Are you looking for a new hobby or a new career?

Have you considered learning how to make hand made jewelry for fun or profit?

In today's economy people are looking at their untapped skills and talents and considering self employment.

I have been making my own unique beaded jewelry to adorn casual and evening wear. I enjoy designing one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. And a surprising result which I did not expect was to turn a hobby into a profession. Making beaded jewelry sets satisfies my hobby interest as well as preparing for a new profession.

Making unique beaded jewelry opens your creativity allowing for self exploration.

As you search for your area of interest you will discover many materials which are incorporated into these decorative delights. You may want to consider shells, pebbles or carved stones, sharks teeth or other animal teeth, bone, wood, certain plant seeds, leather, metals, and a list of other natural products.

Or visit your local craft store, jewelry suppliers, or on line outlets for manufactured beads, pearls, charms, and other doodads. And it will not take very long to learn this artistic draft with its many financial outlets.

After attending arts and crafts show, looking at catalogs, retail outlets, specialty outlets, museums, models, celebrities, and seeing what others wear or create; I know that my beading designs are original. I have sold several of my bangles.

If you decide this is a new career, start selling at art festivals, arts and crafts shows, and craft shows. After doing these types of outlets you will learn from other artisans and customers as to other outlets to wholesale or retail.

A benefit that I experienced when I started making jewelry was relaxation. I am enjoying the adventures of learning and creating. It is calming because I can assemble my bead making jewelry and listen to my favorite radio or television station while my fingers are busy making bracelets, necklaces or earrings.

Everyone learns in a different way. I started with magazines and books. I had trouble understanding the written directions and correctly visualizing the patterns. The mistakes included using the wrong cording, incorrect beads, wrong needles, poor choice of closures, and wrong jewelry tools. Unfortunately, misunderstanding the patterns created terrible errors and financial loss.

It was time to get help! I thought about going to classes, but time, travel, and money were problems. The experiences I have had with taking craft classes is that you understand what you are doing in the classroom, but when you go home and start to work on your project you discover you forgot half of what you learned.

Note taking is limited because your attention is on the instructor. If the class is very large you lack individual attention. Very importantly, jewelry working is done within the confines of your hands. It needs to be magnified to truly see what is being done.

My niche for learning is visual aids. Videos can be played over and over until you understand jewelry assembly techniques.

There are so many kinds of jewelry to be made that it is difficult to make a choice! That is why it is an adventure to experiment with making wire jewelry, silver or gold jewelry, pearls and other types of beads.

I just completed beading my crystal necklace with matching bracelet. My new creation will be the conversation piece at the next family or party gathering.