So much of crafting with what’s on hand comes from taking something you can no longer use for its intended purpose and seeing the possibility of what it can become instead. This involves creativity and abstract thinking. But it also requires that a packrat (like me!) actually looks at what I have collected into my stash from time to time. Since I craft primarily with my sewing machine I have a lot of fabric scraps. I get attached to a color and I don’t want to part with it, even if it is a little shred less than three square inches.

I had an inspirational moment after I read this post from Indian By Design. There are all sorts of earrings made from left over, and brightly colored fabrics. The picture here reminded me of these vintage blue tatted paisleys that my grandmother-in-law bought me SIX years ago at an antique store. I put them in my stash and have only looked at them once since then. But once I saw all of the beautiful earrings photographed in that post I finally knew what these bottom-of-the-craft-stash-notions were waiting to become.

All I did was open a sterling silver jump ring and connect it to the sterling silver earrings. I used round nosed pliers to keep from crimping the metal. They were simple to make. They are comfortable to wear. And I have four paisleys left which might become a matching bracelet and necklace!

I have to look at the bottom of the pile more often. It was almost like these earrings were a gift to me twice over.