A Project for the Cause

Last week I visited England Brothers Park here in Pinellas Park which hosts the local Country in the Park event every Spring. It was a beautiful day for the event, clear sunny skies, a light breeze and plenty of activities and booths to visit. There were booths for community services passing out free gifts and information, food vendors to fill our bellies, rides for the kiddies and craft vendors selling their handmade items.

I was on a fact finding mission to meet local merchants and get information about the local Art Society and opportunities that might be out there I as a handmade jewelry designer could take advantage of. One of the booths I visited was for our local American Cancer Society office here in Pinellas Park and I had the chance to meet Sue one of the directors. I introduced myself and let her know that I am a local handmade jewelry designer interested in donating to their cause. We spoke for a few minutes and I let her know that the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is a cause that I am familiar with and  have in the past donated one of my designs, a Red Coral and Hematite gemstone necklace to the events auction in Trinity, Florida and would be interested in continuing to donate a design for their annual auction. Sue was happy to see a local designer willing to donate for the cause and accepted my offer, she gave me her business card and told me to call her when I had decided on an item to donate.

Flat Drawn Cable Charm Bracelet

Rolled Cable Charm Bracelet

Well, over the last week I have been thinking about what I wanted to donate. Whether I would give an existing jewelry piece or create a new item especially for this cause and just the other day I finally decided I would create a cause specific design. I've been creating copper charm bracelets for a few months and thought it would be a wonderful idea to create one especially for the Relay for Life Campaign with its purple and red colors, but I'm adding a special twist to my original drawn cable chain design. I've not created a charm bracelet with twisted wire yet and I though this would be the perfect time to add this feature as well as ending it with a hand crafted toggle clasp as well. I've gotten started on creating the special piece by hand twisting the 22guage copper wire myself,

Hand twisting 22guage copper wire

Whenever possible I like to use findings I can create myself like ear wires, ball pins, jump rings and hoop earring forms. I could have purchased this twisted wire material already made but I like to use handmade elements in my designs that I can make myself I feel it adds handmade authenticity to the Simply Katie's SK Wire Jewelry brand of handmade beaded gemstone & wire jewelry. All the copper charm bracelets I've made so far are created entirely by hand with the exception of the toggles, charms & beads but if I'm successful with creating a toggle for this project I'll add these to my findings supplies as well.

Open Handmade Jump Rings

Soldered Handmade Jump Rings

2013 ACS Relay for Life Bracelet in Progress

Sometimes things happen when you're working on a project, I just happen to find that I did not twist enough wire to create enough rings to complete a 7 inch length of chain. Back to the spool I went and cut another 4 foot length of wire to twist which when I was done with the twisting yielded me approximately 20 1/2 inches of additional wire and that's more than enough tho complete the chain portion of the project. I'll create the toggle with hand twisted 20guage or untwisted 12guage round copper wire for strength and use 22guage handmade copper ball pins to add purple and red beads with small white pearls to accent them and finish the piece with a "Life" word charm also of twisted copper wire. When it's finally done I'll give my hands a few days rest (haha), twisting wire by hand is not an easy task but in the end it's a project I'm proud of.

I'm enjoying creating this special Relay for Life Campaign charm bracelet for the American Cancer Society. It's been a special cause for me for a long time as is Hospice because of my mother who started me beading and is the inspiration for Simply Katie's SK Wire Jewelry. My mother fought cancer twice in her life and finally lost her struggle in the Summer of 2011, God rest her soul. I know it's for a great cause and Sue will have a smile on her face when she come's to pick up the completed "Life" bracelet.