I have a birthday present to make for my friend, Sylvia, who I will be seeing later. So, I am going to share one of my passions with you today.
These are the first pieces I ever made.
I started making jewelry almost 15 years ago. I had a naval ring at the time and wanted to change the bead on it. Being too… thrifty to pay $10 bucks for a bead change at the tattoo place, I decided to buy a bead and change my own. It’s very difficult to buy one small bead. So, I bought a package. Since I only needed one for the purpose at hand, I decided to get some beading wire and fasteners to make use of the rest of the package. I was hooked on making jewelry immediately!
I put this chain together link by link and set each of the beads.
I made pieces for myself that other people really dug. So, I started making jewelry for friends, coworkers and family members. The more I made, the more I wanted to make. My pieces began to get quite interesting and complex. I started selling my all-original jewelry under the name Chickyrhumba (a nickname my mom had for me when I was little) in 2006. I had just begun to do quite well and then the economy tanked. Understandably, original, handmade jewelry wasn’t a priority for people to purchase at that time. I closed Chickyrhumba in 2012. The truth is I never enjoyed selling it as much I enjoyed making it.
I took the big tumble down the stairs a few months later, so I didn’t make jewelry for much of 2013. When finally I started again, it was just like it was in the beginning. I LOVED it! Making jewelry gets me down into my hands and keeps me from over-analyzing anything that may be going on in my life. I would definitely describe it as a form of meditation.
It’s such a delightful one because it is so sensory. I love feeling the smoothness of the stones. I enjoy looking at all the colors and natural variations in gems. Bending wire into submission can be like therapy! I also love getting vintage beads and remaking them into something new. I guess most satisfying of all is being able to see the fruits of your labor. Executing something tangible from start to finish that I can give to someone else makes me very happy.
I made this for Josie Stevens using vintage beads and Swarovski crystals.
Ah done! Do you think Sylvia will like it? I hope so. I know I enjoyed making it.
Sylvia’s birthstone is peridot. Amethyst is a healing stone. Who couldn’t use an angel?
Do you have any hobbies or passions that you need to make more time for? Leave me a reply in the comments section. I would love to hear from you.
Many blessings,
Cynthia
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