D.I.Y.

click on the pic to see how pretty these beads really are

OK, long story short: I needed a necklace for an outfit that consists of a white dressy tunic blouse over a floor length straight black skirt. It's for the spring concert the choir will give in May. I just bought the blouse yesterday, and wandered for hours trying to find just the perfect necklace. I want something to tie the black and white together, but pulls in lots of colors since it's a spring concert. And, besides that, I just love color as you all know.

So I looked at umpteen stores and found nothing that really did it for me. I was set to give up and go home; I was at the bus stop, actually, when I got inspired. My vision was for a necklace similar to the one pictured above, but with jewel-toned Swarovski bi-cone crystals. Ding! I left the bus stop and went immediately on foot to the bead store in Holland Village (which is where I was already).

I was surprised to find out this store has never carried Swarovski beads, but I made do with these Czech glass beads. It isn't exactly what I had envisioned, and I may still make that necklace, but I'm much happier with it than with anything else I saw.

This is the best part about knowing how to make different things. You know how they say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing? I've never found that to be true (except, perhaps, in the area of theology. I'll leave that to my DH) - rather being a Jane-of-all-trades can be very satisfying, and certainly costs less than buying something someone else made that you could have made yourself.

I tried the necklace on with the blouse this morning and it looks really great. Now I just need to make earrings....