Young Palisadian Crafts Mask-Necklaces to Raise Funds for Westside Food Bank

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter

For the past two months, 11-year-old Palisadian Skylar Jennings has been running her own Etsy shop, selling custom mask-necklaces and raising proceeds to donate to the Westside Food Bank.

Jennings, who wanted to create something useful during the COVID-19 pandemic and give back to her surrounding community, hand-makes customizable mask-necklaces for both children and adults.

Her creation clips onto both ends of a face mask—reminiscent of a chain for eyeglasses. It can also be clipped together without the mask to be worn as a custom necklace.

“Since I have a lot of beads at home, I had the idea of making them for my family and friends,” Jennings said to the Palisadian-Post. “We posted a photo on Instagram and people were asking if I would make them one, and one person even asked if I had an Etsy shop. From there, I made BEadSAFEcreations.”

Buyers can choose from an assortment of colors, materials, and charms or pearls for their mask-necklace. There are colored cotton cords to choose from, as well as silver, copper and gunmetal solid chains. Buyers also have the option to personalize their mask-necklace with their name, favorite sports team, a quote and more.

“I personally really like the ones that are customized special … like when it says your name with a special bead that represents you and your personality,” Jennings said. “We can make it fancy or more casual, making it go with your personality and different colors.”

For the most part, she makes all the necklaces herself. Jennings said her mom chips in and helps when she finds herself with a lot of orders, but she enjoys her time making the necklaces.

“It’s super easy and it’s super fun to do, I had a blast thinking up the name and doing all of that stuff because it’s super fun to experience and something new I haven’t tried before,” Jennings said about her entrepreneurial debut. “We thought of BEadSAFEcreations because we’re making different creations … and we’re using beads.”

So far she has had 23 sales on Etsy, which is described as a “top shop for gifts” from previous buyers and holds a five-star rating.

“These are so useful … I received mine and cannot wait to wear it. These are great for gifts,” according to a review of the mask-necklace on the site.

Jennings said her shop has made $500 as the Post went to print Tuesday evening, halfway to her $1,000 goal.

“All the proceeds are going to the Westside Food Bank because, especially now, people used to get their food from school and now they can’t anymore because they can’t go to school,” Jennings said. “And some people are losing their jobs so they need help getting food on their table every single day … I think it’s really sad.”

Jennings said she has always been creative and enjoys making crafts—she doesn’t plan on wrapping up her business anytime soon. Jennings, who is heading into fifth grade at Village School this fall, will continue making the mask-necklaces when school starts again.

“I really want everyone to be safe and I really like that the money is going somewhere helpful and to people who need it,” she said to the Post.

Jennings added that mask-necklaces help ensure that people never leave their homes without their mask, “so BEadSAFE and order a necklace.”

For more information or to check out Jennings’ Etsy shop, visit etsy.com/shop/BEadSAFEcreations.