Things are looking a little crazy around here these days. I feel like I've got projects in various stages of construction all over the place. There are felt trees waiting to be stuffed and closed in a pile on the sofa, another coated with glitter drying by the back door. A pot full of orange peel strips halfway through the candying process on the stove. And Advent Calender halfway assembled on my desk. A bag full of fabrics and garlands and ribbons in the mudroom waiting for Friday to come along so they can be tied and draped and wrapped. Not that it will all be ready by then, but it does seem a little like I've got a thousand things waiting at the starting gate that is the day after Thanksgiving. And then there's the turkey that will be arriving with the groceries (Oh Retail Relay how do I love thee) in the next hour or so and really, no where in the fridge to put it. And of course, being me, I stopped in the middle of all of it today to try my hand at making a necklace.
I've never been a big beader jewelry maker type of person. I don't have the hand-eye coordination to deal with things that small. They just frustrate me. But last night I was at Michael's (by myself no less, good thing too since there were 9 people in line and one cashier who was on the phone being talked through ringing up a sale, fun) and I wandered into their new jewelry making aisle.
As I stood there looking at strings and strings of beads I found myself reaching out and grabbing a few. Earlier in the day I'd flipped through a catalogue and took a fancy to this necklace, or at least the style of it. I'm really more of a scarf and/or bracelet person. Necklaces have had a tendency to be yanked and broken by little curious fingers. But every once in a while I like the idea of something funky and pretty to string around my neck. Not $59 funky, I don't love it that much, but for a few dollars worth of beads and ribbon, well, that I could do.
It was fun, and pretty much a no brainier project. I'm not sure I'll ever become a big necklace making diva, but for a quick little afternoon project, it was just the ticket. Now excuse me while I go stuff some felt Christmas trees. T-3 days and counting.