Design This – Circuit Board Pine Tree

Shortly after completing the dead iPod pendant custom request, which included a piece of circuit board in the design, I spied another general alchemy request that offered the prospect of upcycling some of the old circuit boards that I had set back in my materials stash. The title of the request was “Circuit Board Pine Tree (Christmas Tree). The request included the basic size needed as well as a description of what the requester wanted to be different from an attached photo. I submitted my bid and it was accepted.

The first thing to do was to come up with the shape that my customer was looking for. After sending a couple of templates and revisions for approval, we had a winner. I then cut out the center of the winning template and used it to find a section of circuit board that looked good on both sides within the size and shape of the template. Next, I cut out another copy of the template and traced around it onto the section of circuit board that I wanted to use. To cut the shape out of the circuit board I mounted a fairly heavy jeweler’s blade into my jewelry saw and got to work. This proved to be a bit trickier than expected. Straight sections were easy to cut, but I had to bring my skills learned coping baseboards into play for the curved sections and rounded corners. I think I only broke one blade. After the shape was freed from the circuit board, I used my dremel tool to smooth and slightly round the edges and finished off the project by drilling a hole to facilitate hanging.

You always wonder how your creations are used once they have gone to their new homes. I can envision my little tree hanging from a rear view mirror or as an ornament on a Christmas tree.

If you have a project that you think I could help you with, I'd love to brainstorm it with you. Just click on the "contact EDCCollective" button or the "request custom item" button in my shop.

Design This – Pendant from Dead iPod

What to do when your dead iPod with the custom engraving that is special to you doesn’t work anymore? You can’t just throw it away. Let Etsy’s alchemy section come to the rescue! Earlier this year I found an alchemy request titled “Make me a pendant out of a dead iPod”. At first I was stumped for an idea, then I decided a nice wooden frame sounded like a good way to accomplish this. I sent a convo to see if the requestor liked my idea and if so I needed a few questions answered so that I could make a bid. After a bit of discussion, the requestor decided to accept my bid saying, “I like the idea of a wooden frame with embellishments from the circuit board. The contrast of natural/industrial is great.”

After I received the iPod from my customer, I had to take it apart to see what was available to become part of the pendant. I took photos of the pieces(#1) and sent them to my customer to see if there was anything that especially caught her eye. The only real imperative at this point was to incorporate the custom engraving and to have an open backed frame in a dark wood color, so I mocked up a few frame and circuit board embellishments for us to contemplate(#2). The aspect ratio of the pendant mock ups kept bothering me though. I didn’t like that the pendant would be wider than it was tall. I started to think about how I might make a rounded frame. Inspiration struck and I sliced some sections off a small, cured sycamore branch and cut out an opening. I sent a photo of this to my customer and after some minor adjustments, it was a winning idea.(#3)

Now that I knew what my frame opening would be like, I needed to cut out the metal section. The iPod case was a bit tougher than I had expected, so I had to buy some less fine and stronger blades for my jewelry saw. After getting the section cut off that included the inscription, we needed to decide on what would show through the open back of the pendant frame. We finally decided on a section of circuit board.

After securing the metal piece with the engraving to the circuit board section and then the wood frame front and backs, came the part that I was really looking forward to. I had had an idea for filling the gap between the wood frame on the edges that my customer agreed to let me use.(#4) I had not worked with the materials myself before, but had seen it used in many similar circumstances and really wanted a chance to try it out myself. I thought the gap would look great filled with inlaid crushed stone. Malachite would be a great color to coordinate with the green of the circuit board. I’m pleased to say that it worked out just like I had wanted it to.

Now the only thing left was to attach some hand formed “jump rings” so that my customer could attach her pendant to a necklace and send off photos for final approval from my customer.(#’s 5 & 6) I’m happy to say that she thought the pendant was beautiful and loved the way that it turned out. It is rewarding to be able to rise to a challenge like this and successfully turn someone’s idea into reality.

Please e-mail Eclectic Design Choices or request a custom item from EDCCollective if you have a custom project that you would like to see if I can help with.

Design This – Earrings to Match Costume

The perfect accessories for a costume are like the icing on a cake. They should complement the costume while supporting the theme and not detract from it. Whether your costume is for a play, Halloween, a party, a convention or other fun event, I’m always happy to brainstorm a solution to your needs.

A general Etsy alchemy request for “Earrings To Match Harlequin Jester Costume” caught my eye. There was a sketch of the costume and it suggested to me some materials that I had on hand. The request also included a need for hypoallergenic ear wires. I stock a variety of colors of niobium ear wires for people with sensitive ears so I was off to my supply room to put together a mock up for the request.

The basic pattern of the costume was an angular, geometric one in black and white. I had some square, white shell beads as well as some black gemstone cubes that I thought would lend themselves to this project. I included a gray pair of niobium ear wires in the photo of my initial design idea. (photo #1)

The person that placed the request liked the basic design but wondered if I could add some of the blue accent color in the sketch. I had just picked up some awesome blue sponge coral beads that seemed to be the perfect color and had some that were small rounded cubes that I suggested adding as a dangle from my original design. I also suggested a dark blue pair of niobium ear wires as an option. (photo #2) After looking at a photo of my other available blue sponge coral beads, my customer decided to go with the dangling cubes and the dark blue ear wires that I had suggested.

All that was left now was to make up the earrings (photo #3) and get them shipped to my customer. I think the shapes and colors of the materials of the earrings will be a good fit for the design of the costume and the niobium ear wires will both add a bit of color and provide a hypoallergenic solution for comfortable wearing for sensitive ears.

If you would like for me to brainstorm a solution to your accessory needs, please click on the “request custom item” or “contact EDCCollective” button in my shop.