Rockin' the Dollar Store Bling

If I won the lottery tomorrow I would quit my day job and spend the rest of my life doing crafts (and cooking). Until that day comes, I spend what little free time I have making my safety pin bracelets. Seed beads are very in this season, and I'm thrilled because it gives me a reason to make and wear these funky accessories.

These are fun and super easy to make. I got the idea 7 years ago, when Stef bought one of these for $15 in Wasaga beach - and I thought - I could make this for way less, and I do.

You need:

• 2 different colours of seed beads. It works best when 1 of the colours of beads has a glossy/shiny/sparkly finish and the other colour has a matte finish.


• 1 pkg safety pins, all the same size (silver or gold, whatever you prefer)


• 2 pieces of elastic - the kind you can buy to wrap gifts (usually silver or gold in colour) usually works best. Ensure that the 2 pieces are the same length, and are a little longer than your wrist circumfrence.
  

Here's what you do:

1. Thread 1 pin with beads from colour A. String the head of the pin through 1 of the elastic pieces. String the tail of the pin through the other elastic.

2. Take a naked pin (no beads) and thread it the opposite direction. So thread the tail of the pin through the other elastic, with the head on the opposide side of what you did in step one.

3. Thread 1 pin with beads from colour B. String as you did in step one.

4. Repeat step 2.

Repeat these four steps until you've filled both elastics. When it fits all the way around your wrist, tie the two elastic pieces together, and thread any excess thread through the back.

This is the back.