Editor’s projects BeadStyle Cathy Jakicic Magazine Hip Handmade Memory Jewelry is one of the most recent publications of Kalmbach Books. Cathy says the idea of memory jewelry it came after she attended a scrapbooking event with a friend of hers. While she was there, working on a beading project, she began to realize how alike these 2 creative endeavors were. The scrapbooking group was fascinated with her project and how she designed and built it. The result is more than 25 jewelry creations inspired by special occasions, divided into 4 categories: Milestones, Hobbies, Holidays, and Memories. Yes, we all know the endless varieties of bracelets with charms and pictures in small frames on pendants and key chains. But Cathy’s projects go far beyond these common theme designs.
MILESTONES
Be sure to check out the decoupage bracelet; that he thought of creating a way to remember the wallpaper or the painting. Handmade birthstone jewelry was very personal and I liked it much better than the standard pre-made, pre-made pieces. Yes, the mini scrapbook pendant was too hackneyed for me, but other scrapbookers might love the concept. Creating special paper beads, like wrapping paper, or napkins from your baby shower was another nice idea that others might like, but not exactly my cup of tea. Cathy describes a reward bracelet—-I liked wearing this for myself, adding a bead for every POUND lost on my diet, and maybe a slightly larger one for every 5 lbs. That’s a great example of how you can look at one of her designs and immediately see a new and innovative way to turn it into her own project.
HOBBIES
Cathy described a project to commemorate a child’s recital… although that didn’t particularly appeal to me, it sparked my own creativity, as I thought about how I could take a program and use it to create a memory keepsake. I also like the pop culture project; I may have to use this to create a design for my best friend who is a dedicated movie buff. You could use movie posters and create a unique bracelet and earrings, with one set a little big for a necklace. I think this could work for books or album/CD covers as well. Oh, we all remember our elementary school art work displayed on the fridge door (I wonder what they did before fridges?). Cathy has a good plan to turn them into pendants.
VACATION
I enjoyed the photo book/scrapbook or bookmark project; There would be endless variations on this one project alone! A previous project showing how to accessorize a gym bag or backpack could also be a variation on this theme. His map bead project was also very original and could be used in many ways to commemorate a journey.
REMEMBRANCE
Cathy has different projects with photos, and a piece of fabric from your baby blanket or christening gown. But my favorite was one that created a keepsake box with an autograph, quote, or even a haiku if you like. And, the baby blanket scrap is just plain fun and fun.
I thought the way he structured the book into 4 design ‘types’ was great, as it helped me, at the very least, to think about the kinds of events I’d like to commemorate from my own life. As an example, I have small dried flowers from my husband’s grandmother’s funeral that I plan to put between microscope slides and solder for pendants for my stepdaughter, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law. No, it’s not the same as some of Cathy’s projects, but it is a way of providing us with positive and unique ways to keep a special memory “alive”.
Well, I hope I haven’t spoiled all your fun… if you like to create personal memories, or are a scrapbooker looking to “branch off”, this book might be a great place to start. I think these projects would be wonderful for creating personalized gifts. College girls or their younger daughters might enjoy this to create thoughtful gifts that would be appreciated but not expensive. You can find this online at Kalmbach Books.
