why

[kymbi]

I'm with the huggers Myke ~ my heart goes out to you

[Sheltie]

Hi seeing that I posted the question maybe I should tell a bit of my story.I trained in leather work making belts handbags wallets ect mostly in deerskine.really from the time I left school I have been involved in crafts. I had a craftcentre for four years were I did my leather work and sold other peoples work.a couple came in one day with a range of there Jewellery all made from copper wire beads and discs which I really liked and it sold very well.I was getting bord with the leather work and wanted a change so I went to the local electrition and asked if he had any old caple I got masses of the stuff so I started to make some very primitive jewellery. sadly the craftcentre did not work out and I lost my house and all that shite. so I took on a hand cart in a shopping centre in Dundee and sold my primitive jewellery and it has developed from there. I love it and hate it.this year i have just stayed at home selling once a week at a very small outdoor marked in Ullapool and the odd bits sell from the website.normaly I trail about selling at music fests for the summer but last year was terrible my youngest son died and his mum died six` weeks later so as you can imagin its hard to find insperation for jewellery or anything at the moment.I do injoy this forum.good luck to everyone with there projects ect.thats enough ramplings for now all the best myke

Sorry to hear that.

Were you trading from the cart in Dundee in the early '90's. If so I believe we had met and my wife still sports some of your 'primative' jewellery. Wish she still loves.

[myke]

Hi Sheltie yes I was there till about 1995 I think its seems like a long time ago now. are you from Shetland? I keep meaning to make up there.been to Orkney for long weekend lots of jewellery there must be some of them looking at this forum. Thanks to everone for big hug.would be good to here how everone got into jewellery. So lets here all .........

[Charlotte]

I grew up making stuff with bits and pieces and painting, when I got to college I chose art and design focusing on the fashion sector. When I finished there I wanted to keep my options open (and learn how to use as many materials as possible) and decided to do a design crafts degree.

After experimenting with clay, textiles, wood etc it was the metals room I fixated with and spent most of my days in there.

When I left uni I moved to bristol, couldn't get a job making jewellery (and didnt have the money to start my own business) so I moved around from job to job, forgot about jewellery all together.

Then a couple of years ago I had a huge spinal op which kept me in bed for about 5 months, and I'm still strengthening myself up now! By the time I felt ready to get a job again there were no jobs available to suit my needs (not too much sitting or standing, not long hours etc) during the rescission.

I got a bit of money for christmas to get a TV last year (moved in to an unfurnished flat and that was the last thing on our list to get), when I was just about to click 'confirm order' on a TV I suddenly thought 'What a waste of money!!! Surely there is something better I could do with this cash?!' so I went on to Cooksons just to get an idea of how much it would cost to get what I needed, and it oddly came to the exact amount that I had. I took that as a sign and had no hesitations in clicking 'confirm order'

Funnily enough it was my birthday last week and my OH got me a TV!

[myke]

hi charlotte glad to here you are getting stronger after op.will you get any work done with this forum and tv???? all best myke

[Sheltie]

Hi Sheltie yes I was there till about 1995 I think its seems like a long time ago now. are you from Shetland? I keep meaning to make up there.been to Orkney for long weekend lots of jewellery there must be some of them looking at this forum. Thanks to everone for big hug.would be good to here how everone got into jewellery. So lets here all .........

Hi Myke

Yes I am up in Shetland and your more than welcom to drop by as is anyone else.

Anyway lets get back on topic

[bustagasket]

I would love to be able to say - "yes i will pop in" but alas it would take a bit of planning

[Lindyloo]

I have loved reading this thread. Thanks Myke for posting it, and so sorry to hear of your recent loss.

Like many of you, I have been crafty for as long as I can remember. But when I got to high school, my Mother thought that art was a waste of time, and steered me well and truly away from the arts. So like you Barbara, I ended up in the sciences. Got a degree in biology and worked at Universities and Scientific Laboratories.

I have done several years of evening classes in jewellery making, but never done any formal qualifications. I would love to though, but I have two small children now who seem to demand a lot of my time. Although compared to you Barbara, I don't seem to be as much of a go getter.

So now I just dabble. And recently I started teaching jewellery making to the little monsters (oh sorry, little angels) in after-school classes at my children's primary school. It is very funny to teach children. They are brutally honest. They loooove doing the classes, but jump rings and wire wrapping are "sooooo frustrating!"

I'm not sure where I will go with it from here, but sufficed to say, that making things has always been the most relaxing and stimulating thing I have ever done.

Linda

[EmmaRose]

Scary the stuff in common.
I too got into jewellery when I was ill- I dropped out of school after GCSE's suffering from chronic depression and panic attacks. I picked up jewellery (first beading, then polymer clay) as therapy too, then went to evening classes. My teacher was wonderful and encouraged me to go on to do a degree. I still suffer from panic attacks, and have been through quite alot of trauma too in recent years, my Grandad died, then I had a bone tumour. Two years after that my Dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a terminal and painful cancer. I gave up everything to nurse him with my Mum, a physically and emotional exhausting experience. The shock of his and my grandfathers death gave my Grandmother alzhemiers and we had to put her in a home.
The strain of all this was too much for my marriage and I am now getting divorced.
Em

[bustagasket]

Scary the stuff in common.
I too got into jewellery when I was ill- I dropped out of school after GCSE's suffering from chronic depression and panic attacks. I picked up jewellery (first beading, then polymer clay) as therapy too, then went to evening classes. My teacher was wonderful and encouraged me to go on to do a degree. I still suffer from panic attacks, and have been through quite alot of trauma too in recent years, my Grandad died, then I had a bone tumour. Two years after that my Dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a terminal and painful cancer. I gave up everything to nurse him with my Mum, a physically and emotional exhausting experience. The shock of his and my grandfathers death gave my Grandmother alzhemiers and we had to put her in a home.
The strain of all this was too much for my marriage and I am now getting divorced.
Em

i am so sorry you have had to go through so much. Huge hugs to you