How I Got Started Making Jewelry

 I have loved using my hands since I was a little girl. For Christmas I didn't ask for dolls but for anything and everything crafty (that and books, I'm kind of a nerd). My first experience with beads came in the form of a native American bead loom, similar to this one, that my grandfather got me in grade school and it all started from there.

After that I started making little pieces and sold them to kids in the lunchroom. I did these little lizards, made beaded money pouches, and the normal necklaces, earrings and rings.
                                              

My love affair with beads went on and off through out the years but I never stopped creating. Weather it was sewing, costume design, knitting, quilting, scrapbooking, stained glass work....I did anything and everything. These hands were always busy with something. 

After collage and after I had my first son I found some pearls that I couldn't help but buy, they were too gorgeous to resist and while I had no real jewelry supplies at the time because it had been over a decade since I had done much in with beads, I quickly found some and began to work with wire, gemstones and other beads. After that I fell in love with it and I couldn't put my pliers down and my supply of beads and jewels grew and grew. And then grew and grew some more.

It was a hard step from just making jewelry for myself and gifts for friends into actually selling it because I have found when you make something it becomes a part of you and it is a very personal thing to show to the world because you know what you put into it and all the flaws, because trust me, EVERY project has at least a few flaws, and to let it all out there can be hard. But after hearing from many many people over the years that I should sell my stuff I decided to set up shop, though I was extremely nervous to do so. I was so nervous I didn't tell a soul about it except my husband and my sister who I made buy my first few pieces.

Here are some pictures of my very first pictures I sold. Don't judge, the camera work is terrible. That is another thing I have learned a ton about, photography, which is now something I love and not only do tons of pictures of my jewelry but of my own kiddos, families, babies and I've even done a couple of weddings. It is a fun skill to have been able to learn on the way. 

To my surprise people who were not my family or friends began to buy my pieces and things have grown from there. My confidence in myself and skills grew, I tried new things and practiced what I did over and over and over. Years passed after opening my shop on etsy and I was able to quit my job and do this full time as well as be home with my two, soon to be three, rambunctious boys.

Understandably my designs change with time but some of my favorites stick around. Here is another early piece I sold on etsy:

Here is it's current equivalent (for sale here):

Lemon Chalcedony Gemstone Earrings

I love what I do and to this day still can't believe I get to do this as a job.

So I am curious, what crafts or projects did you guys like to do growing up? Is there anything you started doing when you were young that you still do now?