BSBP Deconstructed: Sari Ribbon Cuff with Bluebird

For those of you looking for my BSBP reveal, it is here - I hope you'll click the link and check out the whole reveal!

This is the 4th in a series of posts devoted to breaking down the design process that went into each of my BSBP creations. The series so far:

1. kumihimo lariat with gemstone chips
2. sari ribbon and enameled bead necklace
3. Vintaj charm/cha-cha bracelet

If you've been following along, you know that so far, I have used 2 clasps AND bunches of beads sent to me by my partner, but I haven't yet used any of her focals, so I still haven't met the BSBP challenge - gotta make something with one of the wonderful focals Kate sent me!

The Vintaj charm bracelet I made started out as a design for one of the focals, but as often happens, the creative process took on a life of its own, and edged the blue bird right out of the finished piece.

{Reminder: this is how the charm bracelet started}

I had specifically shaped and  patinated the (formerly silver) bird blue FOR this charm bracelet, and I really wanted to use this happy bird, so I started ruminating on bracelet designs that could accommodate this focal.

I have a huge stash of sari ribbon, but it's not something I am real comfortable using - I want to work with it more and figure out innovative ways to add it to my designs! I had some gorgeous grass green sari ribbon that looked terrific with the bluebird, so I started playing around with ways to work both elements into a bracelet.

I finally settled on a wrapped cuff, using this copper-plated steel lattice-style cuff as a base:

I have used this cuff for a number of different designs, and it looks different every time! This BSBP cuff used up my last one - I need to get more!

I started carefully and methodically wrapping the ribbon around and through each section of the cuff, taking care to make sure the ribbon didn't twist and get folded, and still covered most of the cuff, just letting the twisted dividing pieces show through. I crossed my fingers that the long piece of green ribbon in my stash would make it all the way through the wrapping!

view of inside of ribbon-wrapped cuff

Once the ribbon was secured, I used some fine gauge copper wire to attach the bird, as invisibly as possible, to the front of the cuff:

I love this piece - it is out of my "normal style," and reminds me of a bird flying over a green field. I love the textural variations: the soft ribbon on the hard cuff, and the bright colors!

And this fun size 7 cuff is now available on Etsy!






Stay tuned - more deconstructing tomorrow!