Necklace Making with Andrea

Some of you may remember me telling about my dear friend Andrea who had a massive stroke about a year and a half ago. She has weathered major surgeries and multiple health conditions, but has been left paralyzed on her right side and unable to speak, although she is very mentally aware. Over the summer we started a jewelry making project that would allow her to use her creative side and provide her generous spirit with Christmas gifts to share with her friends and with the staff at the residence where she now lives.

I set up a box with compartments with different types of beads and a block of styrofoam. Andrea would stick a headpin into the styrofoam and could stack the beads with one hand as she designed each necklace. When done, I would use pliers to twist a loop on the top. Then she would select a charm that I would attach to the bottom.

We worked on the necklaces over several months and she completed over 30 of them. As Christmas approached, we worked together to string them on chains, make tags, and to put them in small fabric bags.

Here they all are - they looked like candy! Each one pretty and unique!

Right before Christmas, we had fun wheeling around her residence, so she could pass them out! It was a great blessing to be creative together with my friend!