Crystal Application Possibilities – The Sky is the Limit

Embracing the Elephant

Trying to grasp all the application possibilities for CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements is like trying to hug an elephant around its girth - you might be able to embrace it but it's much too large to fully achieve.

To understand the immensity of this task it helps to know the fields of fashion which the CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements Collection can be applied: jewelry, accessories, textile products and interior décor. Within these fashion areas are many ‘Crystal Application Possibilities: Gluing; Soldering & Electroplating; Hotfix; Sewing, Embroidering & Beading; Mechanical Application; Sealing with Resin, and many more. Add-in the ever changing trends, the ongoing introduction of new crystal styles, shapes and colors and mix that together with an artist's desire to apply these CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements in an outside-the-box creative expression and you'll quickly see the context of the title "The sky is the limit."

Crystal Application: Gluing CRYSTALLIZEDTM Sew-on Stones on Metal

As an artist I tend to create outside-the-box and occasionally step inside. Just because a CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Element is defined as a "Sew-on Stone" doesn't mean it's only used for that application, as you'll soon read.

Pam Hawkins, Editor of Bead Unique Magazine, asked me to design a project for her to teach at their Tahoe Mountain Bead Retreat, October 1 - 4, 2009. Since CREATE YOUR STYLE with CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements was the GOLD SPONSOR it needed to feature crystals, preferably the latest shapes and colors.

I decided to make a bracelet using three large metal filigree butterflies from Vintaj which were just begging to be embellished with some bling. I pulled out my samples of the latest CRYSTALLIZEDTM - Swarovski Elements and there it was - the new CRYSTALLIZEDTM Sew-on Crystal Leaf art. 3254 in the latest color Crystal Red Magma. The shape fits perfectly to glue on top of the body. After gently bending the butterflies to wrap the curve of my wrist, I glued the Crystal Leaf in place by roughing up the metal and using a liberal amount of 2-part epoxy. To fill the small holes (which you would normally use for sewing) I glued in tiny CRYSTALLIZEDTM Chatons article 1028 PP15 in Olivine adding an extra touch of color.

Lastly, because the butterfly was curved to wrap around my wrist I could see the edge of the foiled backing on the Crystal Leaf. To cover the edge I took some Rust colored 6 mm WireLace® metallic ribbon and twisted it to form a cord, added a liberal amount of GS Hypo-cement around the crystal edge and rimmed it with the WireLace®.

PRESTO - the blinged-up butterfly was complete!