The Perfect Gift

If you are like me, you are always on the lookout for a special gift ...the perfect gift. 

Years ago, when I was looking for a rosary for a special occasion, I would look at the Christian or Catholic Gift Store.  Even though they would have several to choose from, my eyes would always be drawn to the crystal bead rosaries. They were not the Swarovski crystals but were usually Czech glass. I always found something beautiful but in the back of my mind, I was always looking for something more striking and full of color. 

I begin collecting beads from the 50s and 60s with my mom.  She had several necklaces made with beautiful crystal beads that my father had given her for a special occasion. These were made of Swarovski crystals.  Admiring her beads, we began looking for Austrian crystal beads in second hand shops.  When we would find a set of crystal beads, we would add it to our collection. The collection of beads grew but with having young children, teaching full time, and other responsibilities, the collection of beads remained stored away with other art and craft items. 

This year, when looking through my beads, I began thinking about using the crystals and other vintage beads to make rosaries.  Having had previous jewelry making experience, I knew the technique in making wire rosaries. Something just kept nudging me to get started.

One morning, I woke up and the first thought through my mind was to make the rosaries and name my store Let Your Light Shine. When I investigated this name, I found it was taken in online terms.  Having felt led to name my store along the lines of the verse Matthew 5:16 and many other verses in the Bible that encourage us to let our light's shine, I decided to change the YOUR to OUR and that is why I named my rosary store and purchase the domain name (website) LetOurLightShine.us.  

https://www.etsy.com/listing/456361936/rosary-handmade-catholic-gift-amber?ref=shop_home_active_3

Once I felt this strong direction to create this online store, I knew why I had collected and saved these beads from so many years ago.  

As I design each rosary, I look through all of the boxes of beads and match the beads that I feel are made for the next design.  To me, each design is a work of art.  Each rosary is unique in that I don't order matching sets of beads, which is great for someone else,  but I only use the wide assortment of vintage beads of my own, to mix and match until I find the perfect design.  Even if I ran out of my own collection of beads, which won't be for a long time, I would continue to purchase vintage beads because I feel like this is what I'm suppose to be doing to Let Our (My) Light Shine.  Its my gift.

Every person looking for a rosary has an eye for something special.  My goal is not to get rich or mass produce a design.  My goal is to create a unique rosary that will be an heirloom in your family or a loved one's family.  The money I make will be used to buy more supplies to make more rosaries. It is my prayer that my rosaries will be an inspiration to you or someone special to pray more and focus more on the power of prayer in your life. 

Matthew 18:20 - For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

The Power of Prayer

Many years ago, at the young age of 24, I found the power of prayer.  It was my first pregnancy and we were all so very excited. On January 11th, 1978 the day arrived for our baby girl to come into this world.  The nursery was ready; new carpet - extra thick, Peter Rabbit curtains made by hand, stuffed animals that matched our theme, and a newly painted room. We were ready.  But, what we didn't know was that after the whole day of labor, anticipation, and waiting, our little girl would arrive with three problems with her heart.  I was never able to hold her, but got to see her several times before she was flown to a large teaching hospital for open heart surgery.  You have to remember this was 1978. I prayed for her all night long, all the next day, and through that next night. After many hours of prayer, I asked that God take care of her. Not knowing what the outcome would be, I trusted Him. She made it successfully into the surgery and even through the surgery but could not regain her breathing and passed away on the 13th, early in the morning.  At exactly the time of her passing, I sat up in bed and looked at the clock.  I felt a great peace come over me.  Then went back to sleep. 

Later that early morning, I called the hospital where she had her surgery and they informed me that she had passed and the exact time. 

Crushed, broken-hearted, and feeling like I was living a nightmare, I returned home to cry and pray inside that newly painted nursery.  Each day I would go inside, pick up the baby clothes, blankets, and toys, and pray that God would help take the pain away and help me and my family to get through this tragedy.  

It took a year and a half before I saw the answer to my prayers.  In August of 1979, after finding out a few months earlier that I was pregnant again and having a baby in early November, I was in the doctor's office for a regular checkup and he said to me, I believe I hear an echo.  He listened and listened again, then called the nurse to do an ultrasound.  Sure enough, I had not one but two babies.  God's answer to my prayers.  A miracle!

Sometimes when we are going through difficult times, we find it really hard to understand or even comprehend the pain we are going through. Having faith in God, not questioning why, but trusting in what we don't understand, and knowing God has a purpose in our lives, we make it through to the other side of our pain.  We find that even with the hurt, He has blessed us with something wonderful.  

I have never taken one minute with my sons for granted and I have always known that He blessed me with these boys, now men. 
Not only did He give me two wonderful sons who I love deeply, but the prayer helped me every day from the pain of loosing my daughter.  He carried me through it.  Just like the footsteps poem.

Prayer is powerful......   

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."Romans 12:12

Quotes about the Rosary

The Rosary is the Bible on a String. Fr. Ronan Murphy

Gold Crystal One Decade Rosary - Vintage Beads

The Rosary is my favorite prayer. St. Pope John Paul II

The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary. St. Francis de Sales

If I had an army to say the Rosary, I could conquer the world. Pope Pius IX

The Rosary is the Weapon.  St. Pio

The Rosary is a prayer both so humble and simple and a theologically rich in Biblical content.  I bed you  to pray it.  St. John Paul II

Continue to pray the Rosary every day. Our Lady of Fatima to Sister Lucia

The Rosary is a school for learning true Christian perfection.  Pope John XXIII

Prayer for Animals - St. Francis of Assisi

Prayer that may be said on the medal of St. Francis:

God Our Heavenly Father, You created the world to serve humanity's needs and to lead them to You. By our own fault we have lost the beautiful relationship which we once had with all your creation. Help us to see that by restoring our relationship with You we will also restore it with all Your creation. Give us the grace to see all animals as gifts from You and to treat them with respect for they are Your creation. We pray for all animals who are suffering as a result of our neglect. May the order You originally established be once again restored to the whole world through the intercession of the Glorious Virgin Mary, the prayers of St. Francis and the merits of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with You now and forever. Amen. 

Saint Francis of Assisi

St. Francis - Chaplet handmade with vintage amber glass beads

St. Francis Quotes - Franciscan Pet Blessing

I finished a new St. Francis Chaplet tonight for my Let Our Light Shine store on Etsy.  I will list and photograph it tomorrow and share photos.... As I worked on this chaplet, I was reminded of many of St. Francis' quotes.  I will share a few of my favorites.

(As a Christian vegan who loves all of God's creatures so much, this is a favorite quote of St. Francis:)

"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men."

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

"For it is in giving that we receive."

"Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."

"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love."

" If God can work through me, he can work through anyone."

"It is in pardoning that we are pardoned."

"Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self."

Pray As You Go - http://www.pray-as-you-go.org/

One of my favorite prayer websites; one that I return to each day is Pray As You Go. It is not a "thought for the day" or a sermon, instead it is to prepare you to pray. It is organized like a monthly calendar and each day has prayerful music, scripture verses to pray about and thoughts about those verses. Just taking these few minutes to focus on the Bible, prepares you to focus on your prayers. 

If you have not had a chance to visit this site, please take a few minutes and if you are like me, you will look forward to visiting it each day.  There is an app for it and each of the daily prayer preparations may be downloaded as mp3 files.  I noticed on their homepage that this is their 10th year.  Please take a look....

What is an "unbreakable wire" rosary?

This rosary is made using an "unbreakable wire" technique.  The idea is to put each section of the rosary together in such a way that each loop is intertwined with the previous loop.  You actually make the bead section with wire that has been wrapped on each side; keeping the bead in place and without leaving any closures that may open.  The beads are still subject to break so you still need to be careful with your rosary because even if the beads don't break, they could scratch. 

I also use key-chain links on the centerpiece and crucifix so that they do not fall off accidentally.  You have to really focus on what you are doing as you make this rosary because if you are like me, and get distracted once in a while, you have completed the loop, wrapped the wire and forgotten to add the next link... so you have to cut it apart and do that whole section over again.  

https://www.etsy.com/listing/459543576/rosary-handmade-catholic-gifts?ref=shop_home_active_1

Many people love to carry the one decade rosary since it has 11 beads, rather than 59.  It fits in the palm of your hand or around your wrist with the remainder in your hand.  

Many of my rosaries are made out of stainless steel.  The purpose is to be the strongest, yet lightweight, rosary possible.  Stainless steel does not tarnish and will look the same many years from now.  

Another unique feature of this one decade rosary is that it is made using a flat shaped wire.  If you look at the photos closely, you will see that the wire is more flat and curves beautifully around each post.  

Each rosary that I make has at least one vintage crystal bead.  I love the colors and shapes of these beautiful beads and most of my Our Father beads are made with crystals.  The decade beads are vintage glass or smaller crystal beads.  

If you would like to see more information on this particular one decade rosary or others I have in my shop, please click on the link below the photo.  Each rosary is unique and no two are exactly alike.

Remember to pray every day because prayer can move mountains.

God Bless!  Jen

Rosaries - Love the Crucifix, Centerpiece, and Medals

One of my favorite things about making rosaries, in addition to mix and matching vintage beads, is choosing the crucifix and centerpiece and/or medal.  I try my best to make a variety of each so that my customers have a choice, and not everything is the same.  My focus, as I make items for my store, is for customers to find an heirloom or gift that will last many, many years and a unique rosary.  

When you open a shop, you have to decide if you want pre-made items that are available and can be mailed immediately or items that are made to order. I use vintage beads and a traditional rosary has 59 beads.  It would be unusual to have more than one set of beads that are identical and even if I did have more, I would not want to make two rosaries that are exactly alike.  The creativity of having each one unique and beautiful is my goal.  So, all of my rosaries are pre-made and there is only one item available exactly like the item for sale.  One of the joys for me in design, is to put together a rosary that I feel is special, just for you.  And when you look at it, you will know it is the perfect gift and the colors and design are perfect for you or your loved one. 

One of the most difficult things for me to do is not to order hundreds of crucifixes, centerpieces, and medals.  I have hundreds now, but I love to look and collect more.  I also love the wire available and want additional tools, that I really don't need, but would be a luxury item in my toolbox.   The artist in me wants more supplies and the business person in me says... wait, sell more first, then buy more supplies.  It is a balancing act for sure. 

Tonight I finished another one decade rosary. I have not posted it as yet and will post it tomorrow.  It is referred to as an unbreakable rosary. Look for it tomorrow.  I love the one decade rosary because you can pray the same as your traditional beads but with your rosary sitting completely on one hand.  

Earlier today, I posted a baby blue one decade rosary which looks like this:  

https://www.etsy.com/listing/459245156/rosary-handmade-catholic-gifts-one

The pearl glass beads were taken from a necklace from the 60s and the beautifully cut crystal, Our Father Bead, was also from the 60s.  They are simply beautiful and of course the crucifix and center match the blue theme.  They would make a wonderful gift or a special item to keep.

I hope you enjoy my daily story about my Etsy store: Let Our Light Shine.  I hope that through my rosaries many more prayers will be lifted up.  God Bless!  

Jen  

 http://letourlightshine.us

Catholic Gifts

Catholic Gifts at Let Our Light Shine

As I continue to build my Etsy storefront, I am continuing to learn how to get my items seen by those customers who will be looking for my items.  You can make the most beautiful products and be super proud of your work and excited to share, but without an audience, your work is virtually in a room all by itself... waiting to be found.  

I have a growing number of beautiful rosaries that I have handmade.  I have made these rosaries and chaplets from a collection of beads that I collected in the 80s and 90s.  Most of my beads were from jewelry that was purchased twenty to thirty years earlier and so, using these beads, my rosaries are unique and usually one of a kind. 

The most important thing that I learned today concerning my work was that I have to identify my audience.   Even though this may seem like obvious information; putting a name to your customers, you now have words that they can search in a search engine, so they can find you.  I guess you could say you are creating a trail for them to follow... to find your artwork.. in my case, my rosaries.

I consider myself an artist.  My focus is on the piece of artwork that I am making.  The rosary is my artwork.  In the past, I have sold my work at art shows and through friends.  Now, I want to share my rosaries with a group of customers all over the world.  I have to make my store in a way that customers will find me... using Etsy search but also through other search engines, such as Google.

Today, I made sure that I added key search words in the title of each item.  Hopefully, it will bring those of you who are looking for Catholic Gifts to my store.

Thanks for stopping by.  God Bless!

Jen

One Decade Rosary

I made this beautiful One Decade Rosary from my vintage collection of beads and added it to my Etsy store today. I wanted to have a rosary available for those who would like to pray a decade at a time or even a decade a day. As I mentioned in previous posts, I began collecting beads in the 80s and particularly loved crystals. Many of the beads were from the 50s and 60s. After making a rosary for my youngest grandson’s baptism, I fell in love with making rosaries and chaplets.

Handmade One Decade Rosary: Vintage Hematite beads - Vintage Austrian Crystal Our Father Bead - Holy Communion Eucharist Chalice Center

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A Decade A Day

Unlock the power of prayer in your life by praying a decade a day on this beautiful rosary.  Many people pray the rosary throughout the day completing one decade at a time which you may also do on this rosary. However, if you are not praying the rosary daily, make it a goal to pray at least one decade of the rosary a day, and you will feel closer to Jesus.

One suggestion for saying One Decade A Day Rosary:

THE OUR FATHER (once)

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.   Amen.

THE HAIL MARY (ten times)

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

THE DOXOLOGY (once)

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

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Please let me know if you have any specific questions about this One Decade Rosary.  God Bless!

Rosary Redesigned

Rosary Redesigned

Today as I was looking over my rosaries and chaplets that I made for my Let Our Light Shine Etsy store, there was one set of beads that I felt had something missing. It was an entire rosary made with iridescent blue beads.  The photos hardly do them justice as the colors are so strikingly beautiful, it is hard to capture this even for a photographer. In any case, I knew they needed something special.  My goal, when I make each rosary or chaplet, is to create a heirloom rosary and chaplet that will be something very special. 

Originally when I made these beads, the decade beads were so beautiful (blue with shimmering purple and gold) that I decided to leave the Our Father beads the same bead as the decade beads.  As I looked at these beads closely today, I decided the design needed a little tweaking, so I searched through my vintage bead collection, and then removed the Our Father beads and replaced them with beautiful Austrian crystal beads.  These vintage beads, which I collected more than 25 years ago, were full of rainbow colors in the light and would make the perfect upgrade to these already beautiful rosary beads.  

Handmade Rosary with Vintage Iridescent Blue with Purple and Clear Crystal Beads

Lesson learned... even when you have completely finished a design, there is still room to improve.  Don't leave it the way it is unless you are in love with the finished product. Now, it is ready for someone special.  God Bless.  

Chaplet of the Divine Mercy

Introductory Prayers:

You expired, Jesus, by the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.  O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.

(On the cross say one Our Father, one Hail Mary and the Apostles Creed.)

General Prayers:

(Begin at the divider bead below the center and pray...)

Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

(Pray on each of the ten decade beads:)

For the sake of his sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.  

(Repeat the above four more times, once for each group of one Our Father and ten decade beads.)

Concluding Doxology:

(On the each of the three small beads near the crucifix:)

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen. 

For an individual copy in more detail, go to www. marian. org. 

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Today I completed making a Chaplet of The Divine Mercy and posted it in my Etsy store.  The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy is prayed using the traditional ten decade rosary beads.  The beads that I designed are using vintage crystal beads which are iridescent and have blue tones. This is perfect for this chaplet because it is suggested that you use red and blue beads and these vintage iridescent beads are red but have shades of blue in the light.  The Austrian crystal Our Father beads are over 20 years old also and also share many colors when in the light.  Many years ago, in the late 80s and 90s, I collected crystal and glass beads.  All of the rosaries and chaplets that I make are from this small collection of beads.  This is the chaplet I made and posted today. 

Chaplet of The Divine Mercy 

Rosary Tools

Rosary Tools

One of the things that I've learned about tools is that when you work at any craft, the tools you use will make or break you.  In other words, it is worth your time and effort to purchase the correct tools to complete projects and properly fit your hand.  

Over twenty years ago, I made all types of jewelry from polymer clay to fiber art.  I had a set of jewelry tools that worked for me at that time.  However, when I decided to begin making rosaries and chaplets, I realized that I would be working with wire in various gauges and would need a much improved set of jewelry tools.  

At first I ordered rosary pliers and these may work perfectly for you, but for me, I found that my tools of choice were round nose pliers, chain nose pliers, wire snips, and flat nose pliers.  The idea of the rosary pliers is that you have multiple tools in one but my experience is that it is far better to have the individual tools to complete my rosaries.  When people look at your work, the quality of the tools you use shine through.  

Interestingly, the high price of the tool is not ALWAYS the best tool.  I love Xuron pliers.  They are not the most expensive, nor the cheapest, but work great for me.  I have one pair of round nose pliers that were made by Beadsmith.  They only cost $7 but I love them and use them everyday. You must try out different tools, holding them in your hand, for comfort and reliability. 

Again, this is MY experience and not necessarily what works best for you.  If you have time, please check out my rosary store on Etsy:  Let Our Light Shine  

Here is an example of my work. God Bless.  

Jen

Handmade Turquoise and Iridescent Crystal Rosary with Vintage Beads

St. Francis of Assisi Chaplet

St. Francis of Assisi Chaplet with Vintage Crystals

The Chaplet of St. Francis of Assisi:

Prayers: On each set of three beads, pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.  

Concluding prayer is optional:

Most high, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me Lord, a correct faith, a certain hope, a perfect charity, sense and knowledge, so that I may carry out Your holy and tree command.  Amen. 

or

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

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Chaplet of St. Francis of Assisi pg. 61 taken from How to Make and Pray Rosaries & Chaplets by Tyra and Seth Murray;  The Rosary Shop Copyright 2006  

Let Our Light Shine - Rosary Etsy Store - Blog Overview

Let Our Light Shine - Rosary Etsy Store - Blog Overview

In each new post, I'd like to share my experiences setting up an Etsy store where I am selling my rosaries. I also want to highlight one of my favorite rosaries or chaplets often. 

This particular rosary is one of my very favorites....

My rosary and chaplet store is now open on Etsy.com, Let Our Light Shine, and I wanted to take this opportunity to share a set of beautiful green and iridescent crystal rosary beads that I have in my shop. This rosary is handmade by me.  

****************Let Our Light Shine *******************

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

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Please read more about this rosary on the link below.  The two photos below are additional photos of the rosary that are not on the store site. Please take a look.  :-)

Handmade Iridescent Green and Clear Crystal Vintage Bead Rosary

The six Our Father beads are very unique.  Four are green and two are clear iridescent crystals.  They pick up color beautifully. Each is from my collection which I have had for over twenty years.  Most of the beads in my collection where already twenty plus years old when I purchased them in the 80s and 90s.  I love the fact that vintage beads are unique and have their own personality. Plus, they make an extra special gift. The photos don't really show all of the color in the beads, but gives you a good view.  Each rosary holds many future prayers and would be a wonderful heirloom piece.  

God Bless!
Jen  

Let Our Light Shine

Welcome to Let Our Light Shine Blog!

I'm very excited to share with you my new store Let Our Light Shine! It is a store that I just opened a couple of weeks ago on Etsy.com with my handmade rosaries and chaplets using vintage crystal and glass beads.  My idea of naming my shop Let Our Light Shine is that I wanted my rosaries and chaplets to be a way that we can let our light shine and share our faith in God. Each rosary and chaplet is a prayer waiting to be said by you or a loved one.  

Over twenty years ago, I stopped collecting beads but saved everything that I had previously collected.  At that time, I was making jewelry designs and incorporated these beautiful beads into my work. I saved these boxes of vintage beads and stopped making jewelry. 

My youngest grandson was being baptized and I decided to make him a pair of rosaries for his baptism. I loved every minute of making this rosary and work up one morning with the name Let Your Light Shine.  However, that name was taken as it is a popular scripture verse and so I decided to make the title so that it incorporated ALL of us! 

I plan to share each of the rosaries and chaplets I have for sale in my Etsy store and tell you a little about the beads and thought behind the design.

I hope you enjoy each design as much as I enjoy making it.

God Bless!

Jen  :-)

Let Our Light Shine - Rosary and Chaplet Store using Vintage Beads