Humpty Dumpty

"I think it was four strands.  I think I have all the beads," said Cindia.

"Great," I said.

I explained that much of jewelry restoration involves finding the rhythm in the piece to be restored.  Not much to go on, in this case.  But spotting a partial strand, I told her, "We'll start here."

So far, so good.  There were enough "little guys" to determine how one of the strands looked.  But what about the rest?

It turned out quite a few beads were missing.  I used the ones we had to create the patterns that would work in counterpoint for two of the strands (#2 and #4), and found some wonderful seed beads that complemented the others to make the fourth strand (which became Strand #3).

Et voila!  Who doesn't love a happy ending?

 
©2016 Laynie Tzena. 

A New Life in the Making

Once upon a time there was a box of broken jewelry.  A bracelet cried, "She doesn't love us anymore!"  Some stray earrings slumped in a corner of the box.

"Nonsense," said a nearby necklace.  "She's just been busy.  I heard her say she was going to call the Jewelry Doctor." 

"That's right," said a ring, waiting patiently for its stone. 

At this news, the other jewelry perked up, but it was still broken.

Then one day the phone rang at 415/796-3969.

"San Francisco Jewelry Doctor," said the voice on the telephone.

And the jewelry rejoiced, because it saw the promise of a new life.

San Francisco Jewelry Doctor.  Because everybody loves happy endings.


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©2014 Laynie Tzena.

Happy Endings

What to do? The metal piece in the center of Michele's feather pin was broken. And at that angle, you couldn't get much of anything in there.

As for the top part of the pin:

See that pink center? The back of it is pointed. Once upon a time, there was a piece anchoring that to the metal one in the feather. Gone.

"Forget it," Michele had been told. "Can't be fixed. Nothing to be done."

Well, Michele didn't want to hear that. And we had just finished the chocolate brown bracelet (see "Look Again"), so I guess she thought I was up to the challenge.

I tried feathers, fabric, paper--nothing worked. But then I tried one more idea. Or should I say a notion.*


Oh, and in case you were wondering, the metal piece is still broken. I sewed right over it.

And what about that crystal top? It turned out to have two new lives, one as a pin and one as a pendant. Here it is with its new relatives.

*Big thanks to the "Notions Queens" at Britex, Stone Mountain & Daughter, and the Ribbonerie for their help on this project.

©2009 Laynie Tzena.