So Much More Than a Beaded Band

By Vicky Eva, Klutz buyer, DIY queen, and (most importantly) proud mama

Before I worked for Klutz I used to be a buyer for a beads company, and oh how I loved it. I got to play with beads and make jewelry EVERY DAY. Pretty neat, huh? These days, with a little one and a new home, it’s a lot harder to find the time for crafting but I make a conscious effort to make time for it because it’s inspiring. Recently, Klutz's Beaded Bands inspired me to revisit my roots in beading. 

The book teaches kids how to make cute beaded bracelets, but I thought it would be fun to make something that would be multi-functional for me—beaded headbands that can act as necklaces as well. (I wasn’t kidding when I said I don’t have too much free time. I need my crafting to be productive!) After studying the techniques from the book, I grabbed some stretchy cord, and voilà! 

It was such a joy to make these projects. Not only was the crafting stress-relieving, the results were so rewarding. These headbands/necklaces will look great with my short hairstyle but I must say . . . they look much better on my model.

Craft Day at Grandma's (with Potholders and Other Loopy Projects)

Kim Ryon, sales manager and grandma extraordinaire

What better way to bring out my inner seventh-grade crafter on a special afternoon with my granddaughters than to tackle a project that I remember doing during summer camp—Potholders! I have clear memories of sitting on a rickety picnic table at a community park creating these colorful kitchen accessories.

I couldn’t wait to make new memories with my granddaughters when I saw Potholders and Other Loopy Projects. This Klutz activity kit is packed with hundreds of colorful loops and a loom that makes it easy for kids of all ages to weave a variety of fun crafts. It was a perfect activity to take on with my granddaughters, who are 4 and 9. We planned a “Craft Day at Grandma’s” so that I could share my exceptional knowledge of welting and weaving with them, but in a last-minute panic my daughter-in-law asked if she could leave her son with me too. I couldn’t say no to my grandson, but I was sure that Isaac would be bored out of his mind since his favorite thing to do at our house is help Grandpa with yard work, or fix anything that needs repairs. But boy, did he prove me wrong. By the time his older sister, Lena, was done picking out the colors for her potholder, Isaac was already halfway through his own.

We only had two looms so the youngest, Lyla, took pictures while she waited her turn (but she was itching to make a potholder of her own). Once it was her turn, she loved stretching the loops straight across the loom, and I loved seeing how proud she was of her color combination! The second layer of loops was a bit harder for my youngest granddaughter, since it required weaving over and under, but I was excited to reminisce about my own childhood and share my expertise (with a quick glance at the instructions of course).

Voilá! After only about an hour we had two finished potholders, three happy kids, and lots of precious memories!

The crafts were supposed to be a surprise gift for their mom on a later date, but as soon as she walked in the door, they couldn’t wait to show her what they had made her. They were so proud of their accomplishments that they have been begging me for another project ever since. So stay tuned for the next “Craft Day at Grandma’s!”