Aha Lightbulb Moment

by Judy Larson

You never know what will spark an idea.

Instructions

Years ago I inherited my mother's jewelry, some of which came from her grandmother and mother. Stones had been removed from many pieces and most of the chains were broken or badly damaged so the only value in much of the jewelry was in recycling. After adding my gold bits and pieces of damaged jewelry, I took all the 10K, 14K, and 18K gold to a jeweler and asked if it could be made into a nugget pendant. After weighing it, he decided it would make three pendants, which I was thrilled with because then I could put one away for each of my children when they were grown, and would have one to wear. The nugget pendants were put away for safekeeping. Mine only comes out to be worn on special occasions. Both our children carried them when they were married. What a great remembrance of generations before us and a gift for generations to come!

Judy Larson's Aha Lightbulb Moment - , General Education, Design, aha lightbulb moments

My children and grandchildren know I make jewelry, but not which pieces I made and which were inherited or purchased and what the story may be behind each. While documenting my jewelry, I pulled out my nugget pendant and decided to wear it more often.

Then, I had another one of those AHA, LIGHT BULB MOMENTS: I should try making nuggets with my scrap silver. I melt silver all the time, but it never occurred to me to make nuggets. Yup, I forgot all about my documenting my jewelry pieces and was off on a quest to make nuggets! There are so many ways to use these little gems!

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Basic Soldering Kit

G15-4

G15-4
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $58.95
Gold Club Price: $44.21

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Category: General Education
Technique(s): Design

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!

Aha Lightbulb Moment

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