How many of you wear your own jewelry, and which types do you wear?
Me, I only wear bracelet and earrings. I think I look silly in necklaces so I don't wear but a simple small chain with maybe a bead or small embellishment on it. I guess for this reason I don't make many necklaces - but I make tons of bracelets. Strange huh? When I look at my stash of bead stuff or just a gemstone bead, the first thing that comes to mind for me to make is a bracelet. I always "think" bracelet first, then maybe earrings to go with it.
How bout' you guys? what do you wear and why? Just curious is all... wondering if anyone else has a hard time coming up with necklace ideas like me.
I tend not to wear necklaces because of skin issues. So if I wear something, it has to be long enough to go on the outside of a shirt collar or turtleneck. I *might* wear something for special occasions, but not regularly.
In the spring and summer, the bracelets come out :) I love jangly things and cuffs and straps of all kind, but I don't wear them in cold weather because I'm always in long sleeves (often two layers), plus the coat, plus the gloves.
I have three holes in my right ear, two in the left. I almost always wear three niobium studs in the top holes on each side, and all sorts of dangly sparkly things in the bottom holes.
Cheers, Carla
Sterl> How many of you wear your own jewelry, and which types do you wear? >
Since you don't wear many necklaces, do you find that you don't make many of them either? That's the way it is for me... I just have a hard time coming up with ideas for necklaces (original ideas) and tend to make many more bracelets than I do necklaces or earrings.
Yes I do wear my stuff but not enough after years of being a Nurse I wasn't in the habit of wearing it But i too like bracelets the best or i wear new designs to "try " them out to be sure there isnt a problem after all I dont want the design to come back when i didn't make it strong enough to stand every day living! I will wear necklaces and bracelets but seldom remember earrings and i dont make them as much!
I actually make quite a few necklaces because they sell better than bracelets. Not that I have so many customers or anything, but the ones who ask for things on a regular basis prefer just earrings, or earring/necklace sets.
I seldom wear bracelets. In the winter it's because of layering. Layers of clothes: long sleeves, and a warm wool shirt or something, and then a jacket or parka on top. It's just too easy to tangle, especially if it's a jangle-y bracelet. In the summer, I still usually have layers, what with mosquitoes, working in the woods, or covering to keep my skin safe. And I tend to always get into things up to my elbows.
Indoors, I don't like the feel of a bracelet when I'm at my computer, the kitchen, or doing art/craft work. The art gallery says they don't get much call for bracelets either. Occasionally I'll make a watch to have a "bracelet" to wear.
And I don't like long necklaces, because they can swing out and klonk on something or get tangled. But I wear and make (and sell) lots of necklaces about 18" long. They can be worn under a shirt or with an open neck. And stone or lampwork will even keep your neck warm in cold weather. Even if I leave them on I don't get tangled in them, but I have to make them sturdy, because often I do forget.
I always reserve matching beads to make a pair of earrings. When I sold clothes I often saw that customers would kick themselves for getting the pants and jacket, but figuring the shell was superfluous. The only way to get a matching set is to use the same materials.
I'm figuring the necklace length and the bracelet thing has to do with cold weather and layering, and an outdoorsy life style here. We Alaskans tend to be picky, more than fussy.
I think length and style are connected too. I like a harmonious piece rather than something wildly dramatic. In a longer necklace that might get boring. Also, in a short piece I can pack it full of silver and handmade beads, etc. Very little "filler".
I wear them all; necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. I have three bracelets on at the moment on my left wrist. I made several necklaces yesterday, and had one on today when I stopped by to see my oldest daughter at work. (She is a plembotomist) The techs at the blood drive all commented on the necklace, and my daughter said,"hey mom, I want one like that." I laughed, because I had made it for her, but was test driving it to be assured that I liked it, and that it was securely made. I like wearing my own creations, but I also wear things that I didn't make. And earrings? Well, I wear three pair at a time, and like others here I like the flash and sparkle.
I always wear my own designs. In fact, all my "good" semiprecious jewelry except for rings, sits in the jewelry box. I always wear one pair of dangle earrings, I don't feel dressed without them. I usually wear a necklace, these days lampwork or fused glass combined with semi precious beads and silver, and two or three bracelets. I like wearing bracelets since I can see the beads as well as wearing them to be seen by others. I put off making bracelets for many years - issues with the different lengths, etc. - but now they are my favorite jewelry item to make and they sell amazingly well. Although I make fused glass tac pins and have a collection of pins, I almost never wear any of them. As far as rings go, I wear a Tanzanite wedding band on my lefthand and usually at least one semiprecious ring on my right hand. If I'm going out, I'll wear several more rings. I work at a library and find patrons checking out my jewelry as much as they come to check out books. I think most people like jewelry, even men. I recently went to have a consult for a medical test which I should have had several years ago. I was worried that the doctor might give me a hard time about being so overdue for it. All he and his nurse wanted to talk about was the dichroic glass necklace I was wearing. Whew! Jewelry rules again!!
I try to remember to wear stuff when I'm out, but most of the time, all I wear is a pair of earrings. I feel naked without earrings on.
I work for an arts program with kids one day a week, and the kids are always checking out what I'm wearing, so I try to either wear or have something to show them.
First of all, thanks for bringing this up (I responded to Carla before reading this thread).
I have one pair of ear holes but most days I wear two pairs of earrings in it. I never take the (diamond in platinum that DH got more for an anniversary) studs out, and I just put a pair of (my own) dangles in to match the clothes I wear. I wear my watch, glasses (retainer - I'm wildly far-sighted in my right eye) and key chain around my neck. You may be surprised, as I'm in the tropics,. but I tend to wear a fleece jacket at least at work (it's over- airconditioned), but I still tend to wear a (memory wire bangle) bracelet in spite of that, matching with the earrings (and the clothes).
I wear my wedding band and engagement ring but no other rings. I'm glad I dont' do more hardware in my job anymore than I do, because wearing rings and fixing (computer) electronics don't go well together, and I have a hard time getting those off these days (I ain't getting any younger either).
I wear what I make, and apart from those stud earrings and engagement and wedding rings, what I make is all I ever wear (I make a really lousy jewelry customer, but if you offer me any natural tone 4mm round beads, I'm game. Anything between clear to black and gray to green to purple. Much as I love turquoise, I don't have anything to wear with it, and it just isn't me. Color me malachite ... (jadeite, onyx, amethyst, the like, oh, and Picasso jasper.))
Mostly my own work and mainly necklaces, brooches. Sometimes I will buy a necklace if it sings out to me. I enjoy buying earrings for a memory eg, a memory of Norfolk Island or Te Papa museum. I used to buy paper weights but have over 35 so am going smaller.
I used to make some delicate little seed bead flower necklaces, and I always wore one. Very light and usually close to skin tones (including pinks and the blue-ish color of veins, etc) but with a little sparkle.
I still love them, but more often find myself wearing larger, more valuable pieces now. Things not so subtle and that showcase my work.
I try to keep my favorite pieces, and almost regret it when someone buys them away from me. There are still a couple pieces I miss.
I too like, or need, to keep my fingers un-cluttered. I even chose my wedding ring specifically so that nothing would catch on it. The 4 x 6 center stone and 3 small diamond on each side are channel set. I then had the back of it flattened so it wouldn't protrude on my palm and also wouldn't turn.
I do need to make a new eye glass leash, too. I make a wrapped loop at the very end of the ear piece of my glasses that I connect to, because I don't like have the "leash" intruding in my peripheral vision. I've gotten out of the habit of wearing a watch, but am trying to relearn it, now that Pete has stopped wearing a watch too.
I absolutely hate post earrings. They always manage to poke my skull. Even threaded studs have a long tail to poke your head because the backs don't stay put. Hey, I wonder if there's such a thing as a "locking washer" to be used with (ear) nuts, for a short threaded stud that won't work loose.
Closest I've come to an alternative to the classic ubiquitous stud, for my first hole, is a simple stone (CZ, blue topaz, peridot or pink tourmaline) on a leaverback. I should probably look into the new CZ beads for alternatives too. Heavy earrings stretch my holes, so earrings to match necklaces are usually a short dangle on a head pin, and from a heavy gauge hook because I find narrower wires uncomfortable. A short dangle can always be lengthened.
And speaking of lengthening, I make my necklaces from soldered jump ring to soldered jump ring, so they can be easily lengthened by adding a couple jump rings or wrapped loop "connector" beads, depending on whether I need a fraction of an inch or a couple inches.
Good thread. It gets my thinking about new ideas and old ideals.
Earrings for souvenirs. That reminds me, I sometimes have bought earrings and other odds and ends as souvenirs and then used them on a small Christmas tree. Like the seed bead Navajo girl earrings from Arizona, tiny wooden shoes from Holland, etc.
Mine isn't, and I wouldn't by a 4 prong set one again. I have to take it off every few years to get the prongs rebuilt.
That sounds like a good idea. Got a picture? I so far use store bought cheap ones in really bright colors so that I can find my black rimmed glasses when I put them somewhere, and the leash and connectors in my peripheral vision bother me too, and they sometimes get in the way of food.
I positively hate wrist watches, so I wear a cheap craft watch hanging from a shoe lace (actually a pair of shoe laces, knotted together) around my neck.
On mine you close to have to screw the nuts of, and for some reason they don't bother me. I only take them out to clean them (yes, I sleep with them and I wear them in the shower too.)
Did you try the clear plastic ones? - I have only seen those, never had one in hand, so I don't know whether they really do stay on.
Sterling -- I don't wear much jewelry, including my own. However, I design a bunch of them. I was intimidated by doing a neckless, but if you look around, most of the neckless designs are really very simple yet elegant. Pick a simple design you've seen and bead away! Change colors and types if you think the Beading Police have a stake-out in front of your house. You'll ease up on yourself and do more necklaces
You wanna know what really stops me from doing necklaces? I hoard beads! I buy em up and never use them. When I get home from purchasing beads, the fun really starts. They get broken down, counted, imaged, logged in the computer, indexed and finally stored. I love my beads. I will sit at my table, look at all my magnificent beads and think how beautiful they all are!
If I were to make a necklace, I might use up those beads and they'd be gone! Just like that *snap* one design could take away all those beads.
*maniacal laughter*
Seriously though, I really am my own worst critic. Many a time I will spend hours designing something - a necklace - changing it till I get it just right, only to put everything back because either I don't want to use up all those beads or I've talked my self out of the design. The inner voices war with each other over how good it looks and how bad it looks. God, I can be so freaking schizophrenic when it comes to beads. Come on, you cant tell me you haven't done the same at one time or another. *evil grins*
Um.. I can actually say I haven't experienced that type of anxiety. I love buying beads, and it never fails that I'll run out before I have an acceptable length for a necklace. But that's when my creativity really kicks in and I start finding amazing combinations to add inches.
But of course.. I'm still new, so I may eventually start hording :-)
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