BOW WOW BLING

August 7, 2010 at 12:05a.m.

Boardman woman unleashes her creativity for pets

By Ashley Luthern

boardman

A local woman has stretched, sewn and hammered fabric, an old lock from a toolbox and bits of rosaries to create pet collars and long, delicate necklaces for a cause.

About one month ago, Patricia Caparoula, of Chester Drive, created Buddy’s Blessings, a project in which she makes and sells jewelry, donating 10 percent of the proceeds to animal shelters.

The project is named after Caparoula’s cocker spaniel, who had to be put down March 22, 2009. She had adopted Buddy 13 years earlier at a New Castle, Pa., dog shelter.

“He wasn’t my dog; he was my son,” Caparoula said. “I realized what a true and genuine blessing he was, and I wanted to help other animals.”

Although the jewelry can be worn by pet owners, it originally was designed for pets.

“If you put the necklace on a pet, it is not for walking,” Caparoula said. “It’s for photos or keepsakes or holidays.”

The native of New Castle has lived in the Youngstown area for about 30 years and has more than 1,000 rosaries that she’s collected around her house. During the day, she delivers packages for FedEx. When it comes to her creative process, she often quotes a line from the film “An Indecent Proposal.”

“‘Even a brick wants to be something,’ and I find that’s so true,” Caparoula said.

Her house in The Glen is a museum of her creations, including pieces for Buddy’s Blessings. In her kitchen, an old furnace reader holds flowers, and scraps of wood found on her FedEx delivery route decorate her counter backsplash.

“I was a little taken aback,” Elvera Richey, Caparoula’s aunt, said of her niece’s project. “I didn’t realize she had all of this inner beauty, too.”

Buddy’s Blessings jewelry is available at Precious Paws Salon, 1235 Boardman-Canfield Road.

“These are all one-of-a-kind items and hard to duplicate,” salon owner Debbie Nespeca said. “I told [Caparoula] we’ll see how it goes, and now I have people asking about them all the time.”

The necklaces range from $20 to $120, based on the materials and time needed to make them. Caparoula takes orders through her Buddy’s Blessings Facebook page and e-mail at caparou4@aol.com.

“There’s a meaning and story behind everything I sell,” Caparoula said.