Tuesday, October 06, 2009

This is what I've been up to lately...


...making jewelry. I've made it since 7th grade as a hobby. I love making things with my hands and jewelry and sewing come easily to me. I don't follow patterns, however. I've never been one to fit in a box. I make things up in my head or see something at a store and go home and try to recreate it. Well, as the economy has tanked and Jason and I are working to be good stewards, him wanting me to work from home so I can be available to Emily and active in her school, I've been searching the Internet and looking into at-home jobs. Finally, a dear friend called me on the rug and said, "Ade, why are you trying to re-create yourself?! God has given you many gifts! Why don't you do what you already do, but stop giving it away?!"

And so, with others cheering me on as well, my mom and I recently launched "bebe&boo", a design and jewelry outreach where a portion of our proceeds go toward sponsoring "The Well Radio Show" and Bevy, my non-profit organization that helps women and their families in need and other non-profits that help women in need. We've already made some great sales in less than a week in addition to some commissioned pieces...and, November 1st when a local salon and boutique, "Panache" opens their doors to the customers, "bebe&boo" will be featured there.

My mom is an amazing seamstress...she made my sister's their prom dresses and has worked with interior designers making some really fabulous works. (I was always to 'flow/fly by the seat of my pants' to have my mom make me a dress in advance so I just had really ugly poofy 80's dresses...). She also makes jewelry too, but together we'll be turning out some fun pieces inspired by my Grandma's closet and jewelry box, recycled pieces and nature, and eventually, the cute little European kids you see at big parks running around in outfits that don't match at all, but somehow they look fantastic! We're excited for what is in store!

Making things with my hands has always been therapeutic, but to make things since losing Noah brings me a lot of joy. I can't even begin to explain how fun it is to sit and design things that women will enjoy wearing. As I sit there, creating pieces I think are beautiful to look at, I am reminded of all the beautiful women I have met or see out and about, their hearts designed by God, their smiles or frowns reflections of how beautiful or ugly they believe themselves to be. And so I pray as I make these pieces. I pray for whoever purchases them that they would know that true beauty is an internal display regardless of what society may tell us and it can only be measured by the heart.

So, then, why do I make jewelry if beauty is a reflection of the heart? Because jewelry is fun, it's pretty, and I know where my beauty lies, so when we wear it ladies, it's just icing on the cake!

11 comments:

  1. BEAUTIFUL jewelry, Adrienne! Erika :)

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  2. The new venture will do well- it's gorgeous!
    Pity I'm in Melbourne; otherwise I'd be tempted to buy :)

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  3. Beautiful stuff!!! A few friends taught me how to make jewelry a few years ago and I got addicted. It is SO fun to play with all the pretties and see what you can come up with. I LOVE the vintage charms and the....oh what would you call those pieces with the images like the chandelier or the birds? Those are so interesting. I think you truly have a gift for putting pieces and colors together that are a little out of the ordinary but end up looking so fabulous! I hope this really takes off for you.

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  4. Thanks, ladies, for the vote of confidence! I really appreciate it! Sigrun, some day when I go to Australia I'll swing some your way.

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  5. The jewelry is beautiful and I'm so excited for this new outlet to further use the gifts He's given you. Way to go, Adrienne & Bebe! :) I had all of my jewelry stolen from a burglary in January, though some (including my grandmother's 1936 high school ring) was later recovered, so I will keep an eye on your site and hope to create a new collection.

    Again, so excited for you and excited to see what God has in store with this new chapter.

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  6. Adrienne~ Awesome! You have such a gift!
    You know you could also join the MAry Kay team! The number one thing they strive on commiting to their MK family is... Its always great chatting it up with new customers and getting chances to share bits of our lives and what a strong women you are!
    1. GOD FIRST
    2. Family second
    3. Carreer...

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  7. Beautiful!

    I'm trying to think who I can get some for for Christmas.

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  8. so, I was just in a friends wedding over the weekend in the small town of Waupaca, WI. Right next door to the salon, was the store PANACHE... it was adorabl!!e I picked up the cutest ruffle-y scarf--an outdoor wedding with temperatures in the 50's made me :) I hope it goes well for you in your 'Panache' FUN!

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  9. how wonderful to take on something you already enjoyed so much. i'm so glad you are jumping in! i'll be right on over to the site to look at your pretties.

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  10. Congratulations, Adrienne! I visited your web site and your creations truly are beautiful.

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