handmade things

Guatemala's Angelina Roquel threads tiny glass beads one-by-one to create this pretty bracelet. The brick, bronze and white beads form dainty floral patterns at the center and ends of the bracelet, which is secured by a beaded button.

Like pre-Hispanic warriors, rustic figures do battle atop a pyramid. This wonderful creation is the work of Armando Ramírez. Queens are fashioned of screws and bearings, kings are cogwheels and metal scraps, while sparkplugs and other castoffs find a new life as sculpture. Combining art and function, Ramírez creates each piece from discarded automobile parts.

The imaginative mind of Armando Ramirez transforms scrap metal into a sleek, black and silver chess set. Ramirez collects the leftover metal pieces off a die machine and shapes them into the pawns, horses, and parts of the kings, which also feature cogs from a car's electrical system. The queens are made from screws, auto part cogs and bearings. The bishops are shaped from spark plugs and the towers from cogwheels. The board is made from a metal sheet and features ornate iron wires and bendix caps taken from a car.

Please note it is the artist's intention not to give his sculptures a fine polished finish, therefore smudges and scratches may be present. The finish can vary from matte to shiny, as each chess set is a unique piece of handcrafted art.

This motorcycle of classic inspiration is built by Armando Ramirez from an intriguing collection of recycled metal pieces, some extracted from cars. The tires are bearings from a car's electrical system and the hubcaps are electric coils. The motorbike's fuel tank was once a rocker arm from an automotive ignition. The engine is shaped from a cogwheel as well as a timing chain.

Please note it is the artist's intention not to give his sculptures a fine polished finish, therefore smudges and scratches may be present.

Sometimes the simplest things can be the most striking. Never is that more evident than in these 925 sterling silver threader earrings created by Thai artisan Lalana. The minimalist design of a simple chain adorned by a silver ball at the end encapsulates a subdued elegance that makes them all the more beautiful.