Xiao Rong's Wire Wrap Crafts and Bottle Charms

[Xiao Rong]

Hey everyone! I thought I'd start a thread about some of the stuff I've made recently ...

Last weekend, I took a trip down to an SCA (medieval) event, and I saw some charms and beads on sale there that I couldn't resist. I brought them home and used them to wire wrap a few bottle charms. Still practicing my wire wrap skills ...

This one I call my "Message in a Bottle" charm, to carry with me the blessing of water:




This one I consider a luck and protection charm. The dandelions have been blooming around here (it's been a very late spring in New England), so I took some of the dandelion seeds in the bottle.



I think dandelions are my favorite flower, not because they're especially beautiful (they are cute and sunny, but not stunningly gorgeous), but because they are so amazingly resilient. You can try to get rid of them as much as you like, but they just keep coming back, a sure harbinger of springtime. Plus, dandelion seeds are supposed to grant wishes, so that's why it symbolizes luck and protection to me. I'll have to go get a chain for this charm next time I visit the craft store.

I have a few more charms and beads left to make a fire-inspired charm ... will update this post once I'm done with it!

[BabyBear]

oh they are lovely i really love the dolphin one makes me think of Poseidon

[Heartsong]

Ack, Xiao, those are so beautifully creative and cute!! Mad skills, my dear, mad skills.

[Echo_of_shadows]

Those are adorable! What a crafty side you have.

[Xiao Rong]

Aww, thank you guys! My goal is to eventually make more and do giveaways, but I'll wait until I get a little better at it first ...

[MistressOfTheMoon]

These are gorgeous Xiao! What online resources do you have for wire wrapping? I want to get better on that for wire wrapping crystals.

[Xiao Rong]

Thanks, Ada! I don't really know about online resources for wire wrapping. I spend a lot of time on Pinterest (you can see my wire-wrapping Pin board here); some pins are tutorials and others are ones where I just study the picture and see if I can understand how the wire wrapping works. Of course, understanding how it's done and actually doing it is totally different (I am still practicing!) and I often wind up with lots of failed attempts. I just love that wire wrapping is so versatile and beautiful!

[MistressOfTheMoon]

I'll try to take on your approach then and see if I can emulate what they do. Looks like I have to join in the Pinterest craze as well lol.

And thank you for sharing that you've had failed attempts! I have a lot of those when I wire wrap crystals but always feel down. It's relieving to know that you undergo that, but have progressed to do better. Keep it up dear! Your crafts are truly inspiring

[Sakura Blossom]

Oh, my! I love these! That makes me think of something I tried doing once with a little glass bottle. We went to a beach so I took some sand and put a shell in it as well. (: I had wanted to use the actual water but we accidentally got some sea weed in it and it went rotten. Dx

[Xiao Rong]

We went to a beach so I took some sand and put a shell in it as well. (: I had wanted to use the actual water but we accidentally got some sea weed in it and it went rotten. Dx

Yeek, sorry that happened, but that sounds like an adorable idea!!

[Kassandra]

Ack, Xiao, those are so beautifully creative and cute!! Mad skills, my dear, mad skills.

I totally second these statements (including the Ack!)



.

[Gentle Melody]

These charms are amazing , I've never seen something like this before.

[Seraphin]

They are AMAZING!!!

[lliae]

dang! I just saw some charms and decided not to get any because I couldn't think of a use for them! I'm going to have to keep an eye out for more and make one of these bottles; they're so cool!

[Xiao Rong]

Here's my latest bottle charm creation! This one is my "fire" themed bottle charm. The top came out a wee bit crooked, sadly ... but it's filled crushed red pepper flakes and olive oil, to inspire creativity, and a little bead charm for unlocking potential. I'm giving it to my boyfriend, who sometimes needs some creativity boosts in his line of work! (he's a very creative guy as it is, but hey, a little inspiration here and there can't hurt, right?)

I can't take credit for the idea -- I think I saw it on Pinterest once, a bottle charm with crushed red pepper flakes in oil (and eventually as the peppers infuse the oil, it turns into a really bright orange red), but I can't find the source anymore : (