Jewelry, Dolls, and 3D Crafts

by Nykki Nowbahar

Classics and crafting are two of my favorite things, so I always try to find ways to combine the two. My crafts often stem from a desire for products that are relevant to my interests, but I either can’t find them in stores, or I can’t justify purchasing them because of their steep price tag. 

My first Classics-inspired crafts were pieces of jewelry that I’ve since given away. Jewelry making has been my passion since high school, and since then I would collect keychains, charms, and even candy wrappers and transform them into wearable art. Whenever I go to Rome, I make sure to pick up key chains that I can later use as charms for earrings and necklaces. My most recent Classics-inspired jewelry crafts have been beaded loom bracelets. While I’ve had some experience making these bracelets from free patterns online, I decided to make my own patterns based on art in antiquity. To do so, I’ve learned to use Microsoft Excel to produce patterns by filling in each rectangle with a different color of my desired pattern. By looking at patterns that border designs of Greek vases, I’ve drafted patterns of my own for two bracelets that I’ve created thus far. Using Excel is a time-consuming process to create patterns, but the special care taken to plan the color and placement of each bead brings me a greater sense of familiarity for shapes and angles appearing on the vase. 

Aside from jewelry, I’ve also begun to make string dolls inspired by mythological figures. Thus far, I’ve made a medusa and a cyclops doll, and plan to make different gods and goddesses. A few people have told me that I should sell these dolls, so once I get the chance to make more, I might set up an Etsy shop.

My most difficult project to date has been trying to use my 3D pen for pedagogical purposes. As a tactile learner, I think the 3D pen has a lot to offer when teaching material culture to students. I’ve toyed with the idea of using the pen to mimic the effect of cameo glass and want to make other objects that can mimic the shape (though not the weight or texture) of objects from antiquity. For now, I’ve pivoted my focus towards creating cookie cutters with the 3D pen. I’ve had to learn not only how to strengthen these cutters, since they will be subject to much pressure, but I’ve also had to learn how to draw out the proper shape for a cookie cutter, with each hole being large enough to effectively imprint a pattern onto the dough, while not being too thin to create edges that will burn easily. I have only created two cookie cutters thus far and am still testing out other ideas and cookie recipes to test them out with.