Tip, um...Wednesday: Inspiration or Junk?

I think sometimes we fall into a rut of believing that there are "good" designs and there are "bad" designs, and if something doesn't work out for us perfectly, we abandon it completely. I do the same thing, and (mostly because I'm lazy) I got into a habit of shoving these pieces into a little box, closing the lid, and walking away. But recently, I've started to look at these "bad" designs in a different light.

Here's a picture of my junk box. It's mostly a collection of half-beaded bracelets and pendants and lampworked beads from a friend. But, do you see that little turquoise, herringbone piece labeled "inspiration" in the bottom corner?

It just so happens that one day in a particular moment of beader's block, I took out my little box and started sifting through the contents. While I definitely didn't want to restart or complete any of the projects in the box, I liked the turquoise piece and decided to see if I could use it in another way. The result? Singin' the Blues. A herringbone bracelet made with 3mm bugle beads and alternating matte/shiny seed beads. This bracelet I like a lot, the junk bracelet? Not so much. But I do realize that I wouldn't have one without the other. So, my tip for you? Keep the junk. Who knows? It may one day become the inspiration for your greatest piece!