A Peek into the Printers Drawer

It's Monday!

Here is the first installment of a peek into my new printers drawer!

I found my printers drawer at an antique mall for $16. It was in great shape compared to the $10 drawer that had crud stuck to it and broken slats. I brought it home, cleaned out all the little compartments and sprayed it with a varnish to help it last a bit longer. I started cleaning off my bead counter to make room for it and began to fill the first compartments with patina-ted rings. But I stopped as soon as I saw that a lot of the dark components were not showing up against the dark wood. So I stood over it for 4 hours, cutting little rectangles of patterned papers to fit into the bottoms of the drawer.

Then and only then could I start to fill it with my treasures. 

Compartment No.1

The first compartment contains chain links I had to cut. At first you would think they are useless, because you can't re-solder once the patina has been lacquered but with a little wire and some time you can link them together  as a multicolored, textural chain segment!

See!?!?

To create your own wire-wrapped chain start by pressing your link seam closed as close as you can. Cut a 3" piece of wire, I chose sterling to add contrast, and place the middle of the wire to the side of the cut.  

Push the bottom part of the wire through the link and bring it up around the back to the top of the link. Press the wire in to hold it as you push the top wire over around the back and through the center of the link and up again.

Keep wrapping until the seam is completely enclosed in wire. If you want a messy wrap, cut a longer piece of wire. Use the fine tips of your chain nose pliers to position your wraps more closely together.

Chose your next link and close it over  the wrapped link.

Start wrapping this new link closed with another piece of wire and continue until you have the length of linked chain that you want or need. Now this doesn't have to be a stash of patina-ted chain, this can be done with any chain you have had to cut apart.  Some of them have a beautiful texture and you just can't throw them away! I strapped on some leather (heehee) and clasped it with a forged sterling clasp and another cut, patina-ted link.

Recycled Patina-ted Chain Segment.

Just think, this small handful made for 1 lovely necklace; think of all the necklaces, bracelets and even earrings I could do with the rest! But that will have to wait, I have a book review to do and another Missficklemedia Loves post to get ready.
Do you want a clue as to who it will be?
She is a season.