Random Acts of Craft

I know I've mentioned my jewelry several times since starting this blog, and I thought I'd tell you the story of how I got started.

Several years ago a co-worker of mine introduced me to the joys of jewelry making. We'd been chatting early one winter morning, and as she took off her coat, I noticed the beautiful pendant dangling from a silver chain that hung around her neck. "That's beautiful," I informed her. She replied with a shy smile. "Thanks, I made it." Those four words were ones I eventually wanted to utter myself. I asked her how she made it, and soon I found myself speed walking down Broadway toward my new Mecca: New York City's Fashion District.

As with all new projects, I became very excited and promptly purchased a set of three pliers, several feet of silver chain, a plethora of charms, and the obligatory jump rings, clasps, and other such hardware. After a brief lesson conducted in the cramped aisles of Beads World, I rushed home to begin work on my first charm bracelet. After closing the last jump ring on a shiny red strawberry charm, I was hooked.

The next afternoon found me once again at Beads World. This time I had a field day picking out a rainbow of crystals. You'd be surprised how little $100 worth of stuff can weigh. I made my way home with enough supplies to make an entire line of Hogwarts jewelry. That evening I paired the yellows with the blacks, the greens with silvers, the scarlets with golds, and the blues with silvers and bronzes. Over the next few weeks I made more than fifteen pairs of earrings and a few necklaces. I went to work selling.

Of course, as with all projects I start, I soon became quite bored. I needed a new subject. The house earrings were selling, but quite slowly, and I was hardly breaking even. I went back to Beads World. As I browsed their aisles for what seemed like hours, I came across the most perfect idea. Hidden amongst the clasps, was the most brilliant clasp a Harry Potter fan has ever seen. Its round golden figure sparkled in the flourescent lighting with it's rhinestone polka dots. I had found the Golden Snitch.

It was a piece of cake then to locate silver and gold wings to match. I returned home and made my first of many Golden Snitch necklaces. With their unique design (the clasp is the snitch, and therefore closes in the front), they soon became my best selling item. While I continue to make House Color earrings and necklaces, I now concentrate mostly on the Snitches. You can see most of my latest work (Potter and muggle) on my Etsy store: Random Acts of Craft, as well as at the merch table at any Wizard Rock show in which MPatL is performing.

Come to Wrock Spring Break this Saturday night at The Sidewalk Cafe (7pm) to get a sneak peek of my latest line of jewelry. If you like what you see, please let me know, so that I can have the chance to utter those four beautiful words: "Thanks, I made it."

Hope to see you there.