New Hobby

Okay, seriously gotta redo my blog design layout, but that's for another day, or I'll never get a post done tonight! I pulled up my blog, and for some reason the background wasn't working. Well, I tried to fix it, to no avail, so I went with a generic template for now. I'll fix it later.

On to my post.

I've found a new hobby, jewelry making. Like, no way! (Yes, I have the tendency to collect projects, it's one of my weaknesses.) But, hey, I have at least finished my first project! I think it all started when Dani and I were in Roberts last fall, scoping out craft supplies, and we found ourselves in the jewelry-making section. I was captivated by all the beautifully-shaped beads and fantastic colors. I'm a sucker for color. So, Dani and I indulged in some pretty beads, and then they sat in my craftroom for a while (no surprise there.) I also gifted myself a jewelry-making book at Christmas. Enter the cute little binky chain clip Lora gave me when Connor was born. Alas, Connor refused the binky, but this time, with Emma, she was hooked! So, I brought out the binky clip, and it's been a wonderful way to keep track of the binky.

I temporarily lost the binky clip about two weeks ago (Connor hid it inside one of his toys.) I emailed the maker of the binky clip, sweetbabyboutiques.com or sweetbabybeads.com, to buy a new one and asked them to make it longer, but they refused to on the grounds that it's a choking hazard. I thought, "Whatever! The chain is so short on her now, that whenever she turns her head, it pops out of her mouth." Connor returned the clip ("Look, Mom, it was in the Pig!", part of a stacking farm animals set), but it broke a week ago, and I thought, "I want this thing to be longer anyway, so I bet I can fix it myself!" When we were in Salt Lake this weekend, I bought some more supplies, and lo and behold, I finished my first project this morning! It was so fast and easy, now I'm hooked, and I can't wait to make more! I may have to learn everyone's taste in jewelry, so I can start giving jewelry gifts!

Here's the original binky clip, measuring 6-1/2" from the clip to the end of the beaded loop. You can see where the wire wore out, and broke away from the clip.

My completed project! All I did was add little rainbow glass spacer beads between each of the original beads, and the new length is 8-1/2" from the clip to the end of the beaded loop.

I put a barrel clasp on the end of the chain, so I could make a variety of binky chains for the clip. You can see here, that it is detachable, so I can attach any cute chain I make. Unfortunately, today I discovered that the barrel clasp is a bad idea. I keeps twisting open, with this active baby! I'll have to restring it with a different type of clasp, but the detachable concept will remain the same.

End Post #8, 2009