I don't know how, exactly, number six--make a piece of jewelry--ended up on my 31 Before 31 list, but I did know exactly whose help to enlist in completing the task. You may remember Mary, my friend who pledged to spend $0 on clothes, shoes, and accessories in 2010. While she is not allowed to buy accessories, she is allowed to make accessories. Which means she has become absolutely stellar at beading in the last six months.
Mary signed us up for a wiring wrapping class at the local bead store. This was my first time in a bead store and I just about lost my mind over all the bazillions of beads to choose from. It took me thirty minutes to choose the eight beads for my bracelet. And another 15 minutes to choose my toggle (that would be the little thingamabob on the end that keeps the bracelet on your wrist).
The class itself was three hours long. You are probably wondering how it could possibly take three hours to create a bracelet with eight beads. I was wondering that myself, actually. As it turns out: wire wrapping? Hard. This was an advanced class and it took nearly two hours to create my bracelet. Okay, so nobody actually said it was an "advanced" class, that's my own interpretation, but wire wrapping was much more complicated than just stringing some beads on a piece of string. All those wire bits between the beads? Handmade by me!
I'm super proud of my bracelet. The thing cost $17 ($7 plus the class fee) and took me two hours to make, after all. As a result, I've been choosing my clothes for the past three days to match the bracelet.
It's beautiful! You must love having two hours to do nothing but bead-- so well-deserved.
Posted by: Jen | August 12, 2010 at 11:01 AM
I love your bracelet, and I would like to make one, too! I should look into a beading class!!
Posted by: lesli | August 12, 2010 at 11:28 AM
$17 for a night out with a friend is a bargain, and you got a gorgeous bracelet to boot!
Posted by: Operation Pink Herring | August 12, 2010 at 11:34 AM
Very cute! And how fun that you took a class... I'd love to take a jewelery making class and a photography class...
Posted by: Melissa Oklahoma | August 12, 2010 at 12:15 PM
What a lovely bracelet!
Posted by: Hope | August 12, 2010 at 01:58 PM
wow, I bet it feels super cool to wear something you made!
Posted by: sensibly Sassy | August 12, 2010 at 05:44 PM
Beautiful Janet. Maybe you should start your own business...or give a class.
Posted by: Wilda Wallace | August 13, 2010 at 05:08 AM
So pretty! Love the colors you chose. I totally chose outfits based around the jewelry I want to wear, too.
Posted by: Meg | August 13, 2010 at 07:38 AM
Lovely bracelet, Janet. Well done.
Posted by: Erin | August 26, 2010 at 01:03 PM