Crafts: Fun Idea For A Holiday Gift Made From Your Heart
This is a gift that will fit virtually any woman or girl on your gift list AND fit nearly any budget as well! Best of all, they will know just how much you were thinking of them! Everybody needs a watch. Why not let it be a special, fun one!
You can find separate watch faces at craft stores (in the beaded jewelry department), on e-bay, or at your local discount store in the watch department. Any watch that has an open hole of some kind on each side of the face will work. You can cut off the existing band.
After you've found the watch face of your dreams, all you will need are some special beads and one spool of 1 mm size clear beading elastic (which will make many watches or bracelets).
You can make watches in your recipient's favorite colors; you can make them with theme beads representing their favorite interests or hobbies; even with charms that have spaces for tiny photos! You will find SO many choices it will be hard to pick!
It is helpful to lay out the beads for your watch in a line. That way you can see how they will look and rearrange as many times as you want before stringing them. Remember to allow room for the length of the watch face! Once you are happy, take about 12" of the elastic and tie one end through one side hole of the watch face. DO NOT CUT the loose end yet! String on your beads in the desired length of band.
Now slip the elastic's end through the side hole on the other side of the watch face. Pull until the band lies smoothly, but without elastic showing (too loose) or the bead line buckling (too tight). Tie down the remaining end. Again, do not cut.
If you "goofed" your tying, the cure is to take a new piece of elastic and start over. There really isn't an easy fix other than that. It's kind of a learning process to feel what is exactly right.
Finishing touches: Run the loose ends of knots backwards through the beads to hide them. When you get to a good spot, then trim the end so that it will lie inside a bead. Hide knots inside beads and secure with a drop of craft glue or epoxy, if desired. Or (requires tool) take a sterling crimp bead and smash it over each knot.
Also fun: make a watch necklace instead! Just make as described above, except with a longer "band."
Have fun! And be careful in that bead aisle... you could be starting a new obsession!
For those scared to venture on their own into a craft store...This easy kit might help you get started:
Article submitted by: Sheila Talley, ButYouDontLookSick.com, © 2006
