It all started with those super cute little La Chouffe gnomes. When I first saw those beercaps I just new that I had to make something out of it. This lead me to constantly be aware of the lovely colours and pictures found on many empty tins. Then there is also that feel good vibe of knowing that one is recycling something which otherwise would have gone to waste.
Where possible I use beads or pieces of wire, recycled from old pieces of jewellery or what I pick up while walking the dog in the woods.
Also great fun to make these leave designs earrings. For the ones below I have used the caps of Karmeliet, Heineken, Palm, Grolsh and the Desperados ginger flavour beers. For each earring the 3 leaves are cut out of one flattened beer bottle cap.
And another favourite! The Carbonell girl! Love this picture with the country scene in the background! Grolsch beer caps have been used as backing. Shall certainly use this girl more often in future.
For me the biggest challenge is to design and make something new and unique but still wearable in every day life. Such a waste to keep beautiful things in a drawer where it cannot be enjoyed by oneself or anybody else.
The sharp edges of the metal is hammered and sanded and coated in a protective layer to prevent further rusting. I often take old pieces of jewellery apart to reuse the beads or stones. And also have a growing stash of pieces of rusted wire gathered while walking the dog.
The designs below are made out of beer caps of Burgse Zot, Valentines weissbier and Affligem.
Gallery of most of the designs I have experimented with over the past few years. There is then also the huge and ever growing gallery of ideas which I still preserve in my mind until I get the chance to turn them into objects to share.
Henriette White Jewellery 