Beadwork with Freshwater Pearls

Remember my previous post a couple of days ago about how jewelry making melts my heart? Well, I've been thinking of starting my stash again so I can start making my own jewelry. This time, instead of using plastic and glass beads, I'd like to start collecting semi-precious stones and freshwater pearls. A bit on the expensive side but I'm also planning to make use of it as a sideline while I still can't find part time job that will work for our family.

Pearl earrings from Oriental Pearls

I have found a supplier for semi-precious stones before when I was still learning how to bead. And just recently, I stumbled upon a website that offers cultured pearls. They also make pearl jewelry that are really lovely it made me want to buy the finished item instead of making them. I really wish I could make something like that someday. But for now, I’m back to researching more information about jewelry making pearls.

Creating jewelry makes my heart melt

A couple of years ago, I stumbled upon a beading magazine on a book sale. I am not much of an accessory type of person but the thought of making something that I could wear and at the same time easy to make excites me. I bought the magazine and went directly to the local store selling glass and plastic beads and bought the essentials according to the magazines. I have made a couple of jewelry, even influenced my sister in making some and most of our finished projects went straight to her collection and for some that are left in my care were lost last September.

Just this evening, I was browsing my photo collection for something I could put up for the Photo Hunters week but what caught my attention surprised me. It's definitely not a theme of the week in the photo group but a definite blog worthy photo.

The photos above are just two of those creations I mentioned. A green beaded necklace with a leaf pendant and an anklet made of plastic pearl beads and leather cord.

Most of what we did are bracelets and earrings for they are really easy to make and can be worn everyday. I know my sister enjoyed her new stash of jewelry and these two are just some of those that are left in my collection.

Years passed and had a new hobby to get myself busy to, jewelry design lost my attention, until last October. You see, after Typhoon Ondoy, my daughter and I went straight to my father's home in Manila and only visited our house in Marikina a week after the great flood. I was shocked to see that my mother-in-law was wearing one of the bracelets I made. I actually stared at it for a long time and when she noticed me staring, she asked if I wanted to keep it. I just smiled but shook my head no. She told me that she found it just outside our door when they returned to our place the next day. She said that she doesn't know who it belongs to but the quality is nice because she wore it everyday since she found it and went through heavy cleaning and laundry washing and it is still intact. My heart swelled. I touched the beads one last time before returning to what I was doing.

The holiday passed and someone gave her a new bracelet but she still wear my bracelet. Though she still doesn't know that I designed it, my heart melts each time I see it on her wrist.