"But how do you DO that??"

Melanie Goodwin, owner of '(20+) Out Of My Nest | Facebook creates one of a kind handcraft Boho jewelry. She's often asked, 'But how do you do that?'

Here's Melanie's story.

My jewelry is generally a wild mix of beads made of glass, stone, fibre, metal… When looking at my jewelry & unusual combinations, people often say, "But how do you DO that??"

Well, first I need a focal bead or component that inspires me. Then I’ll pull out a few hundred more beads to go with it.😅 Just like a quilt, I think jewelry should have lights, mediums & darks.

I’m looking at colour, texture, shape, finish, size… that will either blend or contrast with that focal. If I’m making a necklace, I’ll start with a tassel, because it adds interest & movement.

Once the tassel is done & on my bead mat, I start laying out the body of the necklace; largest beads first. My designs are almost always asymmetrical, so I’m considering size, colour, visual weight & placement to achieve balance.

Once I start stringing beads on the wire, I can actually see what the design looks like. It’s always changed a dozen or more times before I’m happy, & that challenge is what makes beading fun for me.