Contemplating the Cha Cha

In an effort to mix up my artistic repertoire I’ve become obsessed with making cha cha jewelry.  Nope, I’m not talking about the Cuban dance – although I bet those dancers would look fierce wearing one of these.  What is cha cha?  It refers to a wearable piece with fringes and clusters of charms, beads, and other goodies.  As a designer, it’s so much fun to play with different combinations.  What colors will play off each other?  What kind of textures, colors and materials can I combine harmoniously?  These works of art swing and jangle, everchanging with the wearer’s movements.  I love how they reveal different surprises according to how the charms settle.  Many pieces that I’ve seen in this style tend to be cheery, sweet and whimsical.  But of course, I like to put a dark spin on mine!  Also, if you have leftover orphan beads, cha cha jewelry is a great way to use them up!  Here’s some of my work.

1 – 2: In 2008 I first experimented with a different style for me, resulting in the Radioactive Riot bracelet.  Several of the charms and shaped beads are handmade by me, including the syringe, pills, and star.  I also used a bunch of vintage plastic and glass beads I had lying around.

3 – 8: Drawn back to cha cha a couple of years later, the Death and Bubblegum collection features pops of color topping creepy skeleton maiden cameos.  So far I’ve done Black Lung, Blue Baby, Noxious Green, Barbie Pink, Red Queen, and Snow White Witch.  What color next?  Hmm, maybe a nice gray or purple.  A few of these are still available at www.etsy.com/shop/gearbunny.

9 – 10: My newest cha cha bracelet is inspired by that classic fairytale, Alice in Wonderland.  However, things seem amiss there lately.  At first glance one sees candy, leaves and flowers.  But what’s that lurking under the petals… venomous spiders?  Arsenic capsules?  Poisonous mushrooms?  Maybe Alice isn’t in Wonderland, anymore.

It’s really simple to make your own cha cha bracelet.  Begin with a bracelet-length chain and clasp – create it yourself or purchase one premade.  Using pliers, attach headpins and beads or charms of your choice.  It can be as minimal or lush as you like.

Too Sweet Tooth Treasury

Hey all, I’m popping in to share the cutest treasury by MissKnits.  Chocolate brown and pale pink are one of my favorite color combos, for starters.  Even better, every handpicked item featured here has a special Black Friday deal.  That’s only 2 days away!  And last but not least, my Pink Sweet Tooth Necklace is included.  Enjoy!

Soooo Sweet Black Friday Etsy Treasury

The Pink Sweet Tooth Necklace is a customizable pair of my most popular charms.  There’s a tiny hand-sculpted cupcake, complete with glittery sprinkles.  He’s accompanied by a grinning tooth charm.  I meticulously handcraft each charm by hand here in my little urban studio.  No molds are used, ever.  So you can rest assured that each piece is unique and made specially for you.  Actually, I have been making a lot of teeth lately.  It all started when one of my customers approached me about making some for her school age daughter who recently lost four baby teeth.  That reminded me how fun these are to shape, bake and collect.  Check ’em out!

Polymer Clay Teeth Charms

Teeth for Party Favors

Losing baby teeth is quite a rite of passage for kids but I had no idea how this ritual came about.  I wondered about the origins of the tooth fairy and did a bit of poking around.  Did you know that the tooth fairy story originated around 1900, and may have been linked with rising affluence in the US and an increasingly child-focused culture?  And a survey in the 1990s suggested that the average rate for a lost tooth went from a dime in the 1970s to almost $2.00.  As for me, my reward for shedding those baby teeth was always a crisp, new dollar bill, neatly folded into the little zippered pouch I had placed under my pillow.  I never once was able to stay up and catch the tooth fairy in the act, no matter how hard I tried to keep my heavy eyelids open.  How did she do that?!

Bacon Lovers Treasury

Oh, bacon, I have a love-hate relationship with you… I love how you taste, but I hate the resulting poundage and artery-clogging. I try to swear you off but you keep creeping back into my life with your tempting aroma and mouth-watering flavor.  Clearly I am not alone in my bacon longings.  Crissy aka LoveAndSpunk has fried up a delicious “Bacon Love” treasury.  She was kind enough to include my Bacon Lovers Earrings.  Enjoy the flavor before it expires!

Gearbunny in Bacon Lovers Treasury on Etsy

And check out my other available bacon jewelry items:

What’s Shakin’ Bacon Charms

Bacon Lovers Bracelet

Yum!

Linking it up

If you’re a fan of Gearbunny I’m guessing that your aesthetics tend towards the unusual, the twisted, perhaps even the… odd?  Well you’re in good company over at Celebrate Odd Etsy.  Check out Gearbunny’s featured tentacle necklaces – and the rest of this very interesting Etsy blog, as well!

Gearbunny tentacle necklaces featured

12 Days of Halloween Treasury

Many thanks to Etsian vivatregina for including my Brain Keychain in her spooky Halloween treasury!  Click the picture below to go there directly.  But hurry – like your Halloween candy, this treasury won’t last long.

Gearbunny Brain Keychain Etsy Treasury