Old Bracelet with New Necklace

by Pat Barden
(Chatham, NY)

Anyway - this labradorite necklace, I'm proud of - basically cuz it's pretty - but it gave me something to do with a bracelet I just haven't been able to sell - which is the top strand. It's not functional anymore as a bracelet - I've seen the Lia Sophia sort.

Where I sell me jewelry, another woman has lariats, which I make far more of than necklaces also, and hers are very long, with this extra piece and four places with lobster claws - and I was looking at them today - people like functionality, and they particularly like the idea of getting two things for one - they can take out that piece and for the one price, have a separate necklace and a bracelet.

I just don't want to do it. So I'm at home this eve, about to dismantle the labradorite bracelet - which took forever to dangle all of them from the chain, not to mention the fact that I went thru the entire strand of round labradorites when I bought them and used only the most brilliant flashed stones - those little ones are a pain.

Anyway - just before taking it apart I hung it like a choker - it looked cool - but too much work to make it longer. Then I thought - dope - just string it a top a different style - like I have done with a cool asymmetrical necklace I've made.

I don't think I'd have thought of it had I not seen this other necklace this day - and thought of how I cannot do functionality.

The best part though - seeing that I saved all that time not having to dismantle it - someone is getting a sweet deal. When it came to pricing it - I didn't include all the time it had already taken me to dangle all those little labradorites.

Pat Barden
Pat Barden Jewelry
Patricia Barden Jewelry on etsy