Paper Clip Jewelry Ring

Good ideas often come out of necessity. At least, that’s what it feels like when I feel like I don’t have enough of a certain thing, and then I make said thing out of something like… a paper clip. It’s difficult for me to find things I love to wear, especially when it comes to jewelry. In my repertoire, most of what I own is stuff that was made with my own two hands. As my DIY skills evolve, my closet of jewels evolves. It’s always the same, difficult to find what I’d love to wear. Whatever pieces that reside on my neck, my wrists, and my fingers, tend to be those pieces I constructed out of what should have been garbage. 

It’s the same thing when it comes to the paper clip rings I’ve made. 

They’re different, unusual, and look like they were handmade. What’s nice about them is that, because I made them, they fit my aesthetic. It’s always been hard for me to find what I want to wear, so, instead, I decided to make most of what I have. 

It’s like that with my entire jewelry collection.

Sometimes, I even find it sneaking into the rest of my closet. Maybe, it’ll even hit the rest of my house, someday.

Until then, as my DIY skills evolve, I’ll be making rings out of paper clips. All you need is a pair of needle nose pliers, and whatever paperclip you’d like to turn into a ring. Bend it into a ring shape, and explore bending it into different designs for your fingers.

It’s simple, and you could have jewelry that matches your style.

For anyone who has a hard time finding things in a store that matches who they are, maybe you’ll have fun upcycling clothing or creating something out of things that are seemingly nothing?

There are countless designers and retailers, but, for the most part, when you walk into a store, doesn’t everything kind of all look the same? Each piece could be made by the same person, and even if it was, it would be like nobody would notice. Most clothing follows the same trends, and the same skills that create each trend. A t-shirt is a t-shirt. An a-line skirt is an a-line skirt. It’s hard to find uniqueness in a world that claims to value individualism… but is actually designed to destroy whoever thinks differently.

We’re all taught to think like everybody else, and then manipulated into believing we’re all different from each other. Meanwhile, we’re getting picked apart for those things that make us different. 

Celebrating what is made by hand, from people who love to create, and have their own style is one of the hardest things you could do. This is why going to festivals and craft fairs is so important. The exploration of whatever artist you can find will allow you to bring uniqueness into your life.

No more Millenial Beige.

No more listening to music because it’s ‘popular’ instead of ‘good’.

Allow yourself to be different. Find your own style. Be a freak, and allow yourself to be a freak. As someone who has been bullied their entire lives for being different, I realize now that I’m older that all of that being bullied was actually a good thing. My existence scared them because they were so brainwashed into being just like everybody else. I don’t want to be like everyone else. I want to exist because I am different. 

Now, anyone who wants to torment me because I’m a freak, I look at them and I say, “Why not celebrate our differences?” They normally don’t have an answer to that. They don’t know why.

So, I’m going to continue to build on my own style, and I hope you do, too. 

Making things by hand, and finding your way as an artist, is an excellent way to do so.

Don’t forget to have fun with it.