New Beginnings-Part I

I thought this would be a fitting title for my first ever blog post. There's so much the title brings to mind...the first piece of jewelry I made, the first piece of jewelry I sold, the newest piece of jewelry, the piece of jewelry that began Pearls Night Out....

I'm a believer in starting at the beginning, but I will wait to show you the other firsts. Those will be in the next parts. Instead, I will talk about spring, a season we are all eagerly expecting here. I saw tulips in the grocery store the other day and they give me hope that spring is coming, a new beginning. So, I will show you the necklace that makes me think of that, more than any other. And this necklace is a beginning of sorts. It's one of the first necklaces that I ever used Kazuri beads, and one of the first necklaces where I paired my favorite colors, spring colors, pink and green. I have to say that the first time I saw Kazuri beads, I thought they were pretty, but not for me. They made me think of my mother, and I bought some for her and made her a necklace. I didn't think they were my style, or would be part of my wardrobe or my work. But the more I saw them, the more I loved them. That was a beginning. Now, I love so many things about them. I love how they are so very unique, the colors and the patterns. Each bead is unique and as a collection they are unique. Refreshing. New. You don't see every person on the street wearing these beads. And, I love their story. I love that they are made by women in Kenya, where the local community collects the clay and makes each bead by hand. I love that these women are paid a fair wage and that it brings life, income, and hope to the community. It makes me feel good to use such beautiful beads in my creations. Now, I love the Kazuri beads. I look for each time they have a new collection of beads. I love to use them in different combinations.

So, back to this necklace...this necklace combines both Kazuri beads and Swarovski crystals. This might be the beginning of this combination, but it's not the end. I love this combination. I love the beauty of the Kazuris and the sparkle of the Swarovskis. I love pink and green in combination. Surprisingly, for my favorite colors, this is the first, but again, definitely not the last. These colors makes me think of flowers, spring, youth, fun. And those qualities inspired the name for this necklace--the Cami Necklace.

I'll definitely be looking at this necklace tomorrow while it snows! Wishing for spring and all those new beginnings!

"From small beginnings come great things"-Proverb