2011-10-31
Making your own and adding some sparkle...
Sometimes handmade jewellery can get a bad rap. By which I mean handmade-by-yourself-in-a- bored-Sunday-afternoon-with-glitter-pens-and-feathers kind of way. It can look...a little bit rough around the edges. Handmade by silversmiths or finely crafted by artisans in their workshops is obviously different and fabulous. But I really think that self made jewellery has a place in your jewellery box. Even if crafting isn’t your thing there are many different ways to get into making the odd piece of sparkle for yourself or for a gift. And wearing or giving something completely unique that you took your time over is a feeling that you can’t get by buying a piece.
If you do have expensive tastes then there are evening or weekend courses in silversmithing at most colleges. Many couples even take these courses to make their wedding or engagement rings. Whilst they aren’t cheap you are also paying for the materials as well as the teaching time and will end the course with a beautiful necklace, ring or bracelet that no-one else in the world will have. And of course with new skills and possibly a new found passion for jewellery making. It’s a serious hobby but with serious results.
If your tastes run to slightly less grand (but no less unique) materials then there are many techniques to try when making jewellery at home. There is the first obvious route with the many beads and jewellery findings easily available on the high street or the internet. Several of these also sell jewellery making packs for beginners as well as larger colour-coded packs of mixed beads. You can also look around your house for materials to use, which have the added advantage of being free! Bottle caps can be decorated easily with pictures, attractive paper, beads, toys- just about anything! These can then be joined to earring hooks or necklace findings with some patience (and a hammer and small nail to make the requisite holes) These types of jewellery are even easier to customize. You can even use a form of canvas printing technique. Using a gel medium you can transfer family photos or pictures from glossy magazines onto almost anything, including small pieces of wood or fabric. These can then be turned into beautiful personalized minature works of art to hang from earrings, necklaces or bracelets. The possibilities become endless!
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