Ouch! it's shopping for the necessary beads, findings, wire etc. There's so much to see and wow...expensive too.
Sometimes I wonder.....isn't it cheaper to buy those off the shelves. Some are going at 3 for S$10. "I must go in and see." I tell my daughter. "But Mum!! they're so....." " err, ok, let's get out...I'm convinced I have to make my own." I replied before she could even complete what she had wanted to say.
One has to be careful about buying the beads too. I'm sure you won't want a piece made out of plastic which they are trying to pass off as glass or even swarovski. It's sometimes difficult to see through those plastic bags. But anyway, I've made my purchases.
I buy my stuff from all over. I obtain my eyepins and headpins from Beadhub as they are from the US. I had a go with the China made ones and true to what I've heard, they break off after two liftings. Some are ordered online from the US and Australia. Some are bought during my trips to Thailand and some from People's Park amongst the numerous shops. I just pick up what I fancy and sometimes, it's just buying because they look good on the racks, not knowing what I would use them for.
I loved to shop for accessories whenever I go out and I accumulated lots of them as every piece was different. My daughter later told me that I should learn to make my own instead of buying. I started to search the web for classes whereby I can learn this art. I came across several but was not too convinced that I could pick up much from them. Finally, our search ended when we came across Tanja Sadow from Justanja and I made up my mind that I would learn from her.
The courses did not come cheap but it was comprehensive and soon, I felt confident to make my own pieces of jewellery. I perservered to the end and completed my Masters in Creative Jewellery Arts and also obtained the Senior Instructor status for Art Clay Silver & Gold Singapore which I am really very proud of.
I started making pieces using instructional books and soon could create many other pieces out of sudden inspirational attacks. I learnt that I should immediately try to draw out the inspirational designs or I would soon forget them. Having some drawing skills did come to use at such times. My major in Art during my teacher training days did not come to waste after all.
