When I was a young teenager I had a friend who had a lot of jewelry. I wanted lots of jewelry too. I started making my own jewelery. Lots of beads...... I made my own from polymer clay and paper. I took jewelry classes and learned to work with metal. The non precious materials were usually my favorite. I drilled holes in acorns. I used bolts and fishing lores, gi joe heads and barbies things. All kind of stuff. I still do this.
I also need to clear things out once in awhile this boxes and boxes of crafting supplies. I have collected these bobbles for awhile now and was thrilled to watch a group of children pick through my treasures the other day during the morning program I lead. I gave kindergartners through fifth graders three boxes of beads and bobbles,some beading elastic, ribbon and pipe cleaners.
I brought a blanket to put down on the table. On of my past mentors showed my this trick. we kids drop beads and they hit the table they will stay within the blanket. Other wise they bounce off the table and end up all over the floor.
This one girl is part Native American and recently was learning about Native American tribes in schools. She says the most insightful things and is very creative. She choose the gold craft coins,the tribal print beads and some polymer clay beads and made this great necklace.She wanted the necklace to reflect her cultural background.
Other kids used letter beads and bells and made necklaces with them. One girl made a choker from safety pins and beads
One girl even made her school art teacher a gift, a pipe cleaner with beads ans a mini roll of tape that she found in my treasure box she said "You never know when the art teacher might need tape".
Today they thought the mini golf tokens were "real gold".
I love to here kids talk about their process as they create. It warms my heart....
