Copper Chimp Necklace ~ Altered Metal Box Labels with Original Art

When I was a very little girl, we used to visit a little park outside of town. For some reason they used to keep chimpanzees in cages at the park. It was Las Vegas. Who knows what was going on! Putting those chimps in those barren cages was probably cruel; however, I didn’t know any better as a child. I loved those chimps. When we played zoo, I’d always be the chimp or monkey.

A while ago, I bought metal box labels in the scrapbook section of the craft store. I have brass ones, silver tone ones and copper ones. The copper ones are square with little half-circle tabs sticking out. They reminded me so much of chimpanzees that I decided I needed to alter them into my favorite animal. I couldn’t find a photo that would work. Since my family has been bugging me to incorporate more of my drawings and paintings into my artwork, I decided to draw one. Here’s my original.

I knew I didn’t have to put a lot detail into the drawing because I would only be using a portion of it. I scanned in the picture, then used photoshop to digitally alter it. Here’s one of the incarnations of the chimp.

 

Once I had decided on an altered image I printed copies in the sizes I needed and glued them onto art board. I took the art board images and glued them into my copper label holders.

I was so driven to make my chimps that I wasn’t thinking very far ahead in my design. I had a slight delay because I wanted copper chain, which I bought from Beads By Evelyn. While I was waiting for chain, I found some wonderful glass amber colored beads and a gizmo for making loopy wire. When the chain arrived yesterday, I put together my first necklace.

It’s not exactly a recycled piece, but I love it anyway.  I’m expressing who I am through my art.  My nickname used to be Monkey.  They should have called me Chimp…somehow it just doesn’t sound the same.