Making etched copper pendants and custom necklaces!

Continuing along our theme of pairing activities with our lessons, we spent some time talking about THINKING.   There are 11 different kinds of thinking that we discussed.  And one of them was BIG picture thinking.  I had everyone think about their big picture in a futuristic sort of way. 

Where do you see yourself in a year?  in 5 years?  10 years?  And think BIG!  What would your dream life look like?!

We spent some time picking out colored beads which represented certain things (color have meanings, and we explored that too!).

Once we each had our colored beads chosen, we went to work learning to use jewelry tools and jump rings and chain.

We also learned to etch copper.  Each person got to choose the shape of her leaf and then use a Sharpie to create a resist against the etching medium we used to burn into the metal.

I was proud of everyone!!  This was something that was BRAND spanking new to some of them.  And although they might have been a tad bit nervous, they dove right in!! We had some with experience, and I think the fact that everyone just worked very well, side by side, caused all to be a bit more relaxed.

Look at all those busy little bees!!  Making jewelry, we learned, can be very draining.  I had back to back jewelry projects, as I thought that this would be the most efficient way to get the activities completed.  However, I learned that because it requires so much focus that we need to space those types of activities out so the enthusiasm doesn't die!   Lesson learned!

The girls were asked to put their "big dream" in writing on a piece of paper and create a scroll out of it.

We ModPodged it closed and worked it into our necklace.  See how Amber used the scroll on the right side in the picture above.  It is the top "bead" in her necklace.

Here is Nancy's necklace.  She apparently found LOTS of colors and meanings she wanted to make sure made her necklace.  I LOVE how colorful it turned out!

And no two designs were the same on the etched copper!!  Isn't this FAB-U-LOUS?!

Oh... we also used copper wire to weave in and out of the copper sheeting.  AND we scrunched up ribbon to make fun little textural beads on our necklaces.

This is Jamette.  She works at MMPT.  And I am pretty sure she has done this before.  WAIT!  I KNOW she has done this before.  Her necklace turned out great!

Look at that cute little scroll dangling in front of the leaf!

Niki decided to let her goal dangle.  VERY cute!

And Dottie had the same idea!  Check out her scroll in the front.  Right in front of her "word" which she etched into the copper.... "THRIVE".

Dottie is from St. Louis.  She has been a MoJOy blog reader for many, many years.

She brought her two besties along with her.  And this is one of their completed necklaces.  VERY cool, huh?!

I really hope everyone loves their necklaces enough to wear them this fall.  They are perfect for fall outfits, I think!!  I LOVE a long necklace!!

And then it was lunchtime.  I got all fancy and ordered in Quizno's!  ha.

More to come...  in fact, tomorrow, I'll blog on focused thinking and creative thinking will be next.

Stay tuned!!

Mo