Creating for Cosplay

It's no secret.  I love cosplay.  This weekend I'll be heading out to The Steampunk World's Fair for three days of creative cosplay fun!  I don't sew but I do enjoy making the jewelry for my costumes.  For this years SPWF, I've made the jewelry for two of my three outfits.

Necklace for the butterfly collector cosplay

I've been hanging on to this fabulous metal and resin butterfly pendant by Lynn Davis for several years.  Well, I'm bringing back and revamping my butterfly collector costume this year so I finally had the inspiration to work with this piece.  I added some citrine, coral, carnelian and Vintaj charms and chain to complete this necklace.  It will also look great paired with the leather butterfly cuff that Lindsay posted about yesterday!

Fit for a mermaid

The other outfit I needed jewelry for was my ocean/mermaid-inspired steampunk cosplay.  

Fabulous enamel focal by Gardanne Beads

I knew when I saw this enameled seashell in Anne's booth that I had to have it.  It matched portions of my costume perfectly!  I paired it with some porcelain Suburban Girl seashell charms, Swarovski pearls, faux coral branches and aquamarine rondelles.  

In addition to using art beads for my cosplay, I also like to spread the love by introducing art beads to people who might not know about them.  In 2013, I started hosting the trinket swap at SPWF.  Participants create steampunk-inspired wearable trinkets that we swap with one another.  The first year I created wearable porcelain gears.  Last year I made stoneware keyhole pendants.

Stoneware Keyhole Pendants

This year I decided that mustaches would be my theme.  

Porcelain greenware mustache charms

I found a 3-D printing service and had them create some mustache cutters in an assortment of sizes.  I thought the tiny size was the best fit for my trinkets so I made about 25 in porcelain.

Glazed but un-fired porcelain mustaches

These charms were glazed but un-fired at the time I wrote this post but I should be unloading them from the kiln sometime today.  After I inspect them, I'll add a jump ring and put them on a ball chain.  

I'm looking forward to swapping them on Saturday AND to introducing more people to the wonderful world of art beads!

Happy Beading!

Steampunk + Art Beads = Fun!

This weekend I will be attending The Steampunk World's Fair in Piscataway, NJ.  I went last year for the first time and had a blast.  One of the ways I met more people was by hosting a trinket swap.  Since everyone seemed to enjoy it, I am hosting it again this year.  Participants create wearable, steampunk-themed trinkets that we then swap with each other (full details are here).  It was a fun way to encourage people to get crafty, make new friends AND introduce people to art beads.

Last year I created porcelain gears that had clasps attached to them.  For this years swap, I went with stoneware keyhole charms.  They are in the greenware stage in the photo above.  Once they dried, I sponged them and bisque-fired them.

After the bisque firing, I stained each with an oxide and loaded them in to the kiln.  You can see them in the photo on the left at the bottom of the kiln.

And here they are after the firing!

To fulfill my swap requirement of them being wearable, I hung each from some ball chain necklaces that I purchased through MyElements.  Since ball chain can be easily cut with a pair of scissors, participants can decide how they would like to wear them (necklaces, keychains, etc...)

Of course, I had to go a step further and make cute packaging for each trinket.  I punched a hole in my Moo cards and slid them on to the chain.  Then I stamped mustaches on the envelopes and sealed each with washi tape.  I was having so much fun with my mustache stamps that I went ahead and stamped the bag I'll be carrying them in.  

I'm looking forward to Saturday and I can't wait to see what the other trinket swappers have created!

Happy Beading!

Diana P.

Suburban Girl Studio LLC