Jewelry Business with a Broken Arm

by Ricki Ayer
(Ayer Baubles)

Blue briolette jewelry set by Ricki Ayer

Several months ago I fractured my arm and was depressed because it interfered with my jewelry making - and most everything else.

You encouraged me to look ahead to when I could get back to making my jewelry and to use it as incentive and rehab.

So while I was in the sling and later going through therapy and getting the use of my arm back, I spent a lot of time going through my jewelry making supplies (often left-handed), sorting and organizing my beads, etc.

Along the way I came up with ideas of what would work with what, and new ideas for projects.

Necklace with pendant and matching earrings,
by Ricki Ayer

Just spending the time with my hobby and getting ideas together made the evenings go by quicker and helped me from being too depressed about what I couldn't do.

I'm finished with therapy (still doing exercises at home) and back to making my jewelry.

I am planning to participate in more craft shows this year - I have only started doing shows in the past couple of years - and am excited to be putting together some of the ideas I worked on while I was "out of action".

It feels so good to be back at my jewelry making.

After being away from the actual hands-on work for close to 3 months, it's exciting to get back to it!

As I tell my husband, it's better than therapy (although he informs me that therapy might be cheaper, but he is laughing when he says it).

Ricki Ayer
Ayer Baubles

Comments for
Jewelry Business with a Broken Arm

Click here to add your own comments

jewelry and rehab
by: Kim Isner

Ricki:

The nice thing about jewelry making as a hobby is that it doesn't require lots of physical stamina, although having to use your left hand could make it more difficult. I liked the light blue necklace with the matching pendant. It was pretty. Life is a series of adjustments, and so maybe something interesting and different will come out of your extra time with your jewelry.

Hope you heal fast!

I'm dealing with a broken foot
by: Charlene Anderson

I'm trying to keep my business going AND stay positive with a fractured foot that required surgery, screws, and the worst part, 3 months of NO WEIGHT BEARING. Nada, nothing, zilch. It makes is really hard to get around and I not have to rethink every move and whether it is worth getting up for. Not being able to rest a toe on the ground for balance has made it really hard. I've had a few bad falls from it yet and chugging along. I'm going a bit stir crazy staying inside (it's my right foot so I can't drive) and am hoping my iPad will arrive soon!

inspiring
by: a bead addict

Ricki, I totally admire your great attitude and how you turned lemons into lemonaide when you couldn't make jewelry. Your story inspires me to want to take a few days off from making jewelry to reorganize and regroup too, even though I'm not injured. I'm glad you shared this.

Back surgery
by: Nell

Back surgery brought me back to beading!

I could lie down or stand up but not sit, and I couldn't lift anything. So how to occupy 3 months off work? Tables and countertops were too low to work at comfortably, but the ironing board was the right height. I needeed something light-weight I could do standing up at the ironing board.

I hadn't done any beading in ... well, decades ... but I got back into it!