I love you ETSY but I'm NOT quitting my day job!

I love being creative but doing financial aid paperwork does NOT let me express my inner artist. I am a TRiO Educational Talent Search school coordinator in Appalachian Southeast Ohio. Being in the foothills of the oldest mountains in the world and being able to help low income and first generation potential college students and their families is the best job in the world. I am mostly a college access adviser, closely working with the guidance counselors, students and parents to help them find the best educational fit for their situation. Everyone of my students is different; each going in a different direction. The stress is abundant but manageable, especially when I can unwind with a big tray of beads!!! It is great because when I'm done unwinding at the end of the day, I have an amazing and unique piece of jewelry.

I love etsy! I am inspired by all of the wonderful things and wish I could have the time to create and explore different materials. I WANT to start working with sterling silver. I took a class on it a few years ago and now that I have the space, I am saving up for the tools and equipment. I have recently played around with chain maille after getting a few library books on the subject.

I only work during the school year so I make most of my jewelry during the summer. The occasional snow day also lets me get a few creative hours in during the winter (so I can get my bead fix). I am thinking of entering contests, and some juried shows in the future as well. I also want to get a merchant credit card account before I do that. SOOO much I want to do and so little time to do it!

this is what I'm looking forward to

Topless jeeping with my bf and dog!

Should I be offended that a woman called my jewelry disgusting?

At a recent craft show, a woman walked up to my table and told me that she thought my jewelry was disgusting. This kind of shocked me because it is something I would never do. But I think I might know what she was talking about. It was the gun shells. Maybe she is disgusted by guns, more often times, I'm disgusted by what people do with guns but I think my jewelry is beautiful.

My dad is a gun collector. Well, he'll collect anything of value, I guess that is called hoarding;) He does not hunt, he does not even shoot the guns he has because he would not want to lower the value of it. When I was a child he had a few that he did take to the rifle range to target shoot. He reloaded the brass shells he used and I would help him measure out the gun powder and put the bullet in the shell. It was fun spending time with my dad and I felt important doing it because I knew how dangerous they could be.

So recently while in an antique store, I came across some nickel plated gun shells and decided they would make great pendants. I immediately wanted some small ones to make earrings, then large ones for necklaces, I can even do bracelets as well. Maybe next just some simple keychains? For some men, that is all the personal adornment they would ever want. Like my brother, he never wears jewelry, but I think a gun shell would make a great keychain for his motorcycle.

A few minutes after the disgusted woman was dragged off by her daughter, another woman approached me to make some pendants for her grandkids. Her husband had recently passed; they had a 21 gun salute at his funeral and they gave her the shells. Those are the people I make my jewelry for. I do not use my jewelry to express my opinions about our second amendment. I will leave that up to the person wearing the jewelry. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!