CycleCraftDesigns: Recycled Bike Parts Jewelry
I started making jewelry in 2005. It all began when the organization I founded, Recycle-A-Bicycle, was asked to set up a program for girls as a larger STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) grant. We planned to offer an earn-a-bike class where the girls would build a bike and keep it. To our surprise, the girls went on strike. They didn't want to get their hands dirty in a bike shop! So we proposed a jewelry making project that would have them deconstruct bikes into usable bits for beads (engineering), and then write a basic business plan (math). After winning a Bank of America award for their business plan, the girls wanted to tackle a bigger challenge. So, in the end, the majority of the girls decided to build a bike. Eight out of 12 took a bike home.
Since this time, I have taught many jewelry-making workshops as a way to create a dialogue about protecting our environment through cycling and recycling. I have also made and sold jewelry at many eco-oriented craft fairs and bike conferences as a way to support youth cycling activities.
The suspension of hands-on youth programming, due to COVID, led to my decision to start CycleCraftDesigns. It is a wonderful way to be creative and keep connected with my friends in the cycling world, and to make new friends.
