Showing posts with label Jewelry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jewelry. Show all posts

Bead for Life

7:45 AM by trafficpro

This Mother's Day I would like to showcase some other mothers. Mothers that struggle everyday with poverty and an organization that helps them.


Bead for Life helps impoverished women in Uganda make their lives better. This is not a charity that just gives money. Bead for Life teaches these women skills so they can make a living and take care of themselves. They learn how to make beads out of magazines and other colorful papers. They then learn to create jewelry out of their beads.

Bead for Life buys the jewelry from the women and sells them so the program can continue. The program does not end there. The money that is made selling the jewelry also gets used in community development projects.

These women learn about health care that they could not afford before. While the women work with Bead for Life they learn how to get their own home and even how to start their own business. All of these things were never possible before Bead for Life.

If you would like to purchase the jewelry and help these women you can visit the Bead for Life store online. All of the jewelry ranges in price from $5 - $20. You could also host a Bead for Life party and invite other women to get involved.
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How to Make Friendship Bracelets

8:14 PM by trafficpro

I am a proud Mommy yet again. All of my websites started because my kids came home from school telling me that almost all of their friends had no idea how to make friendship bracelets. My girls LOVE making them. It is one of those relaxing things you can do while going on a long drive, sitting on a flight, or just sitting in the house bored watching television.

Kids have so much more stress these days than we ever did but because of busy lives they do not always get taught what to do to relieve stress or pass the time. In the beginning of it all I just wanted to find an easy way to show girls how to make friendship bracelets.

As I started to make the main website I realized that I wanted to branch out further and provide a way for girls that have very busy families to learn things that normally were passed down from mother to daughter.

I enjoyed it so much that I then branched out further and wanted to cover everything. If it could bring any kind of happiness to families or kids I wanted to cover it. Way too many kids sit bored at computers because they are stuck home alone while parents have to work. If I could just give them one hobby so they were not so all alone... If I could give just one family a fun idea that inspired them to spend more time together seeing the beauty of their life together...

Well. through it all I never saw the interest in the friendship bracelets like I thought I would. That is until now... The past week almost all of my top search engine keywords for the main site have to do with the friendship bracelet pages. It must be a summer thing.

So I decided that I would tell you all that I have some instructions on making friendship bracelets on the main website. Summer is a great time for kids to make them. As kids sit bored they are a great, cheap, and easy hobby to keep them busy.

If you would like to see all of the instructions please check out the Friendship Bracelet pages. I actually stopped adding more types because people seemed not interested. If people are actually interested I can add instructions for harder bracelets.
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Summer Jewelry Supply List

6:11 AM by trafficpro

Well it is getting closer to the end of the school year. I know many of you have kids already out of school or just about to get out. Schools get out later here. Plus we have snow days to make up. So June 10th will be our last day. I can not wait!!!

I love summer break. Well, at least I love it for most of the summer. There is a point towards the end of the summer that I start to really miss having that time alone during the day. I start to miss being able to get things done. I also start to miss having the house quiet enough to think. LOL

Yes, I love my kids. Yes, I love spending time with them. That is obvious since all my sites are about family. I do firmly believe that mothers need to take care of themselves though. Moms need to have their own time for themselves so they can enjoy their family. This way we will be able to be the superhero everyone expects us to be without ending up in the nut house. LOL

In my house I keep lots of supplies on hand during the summer. It is my way to head them off before they start with the "I'm Bored" routine.

We have two containers of supplies. One is a big Rubbermaid full of arts and crafts supplies. The other one is the jewelry supplies Rubbermaid. This one is what I will be talking about today. I have all girls so those of you that have just boys might get a bit bored today. You may want to keep reading and make some simple jewelry yourself though.

I try to keep these supply boxes stocked so it is ready at a moments notice. If you buy just a little each time you go to the store and keep it all organized you will end up with a good supply kit before you know it. You always end up with extras when you do crafts so keeping it all together and organized saves time and money in the long run. It is also very helpful if you tell friends and family to buy things for the supply box as gifts. There are only so many stuffed animals that can fit in a house.


Summer Jewelry Supply List

Friendship Bracelets

Embroidery Floss - This one is simple. That is all you need unless you want thicker ones then you can use Yarn.


Macrame Bracelets

Cording - When you go to the store you will find many types of cording. It is all a matter of preference. All that is required is that it is not stretchy and not too rough. Usually the best is Hemp or Jute.

Beads - (optional) These are just to add to the bracelet if you want it to be more personal.


Friendship Pins

Large Safety Pins
Small Safety Pins
Seed Beads
Long Elastic Cord or String- (optional) This is if you want to make other things like bracelets.


Beaded Bracelets, Anklets, Rings, and Necklaces

Beads of all types
Elastic cords
Optional Items - If you are just starting out working with beaded jewelry you may want to start easy. All you really need is beads and cord. These are great for little kids too so if they lose them you are not out much money. I always tell my kids to save as many of the beads as they can if the elastic snaps. This way we can reuse them and the kids are not as sad at the lose. Once you have made a few of these you may want to look around more in the jewelry section of store like Michael's. There are endless possibilities.


Memory Wire Bracelets

Jewelry Pliers Set - you can find cheap ones at Michael's. I got a set of 5 types for about $20. It really was better for me to get a full set. You will find many uses for them. Some of them are multiple use ones too. For this one you will need one that can cut the wire and has a cylindrical tip that you can wrap the wire around.
Memory Wire - They come in different sizes so make sure you think about what you will be using it for. The first time I bought some it was too small of a circle and it was very uncomfortable around the wrist.
Beads
Charms - (optional)
End Caps and Glue - (optional) epoxy or jeweler's cement glues. Don't use superglue.




Okay, so that is the basic Summer Jewelry Supply List. Don't not be afraid to wander through the craft store and think of new ideas. A trip to the craft store could end up being the highlight of your day. They can be a lot of fun or maybe I just need to get out more. LOL


If you click on any of the craft headings you will be taken to the main site for the instructions on how to make each one. I hope this will help you combat the "I'm Bored" monster this summer. Keep checking back to see more Summer Break ideas.








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