Handmade jewelry made from used skateboards!

I use worn-out or broken skateboards to create colorful, lightweight jewelry and other works of art.  Skateboards consist of 7 layers of maple, some of which are dyed before being pressed into a skateboard. I gather the boards from friends, skateparks, and skate shops. First, I remove the grip tape, then I saw away the cracked/damaged parts and cut them into manageable pieces. I use the existing colors to imagine new shapes and designs. Some I cut into strips and glue together to make geometric designs, and others I carve into unique shapes. I use sterling silver ear wires and surgical steel posts in my earrings to be as hypoallergenic as possible. Everything is made by hand in my garage workshop in NE Portland.  It is gratifying to bring new life into something that would have otherwise been discarded.