Friday, July 3, 2015

Recycled: Eye Shields

You just have to laugh sometimes. After having recent cataract surgery on both eyes (not laughable), I was left with a couple of eye shields for post-surgery recuperation. On the morning after the last night I was required to wear them, they were sitting on my nightstand, and looking at them, I actually chuckled. Metal! I could use that.


The next moment I was pulling out tools - metal shears, disc cutter, dapping block, files, and pliers. With precut holes, cutting discs out of the shields was obvious, but wait . . . what about those little teeth around the edges? Little charms! Kinda plain. Emboss them!


The first pair of earrings were so easy, based on a design I often use.  I polished the metal disc, domed it, and added some pretty blue beads. These earrings were a gift for my opthamologist who restored my vision. My world is now shiny and new, tinted a soft blue rather than the ugly yellow I hadn't realized had dominated my outlook.



The little triangle-shaped charms took the marine-colored patina nicely. Again, blue seemed appropriate. These earrings went to Rachel, the surgeon's assistant, who always complimented me on the jewelry I wore to her office.

 

With one more pair of domed discs remaining, I chose to patinate them in marine blue and accent them with antiqued brass and aged picasso Czech glass beads. I will keep these earrings to remind me of the miraculous gift I have received. My antiqued, yellowed vision no longer dulls my world, and I will not take this miracle for granted. 



I decided to add another antiqued element to my earrings. They look funkier. Just the way I like 'em.



All of these earrings practically made themselves, all in one morning. I just love those moments of almost-divine inspiration. So satisfying. 

Just as I was about to publish this post, the mail arrived. Inside a bubble mailer, I discovered this. :)


Update: Today I spent 4 hours cutting out triangle pieces from eye shields, filing, embossing, painting, and sanding them. Can't believe where the time went! Lots of new charms to use.



7 comments:

  1. You are so creative! What a great idea for repurposing things we normally just throw away. I'm sad to say I threw my eye shields away but you have given me a "new vision" to look at things before I toss them! Thank You!

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  2. Thank you, Mary. I can send you an extra shield. :) My former career as a teacher taught me to be a collector of all possibly useful things. In retirement I still collect (aka hoard) things. I have the storage unit to prove it. Occasionally, I do find a use for things. A lot of this stuff, however, must go! I envy those people who have clean, minimalist living spaces. I doubt that I will ever be one of those people! :)

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  3. What a great post! I simply love what you've made, the repurposing, the gratitude and everything about this project. That's so much for sharing it. It's inspiring me in many ways.

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    1. Thank you, Ann. Reading your kind words started off my day in the nicest way! :)

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  4. The earrings are lovely and so thoughtful. vision is something very important to a designer and to give back to those who helped you see better again is a wonderful thought

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    1. Thank you, Divya. This was such a special project. You are so right; vision is a gift that I never want to take for granted. It is everything to me!

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