She Grows Her Own "Gems" To Make Artisan Jewelry

She Grows Her Own Gems To Make Artisan Jewelry FARM HOME Novelty Items “I try to make my pieces so your eye is drawn to the seed ” says Debra Groat who grows her own “gems” for the jewelry she makes Her jewels are colorful heirloom dried beans and corn kernels accented by metal glass and stone jewelry parts     With a passion for jewelry since she was 5 Groat recognized an opportunity in 2000 when she shelled heirloom beans that her brother had grown     “I couldn’t get over how gorgeous they were and that they had a history behind them I thought if I could make them into jewelry it would be a wonderful way to show them off ” she recalls She had been dabbling in making jewelry for a couple of years and started experimenting with the seeds     Thirteen years later she has a rainbow of 63 varieties of beans and several varieties of corn in jars in what appears to be a well-stocked pantry In fact they are on shelves with other jewelry parts in a roomy work studio over her home’s garage     Just getting the seeds in the jars requires a lot of time and labor Groat says After going through the work of planting and growing them she handpicks the beans and corn and spends many hours in the winter shelling bushel baskets of dried beans     She packages them and freezes them for a minimum of three weeks to kill eggs or insects on the seeds Then they are thawed and stored in jars for another 5 to 6 mos to dry After that Groat drills a small hole through the center and then lets them dry for another month It’s a technique she developed after much experimentation to ensure the seeds don’t crack flake or shrink later     When fully dried she handpicks the “gems” to create earrings bracelets and necklaces Among her customers’ favorites are the Cherokee Trails of Tears bean necklace with black onyx and antique gold tones and a Hopi Blue corn drop necklace     “Most of my customers are gardeners people interested in organics and heirloom seed or people who care about the environment ” Groat says In addition to the natural beauty of the pieces they also appreciate the short history she includes Brockton Christmas Lima Jacob’s Cattle Painted Lady Scarlet runner Magpie and Red Calypso are just a few of the heirloom beans that Groat uses     Keep them dry and store them in a sealed container and they will last the same as other jewelry she says     Groat sells her pieces at events and art shows and through her website named after her business name Saverine Creek Heirlooms Pieces are photographed on the website and range from $24 to $135     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Debra Groat Saverine Creek Heirlooms 3352 Klender Rd Rhodes Mich 48652 ph 989 879-1026; www saverinecreek com

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