Jewelry Making Party
I heard about someone doing kids jewelry making parties and I wondered
if anyone out there has heard of it or done it. If you are familiar
with this subject would you please share a bit of your knowledge with
me. I am thinking about doing some of these in my area and I'm in the
research stage to see if this is feasible. I'm thinking that maybe we
could make bracelets or something.
I've had great success with bead-making parties, and also with
bead-related art projects at my mom's daycare. I use large-hole beads
with neon-color shoelaces. (That way, you don't need a needle.) I
use regular plastic beads, raw painted pasta, drilled natural items
like acorns and pine cones, plus I bring enough beads from my
weird-bead box so that everyone can have at least a couple of handmade
beads.
I usually bring enough inexpensive stone donuts to use as the focal
bead (which also allows the shoelaces to be seen!). Then the kids
continue by stringing beads about halfway up the sides to make a
necklace.
I've also had the opportunity to explain mala prayer beads to the kids
at my mom's daycare. They made their own "power beads" and chose an
affirmation to say. My mom appreciates this, because she says that it
helps the kids get to sleep at nap time; they lie on their cots and
say their affirmations! (For one particularly stubborn non-napper, I
made a special mala with a plastic Jigglypuff focal bead. This is a
Pokemon whose song makes its enemies go to sleep. Now the little boy
sings the Jigglypuff song to himself for each bead on the mala, and
falls asleep right away!)