Just Keep Making!

Since I was little, I have loved making things. I’m not sure when I was introduced to the world of jewelry findings and charms, but I remember that I was totally in love with all of the intricate parts and pieces that I had collected from various jewelry supply shops. At first I just enjoyed making jewelry for myself, but I started to get brave enough to give gifts to friends and family members.

Several years into gifting my creations, I received a box with several of the pairs of earrings that I’d made inside. With it was a note that stated, “I was going through my jewelry and wanted to send these back to you. They just aren’t my style and I thought you could take them apart and create something for someone else with them”.

I’m sure that the intentions were to be really thoughtful, right? But that wasn’t how I took it. I was totally destroyed with the rejection of this loved one not liking what I made for her. I made it all about ME not being “good enough”. As a result of my insulted ego, I put my jewelry findings away and I didn’t make any jewelry for sometime.

Truth be told, I’m fairly certain that the earring that I had made my friend were pretty “amateurish”. As they should have been, I was new at what I was doing.

In looking back on this experience, the thing that makes me really sad is that I took it personally. Instead of just shrugging and saying, “oh well”, it stopped me from getting better at my craft.

Sometime we might love something, but we find out from sales and feedback that we were the only ones that were nuts-o about that design. And instead of telling ourselves that we aren’t any good or can’t come up with anything anyone wants to buy, we need to just say, “hey, I missed the mark. Let me do that one again”.

I have designed 1,000’s of jewelry findings and finished pieces of jewelry. I can tell you, a lot of them weren’t all that great. But what mattered most is that I just keep doing it. I keep showing up, setting deadlines for myself and producing new work.


Learn How!

These are the two tutorials featured in today’s video. Learn the techniques!

Bitsy Earrings with Nunn Design 2-Part Resin and Glitter Roxs!

These little Bitsy Earrings with Nunn Design Resin and Glitter Roxs are just too cute! They also have an elegant classic look, but hip enough for the younger jewelry wearer (I am basing that off of my 14 year old asking me for a pair!)

Read Instructions

Bitsy Earrings with Colorized Nunn Design 2-Part Resin!

Create super fun and easy post Bitsy Earrings with the technique of colorizing Nunn Design Resin with Castin’ Crafts Opaque Pigments.

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Shop all of the Nunn Design Earrings!

All of the Nunn Design Earring Findings are plated nickel-free with copper, 24k gold or .999 fine silver. Findings have been tested with Mutual Cornell and have certification that they have passed the EU Standards for lead and nickel release.


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Nunn Design has been supplying jewelry artists with findings for over 20 years. Shop wholesale jewelry findings for creative jewelry makers.

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2 thoughts on “Just Keep Making!

  1. Robin Reese says:

    I once had someone visiting. I used to keep my jewelry creations in a pile of old suitcases that I used as a funky end table in that room. The person came up to me with many of the pieces in her hands and asked me, what are these? I said, those are my jewelry creations (as I realized she had been going through my things without my permission} She said, ” don’t give me any of your jewelry as gifts!” It never held me back from new creations. I just figured she had bad taste besides being very rude!

    • Mel says:

      In that specific instance, I would not be doubting my jewellery design ability, I would be questioning the value of that friendship/acquaintance with that person who made such a comment and promptly reply “Oh don’t worry, I never planned on creating anything for you nor giving you any gift!” Haha! And yes, she was definitely very rude and not worthy of any of your creations Robin!

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