Lately, I’ve found that creating something new often involves deconstructing something old, a trade-off that never fails to make me nervous. For instance, I’m making a T-shirt quilt, which, of course, required me to take a scissors to some of my most treasured clothes. As I made the first cut, I felt the same sense of apprehension I felt the first time I cropped a picture for a scrapbook. I knew these items would never be the same again, and time would only tell if I was altering them for the better.

So imagine my anxiety as I began planning, per the advice of VintageStyle Jewelry, to incorporate components from my old jewelry into new designs. I thought for sure I’d be a nervous wreck as I cut off clasps, transplanted charms and chain, and borrowed beads. But no! Somehow, these alterations don’t make me nearly as anxious as other acts of creative demolition. In the back of my mind, I know I can always reattach a clasp or charm, find new chain similar to the old, or restring beads. There’s something about jewelry components that’s so interchangeable, which I find very reassuring.

What about you? Have you ever squirmed while incorporating old components into new jewelry? How do you cope with the constructive/deconstructive complex?