Unexpected Findings
50+ CLEVER JEWELRY DESIGNS
featuring everyday components
by Michelle Mach
There is a lot of fun and inspiration to be had when you open and learn from Unexpected Findings by Michelle Mach.
Ms. Mach creates great projects which include super pretty and inventive findings, intriguing "stars of the show", which are great fun to try out.
Additionally. the author has chosen great contributors to pack some added punch to Unexpected Findings. These contributors are designers Lorelei Eurto, Erin Siegal, Jamie Hogsett, Denise Yesbak Moore, Erin Praiz-Hintz, Andrew Thornton, Molly Shaller, Erin Strother, Barb Switzer, and Cindy Wimmer.
Along with the author, these are some of the most beloved designers working in the jewelry field today. It is a treat to have them all together with Ms. Mach.
The focus is truly original. The reader is presented with a terrific way to learn a new jewelry style. The author shares her knowledge concerning how to make all sorts of jewelry components from the findings you might have in your jewelry collection. There are fifty projects to linger over and enjoy as you learn. You not only get earrings to try, you get necklaces and bracelets as well, all showcasing findings in a most delightful way.Unexpected Findings is a wonderful book filled with great jewelry designs!
The beginning of the book introduces the reader to the many kinds of findings which will be used. After that is a look at how to jazz up those findings. This section really gets right to the point, including adding patina, hole punching, painting and more. It is a great introduction to the direction that Unexpected Findings will be heading.
There is a very complete list of other findings and tools before the projects begin.
The idea of using findings as a way of making jewelry is a lot of fun.
The projects are very pretty and quite fascinating. Michelle Mach has done a fine job designing using findings.
There are many styles of jewelry presented, all of which are lovely.
"Tuesday Night Book Club" by Michelle herself, is a wonderful and charming leather cord and pendant necklace. Once the reader sees how it is made and understands the techniques used, it is a very fun and easy project, and one you will want to make.
"Vertebrand" is a great bracelet by Barb Switzer.
If you love Swarovki Elements crystals, check this one out. The findings used are spacer bars which, along with the crystals, have a lot of impact.
Dalle de Verre, by once again by Ms. Mach, is a really gorgeous seed bead and ball chain connector necklace anyone would want to make. Give it a try! It has variation suggestions also, which many of the projects offer.
Another good thing about Unexpected Findings is that the cost of the materials does not seem to be prohibitive. I, and I am sure many other designers, appreciate that!
To sum up, Unexpected Findings is a new way of looking at jewelry design, one which is very welcome and cool.
I think that many of the projects are perfectly beautiful, such as Molly Shaller's Tidal Treasures, a delicate aquatic necklace which uses a toggle clasp as a connector.
Michelle Mach's bracelet called Gypsy Girl, which cleverly uses snap clasps, is a total thrill. It has pretty colors of teals and magenta, and lots of jangle.
It is hard to know where to stop when admiring this excellent book, Unexpected Findings,
50+ CLEVER JEWELRY DESIGNS.
It is such a original concept, which is presented so well.
I totally recommend Unexpected Findings. It is a very appealing, fun, and clever book!
Unexpected Findings
By Michelle Mach
Interweave/F+W; $22.99
1 comment:
I enjoyed your review, Jean. I agree, this book sure features page after page of inspiration. Michelle has created a must-have with this one! :-)
Post a Comment