Lost & Forgotten Jewelry

by Alicia Rivera.
(Dover, Delaware USA)

I recently found a stash of pieces that were made back when I first started my jewelry making journey.

These agate nuggets came strung exactly like this. I just added spacers and a clasp.

All these pieces were made using sterling silver because back when I started,  Artistic Wire wasn’t as readily available as it is now, and sterling silver was much more affordable. I was also learning from books and sterling was used almost exclusively to teach with.

I love “quartz” glass, but at first had no clue it was just glass. I still love it and still have an embarrassingly large stash of it.

The beads in these pieces came from the very first bead show I ever attended.

My strung pieces back in these days were super simple. A lot of them were simply restrung in the same way I purchased them. I just added spacers and a clasp because I knew I liked them, but I didn’t know what else to do with them. I didn’t want to be “wrong”.

This tiger eye nugget was a freebie at a show because it was undrilled. Had no clue how to wrap it so the back is a hot mess. I may redo it one day.

My wire pieces took FOREVER because I wanted the wraps to be perfect. Now I know that relaxing and just going with your flow can lead to some very creative imperfection in wire work in particular and jewelry design in general.

This apple jasper leaves necklace is still one of my favorites. It’s my first completely handmade chain.

I also apparently thought every piece of jewelry needed a pair of matching earrings.

OK…I still think that…but maybe not sooo matchy matchy.

It’s still hard to beat 3 beads and a headpin when you need a quick pair of earrings to go with almost anything, but I do make my own ear wires now. 🙂

Alicia Rivera
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