If you live in the Seattle area, you can now pick up your Junkyard Jewels at Sasquatch Studios. Check ‘em out: http://sasquatchstudios.net/index.php

The newest junkyard jewelry creation comes from a 1970’s Ford Dump truck.

The truck’s F-600 emblem inspired me to try to make earrings with the “0’s” since there were conveniently two per emblem (score!) but once constructed, they were a bit too heavy and large for even me. (I, like most ladies, love me some big jewels). So, they became pendants. O, so lovely pendant. They’re not for sale yet, but let me know if you’re interested in snagging one and I’ll force myself to put a price on it. It may just be the perfect gift for the recently dumped.

Just a quick note to let you know we’ll be sending out an end-of-summer coupon code to our faithful email list in the next couple of weeks, so if you’d like to be included, sign up here.

Happy sunshine!

The last time I went foraging in the junkyard, I took two of my nephews with me. The oldest found this great “D” from an old Ford truck hood and since his name starts with a “D” I saved it for him. While brainstorming ideas on how to make it something he’d actually wear, I remembered his love of hunting and decided a camo print was just what this D needed. This item isn’t for sale, but if you really like it, I probably can be persuaded to make another one.

Happy Birthday big D!

I am ecstatic to announce that you can now purchase Junkyard Jewelry at a brand new, super rad boutique shop that just opened up in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. They carry so much cool art and jewelry. Stop in and check it out!

Tasty: delectable collectibles

206-706-3020

Tuesday-Saturday
11:00 am – 7:00 pm

Sunday
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

I’ve always been a fan of reusing things in unexpected ways, especially when the outcome has a functional use. For years I’ve been saving wine corks, throwing into a canning jar, filling it with rubbing alcohol and letting the corks puff up. When it’s cold and rainy outside, I use these little flammable nuggets to start a fire in the fireplace. Wine can warm you up on the inside and the outside!

Do you have any cool things you repurpose? Do tell…

Fall is my favorite time in Michigan. I made it back in November expecting snow, but was surprised by 65 degree sunshiny goodness. It was great foraging weather for inspiration and scrap material for new JyJ pieces. Below are some photos from the last junk hunt of 2009…

Some people build library shelves for books... others build them for car parts.

Junkyard 6.0!

Yes, that's a tree growing through the truck frame.

Love the type!

Happy holidays everyone!

Being in farm country, my dad’s scrapyard has a lot of vintage tractor parts. He used to have a barn filled with old 8N tractors. He called them his “retirement fund”. Old tractors still amaze me. They’re so utilitarian, but they do so much. Whenever I think of my dad, I always envision him on his blue ford tractor with his fishing hat on and his dusty white t-shirt maneuvering around the junkyard.

{image from http://www.kenttractors.com}

I found these Ford 3000 tractor letters still affixed to the front grate and made a belt buckle out of the D. My favorite part of this piece is the slight overspray of red paint that you can see in the right light. It’s so subtle you can’t see it from a distance, but close up it shimmers… as any good tractor part should.

::: Buy this belt buckle :::

I looked out the window today and realized somehow I got plopped in the middle of fall. It was dark when I woke up this morning and the trees are on fire. Wasn’t it just yesterday my skin was that color from too much sun exposure?

While working in my shop on some new jewelry, I was immediately drawn to the big orange/red ball of reclaimed alternator wire sitting on my work bench. What a perfect fall accent color to use in some new pieces!

I got a little carried away with the alternator wire and came out with a whole mess of pendants:

::: buy one of these pendants :::

P.S. If you’re interested in adorning yourself with this gorgeous wire and you don’t see what you’re looking for on our online store, be sure to check out Wired Resistance out of Chicago. They do amazing work.

One of my favorite Junkyard Jewelry pieces is definitely the “Give me an ‘O’ belt buckle.” My dad ran a rental business for many, many years and still maintained the customer service office even after the business was closed (hmm, I wonder if I can get my hands on the old fashioned cash register he used?… I digress). After the business closed, the office was filled with hood ornaments, ford ovals of all sizes and other chrome beauties. This was by far my choice hang out spot. I harvested a box of these illustrious pretties to make into various jewelry pieces. My first piece is this fantastic belt buckle made from the metal “O” in FORD from the hood of a late 70’s truck.

Photo by Dave Seven

Purchase this belt buckle.