Custom Necklace - 4H Memories

4H Leadership

Leading by Example

The caring support of adult volunteers and mentors inspires young people in 4-H to work collaboratively, take the lead on their own projects and set and achieve goals with confidence. 4-H’ers chart their own course, explore important issues and define their place in the world. 4-H’ers stand up for themselves and their communities.

These pivotal experiences build a foundation of leadership and skills for success in their future careers.

Last Fall, one of my customers commissioned me to do a vintage redesign necklace for her Mom as a surprise Christmas gift.  Cassie's Mom, just so happened to be her 4H leader for years when she was a young girl.  Cassie knew that she wanted it to be a memory necklace of this special time in this Mother/Daughter duo's life, and thus she sent me two 4H pins.  She asked that I use the two pins which I used in this necklace, and to design one of them into the focal.  She asked that I use one of my unique found elements as the focal with the pin and use antiqued gold tones.

Details shot of the focal with one of the 4H pins.

Not likely to happen with this heavier focal, but Mimi-Toria's Designs, has a reputation to uphold, that being cutting edge with designs, each one created is one-of-a-kind, details, details, details, and backs of focals are often created two sided in case the piece flips.  Thus, keeping an ugly backside of a piece being seen.  This necklace was no exception and I chose to use this filigree element with the Paris Eiffel Tower for its coloring which worked with this design.

Some of the details here the second 4H pin being used here as the connector between the focal and the chain portion of the necklace.  The ribbon is silk in a two tone shade that compliments the colors used in this necklace.  Th 4H were a rusty brown hue, so I chose to use ivory faux glass vintage pearls and rust toned freshwater pearls for the beads and antiqued gold tone chain sections.

I used a mix of 22g and 24g wire, thus wire-wrapping the 24 g sections and using rosary style loops for the 22g wire sections.

A fun mix of elements create the dangle portion of the necklace flowing freely from the focal portion at the bottom.

I also used some baroque brown toned faux glass vintage pearls in the chain section of the necklace to add another dimension and style as well as color into the mix.

I hand created a clasp for this necklace, as well as stamped a Mimi-Tori's Designs i.d. tag to attach to the piece.  I also wire wrapped a fun little stack of beads and vintage rhinestone roundel to the clasp section of the necklace.

I thought this was such a sweet necklace idea that Cassie came up with to give to her Mom for  Christmas 2010.  Again, I just came upon this file folder on my computer recently while doing some organizing and thought it might be fun to share.

Interesting facts about 4H:

Research shows those children involved in 4H are:

Nearly two times more likely to get better grades in school

Nearly two times more likely to plan to go to college

41 percent less likely to engage in risky behaviors

25 percent more likely to positively contribute to their families and communities.