Jewelry Joy

With my husband working second shift and my college age son up late on the weekends gaming, I’m usually awake much earlier than they are on Saturdays and Sundays. Such was the case last weekend.

I had been wanting to make some new pieces of jewelry for a while but hadn’t realy found the time to do so. My bead collection was calling to me. So in the quiet of the mornings, before the boys woke up, I got busy doing something just for me.

My collection comes from a variety of sources. Some are beads I have had forever. Others are leftovers from other projects. There are some that were salvaged from broken jewelry. And then there is a group of my favorites. My husband’s Mom was big into garage saling and selling on eBay. When she moved a couple years prior to her leaving this world, she sent me a big box of her jewelry foder. I love making jewelry from these pieces because I know how tickled she would be that I had given them new life. Wearing them always reminds me of her and makes me feel as though she is still with me.

These earrings were made from a necklace that I had worn quite a few times. It had broken and was unrepairable. I’d also been needed some red earrings so this worked to my advantage. Because of my metal allergies, I only use hypoallergenic findings.

This bracelet was made of glass beads from when my son was making earrings to sell. I actually made two of these. One for me and one for my daughter. The rainbow goes with practically every outfit and has such special meaning.

I have always loved these large metal beads. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to wear them, but I took a chance on them. I love the look of the bracelet, but as I suspected, the first time I wore it, it broke out my wrist. But it wasn’t all for naught. My daughter was thrilled when I offered her this set.

These three feature beads from Mom. Although they have metal beads, the other beads are larger so they will keep them away from my skin so no worries with breakouts there.

These five are what I’m calling my “Mom and Me” collection. Crystal, glass, and other beads put together to make some sparkly creations.

It has been so much fun this past week to wear my new jewelry to accessorize my outfits. I love color and I love how I can stack the different bracelets together. I’ve also discovered that I need a few more colors. Back to my craft room! Stay tuned!