Fan>TAB>ulous
http://flickr.com/groups/tab_art/

Its a creative image gallery I started back in 2008 to inspire those who want to create using recycled materials.

I have been fortunate to work in silver, platinum and plastic as well as all my recycled materials as part of my training at Edinburgh College of Art in Silversmithing and Jewellery department in the 80′s…and have plumped to be a “jeweller” who works with recycled materials because I love the fact that I make the beauty out of something someone else has discarded.

We are fortunate now that there are ethical gold suppliers and jewellers like Creed or Clogau Gold for those who want gold or the other option is to have old outdated jewllery melted down – re-using old gold. These first two choices are more pricey options but if it is a wedding ring that technically you are going to live with for the rest of your life – it will be a constant reminder that you made the right choice in your ring and your partner.

As for the “stupid” comment earlier…..!

Aluminum jewelry and crafts are popular selling exports from Africa to the States. Catalogs show not only jewelery but holiday ornaments, amazing toy models of cars, planes, and motor cycles. Aluminum can crafting and the things made from them have been around and sought after from many years now.

I will wear an aluminum can over gold, or a diamond any day.

Pictures of her jewellery can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanwoodswalker/sets/72157603617542407/

And her Etsy shop is here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/urbanwoodswalker

Really great work!

The best way to keep edges smooth is with metal “needle” files. You can buy them in sets at most hard ware stores. It you are cutting metal with punches, or dies (You need a die cut machine for that), then the edges will be fairly smooth. going over the edges with the files is a nice way to be sure the edges are safe.

Thank you Alison Bailey Smith for the mention in your comments above.

From my recollection of those sections in the books I have – its not difficult and you don’t need more than a few simple tools (which most people already have around the house).

Artists I know of who use the cans to great effect are Mary Anne Enriquez and Harriete Estel Berman, both in the states.Both are on Flickr and both are great at sharing their knowledge.

As for the question of copying etc, interesting discussions could be had on this. I teach one off workshops and I post my work on the internet so can expect a certain amount of copying and I am also influenced by what I see when I post on Flickr, Facebook, Crafthaus of other peoples work. But we all interprete things differently. And yet not really had many copiers over the years (now over 20 years)…..I think most people realise there is too much time spent in my work and not enough financial return to make it viable. There have been a few close especially when I started 20 years ago. Perhpas because I had exposure on The Clothes Show, who knows.

When I teach I love to impart the techniques and expect each person to bring their own creativity and their own skills to create something new. It is inspiring when someone does some thing I would not do, like when Louisa (our host) made a handbag with plastic dinosaurs and wire! Combining lurid plastics with earthy coloured wire to great effect…but not something I would produce in a million years, or another woman at another class who went to town on vivid pink and incoporated everything of that colour and it totally worked and suited her!