Some time ago, my daughter received some cute kiddie-craft kits for birthday or Chrstmas. A few of these were beading kits, mostly with wood or plastic beads. On dull days, to get her away from the TV, I would get out the beads and encourage her to string  up bracelets and other do-dads.

One portion of the kit had some attractive glass beads; that along with some other craft supplies I had around that house got me interested in making jewelry -specifically earrings. Tuesday afternoon, my daughter and I went on a jewelry-supply shopping spree at JoAnn Fabric & Crafts - and thankfully the clerk generously allowed us the use of a coupon (that I did not have in my wallet) that gave us $15 off our purchase.

Since then, I have been working on my earring-making projects (plus one bracelet) and some turned out quite well. I buy and/or admire colorful jewelry from the likes of Chicos, Coldwater Creek, etc, and I think the styles I have been pursuing in my craft projects reflect that. My husband has suggested (numerous times!) to sell them online or such. Insead, I think that with a year of projects under my belt, I will have enough inventory that maybe I can get a table at a craft fair next fall; we have some large regional ones in the area that could prove to be fruitful.

My next step is to learn how to solder metal to make chains and loops for necklaces and such. I am not a fan of hemp, leather, or satin cording with a pendant plopped in the end (or, technically, in the middle.) Once I hone my skills enough, I may even invest in working with better quality materials, like sterling silver and semi-precious stones. Until then its alloy metals and glass beads, which is fine with me (and my bankroll!)