Here we are a bunch of blingers. My friend Joan Larsen Folkers is visiting from Mexico and when she's in my neck of the woods the beads come out and we play and invent things. Joan is busy making little Cell phone or purse bling and a couple of ankle bracelets and I am securing a brooch pin on the back of a wire bird nest that I will donate to the SBPA to cover spays and neuters for dogs and cats in Mexico.
I've been collecting beads for years and at one time sold finished necklaces and earrings in the shop. I got a bit obsessed and was buying beads so fast I couldn't keep up with the production line of finished pieces. The old black and white Lucille Ball skit in the chocolate factory comes to mind. For those who have never seen this bit of television history click the link to watch. It's a hoot! (Sorry I could make this a live link so if you cut and paste it in Youtube it will work.) www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPzLBSBzPI
As the beads piled up I got overwhelmed so now I have a gross amount of fabulous bling packed away in boxes crying to be taken out and loved. Exquisite beads from all over the world, handmade and sold by the artist. No Chinese knockoffs for me! In the trade they refer to themselves as SRA, self representing artists. Nothing is mass produced and some are one of a kind. Some of my favorites came from Germany, they know how to make luxurious, high end beads that people will zoom in on when you walk into a room. You name it and I have it. All the findings, spacer beads, chains, pearls and high quality handmade lampwork beads you could ask for. There is enough to open a small store and I've considered it many times in that new back room, but hooking is the number one game around here so I'll just forget about the beads for a bit and haul them out when I have a better plan.
I'm not sure what all the beads represent other than a fascination with sparkly things or maybe I should use the other F word, fetish. And I will admit I went overboard, almost a panic to have it all. My mother called me "crow" when I was a child as I combed the neighbourhood for pieces of broken glass, collected the foil from cigarette packages and anything that caught the glint of the sun or my eye. I was doomed from the beginning, but thankfully it's now behind me, literally and figuratively, in boxes in my office.
I sold pretty much 75% of the necklaces sets I made and had enough interest to go on to do a bit of silversmithing and wire wrapping, but I grew tired as the reality set in that I couldn't run two separate business simultaneously and do the justice they both deserved. I had to make a choice and rug hooking won, it was my first entrepreneurial birth so the new bundle was packed away. Spreading myself too thin served nothing except sleepless nights and disappointment and good intentions weren't enough to keep going. A number of customers have several pieces of my jewellery and I see them every now and then and think wow, I made that. But it isn't enough to woo me back to the bling table. Someday when the time is right it will be like Christmas, opening all of those fabulous boxes to reacquaint myself with the treasures within.
Joan and I will get elbow deep in the beads a few more times before she leaves. I plan to donate several more pieces to support the SBPA's auction. Maybe you could check out their Facebook and give them a LIKE. It's a great cause and your like will help spread awareness. www.facebook.com/pages/SBPA-San-Carlos/197277600418611
The SBPA in San Carlos Mexico is an organization dedicated to minimizing unwanted dog and cat population by providing free Spay and Neuter Certificates to anyone that needs financial assistance. The SBPA is dedicated to the protection of animals, domestic and feral, and to the alleviation of suffering created by their uncontrolled reproduction. To this end, we believe that spay and neuter is the best solution to the overpopulation problem. Check out their website.
http://sbpasancarlos.org/
 Putting the finishing touches on a little necklace for her puppy. Every dogs needs some special bling when everyday attire won't do.  Friends who bling together stay together! It's fun to have friends with like minded interests. Joan is a great gal, I wish she lived here full time instead of only a few weeks a year maybe she would inspire me to make jewelry again! |  I just taught Joan to make wrap twists for drops. She's busy making a few special little gifts for friends back home. |
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