Sounds like you probably have tenosynivitis in your thumbs. Be careful with that! I had a release in one of my thumbs when I had de quervain's (like carpal tunnel but on the side) surgery. My doc has said that anything with a "pinching" motion - holding a narrow pen to write, sewing, threading beads, whatever, makes it worse. And I have mostly found that to be true. Fat pens are so much easier to write with!

The leaves and Goddesses sounds lovely! I am afraid I haven't worn the bracelet much because it wasn't holding up all that well. Perhaps that batch of jump rings was substandard. I've had that happen. OTOH, I wear the heart earrings practically every day. And my girlfriend that got the blue and silver charm bracelet hasn't mentioned any problems. Perhaps I am just hard on jewelry. :-)