Skip to content

I am sure I have told you about my latest hobby – rummaging through flea markets.​ Recently I found a quite peculiar item – a small bag of fake rubies.​ The bag’s fabric was old and tattered but well-kept, and the rubies inside it, though obviously fake, were all neatly preserved.​ I admit that I was really intrigued by it.​

Upon closer inspection, I saw that the fake rubies were actually glass.​ But even if they weren’t real, they were surprisingly beautiful.​ Every gem was cut into an almost perfect octagon shape and their color was a surprisingly submarine electric red.​ With all the facets, the glass stones gave out an amazing glittering effect, even when they did not collect any light.​ It was simply mesmerizing.​

After a few rounds of bargaining, I finally bought the small bag of fake rubies for a good price.​ I figured that even if I couldn’t wear them, they could at least be used to decorate my room or something.​ So I brought them home with me.​

Once I arrived home, I couldn’t help but instantly fall in love with the rubies.​ Even as a novice collector, I couldn’t help but admire the craftsmanship behind them.​ The stones were certainly fake, but they looked authentic and had a certain charm to them.​ I could not help but marvel at the finesse with which the stones had been cut.​

My admiration only grew as I decided to make something out of the gems.​ I figured that I could use the fake rubies to create some kind of craft like a mantlepiece, a side table, a lampshade or a trinket box.​ After a bit of experimentation, I eventually settled on a mantlepiece in the shape of a rose.​ I figured that the rose would best show the rubies’ red color and spectacular glitter.​

I spent days threading the rubies onto a thin golden wire which I then wrapped around an intricate foam core model.​ As soon as I finished the project, I felt a sense of pride at seeing it come to life.​ The finished mantlepiece sparkled like a real ruby, much to my pleasure.​

I am now quite happy with my little bag of fake rubies.​ While they may not be the real thing, I recently learnt to appreciate them for what they are – an amazing example of creativity and resourcefulness.​ This little project has really taught me that craft does not need to be expensive to look amazing.​

What’s more, the mantlepiece I made with these fake rubies now serves as a beautiful reminder to stay creative and always look on the bright side, no matter what the circumstances are.​ Because at the end of the day, it’s our attitude and outlook which determine how we approach life and its challenges.​ That is something I now understand better because of my little bag of fake rubies.​