Jody Reilly arrives home from a long day at work. She heads down to her workroom in the basement, picks up some beads, and begins to piece out a bracelet.

Reilly enjoys art and creates many projects. She regularly makes bracelets and necklaces that look like they could be purchased from a store along with many other crafts. She also works as a Patient Services Director at Quest Diagnostics and is a parent of a sophomore at Blue Valley Southwest.

Getting Started

Reilly first learned how to sew when she was a girl and participated in the 4H club. She also did lots of sewing with her Great-Aunt Ruth and soon began to pick up other types of crafts.

She paints, crochets, cross-stitches and does needlework, but her favorite thing to do is make jewelry.

“I really like jewelry. I think it’s my very favorite,” artist Jody Reilly said.

About three years ago, Reilly asked a friend where she got some jewelry she was wearing. The friend replied that she had made it. Reilly was surprised. Her friend encouraged her to try making some on her own, and Reilly found that it wasn’t hard. She then began to get books on how to make jewelry and has been doing it ever since.

Rielly now makes intricate woven bracelets and multi-stringed necklaces. She even created removeable pendants to wear as earrings. To do this, Reilly first takes out a small pair of hoop earrings. Then she strings on her homemade pendants to her liking, and puts them on.

“They can fit for every occasion,” Reilly said.

Art helps Reilly unwind and relax.

“You feel like you are getting something done,” she said. Creating art is more rewarding for Reilly than staring at a computer screen all day.

Reilly’s favorite project was a counted-cross-stitch picture for her old boss.

“I framed it and it was beautiful. I think she really liked that,” Reilly said.

When Reilly had a new pool in her backyard a few years ago, she wanted to paint something on the shed by the pool.

“I just didn’t want it to be plain,” Reilly said.

She found a picture she liked, but wanted to paint a different kind of sun. So she found a different sun and painted that one on instead.

“I’m not quite done with it, either,” Reilly said, “theres other stuff I would like to add. I would like to add palmtrees.

“[The pool shed] was about my first big painting,” she said. Reilly is always ready to try new types of art.

Projects Now

Reilly has many ongoing projects. Currently she is finishing multiple cross stitch projects featuring winter scenes. She has some pearls that she would like to make into a necklace. Reilly just purchased fabric to reupholster her daughter’s chair and has the materials ready to create a few skirts.

“But you’ve got to cut out-I don’t like to do that,” Reilly said.

“I give her lots of encouragement and positive reinforcement,” husband Bob Reilly said, “there are lots of little hobbies she enjoys, so I try not to bother her after work.”

Reilly has many crafts she has not started on yet. If you go into the basement where her work area is, you will find drawer after drawer of beads, fabric, and patterns. “I guess i’m collector of crafts,” Reilly said.

Reilly’s children look up to her and know that she will always end up getting things done.

“She is determined to finish what she starts, like when she painted the mural on the cabana in two days.” tenth grade son Mitchell Reilly said.

Her seventh grade daughter Lizzie calls her crafty.

Looking to the Future

Reilly loves doing art, but she doesn’t think she will ever be able to make a career out of it. ”I don’t think I could make enough money out of it or I would”

She also has considered using online websites that sell homemade items.

“I thought about putting some of my stuff on Etsy, however my problem is that I like to make an item once or twice and then I want to do something different,” Reilly said. So to make something over and over and over and over, I don’t know if I would enjoy that.”

On Etsy people can order everything from clothes to jewelry to pottery.

“Etsy is a marketplace where people around the world connect to buy and sell unique goods,” according to the Etsy mission statement.

Reilly would also like to learn how to do metalwork and welding when she has the time and all the necessary tools.

The most important thing about making art to Reilly is loving what you do. “Do things you love, create things you love,” Reilly said, “and if it’s not fun for you, don’t do it. Theres lots of other stuff to try.”