Jody Lanham

Introduce Yourself:

I love jewelry that captures the essence of a person's look and individual style. I like to try to do that with my jewelry, both for myself and for those I create for. My jewelry-making is a way for me to express my creativity, to expend some of my artistic energy and is how I keep myself busy and focused. My particular artistic style is a little glammy, but also kind of bohemian-natural with a touch of vintage here and there. I like to use a lot of naturalistic materials like stone and glass, bone and metal, but I will use synthetics if I like their looks and price! I want to make things that people enjoy and that they can afford to buy, so I rarely use expensive elements; I really like to take odd items or parts of other jewelry and incorporate into my own creations.

One of my creations I am most proud of is a necklace I reworked from the very first one I made three years ago. I was just learning and bought a stone with a bail, added glass beads on string. It was rudimentary! Then I took the same focal stone, bought small stone beads in similar colors, mixed with copper and silver, used eye pins and dangles and connected the segments--it is now a rather sophisticated creation, and showcases how far I have come from that first attempt!

Share Your Background:

Actually, I was in a treatment center for eating disorders, and many of the other residents had beads. It was a kind of therapy and I did it, when I first started, more for therapy than for creative expression. I learned most of the techniques and use of tools on my own, by reading beading books and asking some of the folks at places where I purchase my supplies. I was looking online for how-to's and for wholesale beading supplies and came across Fire Mountain. I think a friend of mine gave me a catalog a couple of years ago. I have yet to purchase from Fire Mountain, but I do have a few items waiting in my shopping cart!

Beading Success:

Jewelry-making has become a passion with me; I feel a driving force to keep on doing it. I think about it in the moments before drifting off to sleep, I think about it when I see other jewelry that I like, I plan what jewelry to make to go with any new clothes I get...I think my jewelry reflects how I wish to represent myself--my body is my canvas, the jewelry I make is the medium of choice for display of my creative energy.

I have been making jewelry for three years now and, as I mentioned above, have seen improvement, maturity and refinement in my progress. I am at a point where I need to find a real outlet for my creations--I have given much away, I have much that I love and wish to keep wearing but my jewelry box is beginning to overflow. I want to market my work, I want to get hooked up with some craft shows, retail shops, an online storefront and whatever other method that would work to get my stuff out there! I have been reading and talking about selling techniques and outlets and I am about ready to release myself and my goodies to the world!