I have a passion for recycling/upcycling a variety of materials into uniquely designed, expertly crafted, and fun to wear jewelry. I inherited the recycling gene from my parents, who grew up during the Depression and taught me the value of thrift and re-use. As an adult, I became concerned about being a good steward of the earth’s resources, and looked for ways to re-use things. Taking the unwanted and transforming it into something attractive and usable is also a metaphor for what God has done in my life. Finally, I like using cast offs in a recognizable way because it makes people (including me), smile when they see I’m wearing my trash!

I’ve been using recycled materials in my work for over 20 years. My inspiration comes from the materials themselves- the color, shape, texture, etc. I have been a member of the Bead Society of Greater Chicago for many years, and have won 2 awards in their annual bead challenge, including in 2006 for “most original design”. Look for my pull tab earrings in the August 2010 issue of Green Craft Magazine:

www.stampington.com/html/greencraft_volume3.html

Look for more of my work on etsy:

www.junksmith.etsy.com