Mature Fashion: Jewelry Maven

It is always interesting for me to meet people who are skilled in arts or crafts; I find the ability to create truly authentic "style" fascinating and really admire women who can express their individual identities by their own hand. 

A group of the ladies here at the park meet every Friday afternoon to make jewelry and teach each other the fine art of beading and creating wire based jewelry.  I have never made jewelry in any form and welcomed the opportunity to learn a new skill, particularly because I love to wear "just the right accessory" with an ensemble.  To your immediate left you see a completed chain one of the ladies is currently completing. (she is not willing to let me take her picture...she says maybe later).

I have to admit I was somewhat apprehensive as to my own abilities to do this craft because I am not very handy with mechanical devices of any sort. Fortunately, I have not found it too difficult.. so far.  The yellow beaded chain is my very first attempt to make jewelry of any kind.  I hope to complete the project this coming Friday during class.  I want to add the two butterflies on a dangling chain (needs to be cut) to give a nod to current jewelry fashion trends.  I specifically chose the yellow beads to accompany a top that the necklace would complement.

I already have two more projects in mind; as you can probably surmise, I am looking forward to creating some "one of a kind" looks to compliment my styling. This new skill also helps keep the mind sharper by learning new activities; a vital process to "Rocking my Age."

On an entirely different note, I want to publicly compliment Judith Boyd, aka known as the Style Crone (StyleCrone.com) on her new contract to model at a Denver modeling agency.  As all my readers are aware, I have the utmost admiration for this seventy something mature woman. Aside from her exceptional styling skills, her presentations over the year I have been reading her blogs, etc., demonstrate she is ideal as a fashion model. (only agism could fail to recognize this immediately once one views her work). Personally, I am very tired of having teenagers model designs meant for much, much older women!!  She also appears to be a woman who has also experienced both fortune and tragedy in her life, and "Rocks her age".........a good role model for all of us.

Mature Fashion:Rocking Age at Home

I haven't posted to this blog site since Memorial Day because I have been too busy "rocking my age"!  As I mentioned on "RockMyRole.blogspot.com", it seems like I have more to do NOW although I am not working at the store!  

Of course, all of us retired people have found that we do not have the leisure that we thought we would; I think it is because we think we SHOULD take on more. I also hear from several of my friends, that just because they are retired, family members automatically assume they are available.

I am now volunteering at the club house library (the librarian had rotator cuff surgery). I am also attending an exercise class three times a week. and a jewelry making class once a week.  I am also re-doing some of the landscaping in my back yard, and as you can see to your left, planting an herb garden. Of course, both projects require a lot of running to the store, etc.  I am also repainting the cabinets in my master bathroom (whew, that does sound like a lot at one time!!)

I am also in the process of making some of the styling accessories for F/W 2016 so I can show some of the ensembles from my stylebook.  I just have not been able to find the time to learn and practice on dying some artificial fur-I can't wait to see how that turns out. I have made a pledge to myself to complete the project this week because F/W is just around the corner (maybe posting this intention to my blog will help me meet the committment?).

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer; school has just got out for most areas.  There is always so much to do.  I am so glad that I still have the energy and desire to keep up with it all.  I hope it is the same for you...