Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

I bet you were wondering what I have been doing for the last two days. 

Well, if you haven't, I am going to tell you anyway.

recycle the jewelry, recycle the jewelry, recycle the jewelry

Ok, let me explain.  Over the years, I have accumulated a few "stash" areas....

Here are a couple of bins and drawers AFTER they had been sorted

.....they don't hold beads.........they hold jewelry.  Jewelry I didn't like after it was made, jewelry I made a lot of and didn't sell, half finished jewelry, ect....  I started packing stuff away about 8 years ago, so I have quite a bit stored up.  The idea was that one day I would dismantle all those buggers and re-use the materials.  Well, I never HAD to do that, so of course, I didn't.

Now- have you seen the cost of silver lately?????  Today the spot price is $34.95!  I cannnot afford to design in silver!  I need chain, bali beads, clasps, wire.....and I can't afford to buy any of it. 

SO, recyle the jewelry, recycle the jewelry, ect.... you get the picture.

So for two days I sorted, and marked down some stuff for "sale" bin.  Other stuff went into piles, recycle the wire, recycle the beads or to be finished.  (please note that only one made it into the "to be finished" category..LOL!)
At the end of day one, I had this..............

Some silver, some chain, some great focal beads.

(I was also saving every single scrap of silver wire possible.  I save it all year and then send it in to Thunderbird Supply, who gives 80% spot price in credit for it.  That is how I plan to buy more wire.  I am proud to say that I am sending in 7oz of silver scraps!!!  If you don't already do it, it is sooo worth it to save them and send them in.)

By mid-morning today, I had this...........

I saved my accu-flex wire, clasps, focals, pearls, sterling silver chain and sterling silver wire.   I feel like I just went bead shopping, its kinda exciting.

But this is what got me REALLY excited.  Look at that stash of silver.

I remember when I bought some of those beads, I thought they were expensive at $2.50 each, now they are $12 each!!!!  OUCH!
I feel pretty good.  I cleaned out some really old dusty corners of my studio.  I recycled, saved money and found some lost treasures. 

How do you recycle in your business, whether to save money or help the planet?