Okay, have you ever lost something? You have searched and searched...keys, handbag, cellphone, that one special earring? I was able to help a customer who found me from a my page on
custommade.com. She gave me a call and explained what she had lost. One of her favorite sterling silver
Swarovski Crystal Elements earrings that had a heart charm for the focal piece. I have learned being in a creative design business to say, "Sure, I can help you!" is a better answer than, "I will try to see if I can replicate your piece." Being an "I can do it!" type of designer always yields better results and I love to challenge myself. She mailed me the single earring and the hunt began.
I discovered upon opening her package that the earrings were sterling silver, the crystals were Swarovski and I had them in stock. I chose to replace them for the new pair of earrings so they were not look worn.The heart charm was a little harder to solve. The crystal were set in a manufactured heart charm. I looked for the charms on eBay and different bead supplies online stores to find a few charms that came close but I would have to buy in bulk and ship from China and I was not willing to spend that much. I considered even using Rhodium and purchased heart charms without the crystals in both materials and gluing but then I hate when the crystals fall off. The sterling heart charms I found were the perfect matching size and I decided to try wire wrapping using artisan silver non-tarnishing wire. I planned out the placing of the crystals in the same configuration as the original earring and began wrapping. I took a picture with my phone and sent her a text before I completed both earrings and she loved it! I finished the second one and sent her a final picture.
She sent me a message that I was an "artistic genius". Those were her words, but it made me laugh. Then she said her mom had lost an earring and she was sending me a picture of it to see what I could do to replicate it.
Her challenge was the fuel for my creativity. I believe for the most part that I can make almost anything or at least figure out a way to do it. Here is the picture of the earring she sent me and then my final results.
