Thread: Do you make or buy your jewelry?

I was thinking last night & just curious how many of you buy ready-made jewelry to go with your costumes, how many prefer to make their own one-of-a-kind stuff, and if anyone does a combo of the two? (Like, buy a ready-made piece & then add to it/bling it out/rework it?

I was thinking about it because I'm in a pretty small town, so, outside of ordering online, the selection of ready-made accessories here is limited to whatever's at the local Target, Walmart, and four small department stores (and a strip mall recently built close by). To me, the thought of dancing somewhere locally wearing the same accessories as someone in the audience kinda detracts from any mystique I could create as a performer if someone can say Hey Bobbie Sue! You're wearing the same necklace! or I know where she got those bracelets, I saw them in Sears! In my mind, I guess suddenly I'd become 'ordinary' - in my limited experience GP expects us to be glamorous & not hear that we got anything locally; it all came from 'over there' somewhere. Hence, I currently have a zippered sandwich bag with colored glass beads, clear & colored AB beads (ooOO sparkly), and other stuff to transform into unique pieces not found at the local Target :).

I buy most of my items from antique/vintage shops. But, if a sparkley catches my eyes in claires or wherever, there's nothing stopping me :)

I also appreciated the jewelery that came along with my invokethegoddess costume, there was an anklet and necklace and they'e smashing!

Do you have a Michaels, hobby lobby,ac moore or Joannes anywhere near you maybe next few towns or so? They do have classes on making jewelry. And stuff to make your own. I do ready made rhinestone jewelry and pretty much make my own. Then again I have access to NYC and craft stores. I do however go to target and tweek jewelry and redesign them. So it depends on what costume. I'm currently working on a jewelry piece for my new costume-re working a clearance necklace from Macys.
Besides I wouldn't worry what people say or think. Its none of their business if you have 1 necklace or several of them. You are wearing it it makes you happy who cares what others think. and its none of their business where you got your stuff. If I were you tell them got it on " eBay". And it usually ends the questions.

Alrana

I get most of mine from Claire's, Forever 21 and Target, and the Limited and Express also have some good stuff every now and then.

I like it cheap, that way I don't feel bad if it gets lost or damaged. All of my creative efforts go into my costumes, I've always been able to find inexpensive stuff to compliment my costumes. But then I live in a big city, so it's not as much of an issue.

This is going to sound weird, but do you have a store that sells wigs, braids and extensions for African Americans? The place I go to for my jewelry is one of those types of stores and it is totally awesome. They have amazing stuff.

I do a combination. I go to flea markets, thrift stores, and yard sales and find interesting pieces really cheap. Sometimes, I leave them as is but sometimes I'll find just 1 earring or a brooch that is broken and I re-invent them into another piece or put them on my belts and bras. I think it's more fun that way then buying what everyone else is wearing.

I bead my own jewelry to go with the sparkly costumes. Much of the less expensive rhinestone jewely out there gives me a nasty rash, so I can't wear it anyway. For tribal, I wear authentic Tuareg silver I've collected over the years.

I do a combo. It just depends on how crafty I am feeling and how long I waited to worry about jewelery. Some of the stuff I make and some I buy. I got some stuff from Target and the like and some stuff that I found at the goodwill. Don't let any of that stop you. I learned how to make jewerly on my own by looking at other pieces and seeing how it went together and then buying the pieces and doing it myself. I can soder or anything so I am a little limited but Michaels does have some really cute stuff that you can almost just click together to make various designs.

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We do have Hobby Lobby here (I heart Hobby Lobby) & there's a Michael's about an hour away, which is where I got a load of Sworovski AB beads and colored glass beads last weekend (on sale, or course!). I've made jewelry before, so I know how to do it & have the tools to do it, I was just curious who else made their own vs. buying.

Ready-made is easier but when I walk into a craft store suddenly all the beads call to me. And I must answer the call ..l;,. So now I'm waiting on inspiration to hit me just right to make a nice (not too) blingy jewelry set with this bag of stuff that followed me home last week.

I make a lot of my costume jewelry, nothing too fancy but it matches the costume and I know it's unique. For example, I made a faux coral and turquoise necklace, bracelet and earring set with big chunky beads of dyed howlite and roughly finished silver beads to go with folkloric costumes.

Fire Mountain Gems is one of my best friends:
Wholesale Beads and Jewelry Making Supplies - Fire Mountain Gems and Beads

If I remove fringe from a costume, I will re-use the beads to make matching jewelry for that costume. I've even used a bunch of fringe strands to make beaded tassel earrings.

Finally, if you see jewelry at Target, Sears or wherever that has elements you like in it, you can always take it apart and restring it with some different beads to make it something unique.

I make most of my dance jewelry. I order my stuff from Harlequin Beads or Fire Mountain or the local bead store.
I have been tempted by Latifa's Rhinestones, though. (bintbeled)