Handcrafted Paper Boxes

Artist Makes Unique Jewelry from Surprising Materials

Westborough resident Beth Hall is a woman of many interests. Not only is she a licensed psychologist and a talented musician, she also is an accomplished jeweler and blacksmith.

Hall is the creative vision behind Adderstone Jewelry , a custom line of handmade jewelry made from a variety of natural sources. Her website refers to her jewelry as “ancient elements for a modern world.”

“It started with a class in Avon, Connecticut. I always loved making jewelry, especially out of natural things. In high school, I made some pieces out of chicken bones,” Hall laughed as she recalled her initial attempts at jewelry making.

Hall added that she made her first piece, a cuff bracelet, in 1990.  “I started out with the intent of making something handmade to give as gifts.”

As Hall experimented and fine-tuned her craft, she developed a preference for certain materials. “I mostly use silver, a little copper and some gold here and there. And I especially enjoy working with petrified dinosaur bones because dinosaurs were alive once.” 

Some of the unique series she designs include:  Word Keeper Poem Pendant (copper disks with stamped words from her sixth grade daughter’s original poem); Word Keeper Journal Pendant (a miniature key and a few tiny pages of paper sandwiched between handcrafted metal covers); Knock on Wood Necklace (a tiny box holds a compartment with a piece of petrified wood so you can always knock for good luck) and the Irish Celtic Knot (convertible bracelet to necklace with reversible elements).

Hall, whose creations touch on Celtic rune mythology, produces Adderstone Jewelry in her home studio. 

She uses roller printing and etched brass methods to create her pieces, purchasing metal in sheets and securing petrified dinosaur bones from a lapidary.

Hall teaches occasional local classes and sells her jewelry at craft shows and private events. She is planning to apply to the Grafton Fine Arts and Music Show as well as to Arts on the Common in Westborough.

Adderstone Jewelry pieces range in price from $15 to $300. For more information, visit one of her websites:             

www.ninestones.com/adderstone/jewelry/       

www.AdderstoneJewelry.artspan.

handmade jewelry - How-To: Bento Art Box for Kids | kids crafts ...


 Materials Bento boxSmall glue stick Blank paper and paper scraps Child-sized scissors Tiny stapler Miniature paper cups/cupcake cups Soy sauce container, optionalSmall tins Ink pad Travel wet-wipes Various art supplies Directions Step 1: First you will need your bento box and other small containers. If you are lucky enough to have a Japanese Dollar-style [...]

Step 2: It's paper time. Paper, index cards, repurposed grocery bags, lunch bags, construction paper, newspaper, phonebook pages, wax paper, and tinfoil are just a few options. Whatever material you choose will need to be cut down in size to fit nicely in the bottom of your box. You won't need to add too much paper - ten sheets is probably good. This box here will be a collage kit, so an odd assortment is a good thing. I have also included a small pile of paper scraps for cutting, tearing, and gluing.



Step 3: Now we need to add goodies for your kiddo to create with. Markers, crayons, colored pencils, and paints are a good place to start. This being a collage box, I'll add a few colored pencils or crayons to make marks with, but the focus will be the glue and other doodads. Twist-ties are excellent for keeping crayons and such together.

A glue stick is the perfect adhesive for paper collaging. You can also add tiny rolls of tape and stickers or glue-dots if you like. If some of your doodads are more dimensional, then I would also add a tiny bottle of craft glue. Luckily, you can find these at your local craft or drug store. You can also fill a small soy sauce container with glue if it has a screw top.

Think outside the box here and use what you have. If this is a gift, then go all out and pretty it up! ( Cover that gluestick with a piece of pretty paper and color coordinate your supplies.) Don't forget scissors if your kiddo will need them! Travel scissors or child-sized scissors should fit. Ultimately, it shouldn't cost too much money to create a super-nifty art kit that is cute to boot!


 Step 4: It's time for doodads. This is the bulk of your art kit and the easiest way to pretty it up. Fill small containers and/or cupcake liners with collage embellishments like pieces of cut-up straws, sequins, pompoms, and buttons. You can use felt and other fabric bits to separate various doodads. Keep your eyes open and use what you have. Envelopes? Film containers? If it has a lid your kiddos can open and is small enough for your bento box, you can make it work.

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