Charmed

For some reason I've been into charm bracelets lately.  Was inspired by one in my neighbor's jewelry collection, and thought hey, it would be fun to assemble some charms with some meaning to me.   Turns out, kids love this.  It's a fun way to talk about things that have some meaning to me with kids - and we could all use an excuse to talk about meaningful things, no?  

So I recently put this one together for my best friend, who also happens to be a pediatrician.  Here are a few of her favorite things.

a walk down memory wire

I've got my beading stuff spread out (there really is no need for a formal dining table anyway).   Found a little group of number beads, which I'd intended to make into a nursing bracelet for a deserving friend or relative.  But of course I didn't have any memory wire (which is stiff-ish wire to make bracelets that don't need clasps) ... and of course that required an online visit to firemountaingems.com.   All in the name of finishing a project, right?  It's a dangerous site, because they are a bit expensive, until you buy a certain quantity.  at 15 items, there is a price break.  at 50 items, another price break, and so on...

Well, at least the package came on my birthday, so it was kind of like a birthday present to me.  :)

I've only worked with memory wire once before, because I remember it being a royal pain in the kiester to manipulate.  This wire was awesome and very easy - perhaps because I must have fortuitously chosen a smaller gauge / diameter.

The way this bracelet works is that every bead represents 15 minutes, and you take the little lobster claw charm (which is hanging down towards the bottom right corner here) and move it to represent the time at which you last fed your babe.  if you're breastfeeding, you move the bracelet to the side that you  last fed on or the one you will need to feed on next (as long as you remember which it was).  so for example, this bracelet is set to reflect 8:30.

The pink and purple beads are from my neighbor's vintage collection.  I threw in the variegated brown ones to try and modulate the loudness of the colors a bit.  I fear it is too pink for the intended recipient.  I figure that I'm not a pink person at all, but I kind of like this hot pink.  So I hope she likes it.

To bead or not to bead

You have seen my collection.

I have waaaaay too many beads.

It's worse than my yarn collection.  Because when I look at my yarn, I find a pattern and I can start knitting.

I look at my bead collection, and I cannot begin.  I am overwhelmed.

My bead stash increased quite a bit last year.  Beading was something I could easily do with visitors.  It was easy to teach, easy to learn, and we could craft together.  I also wasn't venturing out much, so I ordered a lot online, with variable success.  Two problems:  the obvious one being that I couldn't see the bead in person, so occasionally it was way off.  Like the democratic donkey beads that I was going to make earrings out of, but didn't pay attention to the size of them (they're huge!).  Two, I often had to order a pack or a string of beads, would use a few, and then still have the rest remaining.

So I sat down and made some stuff.  First, I made this - it's a super long chain that goes down to my navel.  Here it is looped twice.  I like this new technique (for me) of putting chain in between beads.

Recently I went through a Groupon phase and overbought a lot.  I bought a groupon to a local bead store ... which actually was kind of sparse, but I lucked out and found these wood agate beads that I really liked. 

But I still have so much remaining.  I had a little party with a few neighbors and taught them how to bead.  Still too much remains.   Anyone want some beads?

French beaded Christmas Tree

I went shopping with my mother-in-law on the Charlottesville downtown mall, a cute strip of local stores that has just about everything I could want - an awesome yarn shop, a bead shop, a couple of paper stores, an eco store, several local artisan stores, a gelato store, and more.  What more could you ask for?

In the bead shop, she fell in love with this.  Next thing I knew, she had purchased the directions and beads and wire to make it.  

I think it is a daunting project even if you just bead.  But she has so many wonderful needlepoint and knitting projects already underway (not to mention the new puppy).  But she does like Christmas ... So if you see any miniature ornaments, like those to decorate dollhouses, let me know!