It all started when a friend showed me how to make a beaded lariat necklace. I started by going every weekend to bead stores and I would purchase tools, beads and crystals, sometimes pearls.
Then I started to go to bead shows and conventions where you can buy everything for about half the price in stores. Of course, I've moved on from glass and plastic beads and I use semi-precious stones, crystals and everything else under the sun. :)
Now.....if I see a necklace or earrings in a department store or a bracelet on a celebrity, I'll make it, instead of buying it!
The mark-up on jewelry in stores is CRAZY, and I refuse to pay that price when I know I can make it for 50% less, sometimes more than that...easy!....just so long as it does not involve any hot metal work...OUCH!!!!
Here are two necklaces I made this past weekend.
This one is made from Venetian Glass Agate and Swarovski crystals
This one is made from super tiny turquoise beads, a single Venetian Glass Agate in the center and on each side there are Apatite roundels and London Blue Topaz roundels.
Both necklaces have sterling silver clasps.
The only bad thing about making jewelry is that is reeks havoc on the nails, but it's worth it to have something pretty dangling from your ears, neck or wrists:)
So now you know about 2 of my passions:)
Have a great Thursday!
22 comments:
Very pretty! I am loving that first one.
@L- Thank You, and I am loving your cookies :)
very pretty sis :D eheh.. check mine
http://jewelrybys.blogspot.com
Jewelry is often wayyyyy overpriced indeed! Great that you found a way to be creative apart from the nails! Can I buy your talent? Pls?! ;-)
wow! the first one is really pretty I love the beads you used!
Pretty nice!
Very pretty! I really like that second necklace.
Very pretty! Love it :)
Wow, gorgeous!
Thank You everyone, and I'd like to add that no nails were damaged in the making of either necklace :)
Gorgeous stuff! I have a friend who makes jewelry and I've gone to bead stores with her and been very tempted by a lot of the merchandise. I tell myself I have enough hobbies for now, though. :)
Gorgeous! I love the big beads.
I'm a beader, too!
Beads rock!
I loooove your first necklace! I would definitely buy something like that. :)
Jackie, these are beautiful!! Good work girl!! I wanna learn :)
Oh man! I love making jewelry. I would love to get to go to the shows and stuff to be able to purchase the beads for cheaper. You're way lucky. And you're so right....it DOES kill the nails. These necklaces are gorgeous!
I would totally drool over that first necklace if I saw it on a display. I'm in LOVE with rocks. Beautiful work!
Really loving the first necklace. Gorgeous! Did you make earrings to match?
thank you for sharing! i hope we get to see more~!
Jackie: How about if you take a picture of the expensive piece of jewelry. You make your version. Post both pictures and tell us the price of each one. Just a thought :D
Hint, hint, cough cough another blog :)
@rmcandlelight- I can actually do that with another bracelet and earrings I made last year. I copied it from a design at Nordstroms. Good Idea, I'll work on that this weekend, Thanks :)
Girl, I don't know if I can do another blog, this one is a handful...LOL! :P
I love making jewelry too! My mom and I started a busines a few years back doing mostly Swarovski crystal and sterling silver designs. If I lived closer, I'd do it all the time but with school it's hard! You're designs are adorable! (I love the colors especially!)
Do you have a clever name for your beading alter-ego? Mine is JewelReese, which ended up being the name of my company! haha
You should post more pictures. You've got plenty of people here who loved this post. Maybe you could sell us some! :)
OMG, that's my hobby too! :D And yes, it's not good on the nails. Sigh! I love what you''ve shown here, btw. Beautiful!
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