Christmas is around the corner and just like many others out there, I feel defeated while scrolling through the Toy R Us website (and loads of other sites), trying to find the perfect gift for my 11 year old twin daughters and my 10 year old daughter. Toy stores just don't cut it past a certain age...
You see, I also have a 13 year old son, but he is by far the easiest to shop for. If it has a Star Wars or Magic The Gathering logo, all is good.
But, the girls, oh the girls! They're not typical for their age(s). They love traveling, they adore more grown up versions of jewelry, and it never fails that wherever we are visiting, they want to buy a key chain. It's not that they are key chain obsessed, it's that they like miniature versions of things (like landmarks). I must admit, I do, too.
There is something magical about tiny objects, which for me probably stemmed from reading The Littles as a kid...
After much thought, it came to me: Why not make them each a personalized charm bracelet?! Not the Pandora kind, but a whimsy, fanciful, Queen Victoria style dangle charm bracelet. And that is what I did!
So, these bracelets aren't just for kids. They'd be perfect for a sibling, aunt, grandma, a friend. And what I love about them is that they are more personal than just buying any ol' regular piece of jewelry as a gift for someone.
WARNING: This project isn't difficult, but beware that making a custom charm bracelet does require thought. There are just so many to choose from!
This was my first time crafting a jewelry thingy, and hopefully someone out there can find this helpful!
Step One:
Decide what kind of metal you want.
Bright gold? Shiny silver? Or maybe even an antique, weathered metal?
There are plenty to choose from, but I chose to go in the mixed media direction.
After scouting out different bracelets and different charms, I found that it wasn't always easy to find charms in certain metal finishes. I LOVE rose gold. Have loved it since I was a klepto five year old digging in my mother's jewelry box and taking her Black Hills Rose gold necklace to wear to school. My wedding rings are rose gold. But unfortunately, there isn't a huge market out there full of rose gold charms. If you have money to blow, you can have charms custom made, but ain't nobody (me) got time for that.
So, with that being said, don't get your hopes high for finding exactly what you want/ need. I wanted to initially go with ONLY yellow gold for their bracelets, but some of the charms I had my heart set on (bagpiper, cuckoo clock, etc,) only came in silver.
But...my daughters are not partial to any metal finish. They like silver and gold. Whew! And thank goodness for that. Because they dig both, I actually decided to make their bracelets in a mixed metal fashion. Since I wasn't sticking to one type of finish, I had endless possibilities to pick from!
Step Two:
Decide on a theme. Optional, really.
This may not be completely necessary, but I do feel you need to pick some kind of genre. If this is for yourself, do whatever! If this is a gift, think about things the recipient loves: Travel, reading, sewing, tennis, birds, architecture, music? I made a list for each of my daughters, and found myself referencing it often. For the bracelets I made, the base theme is travel. We have lived in Europe for two and a half years, and this will be our final Christmas here. I thought what better way to commemorate our adventures than with a bracelet. And of course, I can always add to it if need be. But I wanted for each to be special in its own way for each girl.
Without explanation, one daughter will have added hearts, another will have roses, and the baby will have birds, which makes each one different and more personal. They will understand the meaning! Promise.
Step Three:
Find a base bracelet.
I looked high and loooow for base bracelets that I liked, There are many on Etsy, Amazon, eBay, but they just didn't strike my fancy. I want these bracelets to be keepsakes.
Watch out for cheap bulk quality products out there. I didn't want to spend big $$$ on Tiffany charm bracelets, but I didn't want to buy cheapo metal, either. It tarnishes fast, and breaks easily.
I found my base bracelets at JC Penny, on sale for $12.99 per bracelet. The best part: They each came with four, nice quality, travel charms (that are removable).
Step Four:
This is the hardest part...pick out your charms!
I didn't want any of the charms to be too big or bulky, but since I live in Germany and can't exactly drive to a Hobby Lobby, I had to rely on their online measurements, if they existed. I will admit, a few charms were much bigger than I envisioned. Hobby Lobby is a great place to find charms, but it is slightly more expensive than some other resources. I did wait to purchase until a sale on them hit, however on Etsy, most charms aren't sold by each piece, but rather in sets of 3,4, or 5 which was perfect for me since I am crafting more than one bracelet.
Etsy is where the bulk of my charms came from. I didn't mind paying between $2-4 bucks for shipping per order since my orders were at least $15 each. It was better than paying Hobby Lobby's evil shipping fees (For APO addressees, we don't get the "spend $50 and get free shipping" option. Boo. Hiss).
Step Five:
Create some picture pendants! Also optional.
If I couldn't find a charm that represented each country we have traveled to, I created it by printing a tiny country flag, and then using bezel pendant blanks and cabochon glass to make my own charms. I also used actual photos from our travels!
Making your own charms is pretty easy and many tutorials are available online.
Step Six:
Collect your tools and materials.
You might need a few extras that some bloggers fail to mention. Small, needle-nose pliers, jumps rings. These things are a minimal cost.
Step Seven:
Put it all together!
It took me about an hour per bracelet to attach each charm with individual jump rings. My fingers were sore and my hands were cramped, but it was worth it! I really like how they turned out. They're a bit heavier than I expected, but hey, you can make yours however clunky or light you want it to be.
A perfect, one-of-a-kind gift, tailored for the recipient.
**UPDATE**
My daughters LOVED their bracelets! I was super excited for them to rip open their gifts on Christmas morning and saved these for last.
This was a much better choice than a toy that'd be forgotten within a month! My girls were so proud of it that they made sure to wear it on the first day back to school after Christmas break. And I honestly thought they'd be more excited to wear their new spirit hoods to school...
I'm thinking it's time to make one for myself, soon!
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