a few weeks ago i decided to make this cute bracelet i saw in a crochet book. it had an adorable crocheted clasp with a buttonhole and shell button. so i bought the beads, got all excited, then proceeded to crochet. the end result looked liked poop. i got different yarn--but the end result was the same. poop. i tried knitting instead of crocheting, but still the so-cute-in-the-book bracelet was the ugliest most amateurish thing i've ever seen.
i decided to throw in the towel and opt for some more traditional clasps, and today without any prior experience (or even basic instruction--i'm a big fan of winging it) i made my first bit of beaded jewelry. it was so much fun, and i had so many beads, i made two. then i went through my jewelry box and started to cannibalize all the ugly stuff i never wear, and reinvented them. the end result? three bracelets and a necklace that i love!

