About
I’ve been fascinated by jewelry all my life, and dabbled in assembly as a teen when I first discovered you could buy all those pieces. I combined a love of embroidery with beads for awhile after I got married.
When I started training for a marathon in my 30′s, most of my spare time was taken up with running or learning more about it. After failing to run my goal and instead contracting a life-threatening chronic disease called scleroderma, I found myself caught up in a medical spiral. I lived in denial for awhile, a wonderful place but with a serious let-down at the end. Running went the way of everything else in my life, including my job, when complications arose and my kidneys became damaged. It all seems a whirl now, but eventually things stabilized with my health.
At 50-ish, I wanted something to mark what I’d been through, maybe even something for the other scleroderma patients I’d met along the way. My mind went back to jewelry, and I wondered if there were still any places to get good jewelry findings and beads. My lifesaver for years has been the Web, so I searched there for something about beads. Up came site after site with beautiful elements for just about any kind of jewelry making you could imagine, tons of magazines, and even local classes! I started with a simple pattern I found for an awareness necklace, and from there took off like a rocket.
I’ve always enjoyed gems and have found many sources for all kinds. I recently completed the Accredited Jewelry Professional course at the Gemological Institute of America, learning tons about precious metal, colored gems, and diamonds. I’ve taken several courses, some from gifted local artisans and a few from nationally recognized designers. I’ve had several items featured in “Bead Trends” magazine, a publication I use to get inspired myself.
I know now that I’ll make jewelry despite whatever happens in my life. Nothing expresses the beauty I see in life any better, and I’m so happy to have connected with others who enjoy my pieces.
Amelia Yaussy, AJP (GIA)
