Ringing In My Ears

Saturday morning.  Heart pumping.  Excessive sweating.  Hands shaking.  You'd think I'd taken up some extreme sport.  Instead I'd extended my comfort zone yet again and was trying something new.  No, I wasn't sky diving.  I was learning to make earrings.  It doesn't take much to catapult me into anxiety does it?

At one time I had pierced ears.  When we were in elementary school my sister was determined to have her ears pierced.  I wasn't sure I wanted extra holes in my head, but as I didn't want to seem cowardly I agreed to get mine done too.  I am the older sister after all!

By university I had let my piercings grow closed, as I was tired of having constantly infected earlobes. (My sister went on to get more piercings and a couple of tattoos. Can't decide if that makes her brave or crazy.  Actually, I can.  I'll let you guess where I stand on that issue.)  Clip-on earrings were still commonly available, and I had some funky, hand-me-down sets from my mom.  I even picked up vintage earrings from time to time.  Unfortunately, most of my wee collection was lost in a break-in a few years ago, and replacements were becoming difficult to find. 

I'd pretty much given up on wearing earrings until, when visiting my parents, I saw their neighbour wearing a snazzy necklace and matching clip-on earrings.  I asked her where she got them, as I figured I'd better do some shopping and stock up while I was in town.  I was impressed, but rather disappointed, to discover that she had made the earrings from beads she had removed from her necklace.  That was two years ago.  It took until last week for the light bulb to come on and for me to consider making my own earrings.

Once I decided to do this things fell into place.  On Tuesday after work I stopped at the bead store conveniently located three doors down from my workplace. (Did I mention it took me two years to figure out I could make my own earrings?  I walk by this place at least twice a week.  Duh.)  I approached the young woman at the counter, told her I wanted to learn to make my own earrings and asked if she had any classes coming up.

This was my first meeting with the kind Kelsi at Shipwrecked Bead Shop.  She told me she had a wire wrapping class coming up, but on seeing the befuddled look on my face she suggested I come in for my own session.  Good call!

That brings us back to Saturday morning where the kind, and did I mention patient, Kelsi proceeded to teach me how to make my own earrings.  For ten dollars I got a personalized class.  I was able to choose my own materials, learned the basics for making earrings and when I was finished I got to keep the earrings.  

Not bad for a first attempt, huh? Of course I had lots of help and guidance throughout the process. 

They were surprisingly quick to make, so Kelsi bravely let me make a second pair at no extra cost.  And yes, it does require a certain amount of courage to allow me to use pliers (or hammers, or screwdrivers...)  Do you have any idea how far bits of snipped wire can fly?  I may insist that she wear goggles at follow-up classes. 

I was pleased with the second pair too.  I wore them when I left the store and was so excited I was tempted to stop random people in the street to show them my earrings.   In fact the whole experience was so enjoyable that I bought tools and materials to make earrings at home. 

Overall I spent about fifty dollars, but that included the lesson, two pairs of earrings, tools and materials to make more earrings.  Having recently been to a craft fair, I know I'd be hard pressed to buy two pairs of earrings for that price.

I haven't made any new earrings yet.  I'm still enjoying these ones too much to feel the need to start more.  That, and I think I'm going to need more beads.  I can see this becoming an addiction.  Fortunately beads are fairly inexpensive.  And mesmerizing.  Legend tells that the Lenni Lenape traded Manhattan for beads and other trinkets.  I know it's legend, but now I can understand how it might happen.  

If you're looking for me later today, try the bead shop.  There's a good chance you'll find me there.

 

Note:  This picture doesn't show the earrings all that well, but it does have a snail in the top right, so I thought I'd include it.