Thursday, July 29, 2010

The Earring Factory

I almost hate to post, because I just noticed that I currently have 222 previous posts, and this is going to completely mess with my numbers mojo.  I guess I'll just have to work really hard to get to 333, and until then, I won't be able to relax. 

Speaking of numbers, I know some of you are in shock that I have now posted...three whole times this week!  What can I say, I started feeling bad for neglecting the blog (along with my house) this summer, and I had an "Oh, sh*t!" moment when I realized that flipping school starts in three weeks.  Okay, now the 3's are just giving me the heebie-jeebies.  Anyway, enjoy.  I'll be MIA as usual this weekend, but hopefully now that I've lit a fire under my butt, so to speak, I'll continue to be prolific.  So, interesting stuff better happen, or I'll just have to make a bunch of crap up or RANT again like I did last night.  Sorry, folks, it has to be done sometimes.

In that same "Oh, sh*t!" moment, I started feeling really bad (as I do every summer) for having accomplished NOTHING in two whole months.  So, I motivated myself to do something I've been meaning to do for a while...it didn't hurt that it was also something I could do sitting on my butt on the couch.  One of the things worthless pieces of junk priceless family heirlooms I inherited when we bought this house was my grandmother's jewelry.  Not the good stuff, of course...the vultures my relatives picked that over and took everything that even looked remotely decent.  Oh, but that's a story for another time, my friends.  What I ended up with was three shoe boxes and jewelry boxes full of all kinds of crazy, wacky, gaudy costume jewelry.  Granny had a necklace for every outfit, and most of them, judging from the style and the colors, were purchased in the 60's and 70's. 

Now, some of these necklaces are very "en vogue" now--they're big, colorful, and chunky, and very stylish.  However, I don't do "trendy" very well...and this particular trend doesn't appeal to me for one simple reason.  I rely heavily on my neck, collarbone, and chest to distract people from my less attractive parts...my huge rear end, for example.  I saw an Oprah show once where a fashionista-type person recommended that people with my body type always wear V-neck tops, and she was right!  That's all I wear...because, at least in my head, if the ta-tas are teasing, my rump looks smaller.  I think that's called elongation in fancy-shmancy terms.  Anyway, necklaces of any kind mess with that plan, and especially these big chunky ones.  I digress.

So, what's the problem?  Just get rid of them, right?  Ummm...no.  I don't get rid of anything, especially if there's the slightest bit of sentimental attachment to them.  And to be quite honest, some of these necklaces, and the beads themselves, are kind of awesome, even without sentiment.  So, I've HAD them sitting around in a dresser drawer, taking up space and collecting dust, for about eight years.  And all along, when I haven't pulled a random one out for a costume piece or something, I've planned to farm out their parts.  And so I have...a short trip to Michaels the other afternoon to spontaneously pick up supplies, without really knowing what I needed or wanted.  I love my impulses--but only because I have so few of them.  And I came home and chopped up four necklaces on the spot. 

After the initial, "OH MY GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?!" panic moment, I was on a roll.  And since then, I've made about ten pairs of earrings...after the guys have gone to bed, in time previously devoted to Facebook or naps, in between iCarly episodes, all from the comfort of the couch.  And here they are, minus one pair that I spontaneously gave to my sister because she was wearing a lavender shirt that matched the earrings perfectly.  "Oooh" and "Ahhhh" all you want, and if you hate them, tell me that too.  'Cause I dig them, I wore a pair tonight, and I can't wait to rip up more old stuff.
The first two pairs I made with these nifty prism and "disco ball" beads.  They're sparkly and dainty.

This was a little more challenging, especially for a third try.  I only bought one pair of the circular earrings, but I'll get more.  I really like these, and they're not as heavy as they look.

These are probably way too "fancy" for me to ever wear, unless it's out dancing or something.  I just love those disco ball beads so much!

The next couple pairs were more sedate, and definitely every day-wearable.  The pair on the left I made especially to go with a green patterned dress that has been yearning to be matched up with the necklace that gave birth to them.  My dress will be so excited!

I dig these, too.  They aren't as "fancy" as the disco balls, so they'll get some wear.
These came from the most hideous (and awesome) necklace I have ever seen.  The beads are these little plastic things that remind me of raisins.  I wore the pair on the right tonight, and they were fun!  I tend to avoid bright colors...they're out of my comfort zone...but I'm trying to branch out. 
  I am just about out of earring backs, so I might be out of production for the weekend, but I'm itching to get back to Michaels (Do you know much it BUGS me that there is no apostrophe anywhere in that word?) and see what I can get into!




 
PS--Welcome to my 17th Follower, Diana! Her blog is great, so check her out.
PPS--While I'm extremely stoked to have 17 followers, and probably don't deserve more with the sporadic way I post and comment, it's BUGGING me to have an unfinished row there on the list! PLEASE help me finish off that row so I don't obsess about it being uncentered. Three more, and I'll be a happy camper for a very long time! C'mon, lurkers, just click it! It's easy!




3 comments:

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

Those circle earrings are awesome! And, kids go back to school next week here. Extra crazy, right?

Tam said...

I love LOVE what you did with the jewlery!

Diana said...

LOL! I hate the unfinished/uneven rows in GFC, too!

Wow, you do great work on your beadery. Very very pretty!

Thank you for the mention. =)

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