Don’t Worry… Bead Happy

Hubby calls my forays into learning and teaching myself new ideas, or things, “hair brained” ideas.

Sometimes, it turns out, he is more than accurate with his observations. Recently, I took up a new craft. It started out innocently enough as a jewellery making idea for the Art Gallery Christmas store fundraiser, but soon it mushroomed into an out of control addiction. Those of you who are craft addicts, or artists, know exactly what I am talking about.

Since there was no jewelry making classes in my area, I searched the internet. Immediately I was caught up in the beading world. Every site I went to displayed gorgeous bracelets, earrings, and various beaded items, made by everyone from the age of ten and up.

Wow! I could do this! It looked easy enough, and all I needed was a few beads and pliers. Off I went to the craft store. I won’t go into the grisly details here, but I left that store, overwhelmed by the beautiful beads, chains, and findings. I was shy one hundred dollars, and I was carrying a tiny bag with just enough material to get started beading.

Fast forward to the next week, and I now had a growing collection of hand made bracelets, earrings and necklaces that looked impressive. Was I satisfied? Not on your life. I began ordering online from China. Beads, charms, and an assortment of trinkets were added to “MY CART”. Cha-ching! More cash out flow.

Now I am seriously into this craft, and am moving up to more challenging bracelets, when I come across “How to make a Beaded Cuff Bracelet” on a Google search. Here, is the challenge I have been looking for. These are more than just bracelets, they are works of art, and that is right up my alley.

I gather my materials, and hold up in my studio to bead every chance I get. Naturally, it’s not as easy as it looks. I drop so many beads, I am walking like the hunchback, and leaning over the worktable has given me a decent start on a dowager’s hump. We haven’t had a home cooked meal in days, and Hubby is starting to lose his patience. My eyesight is failing fast from looking at tiny beads and trying to thread the smallest needle on earth. Nevertheless, I carry on, determined to create a stunning piece of art. Finally, I make, what I think, is the piece de resistance, my masterpiece, a stunning, bead embroidered, Cuff Bracelet. I just need to finish off the edges. Full of pride, I place it on the workbench and go for my reward, a good cup of java.

Returning a few minutes later, I am shocked to find that my masterpiece has been stolen! Some hideous clone is in its place!! There lies a gaudy, overly large, piece of lame looking, questionable beadwork. Someone has obviously switched my fabulous handcrafting for Wonder Women’s headband. No, on second thought, I think some old movie starlet has forgotten her sleep mask. It could be that the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) has lost the world champisonship belt, and the thief has stashed it here. Maybe the Canadian government has misplaced the new medals it plans to give our national heroes. I realized that what I thought was a remarkable piece of work was all of the above.

Well, you can’t always hit a home run, and it looks like it’s back to the drawing board for me. You’ll notice in the photos, that Hubby was kind enough to model.. Me…I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that thing!!

Wonder Women’s Headband

Aging Starlets’ Sleep Mask

WWF Championship Belt

Heroes Medal

Author Val Enders resides in Spruce Grove, Alberta. She married her high school sweetheart, Richard, and they’ve been together for over 40 years. Val doesn’t consider herself a writer by profession, rather she writes more for her own enjoyment. An accomplished artist, Val’s a member of the Allied Arts Council of Spruce Grove. Visit Val’s “Journey Into Art” website at www.vals.webs.com