Wearable Joy

I’m still alive, and still planning on making something of this site… Bear with me, though. It might be a little while.

It’s time for another little Q & A session. In the first session, I answered some great questions by my 1049 (er, MIL for you out-of-the-loopers) Pauli, and this time I’ve got some questions from my own awesome mommy to answer! (Yes, my two biggest fans are my mothers. And I love them for it.)

Here we go…three great questions my mom asked in a comment to an earlier post:

1. Do you need to get an idea of what a necklace will look like before you buy beads so that you buy pretty close to the right amount? (I just wonder if you ever find yourself just a bead or a few beads short of being able to accomplish what you picture?)

   For me personally, I don’t tend to go into a bead show or store knowing exactly (or even roughly) what kind of designs I’m looking to make; I just go in and get inspired by the colors and shapes. Then, once I’ve bought the beads I like, I go home and play with them, try out different patterns, and take it from there. And in general, beads come in strands of anywhere from ten to 50 or 100, so I haven’t had much issue with running out — except when I was doing my bridesmaids’ necklaces and realized I was getting really close to running out of a certain bead that I hadn’t realized was in short supply. So, since that incident, I guess I do look at the approximate amount of beads on a strand I’m about to buy, and make a haphazard assessment of whether this bead is one that will be used sparingly on a necklace, or as a repeated accent throughout it. But I can’t even IMAGINE going in and trying to buy just the right amount of beads for ONE or TWO necklaces…no…I like to get beads that I can visualize in multiple different designs and color schemes and styles.

2. I would love to know about how long it takes to make a necklace, but I suppose that varies with the complexity of each necklace…

   Yeah, it really does vary based on the complexity of the necklace, my supply of beads/inspiration/lighting/patience, and my skill level as it (very, very slowly) increases over time. The first necklace I made took me HOURS (to my poor recollection, anyway), but if I made the same one now, it would take me about 30 minutes, I’d guess. Some days my wrists are a bit sorer than others, which can slow me down (darn you, carpal tunnel!). Sometimes I’ll stare at all of my beads for 20 minutes before anything really jumps out at me.

   Then there’s the clarification: does inspiration/initial design time count toward the total time it takes, or is it just from the time I actually start putting things together? If it starts when I first sit down to come up with designs, I’d say that one necklace usually takes at least an hour…but that includes about 20-25 minutes of sitting there and positioning the beads in a way that “clicks” before I ever bust out my tools. Once I’ve got the design laid out (and again, this will make more sense once I get my act together and do a “How I Do It” post), I can put a necklace together in 15 minutes if it’s fairly basic, 20-25 for more complicated ones.
   

3. Are there beading “rules” that help you in your designing? For instance, I imagine things should be symmetrical, but I could be wrong.
   I’ll address your “For instance” first, then the rules question. Symmetry is all up to the preference of the designer (or the person they’re designing FOR, in the case of more considerate beaders…hehe). I’ve only made one asymmetrical necklace, and it was inspired by one I saw on my cousin’s MIL, Janet. Otherwise, I don’t tend to be inclined toward asymmetrical designs when it comes to making them myself. But I’ve seen people make necklaces that were completely NOT symmetrical, and I love it. It’s just not something that comes instinctively to me as a jewelry designer. All that said, the word should really has no place in the realm of jewelry design, in my opinion, except that beading should

   be something that makes you feel warm fuzzies inside. *smile*

   As for rules…well, there are the basic How-To’s that Pauli taught me as far as how to close an eye pin, attach a clasp, etc., but even those “rules” are subject to the designer’s preference, style, and edu-bead-tional upbringing. I have a couple of friends who use wire rather than chain and pins, so their methods are, for one, totally foreign to me, and two: they’re their own. No two people bead alike. That’s what makes it so wonderful!

Thanks for reading, dear hundreds of imaginary friends! I’ve got another round of Q & A coming soon, with more questions from Pauli, plus that mysterious step-by-step on how I do it.

Again, feel free to leave me some suggestions for topics, design ideas or requests, connections I should make, or whatever your heart desires! And check out my still-in-bubble-wrap Etsy shop. Buy my one necklace! (And I don’t mean you, Mom or Pauli…) 

Thanks bunches.

Pauli and I went to the Costa Mesa bead show today…and I was floored (yet again) by the endless amount of colors and shapes and sizes. I was reminded (yet again) why beading is so fun for me. And I needed that. I needed to bask in the wealth of possibility and the potential for creativity. I needed to not be thinking about how to someday profit from making jewelry or how to concoct a brilliant series of blog posts for my website. That’s not to say that I don’t still hope and dream about making a business of it or getting this site running in a more fluid rhythm and catching some attention. I just needed to remember how it all started, and where my focus has to be: PASSION.

Anyway, I bought a bunch of great beads today, in some colors I don’t normally go for. I  made a necklace for my grandmother’s 80th birthday. Granted, I made it in rather bad lighting, which only got worse as the sun went down, but upon inspection under the bathroom vanity light, I think it turned out pretty great. I’m tempted to make a second one as a prototype… But I think I want this one to be special and one-of-a-kind, just like my grandma. The funny thing about the necklace is that I bought several different strands of beads that all appeared to be lavendar in the lighting at the bead show, and now as I sit here looking at the completed necklace, it seems to be more of a periwinkle blue color. In fact, the bedspread that the necklace is laying on is a light blue pattern that looks like clouds in the sky…and the necklace is practically the same color. I’m sure in the sunlight it will look different, and no matter what color it really ends up being, it still looks nice.

And if I wasn’t feeling totally lethargic and sloth-like right now, I’d take a picture, upload it and show it to you.

Ah, what the heck. Lemme see what I can do.

…

Okay. I kid you not, my camera just DIED. I took about four pictures and was about to look through them really quickly to see if any were postable, and my camera died. I’m not at home tonight, so I don’t have my charger with me. Sorry, peeps. I tried.

Anyway, just wanted to pop in with a little beady update. I have big plans for this place, I promise…

Oh, and while you’re waiting for another post, don’t forget to check out my official Etsy store! I’ve only listed one item so far, and I still need to write up a profile (and apparently some store policies?), but it’s a step in the right direction. And who knows? Maybe one of you will meander on over there and see my one item and go, “I need that!” And then I’ll be like, “YES! Someone wants to buy my jewelry! I’d better get cracking on making more and posting them up on the site!”

See? You could play a crucial role in my success, here.

Do it.