The Craft Box - Tissue Paper Bangle

The Craft Box - Tissue Paper Bangle

Published in Issue 22, April 2013

Written by Tina from Shinyies

http://shinyies.co.uk/

After years of exploring many arts and crafts, I happily settled into jewellery making.
Recently in a big effort to organise my studio/office, I began sorting out my boxes and boxes filled with crafting wonders, which I had accumulated over time.

Rifling through all my papers, stamps, inks, punches, ribbons etc, made me realise just how much I had focused on my jewellery business. So much so that I had forgotten the joy of just "making", to create solely for the purpose of creating. Right then I decided not to hideaway my craft boxes, but instead to once again enjoy "making" for its own sake. Excited I thought I would begin with a crossover piece, connecting my old paper crafts to my jewellery making. So gathering jewellery wire, tissue paper, PVA glue and a few other necessities, this is what I did...

What you will need: 

Instructions: 

Step 1. I began by using the jewellery wire to form the frame of the bangle, carefully manipulating it into the desired shape. 

Then, using small strips of white tissue paper and PVA glue, I covered the wire frame, wrapping around it.

Step 2. Once that was completed and had dried, I started filling in the main of the bangle. This was also done with tissue paper and glue. I used large rectangles of the tissue paper, painted in glue, wrapping the excess over the frames. Gradually covering both sides of the bangle and allowing drying time between the layers. When finished I had a piece of jewellery (albeit very plain) that was strong enough to be worn. 

Then came the really fun part. I used punches to cut out flowers and butterflies from various papers and began adding them to the bangle. I built it up slowly, covering with the tissue paper as I went, adding to the layers. This not only added more strength, but created the illusion of depth as the multiple layers of tissue paper paled the strong colours of the earliest flowers and butterflies.

The end result - a beautiful bangle, a heap load of fun and an eagerness to start my next project. 

Visit Tina at www.shinyies.co.uk