Getting Creative

Yesterday, I did something I haven't done for, well at least 10 years (going way back to pre-kiddo time):  I made earrings!  After rummaging around in the basement for all my old beading stuff, I hauled it up to the dining room table and started getting creative.

Back in the day, I had dreams of being a jewelry designer, mainly because I worked for one when I lived in Washington, DC.  If she could, do it, why couldn't I?  At one point, I took the train up to NYC and shopped the bead district.  It was a weekend I will never forget! Pretending I was an established jewelry designer, I placed wholesale orders for beads and cashed out a bunch of my savings account doing it.  No matter that the big jewelry career never panned out, my memories of that weekend in New York were worth every penny.

My favorite place of all wasn't a bead shop but an adorable little storefront specializing in only buttons called Tender Buttons.  The place was bursting to the seams with both new and vintage buttons and I couldn't resist some of each.  Seriously, I was like a kid in a candy store in there!  While digging through my old stuff I came across a bunch of earrings I made from those buttons:

 

Part of my motivation to get out my beads was to make some new earrings for BlogHer - the blogging conference I'm headed to in New York next week.  Yes - I'm going to NYC!!  So of course I need some stylie new things to wear, right?  I've been hitting up the thrift stores and scored a couple of cute necklaces but I still wanted some earrings to match a couple outfits. 

After rounding up all my supplies, I whipped up 5 pairs of earrings in no time flat!!  The beads from the long purple pair were repurposed from a broken necklace.  The others beads have been sitting in my basement all these years....and even though they are not officially 'vintage' (what is the time frame for vintage anyway?), I still feel good about using up stuff that I already had.  Now I'm thinking - why haven't I been doing this all along????

Do you give yourself time to get creative?  What's your favorite creative outlet? 

 

Comments

[Condoblues]

For something to be a considered an antique it has to be at least 25 years old. I think to for somsthing to be considered vintage the sale price has to be marked up at least 20% or more than the old and used thrift store price :)

[Lori]

It is so important to carve out some time to be creative. Sounds like a great day!! The earring are very cool and you will be sylin' in NY!! I love to make jewelry also. I really don't know what I am doing and have been toying with taking a class. There is nothing like a unique, cool necklace or earrings that you can proudly say "I made it/them!".

[Stephanie B. Cornais]

I love to sew as my creative outlet! And I love, love, love recycling and refashioning things, like an old shirt of mine into a dress for my daughter. A friend of mine makes jewelry and I recently gave her a bunch of necklaces that I don't wear anymore but would hate to give away, and she is going to refashion them for me, can't wait to see the final product!

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[Lucy]

I love the "green" jewelry! I've just stumbled across your blog today...and have had fun reading your posts! I've been making "green" art for a couple years now, using things such as old vintage lace, old book pages, and vintage book covers to make beautiful collage and assemblages pieces, to give as gifts and to sell. I also enjoy making little "story boxes" out of those paper jewelry boxes that everyone seems to keep around the house (for years!).
Thanks for the inspiring blog posts!