Jewelry for Upcycling and True Generosity

On Friday I stepped out the front door to find a big, heavy box on the front porch with my name on it. At first I was confused because I knew I hadn't ordered anything, and it was too heavy to be journaling 'happy mail'. It all became clear when I saw whose name was on the return label, my friend, Christine of One Kiss Creations!

She had mentioned a while back that she was gathering up some items for me. I didn't think much of it really, other than "How sweet of her!" However, the weight of the box told me it was much more than I had imagined.

Jeez Louise!! Look at all that bounty and beauty. I've got lots of pictures of what Christine shared with me so I'll try to keep my words to a minimum (TRY is the key word here, because it's hard for me not to exclaim and gush over all this awesomeness.) Oh, and clicking on the pictures should open a larger image for you.

There were TEN baggies jammed into the box

Here are the first two baggies I opened

A little closer look at some of the goodies

Baggies three and four held whole necklaces and loose beads with a few pendants

Baggie five contained several seed beads necklaces, while baggie six was full of loose beads

These little. . .gnomes/trolls/pixies caught my attention for sure. They are each clasping a quartz crystal

Baggie seven was full of chain in various forms

This glass pearl and rhinestone bracelet made me gasp at its beauty!

The eighth bag held various necklaces and an envelope of plastic pearls (love the ephemera)

In the ninth bag, I found a variety of jewelry and beads.

I purposely saved this bag for last as I knew it would be my favorite.

It was full of misc. jewelry findings, earrings, and pendants.

Almost all of it is something I know I can find a use for.

Look at all the sparkle and shine. How Christine parted with these, I'll never know.

Christine let me know in a sweet note (involving a dream she had about me) that I could do anything I wanted with her gift: use it, pass it on, donate it, toss it (WHAT!?). So, I've since gone though the baggies a second time to sort out what I know I won't use from what I could possibly use.

I swear, just sifting through these pretties was a rockin' good time. I've made a few piles of what to keep, not keep, and pass to a friend. Next will be dissembling and sorting by type. Oh, what fun you've blessed me with, Christine.

I don't even know how I'll ever say thank you enough for this truly generous gift. Christine makes some beautiful creations using seed beads and bead weaving, a skill I just don't have. I do recommend that you go check out Christine's blog, One Kiss Creations; follow One Kiss Creations on Pinterest;  and become a fan of the One Kiss Creations Facebook Page!

Thank you Christine for your generosity, kindness, and friendship. I feel truly blessed.