Stringer

I don't make jewelry. People who make jewelry create wonderful works of art, with wire, chain, beads...pieces that I would wear in a heartbeat. I can't do that. I can, however, string beads. 

So, this all started when my sweet mother in law found a strand of round tiger eye beads in her jewelry chest. They were not jewelry...just beads on a piece of fishing line. "Can you make something with these?" she asked me in Japanese (Why? Well, because she's Japanese.). I was hesitant, because, like I said, i don't make jewelry. But I accepted them. They were too pretty not to!

Off I went to my favorite craft store, with tiger eyes in hand. I visited a long avoided aisle, where they keep the beads, string and findings (findings? what in the world?). Once there, I was hooked. How could I resist the amazing selection from Imagine It? I scooped up a handful basket full of treasures and home I went. Here's what I came up with.

Now, while this may look like jewelry, please remember that I don't make jewelry. It's simply a couple of strands of beads that have been strung on memory wire.

Unfortunately, I had so much fun "stringing beads" that I decided to try again. I have this great  new jacket from John Paul Richard, but didn't have the perfect necklace. 

Isn't it cute?

So back to my favorite craft store. Another handful  basket full of supplies later, here's what I came up with...

These are displayed on a really small jewelry mannequin. They are not as huge or as long as they may seem...

The nice thing? They both work with the jacket, don't you think? My kids were mocking me, saying that the black and white beads might be too matchy-matchy. Fine.

Now my only worry is the crimp beads. I am waiting for the day that I find out I put them on wrong, and the beads from my new necklaces go cascading to the floor!