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Well, it’s Mother’s Day and we don’t have much on the calendar today since we celebrated yesterday.  So, I’m exercising my right as a mother to do what I choose today.  And I’m choosing to re-snuggle back up with Sherri Haab’s inspirational book:  JEWELRY inspirations:  Techniques and Designs from the Artist’s Studio.

If ever there were a jewelry book that should be appreciated on Mother’s Day, I would say that this one is it.  The cover image itself is soothing and relaxing and if you could judge a book by its cover, you would find that what follows in the coming pages continues that theme.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…I’m not a jewelry-making person so I have to be honest, when I received this book I didn’t jump right on it.  I was amazed and quite happy to find that when I did sit down with it, I was actually inspired.  Yes.  Inspired.  It opened up new avenues of thinking for me that actually made me want to make jewelry!

Not only are all of the steps easy but materials are easily found and many of them are already on hand.  Sherri’s book made me feel like I could take anything and make it into a piece of jewelry, and not just any jewelry…something stylish as well as meaningful and personal.

Being continually interested in the creative process I was absolutely delighted to see that the first thing that Sherri wrote about was “Living a Creative Life.”  Yes!  Because, that’s what it’s all about for me, personally. It’s not about making things, although that is fun too, but LIVING a creative LIFE. Every aspect from decorating your space to how we view the world to creating and how we think.  Thank you Sherri!

Before I get to the actual jewelry making portion of the review, let me just say taht I also loved seeing glimpses into Sherri’s own studio. How she organizes things and how she designs.  When looking at the pictures I thought, “wow, if I had a space like that…” and then I remembered…I DO have a space like that.  I just need to appreciate it!

Ok. So the jewelry making part.  One thing I really enjoyed about the tutorials (beside the pictures and simplicty of instruction) is the fact that the projects span multiple techniques.  Techniques that will teach you how to make all of those jewelry pieces that you see when you go shopping but couldn’t fathom how you would make them yourself.

In this book you will learn about basic wire-working, epoxy resin, image transfers, silicone molds, metal clay, patinas, tying knots, paper mache paper clay, polymer clay, shrink art. and the list goes on.  I love reading Sherri’s inspiration for each project too.  It reminds me that everything can serve as inspiration if we just open that door and let ourselves see it.

Overall, as you can tell, Sherri Haab’s JEWELRY inspirations:  Techniques and Designs from the Artist’s Studio received two thumbs up from this jewelry-making-phobic-turned-inspired-to-just-do-it. That is, get this book…you won’t be sorry! Especially at the price os only $20!

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