why

[myke]

So we all make jewellery. but why? is it to make so cash or a desire to create?what got you started making jewellery?

[EmmaRose]

money??? whats that???
guess there is your answer!!
Em

[myke]

come on then tell me......

[Sheltie]

Got started when I got signed off work due to ill health (all fine now) Work part time for money and part time Jewellery for my sanity.

Now I make jewellery for the love of it and to earn some extra pennies to keep my motorbikes on the road. However that is not currently the case as I have a back log of orders and running out of summer to enjoy the bike

[kymbi]

Interestingly, a jeweller friend recently asked me if I would still make jewellery if I won the lottery. My response? Absolutely! However, I doubted whether I would continue to stand up all day, 2-3 days a week at an outside market to flog my wares...perhaps some nice exclusive events as I wouldn't have to worry about the cost of the fees any more

Like the previous post, I got into jewellery properly through ill-health when I attended a silverworking course 5 years ago as part of my rehabilitation and I got bitten by the bug. I did some silverwork as part of my A-level art (over 30 yrs ago) and dabbled with earrings, but nothing serious. Although it's now my "work" the creative process is also an active meditation for me, and I've never been happier. I can't imagine ever working for someone else again, despite the irregular earnings of self-employment.

[Charlotte]

Wow that's weird Sheltie! I make jewellery for the exact same reason. I had to had an operation, and by the time I'd got myself together there was a rescission going on, and getting a job was tough so I had a real think and remembered that I had got myself a degree in making jewellery so I decided to go down that route again, and here I am!

[Atelier Ava]

I could not find any ear-rings I wanted to wear so designed a pair and had them made, that was .. years ago. A few years later when my children were small I had no money to buy Christmas presents so made a whole load of costume jewellery with the cheapest components I could find and sold enough to buy all we needed. That blossomed into a business. Went to college and learnt Craft and I now do it not only so I have a constant supply of new designs to wear but also because I love the whole process.
Paula

[Petal]

Myke, my heart goes out to you. Then losing your business and dealing with the bereavement you have had. Its such a shame.

Perhaps we are all drawn to doing something creative, because it keeps our minds active and busy and not thinking about other, more difficult, things?

Making things helps with my depression (as others have found) - the grey fog that appears when you wake up and sometimes doesn't shift! I've learnt to manage it by going out on my bike in the morning for 5 miles(that's my journey to 'work'), it gives me an enormously positive feeling that lasts all day, then I get back home, ready and get to it! The other thing that works for me is having 10 minute breaks - that helps with focus. If I'm stuck on a design and can't seem to get it right, I have a break, weed my veg patch and come back to my piece of 'jewellery-to-be'.

I started out knitting in my spare time, got into weaving willow baskets (which I loved - but played havoc with my wrists!), moved onto stringing beads as a hobby and started selling to friends/neighbours etc . I love being creative and making something, and hope others like the pieces enough to buy them. I don't do it entirely for the money and still have to get my pricing right, but I'd rather have less and not have to deal with the stress and bullying at work that I had for years - -X I've had enough of that stuff to last me a lifetime and so have an awful lot of other people I know. Some of them have had major diseases as a result of years of stress and are no longer around to tell their story.


Apologies for the waffle..


Jules
A a day keeps the Doctor away

[myke]

hi Jules good to read your thread.thankfully I have never experienced bulling at work sounds grim.growing your own veggies is always good I used do grow a lot and keep hens pigs sheep and goats all the best myke