Saturday, July 28, 2012

Multi Functional - Is that a Good Thing?


Things that are multi-functional are favorites with me. Never found myself in adoration with one trick ponies.

Many moons ago I worked as a sales-rep for Sarah Coventry.  Sarah Coventry was an in-home distributor of unique jewelry, following the same principles as Tupperware's infamous home parties.

One thing that captured my attention with Sarah Coventry jewelry was that most of their pieces were multi-functional. Brooches could be used as necklace pendants, long necklaces could be worn doubled up or even as a belt, necklaces had matching bracelets that one could couple together to form a longer necklace, clip-on-earrings could be used as shoe clips or clipped to a chain and worn as a pendant. 
Come to think of it all of Coventry's earrings were clip-ons, not many women back then had pierced ears - unlike today where just about anything and everything is pierced - guess we were all very timid back then or it just was not the vogue thing to do.
Occasionally I try to create multi-functional pieces, pieces that can be worn different ways, switched around. Recently I came up with these "Change About" earrings for my etsy shop, Almost Precious . The sterling silver earring hooks are my own handcrafted earrings to which I've attached a tiny little sterling silver lobster clasp. 

This clasp allows one to change my two sided earring dangle around to display a different side. 

Both dangles feature a beaded bead, Swarovski crystals and sterling silver jumprings.

I can also imagine someone using the basic earring hooks to hang a favorite charm from, or another cute little drop or dangle. 
My own handmade sterling ear-wires with Swarovski White Opal crystal and teeny little sterling silver lobster claw clasp ... can you see this with a cute charm dangling from it?
Photos above and below show earring with charms (starfish and sand-dollar)

Hope people can see the possibilities of this versatile piece of jewelry. What do you think? Is it practical or is it just plain dumb?

13 comments:

  1. I think it's a really neat idea! I have some earrings that I'd love to use as a pendant.

    Loving that turquoise color!!

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  2. Not dumb.

    I have seen a similar idea with a balled head pin acting as the base of the earring wire, with the loop at the end left partially open. This allowed the decorative dangle to be slipped over the ear wire and exchanged.

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  3. What a great idea, I think you might be on to something. I would make sure the clasp was small and somewhat dainty, not to take away from the earring design.

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  4. I think that's brilliant! I have lots of cute charms for pendants that I would wear as an earring. They certainly don't have to match on each ear. And also charms for charm bracelets would work. The flower dangles are really cute.

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  5. I love multi-functional jewelry! It's such a clever idea. Your earrings are adorable. <3

    I saw a necklace at a museum last year where the front part could detach from the rest to be a bracelet and the pendant could become a pin. It made me want to make one of my own!

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  6. What a fantastic idea for ear hooks. People are going to love the idea of being able to change the look of their earrings to suit their moods.

    Your flower dangles are really lovely!

    Valerie
    Everyday Inspired

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  7. I think it is a great idea :)

    I love the way you have staged your shots :)

    When I was a teenager I went to a Sarah Coventry jewelry party (we lived in Coventry too! :)

    I bought a lovely bracelet, which I really couldn't afford and it fell off as my girlfriend and I walked home (miles) with these 2 teenage boys after a party, when I realized it was missing we searched back and forth for hours, in the middle of the night, trying to find it but we didn't but we had a fun time looking, C'est la vie! :)

    Have a lovely day, cheers, T. :)

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  8. Wow, these earring are dreamy. Your idea is superb, super creative.

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  9. Cool idea! It saves on ear wires for starters! Will share on Facebook and Twitter!

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  10. Except for the versatility (and originality) this is great for people like me, who are allergic to metals other than precious.

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  11. bairozan - you make a very good point about the precious metal earrings, which can be expensive. If one had a pair of inter-changeable earrings that were sterling silver or gold, then they could wear them with a number of drops, charms or dangles and not have to worry about swollen, sore ear-lobes. This is definitely something I'll keep in mind. Thank you for mentioning this. :)

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  12. I think this is right for the times, Anna Maria. Many people want more "bang for the buck". I've seen lots of interchangeable necklace and bracelet components out there, but yours is the first earring application I've come across. I think with the tiny lobsters and other mini components available, it will become very popular!

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  13. I think it is great. Love the tiny dainty lobster claws. In fact, I might steal this idea. Don't worry I'll tell people where I got the idea and if possible give link to your etsy shop. The sand dollars earrings are cute. Also, I was intrigued learning about the Scottish jewelry which is there in your blog. I hopped here from Pearl's blog. I enjoyed reading your several posts. And by all means keep up the good work of making multifunctional jewelry. It is not dumb at all. Thank you. Dita.

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