all uniform.

    Thanks!

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