This month, we continue with our feature, "From the Tribe" where we showcase the very special talents and artistic imagination of our fellow Tribe members. Today, we are proud to introduce Kent Mullens as this month's RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Guest Ambassador.
I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to be chosen as a Guest Ambassador for RELICS & ARTIFACTS®.
I fell in love working with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® since their debut 2 years ago. One of my first creations I posted on Facebook was featured in The Tribe by Sandra. Imagine my shock when I received that message from her asking if she could share it! Sandra and her husband David have continued to encourage and challenge me since that day.
This past summer my wife, Michelle, and I had an opportunity to be adult leaders for a group of college students that went on a mission trip to Paraguay.
I always look down while I am walking, hoping to find some trinket that I could use in my creative collections. So while walking on the cobblestone roads of Paraguay, I saw all kinds of rusty bottle caps. I reached down and put one in my pocket thinking someday this bottle cap will show up in something I create.
When I travel I always purchase newspapers and look for found items to bring back with me. While we made our 12 hour trip home from South America, I read a book called “Dusty Diablos” by Michael DeMeng. In the chapter called “Bottle Cap Milagros” I knew immediately what I would do with the bottle cap.
When I returned home the winter release of RELICS & ARTIFACTS® had just hit one of my favorite stores, Paper Crown, in Oklahoma City. When I saw the Santos in the Coquille blanks I knew I would use one of them to create a Bottle Cap Milagros. I am so sorry I forgot to take a picture of the bottle cap before I embellished it with a little water color and gold leaf but here is what I created with my rusty found bottle cap.
Looking at this beautiful Bottle Cap Milagros made me realize that I regret not picking up more of these bottle caps so that I could create charm bracelets with the Santos and Crosse Icons. I found a whole bag of bottle caps at a local craft store so I purchased a bag and went to work sanding, smashing, distressing them and even driving my car over them!
Here is the completed bracelet.
I had several more caps left so I decided to make a couple of necklaces as well to go with the bracelet. The first necklace is very similar to the bracelet.
The next necklace I decided to use one of the Coquille shells, Crosse Icons, and a rusted bottle cap.
I want to say thank you again for giving me the opportunity to share my work with all of you. RELICS & ARTIFACTS® are truly so much fun to work and play with. I never grow tired of working with them as the possibilities are truly endless.
Kent's upcycling of bottle caps was a stroke of sheer brilliance and the pieces he chose to complement the beautifully aged caps evoke a feeling of spirituality and peace. You can learn how he crafted his beautiful bottle cap bracelet by visiting his Snapguide tutorial.
Are you interested in the possibility of becoming a Relics & Artifacts® Guest Ambassador? First, boogie on over to the Relics & Artifacts® Tribe on Facebook and start sharing your artistic mojo with us and you just might be selected as a future Guest Ambassador!
Supply List:
Relics & Artifacts® "Coquille"
Relics & Artifacts® "Crosse Icons"
Rusted bottle caps
Jewelry Chain
Paint
Rhinestones