Jewelry Making

1st three projects!

I've been trying really hard to expand my skill set recently.  I've decided to get serious about trying my hand at sewing, and I finally buckled down and agreed to give jewelry making a go.

Tonight was my first attempt at jewelry making and it was so much fun!!!  I went with two friends I don't get to see much of - Faith and Sam.  Double happy!

Jewerly making, itself, was definitely a lot harder than I thought it'd be, but once you get the hang of it, you can't stop!

Anyway, our first "project" was simply a string of beads we had to wire together.  It was to teach us how to use the various tools to make the loopy things that connect the beads together.  A series of seven beads (5 large, 2 super tiny) took us about 20 minutes to complete, but once we did, we were ready for the earrings!

The earrings were a bit more complicated because of the center piece (something called a briolette?).  Once we figured that out, though, the rest was cake.  I made the purple earrings for my first attempt (since I'd been wanting purple earrings for about a year and hadn't found any I liked enough to buy).  I'm pretty pleased with the way they turned out.  On the way out, I picked up the two rose beads and the four "leaf" beads you see in the picture above. 

After I put Vince to bed, I found an old pair of earrings and dismantled them in order to get two spare beads to recycle into the rose earrings that became my third attempt (the first without any help!).  I'm so happy with how they turned out.  In fact, I'm wearing them as I write this!

Anyway, it was so much fun learning a new skill.  I absolutely cannot wait to go back and learn some more!!!  And what a great excuse to get out with friends.  I've missed that sort of camaraderie.  What a blessed night!

---

Sam, myself and Faith showing off the fruits of our labor!