Have you ever tried making your own jewellery? It’s not
everyone’s cup of tea, especially if handling tiny fiddly objects is not your
thing. I find making jewellery to be a great creative outlet, and one that is especially
helpful when you’re on a budget and looking for something new to wear.
I recently travelled interstate for a wedding, and there wasn’t any money in
the budget for a new outfit. It was a challenge trying to put an outfit together that would work,
given I’ve lost some weight and my previous go-tos would no longer fit.
I assumed the wedding location of Queensland would be at its hot and sunny best, despite the weather in our home state of New South Wales being distinctly chilly while I planned what to wear. At present, I also have to factor in my current need to constantly take anything warm on and off, thanks to
menopause (or as I like to refer to it – the mental-pause, because it’s sending
me a bit that way!). I decided that layering would be the way to go - it covers all eventualities.
I’d bought a stretchy black and white pencil skirt many moons ago, and
was waiting for a time when I was brave enough to wear it. Some basic black from my wardrobe - top,
jacket and shoes - gave me a more complete picture, but I wanted something to
wear around my neck to break the black, and to tie in the white of the
skirt. Queensland would be too hot for a scarf, so my next thought was a necklace.
As we would have a relaxing couple of days with family prior
to the wedding, I decided to take a basic jewellery making kit with me, and
create something that would work. Perhaps some matching earrings too? Once
there, I realised I only had tiny white beads in my stash, and I wanted some bigger beads, perhaps something unusual in shape. Enter my budget go-to
when making jewellery – a trip to the local op shops.
Op shops (short for opportunity shops) are outlets that accept pre-loved items and sell them on to make a profit. They are commonly run by charitable organisations, so whatever you spend is going to a good cause. They are great places to pick up pre-loved jewellery
that you can re-jig into a new creation. Larger beads and feature pieces for
necklaces can be pricey to buy, but if you see something you like on a second
hand necklace, often you can pick the necklace up for just a couple of dollars or even less, and then pull it apart to get what you need.
I never need an excuse to visit an op shop as I find they
always get my creativity flowing. I love to consider how I can re-purpose items and
give them a new life. I went on the search, and it wasn’t long before I spied what I was looking for.
This string of white beads was hanging amongst a group of other pre-loved necklaces. I was attracted to the disc shaped beads as well as the plain
circular ones, and felt they’d be a good contrast with the black and silver
beads I already had.
That night as hubby and I sat with my Dad and watched a movie, I set to work. I managed with what I had, in combo with the $2 strand of white beads, to create both a new necklace and a set of earrings. Here’s the end result:
And here is me all dressed up on the day, wearing my new finery and with one very handsome hubby on my arm.
In my experience, if you like shopping and love to get
something new but budget isn’t your best friend, give an op shop a go.
Jewellery making is just one way in which yesterday's treasures can be transformed into
something for today.
Given we are talking about things that are second hand, the song that comes to mind for this post, is Second Hand Rose. Written in 1921 for famed Ziegfeld Follies performer Fanny Brice, it again achieved success in 1964 when released by Barbra Streisand as part of the soundtrack for the musical Funny Girl, based on Fanny Brice's life. It is hard to find another singer who can compare with Ms Streisand. Diction, range, characterisation, control, power, light and shade - she has it ALL in spades.
I was fortunate in 2016 to realise a dream, and see a show in London's West End theatre district. The musical I chose was Funny Girl, showing at the Savoy Theatre with the wonderful Sheridan Smith in the title role. Here's a snippet. Enjoy.
Tracey 💎
PS The day of the wedding was freezing. I ended up 'borrowing' hubby's suit jacket as both the wedding and reception were outdoors 😬. Despite the cold, the wedding was amazing, especially as the weather in the days leading up was wet and windy. All predictions of rain didn't eventuate, and the weather was fine and clear 😍.
With thanks to:
The YouTube Channel of London Theatre Bookings for Sheridan Smith in Funny Girl
The YouTube Channel of MrKingsRow for Barbra Streisand: Second Hand Rose
Wikipedia for Second Hand Rose (song).
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