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| The Culprit (the one that started it all). |
I’ve always been creative (and attracted to shiny
things), but I had never made my own jewelry before. I just didn’t think I could. I was a teenager at the time and it seemed
complicated and requiring skills I didn’t have (like patience).
But then the clasp of one of my favorite necklaces
broke. The necklace was a souvenir from
a school trip to the beach. It was a happy childhood memory and I'm a sentimental person. I didn’t want to throw it away or leave it
sitting in some box, so I decided I would fix it.
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| My first handmade necklace. |
It was just a
clasp. It couldn’t be that hard, right? I went to a craft store, got some clasps and
some jewelry pliers. After some staring
and careful thought, (I didn’t want to make things worse and with me that’s
always a possibility), I tried prying open the jump ring (I had no idea it was
called that at the time) and got some scrapes on my fingers for it because my
grip on the ring (it was tiny!) was not strong enough. After some more finagling (and curses) I closed
the ring and voila! new clasp.
I thought that was it. Unless another necklace broke, I didn’t
really see me doing anymore jewelry activities.
But the jewelry bug had bitten (or should I say pinched via pliers) and
I was intrigued. I wondered if I could
do more.
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| Oh the horror! This is what happens to leftover beads mixed with boredom. | | | | | | |
|
I went back to the craft store and looked
around. They had a bead display and with
my blue obsession, a blue pendant in the shape of a purse caught my eye. I had to have it, but what to do with it? Well, there really was only thing: make it
into a necklace. I got some silver chain
to match the purse handle and some jump rings and soon had my very first
handmade necklace.
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| My better collection. |
After that, I was uncontrollable. I bought beads and other supplies like I was
opening up my own shop (I swear the craft stores made 50% of their profit off
of me). My first necklaces were definitely
experiments in my design skills from the overly flashy to the crazy ones where
I used random leftover beads.
But it was all worth it not only because I learned a
new skill but also because I learned to appreciate making something with my own
hands. Looking back, I’m glad my clasp
broke. It gave me a whole new
world. No regrets.
Now it’s your turn.
Learn a new skill and have something to be proud of. Making necklaces is easy, you just have to
try (or get sucked into it like me).
