Electric cables find new life in locally-made Junk Party jewelry (photos)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Old, broken electric cables find a new purpose in local artist Marseille Markham Collin's handmade jewelry.

The jewelry line, which Markham Collins named Junk Party, features bright pops of color in swirling rubber circle necklaces and elegant teardrop earrings.

And it's all made from discarded cords -- broken headphones, USB cables, phone chargers and more.

"My favorite material to work with are old landline telephone cords," Markham Collins said.

Markham Collins started Junk Party a year ago, teaching herself how to work with the materials. She experimented with different techniques and eventually found a way to transform the battered cords into wearable works of art.

Her one-of-a-kind pieces have already found success and support from all over the world. She's a member of Cleveland's Upcycle Parts Shop, which saves broken cords for her to use. Junk Party also receives donations of old cables from around the country; Markham Collins said she's received donations from as far away as Australia.

"People have been eager to dump out their junk drawers and give me defunct USB cords and earphone cords," said Markham Collins.

(Plus, she offers a 10-percent discount for donations.)

The idea of upcycling broken objects into striking artwork was a natural one for Markham Collins. Her grandmother lived through the Great Depression and always find ways to recycle disposable items. Her mother encouraged her to reuse items instead of throwing them away.

That attitude carried Markham Collins through her young adult years, when she traveled the world in her 20s. During her backpacking trips, she learned how to make use of items around her while traveling lightly.

When Markham Collins later landed a job at Holst + Lee, a New York jewelry design shop, she was inspired to create her own pieces out of unconventional materials.

"I started picking up random things I found in the park or street -- safety glass, a broken toy, bike chains," she said.

The electrical cords were what stuck. She initially sold her pieces on Instagram, but then the demand was so strong she created her own Etsy store. Now, Junk Party will soon have its own website, and it will be one of the vendors at the July 14 Cleveland Flea.

Despite Junk Party's booming popularity, it remains a side gig for Markham Collins. She spends her days teaching English part time online and managing an AirBNB in her home.

She's hoping Junk Party can grow to become a bigger part of her work. "I make jewelry every spare moment I have," she said. "I'm pretty obsessed with Junk Party so I'm hoping to move it out of the side-hustle category soon."

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