Jewelry Making Makes Great Mom and Son Time

I've been floored by the creativity coming from every corner of OTT-LITE! Recently I complimented Jennifer Goodwin in our customer service department on a necklace she was wearing. She smiled that proud mommy smile and told me her son had made it for her.

Here's a quick interview with Jennifer about jewelry making with her son.

Q. Why did you start jewelry making?

A. My sister-in-law showed me how. More importantly it is quality time with my son. He’s really creative and he likes to create jewelry with me. He was 6 when we started and now he’s 8. He likes the crystals and big shiny pieces of jewelry … the big flashy beads. He doesn’t like a pattern … just whatever he likes. When he does follow a pattern, it really helps with his math since there’s a lot of counting. Plus, it settles him down. TV and video games aren’t always quality time. This is our one-on-one time. I really love doing it with him.

Q. Which is your favorite piece?A. One of the first necklaces Dylan made for me. Plus this anklet with the shells. We were at the beach one day and he saw a hole in a shell and thought, “we can do this with our necklaces”.

Q. What’s your advice for parents who want to start jewelry making with their kids?

A. Have lots of patience and let them be creative. Even if it’s your Swarovski crystals … just let them create.

Q. How does your artwork help you with answering OTT-LITE customer’s calls?
A. Not only do I work for OTT-LITE, but Dylan and I use OTT-LITE lighting when we make jewelry. So I know how the product can really help the person on the other end of the line.