I've been making earrings since I was 18... at first because I couldn't afford jewelry, but then it became a passion. I sold earrings out of CJ's Fashion in the Bayside Inn in Qualicum in the 80's, which gave me many opportunities to grow my love for making jewelry. I would make pieces that would match with the outfits, having fun matching colours and styles. Cynthia, the owner/operator of CJ's Fashion, soon began to give me the leftovers of broken and unused pieces, giving me the chance to bring new life to what would otherwise be considered junk.
Sound familiar, eh?
Now that I have made an entire business out of recycling junk glass and metal, I find myself going back to my roots. Jewelry, especially earrings, have been requested from me for years. And I find myself amazed at just how easy it has become. Gone are the days of having to track down a supplier for tools and supplies, now you can just open Amazon and search what you're looking for! The suggestions at the bottom of an item lead you to more items... which lead you to more... and more, and more and -- suddenly you have too many tabs open and you find yourself muddling though miles and miles of reviews, none of which agree with each other. You see a 1 star review ranting about poor quality next to a 5 star review raving about great quality! Suddenly its not so easy, who do you trust? You don't want to end up with a bunch of low quality junk, not even the kind of junk that can be reused! Amazon isn't helping you, they recommended something that had one of the worst reviews you've ever seen, with pictures to boot!
So I have gone through it for you. I have finagled with the products, searching for good quality, but inexpensive, supplies. I've seen my fair share of chain that falls apart with a gentle tug, hooks that flake off their cheap coating with the slightest bend, and jump rings that open with so little pressure you'd lose your jewelry in no time, but it's been worth it to find nickel-fee supplies that I feel I can count on to be consistent in quality while not breaking the bank.
I believe everyone should be able to access the tools to make art, and if that means I have to give away "trade secrets", so be it. Of course, we will still be selling our earrings, made with recycled window glass and retired stained glass, and as of this afternoon we will also have earrings made from flame treated steel!
So here, the basic findings for reliable earrings so you can go and make your own. Have fun!
-Shannon
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