In true Reiche fashion every Christmas the 18 grandkids (usually the girls) receive a crafting Christmas gift. This gift could be anything from cupcake making supplies to cross stitch. On a side note, 5 years later I still have not finished my first cross stitch project, can you tell how fond I was of it? One year the Christmas craft gift was a jewelry making theme. We received everything you could ever need, I couldn't even begin to tell you what some of the things in that box are. My mother of course swears whatever the item may be it will one day save my life. Probably when I'm being held hostage on a desert island and my only hope of leaving will be to make a boat completely of seed beads.
The elders in the family may never admit it but they love to pass on the tradition of spending time together as a family working on a craft or project. There have been many times sitting around my mother’s dining room table with various aunts and cousin crafting. These times are never uneventful; they are filled with laughter and joy. In the famous words of my Aunt QT "there's no such thing as fun for the whole family".
Some of things we learned this past Christmas have really come in handy. Like when the chain on my necklace
snaps and normally my only option would be throw it away, or when my mother in law lost the hook one of her favorite earrings. My sister in law and I made more snowman earrings than you could ever imagine and gave them away as Christmas gifts this year, who doesn't love a festive earring.
Here are some of the basic steps that you may find helpful in reattaching chain, beads, or earring hooks.
The elders in the family may never admit it but they love to pass on the tradition of spending time together as a family working on a craft or project. There have been many times sitting around my mother’s dining room table with various aunts and cousin crafting. These times are never uneventful; they are filled with laughter and joy. In the famous words of my Aunt QT "there's no such thing as fun for the whole family".
Some of things we learned this past Christmas have really come in handy. Like when the chain on my necklace
snaps and normally my only option would be throw it away, or when my mother in law lost the hook one of her favorite earrings. My sister in law and I made more snowman earrings than you could ever imagine and gave them away as Christmas gifts this year, who doesn't love a festive earring.
Here are some of the basic steps that you may find helpful in reattaching chain, beads, or earring hooks.
1. Slide your bead onto a headpin.
2. Using round nose pliers grasp the wire, keeping your pliers horizontal, bend the wire flat to the top of the bead at a right angle.
3. Now to create a loop, adjust your round nose pliers so they are completely vertical. Pull the wire over the top of the pliers.
4. Adjust your pliers, sticking the bottom round nose tip in the middle of the loop. Pull the wire underneath the bottom tip. You should now have a complete loop.
2. Using round nose pliers grasp the wire, keeping your pliers horizontal, bend the wire flat to the top of the bead at a right angle.
3. Now to create a loop, adjust your round nose pliers so they are completely vertical. Pull the wire over the top of the pliers.
4. Adjust your pliers, sticking the bottom round nose tip in the middle of the loop. Pull the wire underneath the bottom tip. You should now have a complete loop.
5. Using your flat nose pliers hold the loop in your left hand (if you're left handed reverse). Grasp the wire with the round nose pliers in your right hand.
6. Pulling tightly wrap the wire around the headpin base twice.
7. Use your cutters to cut the excess wire close to your wrap. For safety reasons hold you’re the end of your wire as you cut, not your bead.
8. Now use the flat nose pliers to close and finish the end of your wrap.
6. Pulling tightly wrap the wire around the headpin base twice.
7. Use your cutters to cut the excess wire close to your wrap. For safety reasons hold you’re the end of your wire as you cut, not your bead.
8. Now use the flat nose pliers to close and finish the end of your wrap.
1. Using your round and flat nose pliers hold your jump ring. The jump ring opening should be at the top.
2. Twist open the jump ring pushing one side back and the other side front.
3. Slide your wire wrapped bead onto the jump ring.
4. Close your jump ring by twisting the ends back together.
2. Twist open the jump ring pushing one side back and the other side front.
3. Slide your wire wrapped bead onto the jump ring.
4. Close your jump ring by twisting the ends back together.
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